I am a very unpredictable reader, I can read one book in a day or in a month – who’s to say? I did not have any intellectual upbringing that would have made me a reader in my childhood. My love for books was very gradual, it developed over the years. I started reading books regularly only after I was able to afford buying books which was merely a few years ago. So many of my old friends and acquaintances often ask me how can I develop a reading habit? or how can I start reading? where to start and what to read?

This blog post is a beginner’s guide to reading and enjoying books, doesn’t matter if you are 16 or 60! I will share some easy tips that will help you in your reading journey.

As a beginner, you should always pick the easiest book. Try to read something that is written in easy language, and has an entertaining side. Fiction is really good to help you get into reading. You may try non-fiction later but it is always good to start with fiction. So get yourself an easy and quick read that will act like a wonderful escape from the grim realities of life because that’s what a reader yearns for, right?

You can pick The Stranger by Albert Camus or Dostoevsky’s White Nights if you want to read a classic. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry or The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy if you want an easy and heartwarming read. These books are super quick so it will obviously uplift your reading spirit. You may opt for The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is written in a very easy language. You may consider Colleen Hoover or John Green if you want to read romance. Some of these books are not really good literature but they are good enough to give you the push that you need to become a reader.

Make sure that you do not jump into something challenging as a beginner because books can overwhelm you pretty badly. I once read in My Dark Vanessa,

“You know how sometimes there’s a book that’s yours?”

Try to do that with your first read. Take some time and find the perfect first book, a book that resonates with your personality, that’s easier and preferably short.

Everything in the world needs a schedule except art. An artist has his own pace and his performance relies on his strange quirky mood. A reader is an artist too, you will understand it when you start reading. You cannot enjoy words unless you have the soul and mind of an artist. Therefore, forget schedules and read whenever the mood strikes.

As a beginner, you have to enjoy reading at your own pace. You have to give yourself time, or maybe no time if that’s what you feel. I have read 300 pages book in a single sitting and I have also read 200 pages book in a month. Don’t stress yourself. Make sure that reading is your entertainment and not a chore.

There are two simple steps I follow before buying a book:

• Read the first sentence, it will most probably tell you if you want the book or not.
• Check YouTube reviews, the reading community on YouTube uploads the most authentic and amazing reviews, or simply read the book blurb on the back cover and it will give you an idea.

Once you have started the book, make sure to give it some time. Commit yourself to reading at least the first 20 pages. If you like them, chances are you will love the rest. Do not quit too early as some books take time to reveal their brilliance.

If you have read more than half of the book and you still don’t like it, then just accept the fact that it is not for you. Not every book needs to be read. I believe life is too short to read the book you do not like. It is perfectly fine to let go of a book that you don’t enjoy reading. After all, reading should bring joy and inspiration, not frustration.

Annotating books is the new book aesthetic. Pinterest is full of annotated book pictures to have that cozy and warm vibe. As a beginner, start simple with annotation. There are obviously rules to annotate literature but you are not reading for an exam so it’s fine. Mark your favorite lines, emotional moments, or key ideas. Use simple notes like Fav, Good, or I cried here.

You may gradually develop a systemized approach to annotations. But you surely don’t need to have it all figured out as a beginner. Try simple and have fun!

As I have mentioned earlier as well, it is perfectly fine to read as per one’s schedule and pace. You are not supposed to complete a book in a day or in a week. If it’s taking you a month to complete one book or a few months, it’s fine.

You have to embrace being a slow reader. There is no race and no rush! Calm down and enjoy your book. I do recommend reading on a daily basis even if it is half a page. Consistency is the key. There is no point in reading a book with increased gaps, if you read the book today and pick it up after 15 days you will surely forget the details and lose interest. Stay consistent and don’t worry about speed, build your habit, and your reading speed will improve over time.

One of the mistakes many beginners commit is reading the author they like, there is no harm in that but reading a single author can lead to loss of interest. Reading one author means you are experiencing the same style over and over again. This approach might lead to a reading slump.

Enjoy your favorite book and then move on to something different. As a beginner, you don’t really have the idea of your favorite genre or type. It is therefore important to give multiple books a chance. An ardent reader knows what he will like the best but the charm of being a beginner is that you get to test different choices.

There is surely no harm in having a favorite author, we all have favorite authors but you don’t necessarily need to read everything by them. Take your time and try other authors and genres and then come back to your favorite author after reading some other books.

The journey of every reader is unique and special. The only thing that connects us is our mutual love for books. What we read, how we read, and when we read, are the variables that don’t matter much.

Anyway, no matter what kind of reader you are these tips will help you start your reading journey. These will guide you to pick up a book and spend some time with it and eventually you will become a devoted reader.