Recently I came across a new method to
reading books and I decided to give it a try. I have always had a
hard time reading books. I would get sleepy, tired, bored
(especially if the book is boring). When I was in high school our
English/Literature teacher always had a book for us to read. To say
the least that is one thing that I always failed at when it came to
taking test. Why? First of all I didn't like reading to begin with.
Then we had to read these boring classics like Jane Eyre, Wuthering
Heights, Dracula and the likes.
As I got older I got into reading more.
When I came to the realization that there was absolutely nothing
worth watching on television I took up reading. Plus, reading
stimulates the brain, or so I've heard. I've always read the bible
and I still do.
I remember when I told my wife that I
wanted to read more and the first classic book I read when I started
was Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane. I have since read those
books that I was supposed to read in school, Jane Eyre, Wuthering
Heights and Dracula. And even as an adult I still had a hard time
getting through every one of them. I saw my former English teacher
in the grocery store one day and I proudly told her that I had
finally finished reading that book she wanted us to read thirty years
ago. Then I told her it was still boring but I read it.
One thing I can say about the books I
write. First of all, I ain't no professional. Never claimed to be.
But I do have a story to tell, quite a few to be exact. I only
wished I had picked up writing books in my teens and twenty's instead
of my forty's and fifty's. I wish I knew some of the secrets to
writing that I know now. When I read a book I will read it all the
way through. Very few books I will put down and not finish reading.
One thing if I am going to give a book an honest review then it's
only fair to read it all the way through.
With my own writing that's also the one
thing I ask of people about my books. Read it all the way through
then give me constructive criticism. I've had people tell me they
didn't like my book and wouldn't finish reading it for one reason or
another. To me that's like water off a duck's back. Their opinion
and criticism don't mean a hill of beans to me. I could care less
what their opinion is if they didn't finish reading my book. And I'm
very verbal concerning their opinion. I tell them to finish reading
the book then tell me what they thought of it. A good writer will
welcome what others think of their work. In reality it helps to make
one a better writer.
One secret I have I would like to share
with you and that's the secret to reading a book. At least it's my
secret. My problem has always been that once I start reading a few
pages in I would get tired or sleepy. Some nights I would have to
push myself to read ten pages. Twenty if I'm not so tired. I have
ebooks, like the ones I write and publish, but I also have a lot of
paperback and hardback books. One night I decided I was going to set
myself on a goal. I decided that I was going to read one hundred
pages in a book. If a novel had four hundred or so pages then I
could read a book in four days. That would have been a far stretch
for me but I was determined to do it.
Next question I had was; how was I
going to do it? I decided the best way to do it and to reach my
goal was to place my book marker one hundred pages in or to the
nearest chapter of a hundred pages. So that's what I did. Low and
behold once I set my goal I was determined to reach my goal. Aren't
we all determined to reach our goal? People set a goal on losing
weight all the time. Actually I was quiet surprised how quickly I
did read the one hundred pages. Some nights I set my goal at fifty
pages and again I was surprised how quick I got to my goal.
I haven't read two books in one week
since I read a series of books by Doctor Seuss when I was little. I
was doing good at times past to read one book in a month. Now I'm
reading two books in a week. Or at least I done it for one week. I
plan to continue to use my plan of placing my book marker ahead of
where I want to read to, setting my reading goal. I will continue to
do what I've always done when I started reading though. I would read
a classic, then a modern day novel, maybe then a western (did I
mention that I've got a lot of westerns?) and of course a book in the
bible. I've quit counting how many times I've read the bible through
but that's another goal I've had and I've done several times over.
So grab a book at a yard sale, flea
market or thrift store. It doesn't matter what writer. Just grab
one of a writer you've never heard of and read that book. Set
yourself on a goal. Use a Post-It note as a book marker that way
it'll stick to the page you're reading to and it won't fall out.
Get a book, set a goal and have a very
Blessed day.
