avatarCrystal Jackson

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Four Bookish Hobbies That Aren’t Reading (But Celebrate Books)

When you come up for air at the next chapter, try this

Photo by Matias North on Unsplash

There are not enough hours in the day to read all the books I want to read — or even all the books piled high in my TBR (to be read) stack. I’m a voracious reader to the point that one friend calls me a book monster, devouring every book that comes my way. It’s a fair comparison although I hope I consume with the appropriate amount of joy and appreciation.

For those of us who love, adore, and embrace all things book-related, we might want hobbies that are bookish but don’t involve reading. When we need a break from the written (or audio) word, here are four bookish hobbies that indulge our love of books.

Build Book Nooks

Library of Books — Photo by Crystal Jackson

I bought a book nook for myself for Christmas. It’s one of those that fit nicely onto bookshelves and look like a tiny little bookstore or home library. I wanted it so badly. When it arrived, I was stunned by how many tiny pieces are involved in creating a book nook. In reality, it’s a 3D puzzle — and I’ve never been one for puzzles.

Still, one night I decided to put on old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and take out my book nook kit. Spreading the tools and materials before me, I decided to start on the first step and see what I thought. I soon completed the first row of instructions and proceeded to complete the second row. At the end of the night, I had several columns of tiny books lined up in front of me — books I had put together.

The Making of a Book Nook — Photos by Crystal Jackson

My little bookworm heart went pitter-pat. It’s a labor of love, and it will probably take a couple of weeks to assemble. I usually work on it in the evenings when my family is settling down for the night. I can put on a favorite album to sing along to or play a familiar show or movie I can listen to while I carefully piece together the parts that will form this tiny bookish world.

Visit Famous Literary Haunts

Georgia Writers Museum, Eatonton — Photo by Crystal Jackson

Travel can be a bookish hobby if we focus on famous literary haunts — or even visit the setting of some of our favorite books. My own contemporary romance series was set in Madison, Georgia — a charming town an hour outside of Atlanta. While it’s impossible to meet the characters who exist solely in my head, it’s altogether possible to visit this southern small town.

There are places all over the world that are considered literary landmarks. Searching in my state yielded many results, including the following:

  • The Georgia Writers Museum (Eatonton, Georgia)
  • The Margaret Mitchell House (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • The Wren’s Nest (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Andalusia Farm (Milledgeville, Georgia)
  • Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home (Savannah, Georgia)
  • Mercer Williams House Museum (Savannah, Georgia)

When we need a break from reading, bookish travel might be a fun way to indulge our love of all things literary — while actually getting out of the house for a change. We can check out nearby literary haunts or plan day trips or whole vacations around literary destinations. Don’t forget to bring a book!

Become a Book Influencer

Best Reads of ‘23 — By Crystal Jackson

Can’t get enough of books and want to tell other people what they should read? Start a social media account that’s all about books. We can share our favorites, make recommendations based on popular books, and even offer guides to upcoming new releases. The image above was shared on my Instagram account to highlight some of my favorite books read in 2023.

Enthusiastic bookworms may want to get a NetGalley account and sign up to read books in exchange for giving reviews. It’s a way to get books for free, but it’s also a good way to promote upcoming new releases we enjoy. It’s also a wonderful way to support authors. Read a book, love a book, and post it on a book influencer account. It’s that easy!

Start a Little Free Library

Photo by Madalyn Cox on Unsplash

If we’re really hankering for a bookish project, we can build (or buy) a Little Free Library for our community and stock it with some books. It’s a great way to share our love of reading. It’s always fun to visit a Little Free Library and see which books are circulating. Just don’t forget to leave one if you take one! That’s how to keep it going.

It’s even possible to create a Little Free Library with a bookish theme. Lovers of The Secret Garden may want to paint their LFL with flowers. Harry Potter fans might want to add a lightning bolt. I’m sure more crafty readers could come up with positively elaborate themes like The Tardis. What’s better than a library that’s bigger on the inside anyway?

Bookworms mostly read. And then read some more. And then — shhhh … we’re reading.

But we have other hobbies. They might not all be bookish, but if some of them are, that’s okay, too. We’re spreading our love of reading around — hooray for literacy! And if we drive everyone a little crazy with having our nose constantly in a book, that’s just part of our charm.

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