How to get the most out of your reading

This video is all about how to get the most out of your books. I've gathered all of my reading advice, so make sure to take notes! ;)

For this topic, I've collaborated with the amazing @ToReadersItMayConcern Don't forget to check out his video as well! ☕ He has a brilliant channel, and I am convinced you will enjoy his content.

Feel free to use our #readsmart tag to create your own video. We'd love to see them.

🕯 You'll find links to my other platforms and the 📚 bookclub on my YouTube homepage. Make sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

00:00 - ReadSmart
00:37 - Focus
02:15 - Optimize Environment
04:43 - Retain information
07:35 - Difficult books
09:47 - Annotating
10:38 - Why do you read?
13:05 - Setting goals
13:52 - Reading Slump
14:40 - Additional advice

I'd love to tag these 5 amazing bookish channels. Make sure to check them out!
@anotherbibliophilereads
@booksimnotreading
@MayberryBookclub
@DutchGreyBeard
@TheBookchemist

[AlatarielMeneldur]

Like this if you also want to see Emmelie's Notion setup! 😍

[mjagzzz]

Before I say a few things that resonated with me, let me just applaud how this video was presented providing such a well spoken, sophisticated and informed perspective for new-ish readers like me. Personally, why I am reading a book is the most important decision I make. I want the book to educate and inform me as much as entertain. Secondly I totally agree with not looking at ratings or reviews, going into a read after seeing average ratings often has a negative effect on my enjoyment of the book!

[Rascal-of-War]

As someone who gets wondering brain more often than i care to admit, a trick i have to use to focus more while reading is to start reading before you watch TV or doom scroll on your phone.

Ideally, the morning. Or it least after you’ve had a bit of a stimulant detox.
I managed to get through about 50 pages ofWar and Peace in one sitting with this method.

[FollowerofDuck]

i LOVE annotating the shit out of my books! especially if theyre critical theory, philosophy, or poetry! it helps me feel engaged with the topic, and sometimes helps me digest what im reading a little bit better. it makes me feel like im in conversation with the author at times, and i love lending friends my copies and having them come back to me with their own annotations

[dname]

I'm reading just for fun/relaxation. I think enjoying the writing (not just the plot) helps a beginner reader like me. I'm so glad I started (maybe restarted) my classic reading with Les Miserables. Still at the beginning stages, but as soon as I read the first few chapters, I knew this was for me.

[JacksonGorilla]

I have always had a hard time reading, loved it but it was always hard for me. Ended up getting diagnosed combined add/adhd and on top of that recieved some traumatic brain injuries due to work. So everything has always worked against me. But this past year I tried listening to an audio version while reading the physical book and its helped me tremendously. This isnt ideal for most people but I am fine with it. 😁 Great video as always!

[binglamb]

You gave us some great tips. Personally, I like to enhance my environment while reading by having music associated with the book in some way playing quietly in the background. For instance, I play early or Renaissance music if I am reading an historical novel set in that time or 1930s/1940s music if I am reading a classic detective novel. The music streaming services make it so easy to find just the right type to fit the book.

[owendavis]

Great video! Reading outside your area of interest is a useful tool. I read a great book on abstract art and ended up with fifty pages of notes and a long list of further reading to do. Not what I was expecting in a very good way!

[ToReadersItMayConcern]

Wow!!! I wondered if we would overlap a bunch, but you managed to have such insightful and fresh points throughout! So interesting and practical through and through. Thank you for these great ideas (and I love that we both appreciate the value of conversation regarding what we read)!

[JDesEsseintes-x]

"There is no such thing as a good influence. Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions." This quote really stuck with me, especially because I had been studying Emerson before I came across it, who is all about pretty much the same thing. But for the life of me, I couldn't recall where it is from. It turns out it's simply from Dorian Gray, which makes sense. I'm too lazy to journal about books, so I usually just mark my favorite passages, and sometimes I even forget to do it. However, this comes with the downside of not remembering where I read certain things. I feel like I shouldn't read so much. I feel like I should pick my 20 favorite books and just know them inside-out, that way my personal growth might actually ... happen. xD

[ArthurKain]

Using reading/anti-blue light glasses have helped me immensely, plus I read-a-long with audiobook versions of books I have in my kindle library. Whenever I can't read in silence on my Kindle, or listen to fitting music, read-a-longs are a huge help for me.

[MariaVivian-zn]

Thank you for this Emmelie! As I was watching this struck me that you must be a very organized person. Between working, music, writing, reading and just living life you clearly have a great ability to structure your life to be able to achieve your goals. This is a great skill in itself!

When reading for educational purposes I find it best to read books that come from different perspectives on a topic so as to gain a more rounded and nuanced appreciation. I think this helps to broaden your thinking and helps you to draw your own conclusions about a topic.

When reading for pleasure I find that if I not getting into a book after a few chapters then I think that this isn't the right book for at this time.

I'm not saying anything very profound here (ha! ha!) but these are things that tend to work for me. 🙂

[TriumphalReads]

I have only recently started using tabs and annotations and journaling with my reading so I'm still trying to figure out what actually works for me. I really like the author lists idea that you put together. Also, having multiple reading topics at a time works great. For enjoyment and learning, I have a few subjects I do for one or the other, but a majority of my reading is environmental or nature based and it's definitely a combination of both. Great vid!

[booksimnotreading]

Thanks so much for thinking of me. I know I’m late, but I will get to this tag! 💛

[nxsardella]

This comes at literally the perfect time as I am currently reading the first fairly challenging nonfiction book I’ve read since grad school and I’ve been having to figure out how to engage with it differently than I usually do with fiction. I’ve been figuring it out on my own but this really helps!

[MayberryBookclub]

Just subscribed. Terrific discussion, thank you for the mention!

[DarrenRosenow]

I recently gave myself permission to slow down while reading so I can get more out of the story.

[davidmccalip]

Hello Emmelie! I hope you are doing well. This was a great video! I learned a lot from your thoughts. I also try (but not always) set a goal of trying to read 50 pages a day, especially with large books. I find that helps me a lot. For reading slumps, I don't have a "go to" method to get out of it. For me, I will just take a break and not read. I can do this b/c I am surrounded by books and my love/desire for books and reading is so great that I can ride that slump out and get back into reading eventually. Plus, I participate in 2 classic book clubs, so that usually prevents me from getting into a slump. I guess that would be my recommendation for reading slumps - join a book club or two. Keep up the great work and I look forward to your next video! Have a great day! 😀

[SevenUnwokenDreams]

I used to have multiple reads going at the same time, but I've been taking a break from doing that for a while. I found that my focus is actually better if I am not bouncing around between different books. I feel if I am not in the mood anymore for my current read, it is probably symptomatic of something else; usually because I'm not really focusing on the book and so I become bored with it. The exception is that if I am reading a learning book, such as to learn a new language, or a book teaching me how to be a better writer, then I will of course have another book on the side that is for my pleasure and enrichment.

P.S. I love discovering art, music, and other books through the book I am currently reading! I recently read Three O'Clock in the Morning by Gianrico Carofiglio, which mentioned a few books. But there was also a scene where the characters go into a jazz club, and the musicians are playing a piece by Miles Davis. I immediately got onto Spotify to play it while I continued to read that chapter. It was a beautiful experience.

[KyleMaxwell]

I love marginalia and annotations, partly for later analysis but mostly because those actions help me stay focused due to my ADHD. Even simply highlighting key phrases or passages helps to an extent when reading purely for entertainment.