Do you want to read more books every year? For the past three years, I’ve been tracking my reads and reached my goal of 100 books per year. Here are my best tips for you based on my experience.
Why Do You Want to Read More Books?
Why do you want to read more books every year? This is a question you need to answer before starting your quest.
For me, reading is a driving urge. If I could pick one activity to do every day for the rest of my life, it would be reading, hands down. Reading brings me pleasure like no other activity.
I’ve been reading since the age of 3, and my appetite for reading has been voracious ever since. Libraries were my favorite place as a child. In the summer, I checked out as many books as my backpack could hold, and returned for another dozen every week.
I LOVE learning new things through books. As a child, I was in the gifted program at school. I didn’t feel academically challenged until I got to college. Books always filled the gaps in my learning appetite.
Today, I spend about 10 hours per week writing and creating graphics for hire, and the rest of my working hours are for creating content and managing my social media accounts. Yet I still make time to read every day. Why? Because it’s my favorite activity, hands down. And, it helps my mind grow like nothing else does.
If you want to read more books, you need to have an answer to your why. Maybe you want to learn more about certain topics. Perhaps you want to become a better spouse, parent, leader, employee, or friend. Books have taught me to be a better cook, gardener, and writer. They entertain me, teach me about different cultures, and get me thinking in new ways. Find your why, and you’ll be ready to read more.
Why do you want to read more books every year? Find the answer, and you'll be motivated to read more. #reading #amreading #readingchallenge Click To Tweet
How to Read More Books Every Year
Okay, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Just how do I read over 100 books per year? Here are my top 6 secrets.
Track your reading speed.
I’m a fast reader. My reading speed is about 70 pages per hour for a novel or how-to nonfiction read. My preferred genre is Christian non-fiction, which I can put down after 3 or 4 chapters, mull on, then pick back up again. I can read several books at a time like this if they are on similar topics.
To track your speed, allocate one hour for reading. Set a timer, and take note of your start page. When the timer goes off, you’ll know your average reading speed. After that, you can use basic math to estimate how many books you can read in a year.
For example, a normal nonfiction book is around 225 pages long. At my reading speed of 70 pages per hour, it will take me a little over 3 hours to finish it. So, if I want to reach my goal of reading 100 books per year, I need to allocate 6 hours of reading time per week, or about 1 hour per day. Tweak this to your reading speed, and you’ll know exactly how much time per day and week to reach your annual goal.
Use Goodreads for accountability.
The reading challenge on Goodreads is an excellent way to set up a goal and stick to it. On your home page in Goodreads, you’ll see if you are on track, ahead, or behind your annual goal. This simple challenge helped me meet my reading goal since 2017. If you use the Goodreads app, you can scan a book’s ISBN number to find it in a snap and add it to your list.
A big bonus: You’ll have a record of which books you have read every year. Also, Goodreads allows you to count a book again even if you have read it in previous years. I have enjoyed this tracking system, which helps me find books for research in a convenient way.
Another benefit of joining Goodreads is getting reading recommendations from your friends. You’ll find books in genres you like from your friends’ suggestions. I cannot sing the praises of Goodreads enough, and I’d love for you to follow me there.
Sign up for an Audible account.
Last year I began using Audible, and I love it. It has helped me “read” more books while I’m driving, especially on long drives. I live about 15 minutes from town, so in one round trip, I can get a minimum of 30 minutes of listening time.
You can listen to books while driving, exercising, washing the dishes, walking your dog, mowing your yard…the list goes on. Combine your beta tasks with Audible, and you can easily read more books every year.
Swap TV time for reading.
I recently read a statistic that said American adults spend an average of 5 hours watching TV every day. I’m not much of a TV watcher–maybe 5 hours per week for me. But I swap out TV time to read, and I’m certain that helps me get ahead on my reading challenge.
What works for me is this. I need a brain reset in the afternoon. I’m a morning person, and I work from home. By 3 p.m. I’ve logged 9 to 10 hours of alpha level brain work. My brain needs a break!
Every afternoon, I get comfy on my couch or in my bed and read for 30 to 60 minutes. This activity soothes my brain, yet stimulates it on a higher level than watching TV. It also gives me just enough energy, and something to think about, before starting my evening beta tasks like cooking dinner, cleaning up the kitchen, etc.
If I read before doing all those tasks, I “reward” myself with a little bit of TV in the evening. You can reward yourself with TV time after reading too. With DVR capabilities, you won’t even miss your favorite shows.
Combine walking with reading.
Let’s face it: reading is a sedentary activity. If I read 100 books every year while sitting down, I’d easily add 50 or 60 unwanted pounds to my frame. So, I read more books and get more activity by using my Kindle when I’m on my treadmill.
This may take some practice. If you’re not used to reading while moving, you’ll need to get used to it. Note: I only walk on my treadmill, because reading while running is next to impossible. Sometimes I run first without my Kindle in front of me, then reward myself with reading on the cool down cycle. Practice by reading while you’re at a slow pace. I can comfortably read at speeds up to 4 mph, but you may need to work up to that.
I often use the Kindle app on my mini IPad. The screen is big enough for me to see the pages, and the right size for sitting on my treadmill shelf. It’s much easier to “turn” pages on a Kindle as compared to a magazine. Plus, you don’t have to worry about holding the pages open as with a physical book (that’s a huge hassle on a treadmill).
Always carry a book with you.
Even though I enjoy e-books, I still read more physical books than digital books. Every time I leave the house, I carry a book with me. You’ll be surprised how much reading you can get in if you read during downtime. I read while eating lunch, waiting during oil changes, sitting in the doctor’s office, and on and on. If I don’t have a physical book with me, I’ll pull one up on the Kindle or Nook app on my phone.
You may check your email or social media accounts in these downtime moments. But if you swap out that time for actual reading, you may read a dozen more books this year!
6 tips to help you read more books every year. I use them to reach my goal of 100 books per year! #readmore #reading #readingchallenge Click To Tweet
4 Ways to Get More Books for Free or Cheap
It would take a hefty salary to cover the retail costs of all the books I read every year. I do purchase quite a few of them, but rarely for full price. Here are my tips for reading more books every year without breaking the bank.
Become a professional book reviewer.
If you have a blog, you can sign up for a Netgalley account. This wonderful, free service allows you to get free previews of upcoming or new books in exchange for reviews on your blog and online retailers. I probably get 50 percent of my books from Netgalley, and it’s a huge blessing. Just don’t sign up for more than you can handle, and be sure to honor your commitment to provide reviews. (As an author myself, I truly appreciate the Amazon reviews from Netgalley readers!)
You can also check with your favorite publisher websites to see if they have a book review program. I currently review books for Baker Publishing Group, B&H Publishers, and Moody Publishers. You will usually receive a hard copy book, which you can then give away on your blog or pass along to your friends (but you cannot resell it). Look through your collection of favorite books, find the publisher, then search for their site and see if they offer a review program to bloggers.
Important note: DON’T blog ONLY about books! Mix in other posts for the maximum benefit to your readers and avoid a low ranking on Google for your site. I try to have no more than 50 percent of my blog posts be book reviews. It’s also a good idea to recommend a book related to the blog post topic at the end, and list your affiliate links there to make residual income (see examples of this technique on my most popular post of all time).
Sign up for email alerts.
I have found amazing deals for free or under $4 for e-books by signing up for the following email lists:
(great books in every genre)
(a creatively curated list of deals)
(my personal favorite for Christian fiction and non-fiction reads)
(a variety of choices in your favorite genres)
When you sign up for BookBub or Page Chaser, you can pick the genres of book you enjoy. You’ll get daily notifications from these sites, so be prepared for the onslaught of emails. You may need to set a monthly budget so you don’t overspend too!
Shop online sales.
Since my favorite reading genre is Christian non-fiction, I regularly find deals on Christian books at christianbook.com. They almost always undercut Amazon and other retailers by several dollars per book. Plus, when you sign up for their emails, they often offer free shipping for orders of $35 or more. I can sometimes buy 8 or 10 books on discount to meet that free shipping threshold.
Lifeway also offers excellent weekly deals on books, and they send email coupons several times per month. I recommend that you sign up for their emails to catch the sales.
Shop consignment stores or library sales.
My library has quarterly book sales where I can get books for as low as 25 cents each. With a little hunting, I have also found book treasures at consignment sales and secondhand stores for a few dollars apiece. One of the best finds was a copy of All the Light We Cannot See for $3 at a seasonal children’s clothing sale, and a copy of An Altar in the World for $2 at my local Teen Challenge thrift store. Magnificent reads for a steal!
4 ways to read more books every year for free or cheap. #booklover #amreading #readingchallenge Click To TweetGet Started!
Which tip(s) from this post inspired you to read more this year? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
If you also enjoy reading book reviews before you purchase a book, check out my Book Reviews page, and my top picks of Christian books published in 2019, 2018, and 2017.
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