“A reader lives 1000 lives before he dies.”
-George R.R. Martin
Now that we’re stuck at home for over a year, it is a great time to pick up a new hobby like reading. Give your phones and laptops some rest and pick up a book and start reading. For many of those who aren’t frequent readers, you might find it difficult to focus on reading. This task isn’t as difficult as it seems. All you have to do is pick up a newspaper, magazine or novel of your choice and start reading. Begin with short intervals of time, for instance, 5 minutes daily and gradually increase your reading time. My personal advice to new readers is, to begin with, short articles in a newspaper or magazine and work your way up to a heavy novel. Another piece of advice is to have a dictionary by your side so that you don’t get intimidated by the words you don’t understand. Finally, it is better to first skim the headlines to find an article that interests you. This ensures that you don’t get bored of reading.
Benefits of reading:
1. Stephen King once said, “To be a better writer, you must first be a good reader.” The quote is pretty self-explanatory. But, to elaborate, when you start reading, you get a better understanding of how to creatively articulate your thoughts and put them on paper.
2. You get to learn lots of new words and gain a lot of knowledge by reading various magazines, newspapers, and books.
3. You can express yourself in a much more creative way.
4. Your writing becomes vivid and vibrant, and you do not need to use those same bland words as others.
5. Reading improves your communication skills since you have a plethora of words at your disposal.
6. Reading at night helps you sleep better as it tires your eyes out. Just make sure you are following proper rules while reading and also have proper lighting.
Now that we have covered the benefits of reading, I would also like to shine some light on common reading norms.
Do’s:
1. Make sure you have proper light while reading so that it doesn’t strain your eyes.
2. Keep a minimum of 25-30 cm distance between yourself and your reading material.
3. Underline and look up new words you come across and try to use them in your own way as frequently as possible. (This helps to increase your vocabulary)
4. Prefer a bookmark over folding the corners of your novel.
Don’ts:
1. Reading while you are traveling.
2. Reading after you are exhausted.
Once you start proactively following these norms, not only will you have a new hobby, but it also won’t have repercussions of any sort on your health.
Happy Reading to all of You!!!
Viren is a small-town kid who likes to play basketball and guitar. He is currently pursuing his engineering degree in Mumbai and he absolutely loves to pen his thoughts in random spurs of inspiration. This guy is a magician with words and likes a healthy debate. Besides being a writer, he is also an eloquent speaker and raptures his audiences when he steps up to speak.
Disclaimer: Kindly note that the above blog has been submitted by members in their individual capacity.