No, I'm not trying to fulfill the job of a kindergarten teacher. This is a guide for adults who have lost their urge to read. A lot of us actually enjoyed reading when we were younger, and rightfully so. Then middle school and high school came around with summer reading assignments, essays, tests on books, and a bunch of other heavy work to accompany what were probably enjoyable books. School made reading a chore. How ironic.
I'm here to demolish all your excuses for not picking up reading again because reading is a such a unique hobby.
"Can't I just substitute reading for a movie or TV show?"
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of validity to movies and TV shows as a substitute for literature. They are both very unique and perform a similar job. However, how often do you spend watching a movie or TV show while also playing on your phone, browsing social media, or doing other things? Basically, how often is it spent not looking at the screen? You can only get the full experience of a movie or TV show if you fully pay attention. Reading is a good way to break from that habit.
Reading is very therapeutic. To me, it's like a form of mindfulness. You turn your phone, TV, and computer off; sit by lamplight, and read a book. You are forced to focus on the pages, the story, and the world at your fingers.
"Well, I don't have time to read."
Lies. Could you read for ten minutes before you go to sleep? Do you commute to work or class? Do you ever take a break during the day, during which you spend half-an-hour on your phone? Do you sit on the toilet for at least five minutes every day? Then you've got time to read.
"I don't have money for books."
An exceptional amount of books are available online as PDFs or e-books. Most books before the year 1900 can be found for free somewhere online. If you don't know where Amazon usually has free e-books for download all the time. A neat place to find them is through Reddit.com under the subreddit r/FreeEBOOKS. Also, have you ever heard of a library?
"Those classics are just so hard to read. though."
I wholeheartedly agree. Those books are daunting and really out-dated for a modern reader. However, there are plenty of new authors who make some works, or at least a few chapters, available for free. They may not be the most recognizable names like J.K. Rowling, but they are books nonetheless.
"But... what if I want to read the 'classics'? I want to read something worthwhile."
Don't. Well, at least not yet. Think of it like going to the gym. You have got to start small. In this case, start with young adult fiction. I'm not kidding. Read "The Hunger Games," or "Harry Potter." Easier does not mean worse quality.
I want to reiterate, young adult fiction is not bad to read. Just because someone is able to read the "classics" and enjoy them does not make them better. Reading is a wonderful activity that people should encourage others to do, not put them down for not reading the entirety of the "Game of Thrones" series in a month.
I'm a creative writing major for gods' sakes, and I'm reading "The Lightning Thief." You know what? It's a great book! And not "it's great for a 'kid's' book." It is a great book.
Reading is an unbeatable hobby that can be practiced by anyone. It has so many benefits that I need to write a whole other article to list them all.
