How to Become a Prolific Reader

A voracious reader is an individual whose love of books is so great that she constantly replenishes the bookshelf with new volumes to read. She becomes more aware of the world and also of the art of writing. Being a prolific reader has numerous benefits, including increasing your vocabulary and gaining new ideas and methods of thinking.

Things You'll Need

• Library card

Instructions

1. Start by reading one book a week. Sometimes, baby steps are needed in order to achieve your goal. You don't want to burn out quickly by having a ton of books to read all at once. You become overwhelmed and frustrated when you don't get to finish what you set out to do. You can later increase the number of books you read, as you become more comfortable in your routine. By starting with a manageable workload, you will be able to finish the books you start.

2. Befriend people who are prolific readers. They will not only give you new ideas for great books to read, but they will also inspire you to read more. You may encounter someone whose determination and passion for reading is unmatched, and this will only help you become a more avid reader yourself.

3. Join a book club. A book-club session is all about discussing the assigned reading for the week or month, depending on the frequency of the meetings. A book club acts like a support network of readers, who motivate each other to finish the book the club has chosen for that time period. The book club also makes you accountable and prods you to finish the book, because you know you will be discussing that book in the meeting.

4. Review books. A love for books does not stop at reading. Readers also write reviews of the books they have read--from short sentences to long paragraphs. By analyzing the content and form of the book, you will gain a greater love for the work, and will likely seek out books similar to the ones you enjoyed reading.

5. Get a library card. Library membership allows you to check out a great number of books. Good libraries also carry the latest titles, so there's no need to buy a book each time you want one. Since you are not paying outrageous amounts for your books, you will likely want to read more; now, nothing stops you from obtaining new books.