Why And How I Read Five Fiction Books At A Time

There Is A Different Book In Every Room In My House

One of the biggest regrets in my life is that I have not read many fiction books when I was younger. I was way too focused on being successful at school and in exams. I wanted to be successful in the mainstream and traditional way.

I have always focused on achieving one goal after another. Work, work, work. Endless goals to conquer. Impossibly long checklists to go through.

There was no time for creativity and reading fiction. I neglected and suppressed my creative side for years. I did not find any time for reading fiction books. I focused on reading non-fiction. Reading fiction felt like something trivial — a luxury at best… Until now. I now believe that reading fiction is as crucial as non-fiction, as it vastly expands our imagination and unleashes our creativity.

I now feel regretful and bitter that I did not read science fiction during my youth. I realized that I can best feed my mind and imagination through reading fiction. I fell in love with the power of creative storytelling and worldbuilding. That is why I decided to read a lot of science fiction books and dystopias starting 2021.

Seven Small Steps I Have Taken To Kickstart My Reading Habits

Change starts with small steps. Here are the small steps I have taken to kickstart my fiction reading habits:

1. I have gone to Amazon and ordered second-hand copies of my favorite science fiction books, including 1984, Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, 2312, Machines Like Me, and The Ministry for the Future. Each copy was less than 4–5 pounds.
2. I have placed each book in a different room. I placed ‘1984’ (George Orwell) in the toilet. I have put ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ (Margaret Atwood) next to my bed in the bedroom. I have put ‘2312’ (Kim Stanley Robinson) in the living room. I have placed ‘Machines Like Me’ (Ian McEwan) in the kitchen, and ‘The Ministry for the Future’ (Kim Stanley Robinson) in the study room.
3. I have placed bookmarks (or a sheet of paper) in each book so that I know exactly where I have left.
4. I started reading these books whenever I am in these rooms and whenever I do have a couple of minutes. I call these ‘micro-reading moments’. These are everyday moments of transition and liminality. They are just one moment or two.
5. I am very sneaky: I steal these moments from the business of my everyday life. I set a reading goal that is so easy that it is difficult to miss it. I make reading super-easy, super-fun, and super-convenient.
6. My small goal is to read just one or two pages whenever I see this book. Therefore, my goal is to shift the place of the bookmark to the next page. That is it. Nothing more than that (although I admit that I break this rule and continue reading if the book is a page-turner, it flows really well, and I am super curious about what is to come).
7. If I am really carried away by the book, I allow myself to read in an intensive burst. Perhaps one hour or even longer. With my favorite coffee.

This is it. Following these simple steps, I have finished reading nearly 1500 pages of fiction since the start of 2021. I could not believe my eyes when I realized that I have already finished four of the books above. I am about to finish the fifth one (2312) in a week or so.

Here are the top 20 lessons and take-aways to kickstart your reading habits:

1. Reading is like breathing. You need books as much as you need oxygen. You do not even think if and when you will breathe. It is completely automatic. The same goes for your reading. Make reading your natural habit — as natural as breathing.
2. Reading should not be a war demanding all your discipline. Reading should be automatic in your life: Super-easy, super-convenient, and super-fun. When you make reading so easy, you will stick to the habit.
3. Reading is not your duty. It is your pleasure. Like a date. You need to steal a moment or two, here and there, in the daily fabric of your life.
4. Whenever you are commuting or going somewhere, always take a book with you. A book is your best companion.
5. Whenever you need to wait (like at a dentist appointment), take out your book and read it.
6. Place a different book in each room in your house. Whenever you are in that room, try to read just one page from that book. After a while of reading in these rooms, the rooms themselves become associated with that book. You get the cue and reading becomes an automatic habit.
7. Try to read in chunks of 2–3 minutes each time. Small and consistent reading is much more effective than reading in bursts.
8. Reduce your TV, Netflix, social media, and Internet time to make more room for reading.
9. Designate a special place for reading at home. Somewhere cozy and comfortable. Near a window maybe? Next to your library? Where can you curl up with your books without any interruption?
10. Go to a library or a used book shop. Schedule a date with books. Spend a couple of hours every weekend.
11. Whenever you tell yourself, ‘I am too busy to read today,’ you are making an excuse. However busy you are, you can spend just a few moments reading.
12. Start with small and modest goals. I did not set any deadlines for any of these books. I wanted to keep my reading goals enjoyable and achievable. In this way, you are relaxed.
13. Do not make your reading goals a burden on yourself. You should convince your subconscious how enjoyable and pleasurable reading actually is.
14. Turn your reading sessions into a game. You are actually playing a game. You are immersing yourself in these different worlds of imagination. You are transported to these diverse realms. The more your brain loves these journeys, the more you will want to explore and set out to new journeys.
15. Read multiple books at a time. Follow your emotions and intuition. You will be more engaged and curious.
16. Find curated lists in the areas of your interest. This will prevent decision fatigue. Join a book club or establish a reading community that will support you and provide you recommendations.
17. After you read the first 50–60 pages of a book, if you still feel bored, sleepy, or annoyed, leave it there. Do not feel you have to finish the book. Start another book. Life is too short for reading books that you do not like. There are fascinating books out there that better deserve your time and attention.
18. Make a list of all the books you would like to read. Keep a reading diary. Be sure to add to your list whenever you hear about an exciting book.
19. Write a very short blog about the books that you have read and loved.
20. Remember to start small and keep going. You will soon turn into a reading machine.

Fahri Karakas is the author of the Self-making Studio. You can explore more here.