Are You Struggling to Finish A Book? Here’s my Secret.

The tile of this post sums up my life for the past two and a half years. Ever since COVID hit, I just couldn’t get back into the swing of things.

I think I caught attention-deficit disorder (ADD.) Is that possible?

Maybe I had it all along and never realized.

Anyway, I discovered a tip on how to get back into READING (and WRITING) that’s working great for me and I wanted to share.

Ready for it?

Drum Roll…

I switched to SHORT books for both reading and writing.

Yup. That easy.

As a book lover, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for the art of crafting a story. Way back in grade school, when I wrote my first multi-page story, I realized that I wanted to be a writer. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Life got in the way and I chose a more sensible occupation, but I never gave up my dream of crafting stories.

It was that love of a short story that got me started with writing and it was only fitting that it got me back to writing and reading when I strayed away from books altogether these past few years.

While some may prefer the immersive experience of a full-length novel, I find that shorter books offer a unique charm and brevity that I just can’t resist.

For starters, there’s the convenience factor. With a short book, I can read a complete story in just one sitting. I absolutely love sitting down on my sofa after the sun goes down and diving into a book for a few hours and finishing it completely. This means that I don’t miss sleep, staying up reading all night. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love being able to say, “I just read a whole book in same amount of time it took you to flip through the stations, trying to find something good on TV”?

But beyond the convenience as a reader, I also find that short stories offer a unique sense of challenge and creativity as a writer. With less than 100 pages to work with, writers have to be focused to craft a complete story that still draws in readers. And as a reader, I love being able to see just how much emotion and character development a writer can fit into such a tight space.

Plus, let’s not forget about that case of ADD I caught. Both reading and writing shorter works make the whole process more fun. I can switch between one world to the next and not get bogged down with a tale that takes forever to tell. Also, with the shorter work, twists and turns fill every page, making the pacing much quicker to hold one’s attention. It’s like a mini-adventure in every page.

So in short (pun intended), if you’re looking for a quick and satisfying reading experience, give shorter books a try. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. And who knows, you may just find yourself preferring them over those hefty novels.

Here’s how I find short works to read.

I navigate to Amazon’s best seller lists here: https://amzn.to/3QDGbgS

Then on the left hand column, I pick how long of a story I’m looking for. Then I narrow it further by the genre I want to read. (In the image below, I have 90 minute Science Fiction and Fantasy books selected.)

And if it’s an issue of cost, I grabbed a free trial of Kindle Unlimited, so I could plow through as many of these books as I liked. But many are only 99 cents or available in the “Top 100 Free” Column of the bestseller list. Here’s a link to check out Kindle Unlimited

Anyway, if you’re struggling to stay put and finish a story like I was, try giving a shorter book a try. You might rekindle your love for reading or writing!

Have you taken a break from reading or writing? How did you get back into it? Leave a comment below to share your tips with others.

Thanks for reading!

Joy

P.S. I have been writing, but don’t have anything to show you yet. Soon. I promise.

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Me: Loving the brevity and efficiency of short novels

Them: Struggling to get through long, dense books and losing interest halfway through

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Me: Being able to finish a complete story in just a few hours

Them: Taking weeks or even months to finish a single book

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Me: Appreciating the challenge of packing a whole story into a small space

Them: Complaining about how short books don’t give them enough bang for their buck

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Me: Being able to read more books in less time

Them: Only being able to read a few books a year due to their lengthy length

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Me: Being a lover of short and sweet stories

Them: Being a lover of epic, multi-volume sagas

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Me: Being a happy and fulfilled reader

Them: Always feeling like they’re missing out on something bigger and better

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