9 ways to read more books in 2017

So you’re still sorting through your resolutions for the new year, one of which is to read more. Easier said than done, right? Wrong. Here are a few tips to help you read more in 2017.

▪ Don’t try to read when you get into bed for the night. Admit it: You’re just going to fall asleep. Instead, set aside an hour earlier in the evening for reading, preferably in a nonreclining position. You can still watch a little TV afterward, and the pressure will be off.

▪ Step away from your phone. Like everyone, I am engaged in an intense, ongoing, frequently lurid romance with my phone. Those notification beeps are a siren song that lure me away from books, dinner, even direct human contact. But be strong. Put your phone in another room while you read – or at least out of arm’s reach.

▪ On your days off, schedule some time to read. First thing in the morning with a cup of coffee works for me. Your mileage may vary. But pick an hour and stick to it.

▪ If a book doesn’t grab you, give up. If a book hasn’t grabbed you 50 pages in, move along. It’s the author’s responsibility to reel you in, not yours to finish something you don’t like.

▪ When you’re tackling a big book, set aside a couple of hours to get into it. Get off to a good start and don’t try to read in short spurts until you’re hooked.

▪ Don’t be afraid of genres. Don’t feel guilty about enjoying thrillers or crime novels or sci-fi or romance or horror or westerns or erotica or – well, anything.

▪ Keep a list of what you read. You can do it via Goodreads or keep your own online log or – if you’re really analog – get a nice journal and write down all the titles you’ve finished. It’s a weirdly effective incentive.

▪ Speaking of Goodreads, join an online reading challenge. If you’re aiming for more specific goals, sign up on Goodreads or check out sites like popsugar.com for new ways to challenge yourself.

▪ Try audiobooks. Nothing makes a commute better or a driver calmer than listening to an interesting book in traffic.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 3:18 PM with the headline "9 ways to read more books in 2017."