How do you get into a new book?

[Sandra (johnnylyserg)]

Hi everyone

I love reading - dreaming myself into new places and feel the books unique atmosphere - but I find it difficult to get started on new books.
I just always struggle on the first 50 pages, putting the book away and taking it up again several times.
From page 50+ it's usually no problem for me to read 50-100 pages at a time, if not more.

Is anyone else struggling with this?

How do you manage getting into a new book?
Do you have any tricks or advices you'd like to share?

[Mie]

Hi Sandra 🤗

Anytime I want to read, I make sure, that I indeed have the time. Maybe even set a timeframe, even if it’s just half an hour - that is then my reading time, and I don’t have to think about other things that need doing. That helps me focus.

I have seen online a rule of thumb that you should give a book approx. 50 pages to decide if it’s worth continuing, but I guess it depends on how long the book is, haha.
For me, I quickly get a feeling if it’s a book, I won’t enjoy - then I either leave it for later or skip it completely.

If you normally read long books, then perhaps you could read something shorter/lighter in between to “cleanse the palate”, so to speak?

Wish you happy reading 📚

[Fadi]

This is exactly what I do after a long book, I read a shorter one, maybe bit more fast paced to get the adrenaline going...then relax with a quieter slower paced one again....

[L Y N N]

As I have aged, I have frequently found myself reading multiple books at the same time. Typically each of these books is from a different genre: mystery, science fiction, nonfiction, for example. Upon finishing a book I will often pick up 2-3 books and read the first 10-20 pages, then decide which one(s) I will truly begin reading. Inevitably, I'll get hooked on one of the 2-3 books I am "currently reading" and then finish reading it. Before I was 50 years old I NEVER read more than one book at a time, but now I seek variety/options in my reading more than I ever did in the past. Weird how our routines can change. :)

[Keri]

Lynn wrote: "As I have aged, I have frequently found myself reading multiple books at the same time. Typically each of these books is from a different genre: mystery, science fiction, nonfiction, for example. 2..."

That is crazy. I always have more than two books going at the same time. I didn't used to before I was an adult but that was only because the one time I did, I was juggling between two Nancy Drew books and I kept mixing up the plots so I thought it was because I didn't have the mentsl capacity to handle more than one story at the time. Later, I concluded that I just needed to read two SEPARATE stories from different authors, and then I have no problems. Lol.

Usually I can tell pretty quickly if I am going to finish the book or not. I find I usually DNF a book 20 pages in. I don't really know any pointers to suggest. I'm either immediately into the book or not. Lol

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Sometimes I ease in a few pages at a time, other times I leap in feet first.

[Kandice]

I am always "reading" three at once. An ebook, a physical book and an audio book. I try to keep them different genres, engths, etc. so there is no confusion. Because I always have a few going at once, there is no break in between, but like others have said, I do occasionally need a "palate cleanser" so will follow something heavy with something lite, or something I struggled to finish with a reread of a favorite.

I am a habitual rereader, because although the book never changes, I do.

[L Y N N]

Kandice wrote: "I am always "reading" three at once. An ebook, a physical book and an audio book. I try to keep them different genres, engths, etc. so there is no confusion. Because I always have a few going at on...

I am a habitual rereader, because although the book never changes, I do."

Interestingly, I have never been much of a rereader until recently. I have reread classics that I initially read 50+ years ago as a pre-teen and teen and it is amazing to me the difference! Not that I expected to have the exact same reaction now as then, but for several it has been so very different as to be surprising. :)