3 New Reading Habits For 2024
Towards A Broader And Deeper Reading Experience
Hello!!! And Happy New Year 2024!
How is this new year treating you so far?
With new year comes new hopes. So, here are 3 new habits I am hoping to incorporate in my reading in 2024.
1. Reading fairytales
Fairy tales were my favorite thing to read when I was a child. I still remember the day my father took me to a small roadside bookshop where I chose my first book—Brothers Grimm's fairy tales. That book played a major role in developing my love for reading and also for fairy tales. I used to read fairy tales up till my early teens, but then, slowly, I started to move towards more ‘mature’ books because fairy tales are meant for children.
But recently, in December, I re-read my favorite tale, The Goose-Girl At The Well, and quite to my surprise, I enjoyed it just as much, it didn’t matter that I knew it was ‘unrealistic’, it still seemed to hold the same fascinating power. So, I have decided to start reading fairytales again.
2. Reading non-fiction
Non-fiction is not my go-to genre, because they’re not exactly ‘fun’. When it comes to getting educated on serious topics, I generally opt for YouTube videos or podcasts. Last year, I started reading On The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin and despite being extremely interested in the topic of evolution, reading the book proved much of a challenge. So about one third into the book, I ultimately gave up.Â
But later, I read Gaza In Crisis and was able to finish it without much of a hassle by pairing it up with a fiction and reading about ten pages every day. Fun or not, non-fiction is important, so I've decided to incorporate it into my reading routine. I’m planning to read like five pages a day alongside my fiction reads.
3. Keeping a reading journal
I already started keeping a reading journal in late 2023, but seeing its positive impacts on my reading experience, I’ve decided to keep it going. I am very prone to speeding through my reads, especially while reading a book the first time, because I’m too eager to find out what happens. However, this often leads to me missing out the finer details and nuances, and my reading ends up being rather superficial. Keeping a journal makes my reading slow and in-depth. It compels me to go beyond the ‘what is happening’s and look for the significance of said happenings. It makes my reading more intentional and I pay more attention to the details so that I can write about them in my journal. So, this is something I am going to keep doing this year.
When I got back to reading in 2022, it was very unintentional, entirely on a whim. I read whenever I felt, whatever I felt, however I felt. But now, as time passes, I’m trying to become more organised and deliberate to get the most out of my reading. At the same time, I don’t want to turn it into an assignment and kill the fun.
What about you? What bookish habits are you planning to implement in 2024? Don’t forget to let me know.
For more of my bookish ramblings, you can also find me on Instagram
Also, if you’d like me to write for you, you can contact me at joyiewrites@gmail.com
That’s it for today, I'll be back in your inbox next week.
Until then,
Joyie 🌻