Read More This Year: A Practical Guide No complicated systems — just simple habits that work Every year, millions of people make a resolution to read more. By February, most have given up. The books pile up, unread. The good intentions fade. This doesn’t have to be you. This guide isn’t about willpower or complicated systems. It’s about building simple habits that fit into your life. No tracking apps, no elaborate spreadsheets — just small changes that add up. The 10-Book Challenge The Math 10 books per year = approximately 1 book every 5 weeks. That’s 10-15 minutes of reading per day. That’s it. You can do this. Ten books might not sound like much. But consider: most Americans read fewer than 5 books per year. Ten puts you in the top 10% of readers. Let’s make it happen. Step 1: Find Your Time Before you read more, you need to know when you’ll read. Look at your typical day: Morning: 15 minutes with coffee? Commute: Audiobook while driving? Lunch: Reading break instead of scrolling? Evening: 20 minutes before bed? Pick one time slot. Don’t try to read at all of these. Pick one 15-minute window and protect it. Step 2: Always Have a Book This is the simplest hack: always have a book available. Keep one in your bag Keep one on your phone (e-book) Keep one in your car Keep one at your desk You’ll be surprised how often you find 5-10 minutes you’d otherwise waste. Step 3: Set a Minimum, Not a Maximum Don’t say “I’ll read as much as I can.” That’s nothing. Say: “I’ll read at least 10 pages today.” 10 pages takes about 15 minutes. That’s your minimum. Read more if you want, but never less. Step 4: Read What You Enjoy Stop forcing yourself through “important” books you hate. Life is too short. If you love sci-fi, read sci-fi. If you prefer mysteries, read mysteries. The goal is building a reading habit — you can tackle denser material later. The rule: If you’re not enjoying a book, set it aside. Try another. No guilt. Step 5: Make It Easy to Start The hardest part of reading is starting. Remove friction: Leave your current book somewhere visible Keep a bookmark in it Don’t close it flat — leave it open to make picking it up easier Anything that reduces “effort” to start reading helps. Step 6: Join the Habit Reading is more fun when you share it: Join a book club (online or in-person) Follow bookstagram/booktok Discuss books with friends Rate and review what you read Social accountability helps. When others know you’re reading, you’re more likely to keep reading. Step 7: Track Progress Simple tracking is motivating: Goodreads (free) StoryGraph (free) Even a simple spreadsheet There’s something satisfying about watching your “books read” counter go up. Month-by-Month Guide Here’s how to pace yourself: January: Start strong. Read 1-2 books. February: Don’t quit. The initial excitement fades — that’s normal. March: You’re building the habit. Keep going. April-June: Reading should feel natural now. July-August: Summer reading is easier. Enjoy it. September: Back to routine. Don’t let life push reading out. October-December: Year-end reading crunch. You can do this! What If You Fall Behind? You will. Life happens. You get busy, you get sick, you go on vacation. That’s okay. Just start again. Don’t try to “make up” the reading. Just pick up your book and read 10 pages today. Consistency beats intensity. Reading 10 pages every day beats reading 100 pages once and quitting. The Bottom Line Reading more isn’t about finding time. It’s about making time. It’s about building a habit one page at a time. Ten books this year. That’s the goal. It’s achievable. It’s reasonable. It’s yours. Start today. Your first book is waiting. Your First Step Right now, open your calendar. Schedule 15 minutes of reading for tomorrow. That’s it. Just 15 minutes. Everything else follows from there. Start Your Reading Journey Browse our catalog for book recommendations to get you started. View Catalog