5 minutes
If you do not particularly enjoy reading, or get bored quickly after just the first few paragraphs of a book, do not feel bad. It happens to everyone, even the most consistent readers.
Reading is a way to discover things you did not know. It also lets you learn about other people's ideologies or ways of thinking without actually knowing them. Being a regular reader also brings benefits such as improved spelling, writing, and analysis, among others.
Sometimes we may think reading is boring, but we promise that if you make a small initial effort, you will have more fun than ever. Once you embark on the sea of literature—and it truly is immense—you will not be able to stop sailing it.
If we have sparked your interest in reading in any way, try following these carefully chosen tips to help you read your first book while having fun.
Choose a book that interests you
Once you become passionate about reading, you can start books that interest you less. For now, choose books that catch your attention and hook you as soon as you learn what they are about.
For example, car enthusiasts will want to read books about cars. Plant lovers will want to read about gardening or botany. Whatever your tastes, choose a book according to your preferences.
Make reading easier
1.- Imagine what you read.
Use your imagination to create the places, people, and events presented in the book you are reading. This helps you perceive the plot more deeply and build connections with the book, making it harder to put down. Without your noticing, your mind will begin connecting what you read with places you know or past situations.
For everything unfamiliar, your imagination will begin constructing settings based on the reading. Let your mind fly and enjoy every moment. It will be great fun, we promise.
2.- Take notes.
We suggest keeping a notebook handy when reading a book so you can write down what you find most interesting, your thoughts, and the ideas or questions that arise.
You will find it intriguing to read those notes after finishing the book. Sometimes months or years may pass, and they will help you remember what you liked most.
Over time and through books that genuinely capture your attention, you will discover that your notes help you remember what surprised you most. Best of all, you will be able to see things from a broader perspective. Reading lets you expand your mind and discover new thoughts or ideas about how to see the world.
3.- Put yourself in the character's shoes
Let the reading carry you away and put yourself in the place of the character you like most.
Think: What would you do in a similar situation? Would you be willing to do what the book says or teaches?
If you put yourself in the characters' or author's place, you can better understand why things happen or why characters act that way. This will help make your reading more exciting.
4.- Take your time.
Do not focus on accumulating a large number of books read or reading as fast as possible to finish sooner. If you do, you will not understand the plot. Do not read simply to finish the book. Reading is much more: it is about gaining experience and knowledge, and above all enjoying the process.
Take a short pause and imagine the story and its settings; let yourself be carried away by the adventure or the unexpected events facing the characters. Reflect on the story and let yourself go. You will become increasingly interested in what will happen to your favorite character and their adventures. When you finish the book, take time to think how you would continue the story if you were the author and wanted to write a second part.
Use some helpful tools
Always keep a bookmark handy so you can return to the book later and continue more easily.
Keeping a record of books you have read can help motivate you and increase your enthusiasm for reading.
There are websites where you can talk or comment with others about books you have read. You can also recommend and discuss your favorites. In fact, we invite you to use the comments to share your love of reading with our community.
If you have the opportunity to get an audiobook, this option will help introduce you to the world of reading. Even so, we are sure you will enjoy reading more.
And last but not least, if you read a book out of obligation, you will not acquire the necessary knowledge, much less enjoy it.
By contrast, if you do so willingly and enthusiastically, you will gain new skills and enjoy every moment spent reading.
A reader gains access to a whole world of experiences to explore and enjoy according to their tastes. To like something, we must first know it, and that knowledge involves an initial effort: for example, reading the first few books. The more books we know, the more we delight in them, precisely because that knowledge helps us enjoy even more of what we like.
So we invite you to make that initial effort. We know you will not regret it.