You are never alone when you have a book in your hand. Books are the best companions with whom you can foster a life-long bond. They make you laugh, cry, sympathise and live several lives. They teach your counsel you; and leave you with many experiences. Here, we present you with ten steps to get introduced to the world of books Have you been thinking to pick a book (fiction or nonfiction) and read, every time you cross the library, but have been putting it off, because you do not know where and how begin? Now, this article is especially for you. To develop any habit, you need to be disciplined, committed and consistent. Take a pledge to stay committed to developing this habit before reading about the steps.
1. Identify a book lover
Identify a person (a teacher, a classmate. parent, siblings neighbour, the librarian. grandparent or uncle or aunt) who reads a lot. Say, for instance, your English teacher. Go to her and ask her to suggest a book for you.
2. Choose the right book
Though the literary world has a sea of books in all the languages, tell your teacher that you want something with characters and settings you can relate with. You find the story way. First impression should be a good impression, right? Try books by Indian authors or of Indian stories with Indian setup. This will help you understand the background and context better and so that you can stay glued to it.
3. Pick a reading spot
Now you have a book in hand. What you would require next is – a comfortable place to sit and read. Find a favourite place or a corner, where you can delve into the book, without being disturbed. It can be your study room, a library, terrace or the balcony. More familiar the place, the better.
4. Make time for books
School days are busy and life beyond that is busier. Make time for books. When are you the freshest in a day and are game for some good fun? Early morning or the time before going to bed or the time after school? Fix up a time for reading: Say – 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. During this one hour, you will be reading a book – everyday. Come rain or shine.
5. Take notes
Have a note book and a dictionary by your side. If you have a mobile phone, you can also download a dictionary app. As and when you read, look up the difficult words in the dictionary, make a note of them and try to use them in conversation with others. Use a highlighter to underline your favourite sentences. It will be good fun when you read these books again, years later, and try to recall the situation in the story. You would be amazed by how your tastes have changed.
6. Go for a new genre
Once you finish the first book. Go to the same teacher or someone else and ask for a book suggestion in a different genre. If you love fantasy or thriller, try books in these genres. As and when you finish each book try out different genres and different authors. If you know more than two languages, try different languages. Try classics and award winning books. Become a member of a library
7. Take a book reading challenge
Enter into a book challenge with a friend, who is also looking to develop reading habit. Commit yourself to read at least one book every week. Once you complete a book, exchange the books you both read that week. Exchange ideas and have a discussion in the second week. Discuss what you liked and hated about the novel – the plot, the characters, the usage of words, the journey of the story and its connection with real world.
8. Form a book club
Add more friends to this challenge and form a book dub. The member strength could be anywhere from five to ten. Have a weekly meeting and discuss about your common interest – Books.
9. Contact your favourite author
Now that you have a feel of various genre, writing styles and expressions, write to your favourite author, if alive. If not, read more about the author, his or her life. Try to find a commonality, if any, in his or her works. Find out more about their inspiration.
10. Set up a home library
One you have a considerable collection of books, set up a library at your home. Arrange them in alphabetical order. Add more books to the collection. Reread you favourite books and find yourself falling in love with them.
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