We have all seen the videos and posts of people saying they read over 100 books in a year. When I first saw this, I thought, Yeah, they’re lying. How can someone read that much? Are they even really reading? I did learn that a small group of people just read dialogue, which is another topic for another day. But, I do think it is possible to read 100 books in a year!
My goal for 2025 is to read at least 50 books. Even though this number is considered low for some people, for me, it is a challenge. Between trying to find full-time work and being a single mother, sitting down and reading a book is hard, but it isn’t entirely impossible. Since the start of the year, I have read nine books, and I am getting close to finishing another! All of these books were read in various formats: e-books, audiobooks, and physical copies.
If you’re looking to increase the number of books you read this year, here are some strategies that have helped me and might help you too!
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1. Embrace Different Formats
Ignore the people who say listening to audiobooks isn’t reading. As someone with a learning disability, reading has always been a difficult thing for me. I get easily distracted and the words/letters all seem to mesh together into an unreadable mess. Listening to audiobooks has allowed me to stay focused on the story and it has allowed me to multitask and read while I drive, chase after my daughter, and handle the chores around the house.
2. Set Realistic Goals
If you have just started reading, don’t set your goal for 100 books. Think about how much free time you already have and think about how much time you want to dedicate to reading and create your goal from there. Also, look back at previous years and see what you have been able to read each month. I saw that I was averaging around 2-3 books a month in 2024. So, I challenged myself to read at least 4 each month for 2025!
3. Make Reading a Habit
Reading isn’t just fun but it is also a skill. With all skills, if you want to get better, you must make it into a habit of doing it. Set aside time every day to read – even if it is for 10 minutes. Because my days can be hectic, I always tell myself to listen to an audiobook when doing a mundane task and if I ever feel the need to doomscroll, it’s time for me to pick up a book!
4. Always Have a Book With You
You won’t reach your reading goals if you aren’t surrounded by books. Make it easy and always carry a book with you. If you aren’t down with physical books and want something lighter, get yourself a Kindle or KoBo. I have the Kindle Paperwhite and it is small enough to throw in my bag but big enough for me to read comfortably without straining my eyes. If you want to listen to more audiobooks, Spotify offers audiobooks with a premium subscription. You can also access audiobooks with Audible or with your local library on Libby!
5. Join a Reading Community
Joining the online book community has expanded my TBR list and it has made me more excited to read! Reading books, especially series, is a lot more fun when you can bounce theories and ideas off of each other. I love discussing my love for Xaden Riorson online – I know if I did this in real life, people would be concerned.
6. Choose Books You Actually Enjoy
Don’t let those judgy-wudgies stop you from reading your books. If all you want to read is faerie smut, then do as you please. 2024 was my cowboy-romance era of books. Choose the books that make you happy and you will surely read more books!
7. Use Reading Challenges and Track Your Progress
Sites like Goodreads and Storygraph allow you to track your progress and review your stats from previous years. If you are a numbers person and get encouraged by seeing how you have improved, using a tracker may be beneficial. I love using Goodreads because it continues the social aspect of reading and reviewing books! Storygraph is a great tool to use if you are looking to switch from Amazon-related tools.
8. Reduce Screen Time
It’s easy to get caught up in endless scrolling on social media. After I saw how much time I spent scrolling mindlessly on TikTok, I began trading that time for reading. There are plenty of apps that will lock you out of social media once you have reached your limit if you need help kicking the bad habit. To get started, try swapping 30 minutes of screen time for reading instead. You’ll be surprised at how much more you can read!
9. Try Speed Reading Techniques
You do have the option to read faster than at a snail’s pace. If you need to read slower to understand the material, then read slower! But for me, if I get caught up in a book – I will automatically read faster. A technique that has helped me read faster with physical books is taking my bookmark and “chasing” the words as I read them. You can also do this with a capped pen! When your eyes are being guided, your brain picks up on words faster! Do what works best for you and make sure whatever technique still allows you to actually READ. Don’t skim and skip over scenes and dialogue just to finish the book faster, that’s how you miss out on key points.
10. Be Kind to Yourself
At the end of the day, reading is supposed to be fun. If all you are focused on is reading more books than Alice down the street, then are you enjoying the act of reading or are you just competitive? Give yourself grace and understand that life is crazy and it may get in the way sometimes. Just because you didn’t reach your reading goal doesn’t mean you aren’t smart or you are an inferior reader.
What are some tips you have picked up over the years to help you read faster? Were you always a fast reader or did it take some time? I’d love to hear about your experience and see how far you’ve gotten in your 2025 reading challenge!
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