You’re here because you’re a reader. Yet it’s often hard to find time for reading, isn’t it? Worse, even if we have time, we might find ourselves too tired/distracted/morose to pick up a book.
Let me help with that! I’ve come across several ways to ‘trigger the reading mood.’ Some work every time for me, guaranteed. Others, well, depends on the day.
Chances are they’ll work similarly for you. So let’s go down the list.
Light a fire. Soothing, warm, nice ambiance. Unless you lit someone else on fire. Hope you find screams soothing.
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Try a different genre than your normal reads. Tons exist, from Lovecraftian horror to historical fiction to Japanese magical tentacle stories. (May I suggest getting a towel before trying that last one?)
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Read some book reviews for the book at which you’re looking. Seeing the enthusiasm others had for the book should kick-start your own.
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Stand before the bookshelf and take in its glory. It evokes memories of childhood reading enjoyment.
(Don’t do this in a library. The librarians seem to appear out from between the books!)
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Try an audio book. Voice conveys more nuance than text. Which makes audiobooks a great option for books where you want a strong emotionally-charged experience.
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Remember the reason you bought the book. Intrigued by the title? Curious about the topic? Want to see people liberated from their limbs in gory detail? Remind yourself, and then dig in!
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If you’re reading a book, but have lost interest in it, start a new one! Nobody’s forcing you to keep reading that other book. (Except the invisible goblin that lives under your desk. He doesn’t like you kicking him either.)
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Read 30 minutes before bed. It’s the evening. Nothing more to do. The prisoners are chained in the basement. The children stopped screaming about the See-Through Thing hours ago. Time for reading.
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Take a moment to relax beforehand. Put work aside. Don’t worry about the rest of the day; it’ll arrive anyway. Right now you’re going to enjoy yourself with a little reading.
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Make it an escape. Head to a coffee shop, bar, secluded hideaway in the mountains. Whatever gets you away from your everyday environment.
I’ve created a post on my Facebook page with this question: “What gets you in a reading mood?”
If you try any of these, and they work for you, please share the one that worked. Here’s the link.
May 2020 contain an abundance of enjoyable reading time!