5 Easy Ways to Get Non-Readers Reading
As readers, we know the magic of reading a book. The power your imagination has in visualizing the words on a page (or in an audiobook!) is incredible. Our minds conjure such vivid characters, places, and events that we feel what’s happening in a book. Not just fiction, either, but non-fiction as well. If you read Dave Grohl’s memoir, you can easily imagine the sold-out concerts full of happy, dancing, moshing fans to see Foo Fighters.
Because we know this magic and experience it every day, we often try to get non-readers to read. We want to share the things we love. Whether a kid or adult, there are some great ways to get your loved ones reading.
Lead by example - this one is easy. Read at home or when you’re with that person (don’t ignore the person in order to read). Kids and partners will see you reading and want to be part of that experience.
Find the right medium - Sometimes, a physical book isn’t going to work for people. Perhaps a digital device, like a Kindle, will help get someone reading. E-Readers are great because they allow someone to customize the font and size to make reading easier. Audiobooks are also great options for someone who’s constantly on the go or who has trouble focusing on a physical item. Not to mention, audiobooks can be sped up, which is helpful for neurodivergents (in many cases).
Talk about what you’ve read - Share an exciting passage or fun fact you picked up from your book! This might help spark interest in a book or author that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
Keep trying different books - There’s a saying, “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book yet.” I don’t know who said it first, but I love the phrase. If someone doesn’t like fantasy, try a thriller. If you don’t like business books, try biology. Encourage your non-readers to stop a book they dislike and to keep trying new books.
Ignore metrics - For your non-reader friends and family, they may feel like they “can’t keep up” with an avid reader friend. Encourage them to ignore those metrics and numbers. Each person’s reading path is theirs. As long as they enjoy it, that’s all that matters.
There are somewhere between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books published/self-published each year. There’s something out there for our non-reader friends that will turn them into readers!