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How to Read More Books

Writer's picture: Lizette Warner, PhDLizette Warner, PhD


122 Books Read This Past Year

I surprised even myself. My initial goal for the year was to read 56 books. By May I had to revise that goal. The prior year I read maybe 12 books. I never tracked my reading — so I'm not really sure but 12 seems a good estimate.


Now I do track my reading. I'll even share how I track my reading progress.


Why I started reading


I've always enjoyed reading but struggled to find time to read. Then my husband's book went viral, he sold thousands of copies and I found he needed help.


He has Attention Deficit Disorder and he's dyslexic. Part of his job as an author is to read comparable titles to know where his book fits in the market. Here's the problem for him though: even when he tries his hardest, he makes it through a book a month. I however, can waltz through a book in less than a week and on average in a few days.


In order to help him, I started reading comparable titles for his books. Since he's writing a few different kinds in his genre I ended up reading lots of books.

What reading did for me

I became a faster reader

Yep, this is a beautiful by-product of reading a lot. The more you read, the faster and better you get at reading. You learn the story arc and can apply it to newsletters, blog articles, news posts, social posts and even emails.

Problem solving improved

I never imagined I'd be better at problem solving but by reading so many fictional stories, I learned how to think even more outside of the box. Your creativity skills soar and I got to experience other realities. A book envelops you into a new world, exposing you to new thinking and different experiences so that you can then apply it to new situations.


Imagination skills skyrocketed

Why would imagination matter? First off this is an added bonus to problem solving skills. However a good side effect of reading (and reading fiction in particular) is that you unlock different parts of your brain that TV and streaming can't even come close to unlocking. You are creating, building these worlds in your mind, which takes brain power. Once that brain power is unlocked, it's yours to use in other situations. My dreams have even become more vivid, and lifelike.


Networking opportunities flourished

The upside of reading a lot is when I'm in a room of people I don't know, I now have a wealth of resources I can share. Someone likes historical fiction? Have you read The Last Bookshop in London? Someone's in a career transition - Have you looked at Never Search Alone?


When I ask for book recommendations at networking events, people are so happy to share with me some of their favorites or some of the ones they haven't gotten to yet or some they hope to read one day. Reading allows you to share reading with others and converse with others about something that's not the weather because who wants to talk about the weather, unless it's raining Greek Fire.


Sleeping soared

Ahhh - this is probably my most favorite thing about reading, sleeping. I am sleeping at least an hour longer now than I was this time last year. Part of this is exercise but the other part is not watching mindless TV and instead reading a book in a cozy setting. Reading prepares me for bed and when I get into bed now, I fall asleep 30 minutes faster than this time last year.

I used to lay in bed, wondering when sleep would happen and now I listen to an old audiobook on a timer and before I know it, I'm out.


Reading can do this for you too!


Books I read and loved

There are so many books that I read and loved this year and a few I hated. I even learned to DNF a book.

Do Not Finish is a valid reading designation.

You do not need to suffer reading a book you hate. DNF it. It seems simple but I grew up with the expectation to finish what I started. When my husband watched me frowning over a book, he inquired and recommended that I DNF it. DNF allows me to finish a book honoring myself in the process!

Here are a few of the ones I loved and why I loved them so much.

Psychology of Money - A why book on why we do the things we do with respect to money and steps to fix it. Bottom line: Learn to live and be happy with less. Invest more. Wealth is what you don't see.


Lead with Prayer - A how to guide for leaders wanting to incorporate prayer in your work life.

Bottom line: Stuck on how to pray? This book can help.


You the Story - How to write your story.

Bottom line: If you're looking for how to write a book (fiction especially) this gives you a lot of tricks and hints from one of the masters, Ruta Sepeta, a Nashville song scene guru turned historical fiction author.


Breadsong - One of the best bread baking books and memoir in one. Kitty Tait suffered from anxiety and as a teen started baking in her home and it transformed her life and her family.

Bottom line: If you want a foolproof way to bake anything from croissants to sourdough bread to crackers, she's got a recipe for you.


Homeland Insecurity First Mission - How a group of teens transition into becoming spies. My husband wrote this book and readers have said they love it more than Percy Jackson. This has a kick of Mythbusters, a group of friends and one dazzling teen girl that makes me want to be in high school again.

Bottom line: A fast paced read where things go BOOM!


All the Devils are Here - A cozy mystery series set in Quebec Canada but this book is set in Paris.

Bottom Line: Not the book to start with in the series but if you are an Inspector Gamache fan, you will love this one.


Books I'm Looking Forward to Reading in the New Year

Surprisingly my To Be Read (TBR) has only 30 books on the list (so far).

****** Second Mission by Shawn M. Warner ******

Seriously! This one picks up where the last one goes boom! I'm looking forward to more from Jack, Phil, Peter and Colin and I'm looking forward to meeting a teen assassin.


The Legendary Scarlett and Browne

My husband goes all fan boy over Jonathan Stroud, a UK author of dystopian stories. This one is where one badass outlaw teen girl, Scarlett and one naive yet lovable boy, Albert Browne, find themselves in a wild west England after the cataclysm that nearly ended the world.


The Culture Code

A leadership book on high performance culture and how to unlock a high performing culture.


Tolkein's Faith

Tolkein is one of my heroes and having read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, I love him even more. His approach to death and his experience in the war shaped both of these books. I long to know more about the man and his faith.


The Grey Wolf

More Inspector Gamache! Louise Penny is a master at the cozy mystery. This tiny town outside of Montreal in the province of Quebec, Canada, has to have the highest murder rate on the planet but I love a good cozy mystery. I have no idea what this book is about but it's on my shelf, waiting for me to sit with her.


A professional woman and her reflection

How you can grow in reading

Get a TBR.

A TBR is a To Be Read pile, stack, list, whatever. Get one. Write it on paper if you have to but make it active and grow it.


I use Bookly, an app recommended by a bookish friend.

Start tracking when and what you read. 

Bookly allows me to create a TBR collection where I house all the books I want to read.


Bookly also lets me see the progress I've made in reading or how long it'll take me to finish a book and give me a graphical calendar of my reading progress! It's like magic.


Bottom Line: Tracking gives you data, helps you stay committed to reading and allows you to build your library of knowledge.


Give yourself space to read

I got so sick of watching repeating garbage that we started reading at night instead of binging. This had the added bonus of helping me sleep better.


When I'm driving from place to place, I listen to a book. Road trips - audiobooks! Cooking - audiobooks! A 5 minute break - I read a few pages.


It's amazing what worlds your imagination can create. It's better than the movies! My dreams have even gotten more vivid and did I mention I am sleeping an hour longer than I was this time last year?

Bottom line: Learn to give yourself space to read!


Headshot of Lizette Warner

Dr. Lizette Warner, PCC


With over 20 years of executive leadership experience, including as CTO and COO. Lizette specializes in using a neuroscience-backed methodology for balancing achievement & well-being.

 

Lizette’s coaching approach is practical, probing, and pragmatically calm. Although she coaches much less now, when she does, she creates a space where insights emerge even from unstructured beginnings.

 

Dr. Warner is the Founder of the Business Building Academy your go to source for learning, to build and grow your business. See if you qualify.



Here are 3 more ways you can drastically increase your impact:


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