Read More.
I can remember the very first book I read all the way through. It was "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". I remember the day I decided to start reading the Harry Potter Series. It was right after I had seen the first film. I guess I wanted to be immersed in the Harry Potter universe even more.
Ever since those days though I haven't really read a whole lot other than the occasional blog posts. Which, I suppose, is still reading and you can still get the same benefits as reading a book. I just haven't taken the time to just sit back, relax, and take a journey with a nice book in a while.
You see since the start of 2018 I have been thinking about reading more. Well, not just reading more but writing more as well. I am aware that I wrote several posts in 2017. I just want to try to write much longer, more meaningful blog posts. Sort of like short stories but on the web. Carefully crafting a story that would take the reader on an adventure with each and every word.
I want to try to take my writing to the next level by taking the reader on a journey in their own mind. Sort of the way a good book does when you sit down to read it. Like how you start imagining what that world would be like to live in.
I'm going to stray a little here to say that I have been trying to find my niche on YouTube. I had recently found the BookTube community which seems to go with what I want to do in terms of reading and writing more. Hell, I might even actually write a novel one day. Wouldn't that be great?
So, where is this all going, I hear you ask yourself.
Well, here in 2018 I would honestly like to read more. Starting with Emma Blackery's "Feel Good 101". I don't like setting a certain number but I'm going to say I'd like to read 20 books in 2018. Mostly books I already own which include: Egghead and The Fault in Our Stars.
Why Read Though?
Some people might say something about how you can get the same relaxation from watching TV or a YouTube video. The problem with that thinking though is that it still requires you to stare at a screen. I love the idea that reading allows you to put away your computer and phone for a small, to large, amount of time.
While you can read on, say an iPad, you've still got the notifications coming through interrupting your reading. I want to read because it's a way to fully escape the world into a whole different one. Even reading non-fiction books can help you escape. It can conjure up what it must have been like to live in the times that book is talking about.
I like the way that Paul Stamatiou worded it on his blog.
"Reading forces you to go one step further and not even let your mind wander a bit. If it does, you're punished by having to read the paragraph or page over again to understand what’s happening"
That's very true I can attest to have been reading a book and my mind started wondering about something else. Then next thing I knew I was lost and didn't know where I had left off.
Reading isn't just about relaxing though it also allows you to see things from a different perspective. If you are set in your beliefs on one thing reading can give you a new perspective on those beliefs. You may or may not change what you personally believe but at least you have a better understanding of someone else's point-of-view.
What to read?
As I've mentioned above I'm starting out with Emma Blackery's book since that is the most recent book I bought. I do have several books in mind that I have been meaning to read myself. One book is "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. I will also be keeping an eye on Bill Gate's, Gatesnotes, blog for ideas on books to read.
Thankfully, as mentioned previously, I found the BookTube community which led me to make a Goodreads account. So, that's another place I'm sure I'll find great books to read. Really, there should be no excuse for me not to read 20 books in 2018.
Conclusion
My final thoughts are that I'm hoping I can actually read 20, or more, books in 2018. I'm sure it will lead to me having a greater knowledge of the world and ultimately help improve my writing. Who knows? Perhaps by November of this year, I will actually participate in NaNoWriMo and have a published novel. :)