How to Stick to the Page Instead of Being Stuck on the Page: Ways That Helped Me Stay Motivated to Read Regularly

Reading can be a challenging commitment for some people, especially younger readers or those with little experience reading. I didn’t start reading until my early twenties, partly because of my exceptionality, which delayed my learning to read. Once I improved my reading skills (read Late Bloomer: My Journey from Struggling to Read to Writing Fiction, which has more detail about that), I couldn’t get past the first page of a book, no matter how good a reader I became.

Even when I was curious enough to read a certain book, I still struggled to get into it. Why? There are many reasons. One reason could be the book’s length. As a new reader, I wasn’t used to the idea of finishing a thick book. Another reason could be the bulky paragraphs. It could be overwhelming for a first-time reader—and, finally, a lack of motivation. No matter how desirable reading may have been, I didn’t have enough motivation to follow through.

So, what did I do to overcome these barriers and read more frequently? I will discuss the tips that helped me stay focused on a book and how I built a routine that helped me read more regularly. It all comes down to the why, building a habit, and a consistent schedule. If you’re interested in reading more frequently, but have a hard time getting into a book, these tips might help you too.

The Why

As I explored my interest in filmmaking, I developed a desire to read for knowledge. I started with books about scriptwriting, editing, and cinematography. I eventually developed an interest in subjects I wasn’t interested in studying in high school. Because of my interest in filmmaking, I became interested in learning other subjects. The only way I could learn was by reading books on various subjects. That was my why.

Through these practices, I started to enjoy reading more fiction, since I was technically a fiction writer. I enjoyed it so much that I shifted from wanting to be a filmmaker to wanting to become a novelist. Now, I mostly read fiction because my new why for reading books is to gain understanding and inspiration to write good novels.

Building a Habit Around Reading

I may have had the interest and desire to read more, but I didn’t have the motivation, maybe because I started with one of the longest books known to man, “Under the Dome” by Stephan King. Why did I choose this one of all books? Maybe because I wanted to challenge myself and because I was familiar with Stephan King’s work, although I’ve only watched movies based on his books.

The idea of a town trapped under a dome intrigued me, and I genuinely wondered what would happen in such a situation, but it was long. Over a thousand pages long. It took me about five months to finish reading “Under the Dome.” Remember, this book was as thick as a cinder block, and I was a new reader. As interesting and enjoyable as the book was, I couldn’t help but put it down.

I just wasn’t used to sitting for a long period of time staring at an open book, especially one that big. It was quite an investment, but I knew I wasn’t going to finish the whole thing in a week, not even a month. I knew it would take some time, and it didn’t matter how long as long as I read a little bit every day.

I started by reading a page or two every day, then five pages a day, and eventually I read as much as I could until I hit a page gap, or white space. Depending on the scene or character(s) I’m most invested in, I ended up reading one chapter a day. From then on, one chapter became my daily reading target, and I’ve stayed consistent with it in every book I’ve read since then.

Keeping a Consistent Reading Schedule

I developed a reading habit; Next, I just needed consistency.  Over time, I found a fine balance between reading, writing, and working my day-to-day job. I gradually eased into this routine, and the consistency started to build once I recognized the pattern. The truth is, when I started my career as an Educational Assistant (EA), I didn’t read every day because it was hard to fit the routine into my work schedule.

My reading routine was consistent only on my days off, which are on weekends and holidays. Since Summer vacation just ended, I will walk you through my daily reading routine during my summer break. I woke up around 8:00 every morning and made my coffee. I ate a little breakfast, then sat on the couch and watched various YouTube videos for half an hour. At 8:30, I picked up my book from the side table and read for another half an hour.

Once the half hour passed, I put the book down and headed to my office to start writing around 9:00. That’s it. That’s my reading routine. I read about thirty minutes a day while off work for the summer, and I read sixty hours a week on my weekend days off. I don’t read three to five pages or stop at the page gap anymore; I set my reading time for a half hour each day. Instead of limiting my reading time page by page or chapter by chapter, I limit it by time, and I think thirty minutes is plenty.

Why This Matters

These tips helped me read better, and I believe they can help anyone else with similar interests for their own reasons. Whatever your why is, try these examples. Find a book that interests you. The more interested you are in a book, the better reader you’ll become. Try reading a little bit every day, starting with three to five pages or until you reach a page gap.

Keep this momentum going until the end of each chapter, and keep going until you’re ready to measure your reading time with the clock. It doesn’t have to be thirty minutes, like mine. It can be as long as you see fit or depending on your schedule. It can be longer or shorter than thirty minutes, as long as you read consistently.