Making Reading a Priority

I never thought I’d have trouble finding time to read, but as a writer who has only been a mom for seven months and just moved across the country, I find myself struggling to stay awake/finishing even the most riveting of books. Gone are the days (at least for now) when I can sit in a meadow and read uninterrupted for hours upon hours. However, I know it’s vital for an author to continue reading while writing to keep her inspiration and words fresh. (Here’s a post on the importance of reading your genre that you should check out.)

4 easy ways to keep reading a priority amidst taking care of diapers, deadlines and disemboweling giant moving boxes:

Try Novellas. I have been finding that novellas are a great way to get that sense of accomplishment of reading a “novel.” Also, since I’ve been fulfilling novella contracts, it keeps me sharp on how to write a clean, concise story in my genre.

Novels and Nap time. It’s the obvious one, right? Junior is still taking three naps a day, so the first one, I write. The second one, I nap. And the third, I usually try to make dinner and accomplish one chore, but I will endeavor to use one of his naps for reading 🙂

Set small goals. If novellas aren’t for you or if your kiddos don’t have nap times any more, try setting the goal of reading just 1 chapter a day/night. I never thought I’d see the day when I’d struggle to read 1 chapter! Haha before baby, I’d go through a book in a day or two, but he’s so sweet and cuddly, how could I mind giving up that superpower for now??

Goodreads has a fun way of keeping you on track with their annual reading goal option along with a “Currently Reading” page marker to track your progress. Then, when you are done, Goodreads keeps a record of which novels you have finished and which ones you want to read next! I only heard about Goodreads 2.5 years ago and I wish I had heard of it sooner. Here’s a link to my Goodreads account for you to browse and see if Goodreads is the thing for you!

Happy Writing and Reading!