Transcripts
1. Course Trailer: Welcome to How to Read More. The course designed to help
you fall in love with reading all over again and finally
make it a lasting habit. If you are a book lover who have lost time or energy to
read as much as you want, a busy individual who
wants to read more, but feels like you just
don't have the time, or are you aspiring readers
who are overwhelmed by the thought of reading
more and don't know where to start, you're
at the right place. In this course, I'll show
you how to make reading an exciting and fulfilling
part of your daily routine. Here's a quick overview of
what we'll be covering. Number one, where and how
to find books to read. Number two, how to build
a lasting reading habit. Number three, enhancing
your reading experience with journaling and number four, how to actually enjoy reading. But why read more
in the first place? Well, reading isn't
just a hobby, it's beautiful way
to improve yourself. Here are just a few
benefits of reading. Number one, you can
expand your knowledge. Reading open doors to
new worlds, ideas, and perspectives
that will help you grow both intellectually
and emotionally. Number two, reading can
boost your mental health. Reading can reduce
stress, improve focus, and enhance your ability
to empathize with others. Next, reading can
enhance your creativity. The more you read, the
more you're exposed to diverse writing styles and ideas which will ignite your
own creative thinking. Lastly, reading can improve
your communication. Reading regularly will naturally improve your writing
and speaking skills, giving you the ability to express yourself
more effectively. Ultimately, reading isn't just about
consuming information, it's about enhancing your
life in meaningful ways. Are you ready to
start reading more? I'll see you in the
first lesson? Rather.
2. Setting Reading Goals: Welcome to Lesson one on how to read more
books in a new year. In this lesson, we'll
dive into one of the most important step in
boosting your reading habit. Setting a reading goal, a goal gives you direction, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment, but not just any goal,
a goal that fits you. First of all, let's talk
about what is a reading goal. This is usually
about how many books you want to read in a year. For example, you can set
a goal to read 12, 24, or 52 books in a year, but I want to encourage you to think outside the
box a little bit. Because this goal can be
creative, personal, and fun. For example, you can set a goal like reading a
book in every genre, reading a book from every
country or continent in the world or reading a book
from a certain author. Some people even
do a readingbingo. The idea is to make the goal
something that excites you, something that feels more
interesting and less daunting. The more creative you get with it, the more fun it will be. Now, it is important that your reading goal is both
realistic and challenging. You want it to push you
but not to overwhelm you. How do you figure out
what is realistic? Let's start with the number
of books that feels doable. Here's a simple
framework I like to use. 52 books a year equals
to one books per week. If you think you can read
more than one book per week, feel free to bump
that number up. If you know you'll
only be able to read one book every two
weeks, scale it down. Remember, the length of
the books matters too. A short 100 page novel might
take you a couple of days, but a 700 page epic
could take weeks. Be flexible with yourself. A lot of people say
reading is about quality and not quantity,
and I totally get that. But for me, having a clear numerical goal is
incredibly motivating. It is tangible. You can
track your progress, and there's a real sense of accomplishment when you
hit those milestones. And remember, setting a goal doesn't mean you're
rushing through books. It is about having
that motivation to read more regularly. Now, once you've set your goals, it is time to track
your progress. You can do this in a
few different ways. Good reads and story graph both have built in goal
tracking features, which let you set
a reading target and see how you're doing
throughout the year. Or if you are a
bit more hands on, you can create your
own spreadsheets or tracking system to
monitor your books. Having a place to track
your progress is key. I'll keep you on
track and give you a little motivation boost when you see how
much you've read. To recap, the first step
to read more books is to set a creative and
personalized reading goal. Make sure the goal is realistic
but still challenges you. Lastly, remember to
track your progress. This simple step of setting a reading goal can truly
transform your reading habits. Take a moment to think about what you want your reading goal to be for this year and get ready to dive into
your next book. In the next lesson,
we'll be talking about where to find the
books you want to read. Stay tuned.
3. Where to Find Books: Hey, everyone. Welcome
back to the course. In this lesson, we'll talk
about where to get your books. There are so many ways to get your hands on a
good book in 2025. Let's explore all the
different sources and formats where you can
find books to read. First of all, you
got physical books, classic, tangible and
often beautiful objects. You can buy them from
bookstores or online retailers. Secondly, e books. These are digital books that
you can read on your kindle, tablet, phone, or computer.
They are portable. You can carry hundreds
of them at once, and they often cost less
than physical books. Thirdly, we have audio books, perfect for multitasker
and those on the go. Audio books are available
from platforms like Audibo and some libraries
offer them too. Fourthly, we have
second hand books. You can find them
at thrift stores, online marketplace, and used
bookstores at lower prices. Lastly, we have
your local library. You can borrow physical
books, e books, and audio books from
your local library. More on that in just a moment. Moving on, here are
three key factors to think about when deciding
where to get your books, affordability,
accessibility, and storage. First, let's talk about money. Books can get expensive. Last year, I read
about 60 books. If each book costs
around ten to $20, that is at least
$100 in book costs. Not everyone has that budget,
but here's the trick. I save so much money by borrowing books from
my local library. It is definitely a
game changer if you want to read more without
breaking the bank. Next up, let's talk
about accessibility. This is all about how
and where you read. For many people, e books are the way to go because
you can carry the entire library in your pocket and read
wherever you are. But let's not forget
about physical books. They have a charm
that eBooks just cannot replicate the
smell of the paper, the feel of turning the page, and the pure joy of a
book in your hands. Yes, they are a bit bulky and not as portable as an eBook, but for some, that's
part of the experience. Think about what
fits your lifestyle. If you're constantly on the go and need something
lightweight and portable, eBooks might be your best bed. If you have a slower pace or love to tactile
feeling of paper, physical books might
be your thing. Now let's talk about storage. If you opt for physical books, you quickly realize that
they take up a lot of space and finding space for your growing collection
could become tricky. EBOok doesn't have that problem. Everything is stored digitally, so if space is an issue, eBook is your friend. I also want to suggest
online library, particularly Libby
as a source of book. Libby is an app that
lets you borrow books from your local
library online. Here's how it works. First,
sign up with your library. You can usually do this online. You should receive your library card number in your email. After that, download the
Libby app on your phone or tablet and put in your
card number and that's it. You can start browsing
and borrowing your books. This whole process could
take less than 10 minutes. The best part, it doesn't
cost you anything. It doesn't take up
physical space and you gain access to a
massive library of books. It is an affordable, easy, and efficient
way to read more. Furthermore, you can
highlight passages, make notes, sync them with
your good reads account. That way, you can track
your progress and keep your notes and highlights
even after returning the. Of course, one drawback about
borrowing books is that you'll have to return them
after a certain period. Usually you have access to
a book for 14 or 21 days. However, I have come
to take this as a motivation for me to finish my book and
avoid procrastination. Whether you go for
physical books, e books, audio books or borrowing
from your local library, there are plenty
of ways to access books that fit your lifestyle, budget, and storage space. In the next lesson, we'll
talk about how to find the right books to
read and how to build a reading list
that works for you. Thank you for watching. I'll
see you in the next lesson.
4. How to Find the Right Books: Hey, there. Welcome to the
next lesson in our course. Now that we have talked about
where to get your books, let's move on to something
just as important, how to decide what to read next. Let's dive in.
First things first, let's talk about how to discover books to
add to your list. If you're stuck and not
sure where to start, there are so many great
ways to find new titles. Number one, you
can always ask for recommendations from
friends and family. This one is simple but powerful. Ask your friends, family, or anyone in your inner circle
for their recommendations. There's something magical about reading a book someone
you know has loved. Plus, you can have fun
discussing it afterwards. Number two, bloggers
and book topers. Another great source of inspiration is bloggers
and book topers. YouTubers like Jack Edwards, with Cindy and Carrie can Read share their personal
book recommendations, reviews, and reading challenges
on their YouTube channel. They often give thoughtful
breakdowns of books and gres that you might
never have considered. If you haven't already check
out their YouTube channels, it's an easy way to find
books you might love. Plus, you get a sneak peek into what's popular
in the reading world. Number three, find books similar to what
you already love. For example, if you
loved the night circus, you might enjoy other
magical realism books or those with a similar
dreamlike quality. I like to select the similar
tag under each book in Libby to find books based on what I already
loved in the past. Amazon Kindle and Good Reads
also have this option. There are websites, apps, and even Good Reads
group that makes it easy to find books based on what
you've loved in the past. Number four, finds books
outside your comfort zone. This strategy is all
about stepping away from your usual genre and
exploring something new. It might feel a
little intimidating at first, but by branching out, you not only expand
your world view, but also increase the chance of discovering new books that
you might fall in love with. A great way to do this
is by taking part in the reading challenges
we discussed in Lesson one. I encourage you to seek out books that you wouldn't
normally pick up, helping you explore
fresh genres, perspectives, and themes. Now that you've got some ideas on where to find
your next books, let's talk about what is a reading list and
why you need one. A reading list is
simply a list of books that you want to read in the
order you want to read them. It is a personalized roadmap to reading more books and avoid
the dread feelings of, I don't know what to read next. Why creating a list? Here's why having a reading
list is so important. Number one, it helps
minimize decision fatigue. When you finish
one book and have to decide on what to read next, it takes a lot of time
and energy to choose. A list takes away that stress. You don't have to waste time scrolling through options
or get distracted. You already know what's next. Next, having a reading list
can avoid procrastination. If you're like me, you
probably have a giant to be read pile and sometimes it
just feels overwhelming. But having a list with
a clear order helps you move past that and
make consistent progress. Number three, it helps
fight the reading slump. We all go through
the reading slum. It's that period right after finishing a really great
book and suddenly, nothing else feels exciting. A reading list can help you
power through that slump by giving you a plan of action and preventing you from
feeling stuck. Next, let's move on to learn how to create your
own reading list. Creating your own reading
list doesn't have to be complicated and here's
how you can do it. Step one, pick your books. Look at the recommendations
we just talked about and start picking out
books that interest you. You can pick as many
or as few as you want. Step two, set the order. Next, set the order in
which you read them. I know some people like to go by mood and that's totally fine, but I personally find it really helpful to
have a set order. For example, after
I finish book A, I'll read Book B and
then Book C and so on. I use the Notes app on
my phone to keep track, but you can use
whatever works for you. Google Docs, notion or even a simple sticky
note on your desk. The key is to keep it visible so you can
easily reference it. Step three, stick
to the list mostly. The goal is to reduce
decision making, try to stick to your list
as much as possible. If you're really not feeling a book on your
list, that's okay. Move to the next
book on your list. But try not to let your list become an endless
pause of option. Keep it simple and actionable. That's it. Your guide to building a reading list
that works for you. By reducing the mental energy spent on deciding
on what to read, you'll find that
you're reading more consistently and overcoming those reading slums with ease. In our next lesson, we're going to talk about
how to actually stick to your reading goals and make reading a daily habit. I can't wait to share some
tips and tricks with you. Thank you for watching. See
you in the next lesson. Bye.
5. How to Find The Time to Read: Welcome to Lesson four on how to find time to read and make
reading a daily habit. In this lesson, I'll share my tips for not only
carving out time to read, but also ensuring you're having quality time
reading each day. Tip number one, start
small and build a habit. If you're having
trouble getting into the habit of reading,
start small. Set a timer for just 5
minutes and start reading. It's a no pressure way to
ease into the practice. Once that times is up, you can always read more
if you're enjoying it. Most importantly,
make that five minute reading a part of
your daily routine. After you got used to it, you can slowly increase
your reading time to 15, 30 minutes or even an hour. Tip number two, identify time pockets throughout
your days for reading. You'd be surprised at how much time we waste
scrolling social media. If you open your phone setting, you can see how much
time you spend on an app like Instagram or TikTok. This is the perfect
opportunity to replace that mindless
scrolling with reading. Next time you reach
for your phone, instead of checking
social media, try picking up a
book or an eBook. Tip number three, use audio
books to maximize your time. Audio books are great
because you can listen to them while doing other
things like commuting, folding laundry,
or washing dishes. I find doing this makes my daily mundane task
much more enjoyable. Also, another pro tip is to
increase the playback speed. I find that most audio books are narrated at a slower
pace than I prefer, so I set the speed to 1.75
X or even two X and makes the experience faster and much more engaging while still
being easy to follow. Tip number four, combining audiobooks with text
to enhance your focus. If you're having
trouble focusing, try combining reading
and listening. You can listen to
the audiobook while falling along with the
physical or eBook version. It's a great way to improve focus and reinforce your
reading experience. Tip number five, enjoy
your reading time. To make reading something
you genuinely enjoy, don't be afraid to skip books that don't
resonate with you. Life is too short to read
things that bore you. If a book is slow to start, but you think it'll get better, check reviews to see if
it's worth continuing. Another trick is to
read two books at once, one fiction, one nonfiction, or whatever genres interest you. This gives you more flexibility
and keeps your reading routine fresh. Here's the recap. Number one, start small, set achievable
reading goals like five to 15 minutes a day
and stay consistent. Number two, find time pockets. Replace mindless social media scrolling with reading or
listening to audio books. Number three, use audio books. Listen to audio books
while commuting or doing daily chores to
maximize your reading time. Number four, stay focused by reading along to audio books, and number five, make
reading enjoyable. Don't hesitate to skip
books that don't engage you and consider reading two
book at once for variety. Remember, it's not
about how much you read but how much you
enjoy what you read. Happy reading and stay tuned for the next lesson on how
to journal you reading.
6. Journaling Your Reading: Welcome to Lesson five. In this lesson, we'll discuss how to
journal your reading. Writing about the books
that you've read is a great way to process and
reflect on the material. It also ensures you remember what you've read
in the long term. Today, I'm going
to share why you should start a reading
journal and how to do that. A reading journal is simply a place to jot down your
thoughts as you read. This could be a notebook
or note taking app. Here are the benefits
of a reading journal. Number one, it helps
with retention. Writing about what you read helps you remember the details, what stood out, what
makes you think, and what you enjoy
about the book. Number two, it helps
with deeper reflection. When you write, you can
reflect on a book more deeply, which might even change
the way you see it. Number three, it enhance
your long term memory. By journaling, you have a
record of your reading journey. Years later, you'll be able
to look back and remember not only the books but also the feelings and
ideas they sparked. Now moving on, let's talk about how to actually
start a reading journal. Here are some
prompts and ideas to help you get start on
your own reading journal. Number one, why did
you pick up this book? How did you end up
reading this book? Was it recommended by a friend? Did you find it on a list? Maybe you're drawn to it because of the
offer or the cover. Reflect on why you picked
this book in the first place. This doesn't have to be formal. Just make sure to capture
your initial attraction. For example, you can write, I picked up this
book because I love the author's last
novel and this one was about a topic I've always been fascinated by space exploration. Number two, what
was the book about? Give a brief overview of
what the book is about, but don't get too bogged
down in the plot. This isn't about
retelling the story. Focus on the essence
of the book. It's theme or the key ideas
that stood out to you. For example, you can say,
this book is about a group of astronauts facing a moral
dilemma on their mission. It explores theme of survival, ethics, and human nature. Number three, what do you like or dislike about
the book and why? For fiction, think about
the characters, the plot, the writing style, the themes, or any quotes that
resonate with you. Explain why those
elements stood out. For example, you can say, I love the main
character grove arc. It's a real transformation from selfishness
to selflessness, which makes the ending
incredibly rewarding. For non fiction, consider
the writing style, key arguments, or ideas you
agreed with or disagree with. What challenge you're thinking
and what did you learn? For example, you can say, I disagree with the author's
view on climate change. While I agree with the urgency, I didn't think the book provided enough actionable
steps for individuals. Number four, journal
as you go or after. You can choose the
journal after finishing the book or you can jot
down thoughts as you read. For certain genres like
fillers or mystery, I love writing down predictions
and speculations as I go and then comparing them to the actual ending
once I'm done. It's a fun way to
track your thoughts. Number five, keep it
fun and flexible. The most important thing
is to enjoy the process. Your reading journal is for you, so feel free to make
it as creative, informal, or structured
as you like. It's a safe space for you to express your thoughts and reflect on the books
that you've read. A reading journal is more than just a record of the
books you've read. It's a tool for reflection
and growth as a reader. It helps you remember the
key points of the books, understand them better, and look back on your reading
journey over time. I highly recommend
giving it a try, whether you're reading
fiction or nonfiction, keeping a journal will enhance your experience and make
reading even more enjoyable. This is the last
lesson of the course. I hope this course
has helped you discover new strategies
to make reading a habit, retain more of what you read, and enjoy the process even more. Reading is a journey
not a destination. Keep reading, reflecting
and most importantly, enjoying the stories and
knowledge you're discovering. The more you read,
the more you grow, and not just as a
reader, but as a person. I'm excited for you to continue this journey and cannot wait
to see where it takes you. Thank you so much for
taking this course and I wish you the best of luck
in your reading adventures.
Minh Ngoc Nguyen
