Challenging Yourself to Read More in the New Year

by Bryan Patrick Avery

Well, another year is coming to a close. Soon, we’ll all start making resolutions, setting goals, and looking for new ways to better ourselves. I’d like to suggest a way to challenge yourself in the coming year: commit to reading more.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. We also know that we don’t always have the time to read as much as we’d like to. (My TBR pile keeps getting bigger.) So, this year, let’s take a different approach to reading.

Here’s how it works:
Instead of counting books read, or measuring the height of your TBR pile, simply commit to reading for 30 minutes a day.

30 minutes a day is 3 ½ hours per week.
3 ½ hours per week is 182 hours per year.
That’s a lot of reading!

Finding time to read is a luxury many can’t afford. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do the 30 minutes all at once. Maybe try reading for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 more before bed. Or break it up into even smaller chunks. Block the time off on your calendar if that helps. Once you get started, you may find it easier to continue. So give it a try.

If you can’t get the 30 minutes in every day, don’t worry. Try again the next day. The key thing is to keep reading.

Looking for a book to read? Below are a few of my new favorites. Add them to your TBR pile and get to reading!
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Nigel and the Moon – Antwan Eady and Gracey Zhang (PB)
Knight Owl – Christopher Denise (PB)
A Seed in the Sun – Aida Salazar (MG)
Amari and the Great Game – B.B. Alston (MG)
Spy School The Graphic Novel – Stuart Gibbs and Anjan Sarkar (GN)

Well, that’s all for this month (and this year). Happy writing and have a magical month.

Bryan Patrick Avery is an award-winning poet and author of more than a dozen books for children. His middle grade collective biography, BLACK MEN IN SCIENCE, illustrated by Nikita Leanne, was released in 2022. Bryan is also the author of the middle-grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, which appears in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, illustrated by Jerome White, and the early chapter book series, MR. GRIZLEY’S CLASS, illustrated by Arief Putra. Bryan lives in northern California with his family.

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