Try these habits to revitalize your reading books

Emma Lofhagen’s article on rekindling a love of reading echoed the development of a habit I’ve had for some time (The only change that worked: I got lost in the infinite scroll—until a small ritual renewed my love of reading, October 6). A few years ago, I found myself procrastinating more often every morning instead of continuing with my writing. Scrolling through social media and the news cycle was slowly eating up more of that precious time.

Then I remembered an article about “morning pages,” a daily ritual that involves meditation and freewriting, and wondered if I could use this to develop better habits. I wrote down two questions: “What did you read this morning?” and “What do I think about what I read this morning?” Not only does this give me more of a target to pass, but it serves as a warm-up before I focus on my word count for the day. Without this structure, I don’t think I would be very productive.
Rachel Amphlett
Poole, Dorset

I write and look up the meaning of unfamiliar words, which makes me a very slow reader. I also like to re-read some phrases or sentences and think about them for a while. I also enjoy non-mainstream books, although one of my favorites is Orbital, which deservedly won the 2024 Booker Prize.

I recently joined a book club, where I think we’ll read one book a month – a difficult task for me because I enjoy slow reading.
Pam Connor
Belconnen, Australia

I have a similar practice to Emma Loffhagen, but instead of writing down words I don’t know, I create flashcards from real-life stories. Will I ever need to know why medieval Florence banned buildings higher than a certain level? Probably not, but flashcards keep little facts in mind for context.
James Mitchell White
Nottingham