How to Read a Book If You Don't Enjoy Reading

Picking a Book for Pleasure

Choose reading material that you will enjoy. Many people like to talk about reading “the classics,” but this might not be the type of reading material you enjoy and could turn you off to the activity. Choose any type of reading material you like which can help encourage you to read. Check out a wide variety of genres, such as celebrity biographies, romance, non-fiction, graphic novels, or fictional works. Ask friends and family members for suggestions of material they enjoyed reading. Chances are that you may like it, too. You’ll likely enjoy a couple of different genres of reading. For example, you might like to read romance novels one day and a graphic novel the next. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one type of reading: allow yourself to explore the wide world of reading!

Go to a real bookstore. Brick-and-mortar bookstores have several advantages over browsing online. For one thing, you can walk through the aisles and pick up anything that catches your eye. You're more likely to discover something exciting when you can see what's in front of you, rather than having to know what to search for. Most bookstores are also happy to let you relax and read in their coffee shop or lounge area, so you can "preview" a book before you buy it. Additionally, employees in bookstores usually love books and are happy to offer recommendations. For example, if you usually don't like reading but really enjoyed The Hunger Games, a bookstore employee could recommend other books like it that you might also enjoy.

Remember that you won't be tested. Some people have learned to hate reading because in school they had to read just to pass tests, and they never made an emotional connection to the material. If you're just trying to figure out what you might enjoy reading, remember that this isn't a test, and you won't "fail" if you don't enjoy a particular type of book. It's also not a competition. Liking one type of book doesn't mean that you're "better" than someone else. Someone bragging about loving James Joyce's Ulysses isn't inherently a superior person. And in fact, quite a few people lie about having read "classic" books -- 65% of people admit to saying they've read an "important" book when they have not. Read things that you find interesting and enjoyable, and don't let anyone make you feel bad about what you like. Popular writers like John Grisham and James Patterson may not be Charles Dickens, but their works give plenty of people enjoyment.

Rely on media other than books. Just like not getting stuck on one genre of reading, try different types of reading media. From magazines to books and tablets to e-readers, there are many different media from which you can choose to read. If you don’t like reading books, try smaller publications such as magazines or newspapers. Making the reading manageable can motivate you. If you travel a lot, try using an e-reader or tablet. This can help you to pass time without having to tote heavy books or magazines on your trip.

Join a book club. Reading doesn’t have to be a boring or solitary endeavor. Joining a book club can be a fun and social way to enjoy different kinds of reading with friends or family members. Seeing a story unfold and talking about it can be a powerful motivation for many people to read as well as making it more enjoyable. Combine your reading with other enjoyable activities such as eating a meal or having a glass of wine. Be aware that with a book club you won’t necessarily always like the book choices. You can always opt to not read the book or grin and bear with it until something you like comes along.

Listen to audiobooks. If you truly don’t like reading, listen to audiobooks. These are often performed by voice actors so they sound dramatic and engaging. Audiobooks may help you enjoy books without actually having to do any physical reading. They can be great if you commute, too. It might take a few tries to find a genre of audiobooks that you like. You can always stop an audiobook if you don’t like it and try something new. Public libraries often offer a selection of audiobooks that are free to check out. You can also join a subscription service, such as Audible, that allows you a free audiobook every month for a small fee. Studies have shown that listening to books offers basically the same intellectual benefits as reading a book. In fact, there are some people who learn better from hearing than through visual stimulation.

Take your time. If you’re reading for enjoyment, there is no pressure to read quickly. Take your time while reading a text to help ensure that you can thoroughly enjoy whatever you’ve chosen to read. Break down your reading choice by pages, chapters, or sections. If you feel like you need to make your text more manageable, break it down into digestible parts. For example, you could say, "I’m going to read 5 pages." See if you can do that and continue on if you like. Otherwise, leave the reading for another time.

Avoid forcing yourself to read. You might be making reading less enjoyable by forcing yourself to read because of personal or societal expectations. Don’t pressure yourself to read and you may find that you really enjoy reading as well as what genre you prefer. Place different reading material randomly around your home or office. This may encourage you to pick up something to read when you’re bored or instead of watching TV or doing other activities. You can also take reading material with you on vacation, to a pool or amusement park, or on your morning commute. Having it there may entertain you when you’re bored or need a distraction.

Read at relaxing times. Don’t read when you feel stressed or at times when you’re in a hurry. Reading at times you’re relaxed can help your brain associate with pleasure instead of as a chore. Studies have shown that a positive and relaxing context can motivate people to read. For example, you might want to keep some reading material next to your bed. You can reach for it before you go to sleep if you like. Make sure to keep a couple of different types of material available— such as a magazine and a book—so you can read something that parallels your mood.

Reading Assigned Books

Use a study aid to accompany your reading. If you are having a hard time getting through an assigned book, consider using a study aid to help you get through the book. This may help you understand complex topics and actually learn to enjoy the book. Most major works of literature have study aids. These have annotated comments that can explain difficult sections of the book. Talk to your instructor or boss if you’re having a difficult time. She may be able to suggest effective ways to read the book.

Develop a plan for the assignment. If you don’t enjoy reading and realize that you have required reading for school or work, accept it and develop a plan to tackle the assignment. This will help you figure out how to strategically get through the activity. Allot to each section of the reading a specified amount of time so that you don’t get mired on one part of it. For example, you’ll probably want to spend more time on the introduction and conclusion than the body of a text. Make sure to schedule breaks for yourself to refresh your brain and recharge yourself.

Start your reading as early as possible. It is never too early to start required reading. This can minimize your stress and help you retain information. You can read for 20-30 minutes a day to help you get through the text in a more effective manner.

Break up the reading into manageable sections. Working with smaller and more manageable sections can help you get through your required reading. This will ensure that you address every section of the reading, even if it’s not enjoyable. Before you start, skim the entire text to get a basic idea of what it is about. This can help you from getting lost or confused by the work. Pace yourself: allow yourself no more than an allotted time for each section. This may help motivate you to get through the text.

Learn how to “gut” what you have to read. People who have to read a lot of texts, such as academics, employ strategies to quickly “gut”—or get the most important information—reading assignments. Learning how to gut can help you more effectively and enjoyably get through the tedium of required reading. The most important sections of any text are the introduction and the conclusion. Make sure to read these thoroughly and then skim through the remainder of the text for important details. The first and last sentences of paragraphs usually offer previews of the paragraph's argument. Sidebars, text boxes, and summaries in textbooks often condense the most important information. Always read these.

Read out loud. Reading aloud can be especially helpful for texts such as plays and poetry. Plays were written to be performed, and it could make that Shakespeare play a lot more accessible to hear what the words sound like, rather than just reading them on the page. Similarly, reading poetry aloud, paying attention to line breaks and punctuation, can help you discover things about the text that you wouldn't if you read it silently.

Take notes. If you’re reading required texts, you’ll likely need to recall the information at a later juncture. By taking notes as you read, you will construct a built-in aid for when you need to recall what you’ve read. Taking notes is a delicate balancing act between getting too little and too much information. You don’t want to write down everything you read, just the most relevant information. For example, if you are in finance you may want to focus on important figures instead of facts. Conversely, if you are reading a historical text, you’ll need to know the significance of events instead of details. Take notes by hand. Studies have shown that people learn more by writing notes instead of typing them in to a computer or recording them on a device.

Trade reading assignments and exchange notes. If you are in a team or a class where everyone is reading the same required text, break down the reading among several people. Make sure to take notes and then have every person exchange what they’ve written. This may help you avoid having to read too much. Reading groups with colleagues or classmates can be very helpful in effectively tackling reading assignments. Every person has different strengths with learning and material you may not understand someone else likely will.