Weekly FAQ Thread February 26, 2023: How do I get through an uninteresting book?

Submitted by AutoModerator t3_11cfbn0 in books

Hello readers and welcome to our Weekly FAQ thread! Our topic this week is: How do I get through an uninteresting book? Sometimes we want to read something because we're "supposed to" and want to say that we did. Or, it's something that needs to be read for a school assignment. Either way, how do you get through books you find uninteresting?

You can view previous FAQ threads here in our wiki.

Thank you and enjoy!

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Comments

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l3ubby t1_ja2q9j6 wrote

The faster I read it, the faster I can move onto something I actually want to read.

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NewGirlNsfw t1_ja2r806 wrote

I just skip it to be honest

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KhunterHunter t1_ja4nlyw wrote

Especially as you get older and you have more limited free time, you want to be more selective with what you pick up. If I can’t get super into it, I move on rather quick to another read. I’m sure there’s a lot of good ones I’ve missed out on in turn tho.

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Trick-Two497 t1_ja3n7m5 wrote

If it's something that I have to read for an assignment, then I take notes on it. That makes me an active reader and more engaged with the material.

If it's not something that I have to read, then I give it a fair shake (15 to 25%). If it still doesn't interest me, I move on.

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TauriesStella t1_ja445qi wrote

I motivate myself by thinking of my TBR pile. The longer I take on this book, the longer it'll take me to get through my TBR pile. Helps push me along!

I may also play some soft music so I don't feel too stuck. Something like instrumental music or music in a language I can't understand helps me focus on a task better.

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Adam-Ridens t1_ja348z2 wrote

Put it down, wait, try again. You are going to retain a lot more if you enjoy it. Set a goal if you are limited to time, like a chapter, don't force it

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Soupierqoi t1_ja6wx69 wrote

I even saw a post in here (not sure if it was this group) that sometimes when you get older, books are more better than when you read it now. Probably because of how much we change and experience the world.

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Missy_Pixels t1_ja3wpr2 wrote

I break it down to multiple smaller reading sessions a day. Say it's 300 page book and I have to/want to be done it in 5 days, I'd read 30 pages twice a day or 20 pages 3 times a day. It's usually not too annoying reading that little at a time and the book still gets finished quickly.

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Duncan_Idaho_12 t1_ja3wx9w wrote

Audiobooks make these kinds of books go faster for me personally.

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Rripurnia t1_ja5paec wrote

I don’t.

Life’s too short to suffer through things that don’t resonate.

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Soupierqoi t1_ja6wswp wrote

I just can’t, I don’t finish it. Because I rather read to enjoy, not to be a chore.

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QueenOfSweetTreats t1_ja320wp wrote

I just casually skim the text while zoning out to my favourite music to make it go by quicker.

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LandboundStar1085 t1_ja4y5x7 wrote

I have a few techniques. I have some books that I have to listen to as audiobooks. A few I found interesting listening to that way. Making a playlist as a soundtrack to amp up the story. A few it helped, although some I just jammed out to. At least one, I ended up recruiting a few friends and read it out loud and kind of did a study group version of MST 3K with their commentary getting me through the story.

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missjosephinexxx t1_ja5nr2e wrote

I usually increase the speed on the audiobook and listen to it when i'm walking, driving, eating, or at the gym. Hope this helps :)

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