It seems that every heroine enjoys a good book. Indeed, many heroines are in good books, so this makes much meta-sense. To be your own heroine, I suggest developing a reading addiction – or at the very least, a reading habit.

How to get psyched for reading:

• Read some books about avid readers: Hermione from Harry Potter, Jo March from Little Women, Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey, or, more presently, Dora in Literacy and Longing in L.A.. Guaranteed to make you want to read is Alan Bennet’s charming page-turner of a novella, The Uncommon Reader, in which the Queen of England gets hooked on reading, which causes her to neglect her queenly duties.

• Watch Matilda the Musical. Obviously, read the book as well, but something about the magical way in which it’s staged makes me want to read all day and never turn on the telly again.
• Cultivate a cozy reading space. It’s a legit problem: not having a comfy place to read. It can be your bed, a windowsill, a comfy chair, or a favorite tree.
• Spend time in bookstores. Nothing makes me want to read more than perusing the stacks.
• Remember that reading makes you a better person.
• Do NOT carry a book everywhere you go. Only bring a book if you intend to get a good, focused chunk of reading done. Otherwise, you’ll just feel guilty for not reading that book you’re lugging around, or you’ll spend more time trying to remember what has happened in your book than getting on with the story!

How to hold yourself accountable:

• Join a book club! it’s nice to have someone choose what to read for you sometimes. I joined my local library’s book club, and have read two beloved page turners so far that I may have never discovered otherwise! I like in-person book clubs best, but if you just can’t wait, hop onto the online book club NovelTEA.
• Challenge yourself to read a certain number of books in a certain period of time. I aim to read one book each week, and this makes me feel productive when I take a break from other things to dip into my book.
• If you feel too busy, peruse Amy’s tips for finding time to read!

If you’re not already reading a book, pick one up! In the comments, share the title of the book you’re reading right now.

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