This post may contain affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through my links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend the products I love and trust.
14 Tips And Tricks To Make Reading Fun( and less boring)
Ways to make reading fun
Nothing is quite as enjoyable as reading a good book where the story transports you to a completely NEW and exciting world!
But regrettably, there are times when you just picked up the wrong book and you don’t think reading is fun anymore. You feel you don’t enjoy a good book. Reading become rather dull and boring activity.
Maybe you’re reading a book like, Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, where it takes twenty-four pages to describe a scene. And there are other books that can cause the same boredom with unexciting characters.
Before I turned bookworm, I often felt that reading is boring. And I couldn’t find ways to make reading fun and enjoyable. Although most of the time I blame it on book. Later, I realised that there are many tips and tricks that can make reading a book pleasurable. So if you’re someone who has hard time focusing on reading or feel reading is quite boring, this post is for you.
I am going to share tips and tricks to make reading fun. 15 fun ideas to make reading a book more rewarding and entertaining. Find out the best ideas on how to make reading fun for adults.
You’ll love this post-
1. Find out the fun part about reading
You are told numerous times that reading is the best hobby. Reading can enhance your memory and concentration. However, that’s not enough to make reading fun.
Identify the reason, why you want to read? What is the fun and enjoyable part about reading? Is it because you love stories? Or you love reading more about the lives of people: world leaders, actors, politicians,…?
For me, reading is a hobby I enjoy the most. I think reading books is entertaining and enjoyable. Books are the lens through which I see the world. Reading helps me explore the countries and cultures that are foreign to me. And I definitely think reading is the best hobby for any fun-loving person.
The other day, I was reading “The Great Alone’‘ by Kristin Hannah– an incredible novel that tells the story of a family in Alaska. I could actually experience the dangers of living in a wild, remote corner of the state throughout the book! Although the book was intense, I try to make the reading fun by searching about Alaska wildland adventures.
“Homegoing” is another epic novel that’s so close to my heart. Yaa Gyasi’s novel depicts brutal acts of violence and enslavement.
But, I don’t always go for intense and dramatic novels. Occasionally, I pick up sweet and delightful reads like “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren. Reading light and funny novel are also another way of making reading enjoyable.
So next time, make sure to list some fun part of reading before starting a new book.
2. Establish a fun, exciting daily reading routine
An easy reading routine will go a long way in your busy schedule.
Establishing a relaxing daily reading may include a few realistic approaches but can impact your reading in so many ways.
The first step is to figure out the time you want to allocate for reading.
Are you an early bird and get everything done in the morning, then maybe how about reading for a few minutes before work? Or do you like getting some extra sleep in the morning and want to read more just before bed? Choose whatever best suits you and stick with it. The key is to have a few minutes of fun reading time which is entertaining and relaxing.
Make the most out of your reading time by creating a reading nook. Get a comfortable reading chair or couch along with some matching cushions to make the reading space cosy and comfortable. Have a cute little reading space not only make reading fun but also help you concentrate while reading , without getting bored.
Here is a few reading nook decor to create the dreamy book lover space.
3. Avoid distractions while reading
The one most common problem that every reader faces might be getting distracted. Once you start reading, millions of things come to your mind and eventually, you’ll lose focus.
Other times, it can be a new Instagram message that pops on your phone. Once you grab the phone to look into any of these, you get lost in the “eternal scrolling” of your IG feed.
So before you read, turn phone your phone off or put it in focus mode.
And if you are looking for fun ways to read your favorite book, listening to music is a good way to do so. Music indeed help you have fun with reading. But here is something you should know about listening to music while you read.
Recent research suggests listening to music with lyrics reduces reading efficiency. “Music with lyrics is very likely to have a problematic effect when you’re writing or reading,” said Clifford Nass, professor at Stanford University.
Grab this playlist to have fun with your reading.
4. Speed reading isn’t exactly a fun reading time
You might want to read more books and become an avid reader. Although speed reading can help reading more books, you may not be the best way to make reading fun. You might understand only a little of the story and eventually want to give up. Focusing more on speed can actually affect comprehension.
I am quite sure this is what had happened to me when I read a classic novel. I have to reduce my reading speed quite a lot compared to contemporary fiction.
Bottom line is that speed reading is not a bad habit but it somewhat limits the fun of reading a good book.
5. Have fun with break down the chapters/ pages
If you love reading long books with 500 or 800 pages, challenge yourself not to check the rest of the pages. A smart way to avoid the stress of reading a long book is to divide them into small chunks. Have fun with creating a reading timeline for each chapter. This way you will have more focus while reading.
I actually divide them hourly. For example, 100 pages/ 3 chapters in an hour. These numbers can vary depending on the book, of course.
6. Join a book club to make reading enjoyable
Even though I am not part of a book club officially, the idea takes me back to my literature classes. I remember when we were asked to read classics for the reading discussions. I really liked the idea of discussing a book with my classmates. We had to come up with fun ways to read classic books. Discussing a book with your friends of book club members make reading any book fun. So book clubs are definitely a place to hang out if you want to enjoy reading.
If you’re just started to read and are not sure how to choose your next read, join a book club immediately. Not only for making reading entertaining but also to meet other book lovers.
Sometimes it’s so hard not to discuss a great read when you’re not surrounded by bookworms. You might want to share a beautiful love story you read or an extraordinary memoir, but then you don’t know what to discuss, that’s when book clubs are a blessing.
Book clubs are also a great place to explore new genres and get tons of book recommendations.
You can also join the book discussion boards at Goodreads.
Here are the list of book clubs to join to make reading fun
7. Reading the blurb can enhance the fun of reading
Although I am not a huge fan of reading book reviews, I find the blurbs of the book quite encouraging. In my opinion, reading the review restricts me from coming up with my own interpretation and analysis of characters. So I’d rather check the star rating in the goodreads before getting a new book to read.
Along with reading a blurb here are a few more things you can try doing to make reading fun and enjoyable
- Read about the author
- Find out more about the background of the story
- Check other interesting facts about books
I remember watching the interview of Anne Patchet when she talks about the story behind the gorgeous cover of her latest book The Dutch House.
8. Have fun with reading & listening
E-book, audiobook or paper book?
You might have already heard the numerous debates out there on this topic. Personally, I don’t think it matters.
However, it took me a while to change my perspective on this as I always enjoyed feeling the pages when I read. The earthy smell of a book makes reading more pleasurable.
But for the past two years, I have been listening to audiobooks quite a lot, and actually enjoy listening to the audio narration of books. Listening to best audiobook narrators make my reading fun and entertaining. Especially when it comes to long and boring books.
We all know how classic novels are often regarded as the finest works of literature but the descriptive writing makes the reading tedious. But thanks to audiobooks, I have listened to quite a lot of them without getting distracted.
Here is a list of 21 FREE Audiobooks to listen to have more fun.
9. Books to movie adaptations can be entertaining and fun
There have been a great many literary adaptations over the years. From the classic novels, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter and Hunger Games, so many great books have become the most popular movies of all time.
So how does watching a movie make reading fun?
Well, when you read you have your own interpretations of characters, story and the setting. So there is something incredibly exciting about seeing your favourite characters on screen.
I remember watching the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” half-heartedly. Having loved the book so much, I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to enjoy it. But it turns out that the movie is as gripping as the novel.
Of Mice and Men is another book to movie adaptation, a gripping tale of migrant workers that was heartbreaking to watch. So if you’re looking for ideas to make reading fun for adults, look for some great book to movie adaptation to watch later.
Explore more fascinating book to movie adaptations
- The Dry
- Peter Rabbit
- The Nightingale (upcoming)
- Fault in Our Stars
- The White Tiger
- Little Women
- Room
- Crazy Rich Asians
Another exciting list of films that you might not know were based on books
- Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
- The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
- The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
- Green Mile by Stephen King
- The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
- Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
- The Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
10. Have fun with interesting facts
This is one of the best things I enjoy doing when I begin a new book. Essentially, this includes searching about anything you find fascinating in the novel. For instance, you might find the country where the book is set, fascinating. Perhaps the historical events mentioned in the book were intriguing. Or you are excited about the sumptuous recipes in a novel. Try to learn more about anything that you think can make your reading fun.
When I was reading “Anne of Green Gables”, I was fascinated by country life. I was constantly reading about Prince Edward Island and gazing at the picturesque villages on Google.
So spend some time reading fun facts about the book and the author. Find out something exciting in the book, apart from the story.
A few honourable mentions of the books made me spend hours on the internet reading about interesting facts than the actual story.
- “Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi“( Historical Elements)
- “Malibu Rising” ( Malibu, Obviously )
- “The Home for Unwanted Girls” by Joanna Goodman (Historical references)
11. Listen to podcasts about books
Podcasts are widely popular because they are FREE and you can listen anytime from anywhere.
Literary podcasts are the best if you love listening to discussions on books, authors, writing etc.
“Books and Authors” is the very first book podcast I listened to and have been hooked ever since. Each episode covers interviews of popular authors or writers discussing their favourite books. Bookish podcasts help me to find fun ways to read more book. And you will get a lot of reading recommendations.
Here are a few Podcasts for Book Lovers to get started.
Weekly news and talk show hosted by the editors of BookRiot.com
Host Traci interviews authors about their writing process and favourite read.
Great discussion about YA books. New releases and popular YA books and authors.
This weekly podcast explores the wizarding world. Each episode has something unique for potter heads.
Just like the name, this podcast helps you find YOU the next read.
Bimonthlypodcast discusses popular books of black authors.
Hosts Christopher and Drew talk about everything about reading, literature, publishing.
Another great podcast for book recommendations. It also takes you through the writers’ process and research and much more.
A beautiful podcast about stories. In each episode, guests share the inspiring stories that have touched them.
12. Use fun reading trackers
What’s a reading tracker? Just like the name suggests, it’s a way of tracking the books you’ve read. Or books you’re planning to read in a month or a year.
Tracking the books encourages you to read more and make reading more pleasurable and gratifying.
Reading trackers are the best to keep track of the complicated or sometimes similar book titles you often forget. Ever since I started using a reading tracker, I can easily go back and forth to see whether I have read that particular book.
You can even use reading logs to track the books of a particular author.
Above all, isn’t it always fun to look back and see how many books you’ve read in a year? So if you’re looking for the best way to track your book, Goodreads is the best website.
Or if you want to be a little more creative, I can help you with “The Creative Muggle reading tracker. These reading trackers are an absolutely creative space for you to track the book with a bit of colouring. Grab the reading trackers here.
13. Watch TV shows based on books
The Queen’s Gambit to Bridgerton, Netflix shows based on books have gained massive popularity in the past year.
So why not grab the books and watch the TY shows?
The fascinating thing about Netflix shows is that they are lengthy and elaborate, giving us more opportunity to explore the characters.
Given that Netflix has been picking up a number of novels to TV adaptations it’s time to make reading more fun.
Some of my favourite TV shows that are based on books are The Queen’s Gambit, Anne with an E, Sherlock
15. Appreciate your efforts
Finally, take some time to appreciate your efforts and accomplishments.
Treat yourself to anything you love. Another book (why not ), cookies, chocolate, anything that makes you feel like you’ve achieved something extraordinary.
Tell me your favorite ideas for how to make reading fun
Let me know whether any of these hacks have worked for you,
Always curious to hear from you,
Stephy
More tips to have fun with your Reading
Stephy George
Hi Noha, welcome to the blogging world. I hope you love it. Feel free to ask me any questions, always happy to help 🙂
I just started a blog about books and journals and I find your page so inspiring. I learn, enjoy, and get motivated.