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When summer peaks its head over the horizon and your beach bag comes out of storage, it\u2019s only natural to start imagining all the literary possibilities the season holds. While lying on the beach, you can finally catch up on all the bestsellers you missed, and the beauty and life of the season will surely inspire you to <\/span>finally<\/span><\/i> finish writing that novel\/essay\/short story.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Too often, however, the summer months pass with little change to your reading and writing routines. You reach the fall with nothing new but overlapping tan lines and sand in places where sand shouldn\u2019t be. Below you\u2019ll find a list of ideas to help you read and write more this summer season than ever before.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Audio books<\/b><\/p>\n I swear by audio books. They have been the number one method by which I have incorporated more reading into my life because I can listen as I complete daily tasks like commuting, exercising, or cleaning. There are various subscription-based apps and programs you can use on your phone, and many community libraries even offer downloadable audiobooks or take part in apps for \u201clending\u201d digital audiobooks. Even as a very visual person, I enjoy listening to audiobooks when sitting down to read a tangible book isn\u2019t an option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Audio Notes<\/b><\/p>\n The writer\u2019s version of audio books! When you\u2019re out and about and inspiration strikes, use your phone, computer, or a voice recorder to capture ideas to flesh out later. This probably isn\u2019t ideal for writing entire stories or novels, but it\u2019s a simple way to make sure you remember your brilliant ideas for when you do have time to expand upon them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n E-reading App<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You may not always have a book with you, but you\u2019ll likely have your phone. By using an app for electronic reading, you can turn all those little moments of waiting (when you normally scroll through Instagram) into reading time. If you prefer tangible books for the majority of your reading, opt for a free app and choose articles or short stories specifically for moments like these. Alternatively, get yourself a bigger bag or purse and make sure to have a book with you so that you can trade your waiting-room scrolling to reading time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Feel free to quit books<\/b><\/p>\n It seems counterintuitive to quit a book when you want to read more, but hear me out. If you\u2019re a few chapters into a book, or even halfway through, and not feeling it, drop it. Choose something else. If you enjoy what you read, the habit will practically form itself.<\/span><\/p>\n Set a page goal<\/b><\/p>\n This works for reading and writing. Aim to read 20 pages a day or to write 5. These are manageable goals that both allow you to feel accomplished each day and that add up quickly. If you find yourself in a groove after hitting your daily goal, keep going!<\/span><\/p>\n Make it a habit<\/b><\/p>\n Establish a pattern of reading and\/or writing within your daily life, so that they become second nature. For example, get in the practice of writing for 30 minutes in the morning and reading each night before bed. Put a check on a calendar for each day that you do, and watch as it becomes easier and easier to sit down at the keyboard or open a new book.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Get someone to hold you accountable<\/b><\/p>\n My best friend and I love to take advantage of the fact that we are both writers. We call each other every week while away at school to ask about writing progress and to share our work. Find a writing or reading buddy and check in with each other regularly to make sure you\u2019re both sticking to your goals. Similarly, being part of a book club, whether it\u2019s an online or in-person organization, can also hold you accountable in your reading. The group discussions that come with such a group can also push you to think more deeply about a book\u2019s content or message and broaden your experience of that work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Set up a nice writing\/reading space<\/b><\/p>\n Writers: It doesn\u2019t have to be fancy. In fact, it may be better if it isn\u2019t. Just make it clean and appealing to you. If you like to type, have your computer charged or plugged in and ready. If you write by hand, get some nice notebooks and pens that you enjoy using.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Readers: You can do the same with your reading space. Make sure you have ample light, a comfy seat, and that your book is there when you\u2019re ready to read.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Journal\/Brain Dump<\/b><\/p>\n Regularly writing out your thoughts, even if they have nothing to do with your preferred form or content of writing, is a great way to sort them out and clear your head. You never know when you might find a great idea lodged in there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Make a writing list and\/or reading list<\/b><\/p>\n Fill them with books you can\u2019t wait to read and ideas you\u2019re excited to explore in your writing. That way you always have a next thing to go to. When you finish one book or piece of writing, you can move on to something new and exciting without losing momentum.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When it comes to doing more or less of anything, the key is to make it as simple and appealing to yourself as possible. Try implementing just a few of these tips into your reading and writing, and you\u2019re sure to notice things moving in the right direction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now break out that beach bag, fill it with books\/notebooks, and get going! <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When summer peaks its head over the horizon and your beach bag comes out of storage, it\u2019s only natural to start imagining all the literary possibilities […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16588,"featured_media":3812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,238],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n