Let’s Talk Bookish: Motivation to Read

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme that was originally created and hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books starting in August 2019, and was then cohosted with Dani @ Literary Lion from May 2020 to March 2022. Book Nook Bits has hosted since April 2022, with Dini at Dini Panda Reads as co-host from February 2025.

Let’s Talk Bookish May 9th:
Motivation to Read
(Jillian @ The Bookish Butterfly)

Prompts: How do you motivate yourself to sit down and concentrate on reading? Do you have a set reading time/schedule that works best for you to focus? Do you have tips/tricks that you would recommend others try?

When I first started getting arcs, I realised I really need to increase my reading time. I read a lot before, but it was mainly confined to lunchtime at work and bedtime. At that point, I didn’t even have a commute – I walked to work, so I wasn’t reading on the way to and from work like I used to. I alternated between my Kindle and physical books for what I was taking to work, too, and my lunchtime was only half hour, so it was a struggle to fit in.

So, I always carry a book with me, and nowadays, unless I’m travelling a fair distance, if I’m out and about my Kindle is in my bag. If I think I’ve got a bit of spare time and don’t want to spend it scrolling on my phone, I read. That’s the first part.

I really enjoy video games, and part of my regular routine is a cycle of games, working through various sites or tasks on my laptop (like writing this blog, checking emails, and a fair bit more), and writing/editing, other stuff I might be working on, etc. So, after spending a chunk of time on a video game, I’ll read for a few minutes. Basically, once I needed to read more, I made sure to carve out time, multiple times a day, just to read a few minutes of whatever ebook I’m reading at the moment.

It works because it’s a short length of time, but through the days it adds up. I’m motivated to dedicate this time because it is part of my routine and structure, and because it’s short. Then, when I go to bed, I’ll read a few chapters of either a physical or ebook, as reading before bed is something I’ve really always done.

I think because it’s just part of this routine, I don’t really have to do much to motivate myself. And I really do love reading – it’s a joy to dip into a good book. Even when I’m not particularly enjoying myself, sometimes I remind myself that once I’ve finished this one, I’ll be onto the next. The ‘next’ book is always so full of promise and excitement that I’m often pretty keen to get to it!

The Reading Challenges I’m taking part in have also added a lot to my motivation – it’s so satisfying to see # Prompts Completed, it makes me happy to see the number increase, and it kind of helps me to know what my next book is. That makes it sound like I’m not paying attention to my current read, but on the whole, I tend to read very openly and with the aim of enjoying what I’m reading – sometimes that doesn’t work out, but the majority of the time, I’m just enjoying what I’m reading. And if gets to the point I’m not, or I open a book and realise I’m not going to like it, I can always DNF.

My main tips if you are struggling to stay motivated –

• Make reading part of your regular routine, even if it’s just for a few minutes
• If you’re feeling unmotivated, ask yourself – is it the book, or is it you? Maybe you’ve been reading a lot of the same genre, or similar sorts of books, and need to switch it up. Maybe the book just isn’t enjoyable so you don’t look forward to returning it. Maybe you can DNF the book or put it on pause and read something else. If none of that applies and you’re feeling more of a general apathy towards reading itself, it is perfectly reasonable to take a total break. Often, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
• Remember why you fell in love with reading in the first place, or what you find exciting about reading, what you most enjoy about it. Maybe revisit an old favourite.
• Don’t just read out of obligation – don’t just read a book because it’s an arc and you need to review it. For many of us, blogging is a passion, and we don’t get a whole load of rewards, we do it out of love. If you’re struggling to motivate yourself, are you reading for the joy of it, or has it turned more into work?
• Challenge yourself – this will work for some and not others, but I find challenges to be fairly motivating. But make sure they’re achievable, too. Don’t tell yourself you’ll read 100 books in a year if you usually read 50. And if you find longer term challenges difficult, give yourself x months to read x books, or set your goal fairly low and extend it the closer you get. I like Reading Challenges because even if they take a while, each book read counts towards a prompt, so it’s an achievement to get a prompt ‘ticked off’.

How do you stay motivated while reading? Is it something you struggle with, or find relatively easy? And feel free to share any tips!