I recommend making a list of tropes you find exciting & asking people what books would appeal to you based on those tropes.
Why are books so boring?
- Thread starter RaikuFA
- Start date
Tried reading non-fiction?
I find that reading for knowledge is fun and holds my interest, but reading to consume story is a little underwhelming.
I find that reading for knowledge is fun and holds my interest, but reading to consume story is a little underwhelming.
Implying all books are boring?
If you don't like it doesn't mean that every book ever written is boring.
Look, I'm not holding it against you that/if reading isn't your thing. Like others have mentioned, you could try audiobooks.
However, I'm not happy how you've formulated your op.
If you don't like it doesn't mean that every book ever written is boring.
Look, I'm not holding it against you that/if reading isn't your thing. Like others have mentioned, you could try audiobooks.
However, I'm not happy how you've formulated your op.
My advice is ask yourself why you want to read books, is it because you like books as a way to tell stories? Or is it because you want to experience a story that happens to be a book? if its the latter and you can?t bring yourself to start reading maybe books just aren?t for you.
I?m personally not that fond of books mostly because I just don?t enjoy stories without visuals, I get that you?re supposed to visualize everything yourself using your imagination, but if I wanted to use my imagination to visualize a world I would rather just come up with a story of my own(which I do all the times), books are for me the story equivalent of a coloring page.
It?s not like I?m incapable of reading books, if I had nothing else to do inside I would probably get some enjoyment out of reading, but I do have other things to do and only so many hours before I drop dead.
Information books and fan fics are fine however.
I?m personally not that fond of books mostly because I just don?t enjoy stories without visuals, I get that you?re supposed to visualize everything yourself using your imagination, but if I wanted to use my imagination to visualize a world I would rather just come up with a story of my own(which I do all the times), books are for me the story equivalent of a coloring page.
It?s not like I?m incapable of reading books, if I had nothing else to do inside I would probably get some enjoyment out of reading, but I do have other things to do and only so many hours before I drop dead.
Information books and fan fics are fine however.
I honestly think that lack of imagination has nothing to do with most peoples dislike of books, there?s a huge difference between not having imagination and not finding it fun to use your imagination to half visualize somebody else?s story.Cowabungaa said:
I'm suddenly reminded of this:
Games, movies, anime, TV shows etc. are way better at maintaining my attention than books. For a book to be interesting to me now, it needs to have history behind it or a sufficiently intriguing enough premise for me to actually continue reading it. To date, Philip K Dick fits the bill rather well but the last time I read one of his works was last summer
Games, movies, anime, TV shows etc. are way better at maintaining my attention than books. For a book to be interesting to me now, it needs to have history behind it or a sufficiently intriguing enough premise for me to actually continue reading it. To date, Philip K Dick fits the bill rather well but the last time I read one of his works was last summer
Here's my advice. Do something that forces you to wait. Get on a train, stand in a line, arrive at an event way before it starts. Then try reading. Also, don't bring anything entertaining along like a handheld console or a crossword puzzle. Reading becomes a lot more fun when the only alternative is sitting/standing dumbly and twiddling your thumbs for the next few hours. I do almost all of my reading while waiting.
Hmm. Replying on page 4+ of the thread of someone who says they can't get past page one of a book. Irony? Futility? Futirony?
Books are great. You just need to find the right ones. Or if your attention span truly can't handle such a limited bandwidth of input, try graphic novels; there are some great ones out there.
Books are great. You just need to find the right ones. Or if your attention span truly can't handle such a limited bandwidth of input, try graphic novels; there are some great ones out there.
I may have a solution. I have trouble reading too, but just because the act of sitting down and reading isn't satisfying. I think it's because I grew up listening to my dad read books to me, rather than reading them myself. Because of that, audiobooks and podcasts work great for me. I listen to them during my commute to school or work, or even while playing videogames. They work good for any game that requires grinding or lots of traveling. MMO's, Elder Scrolls games, some shooters, basically any game that isn't story-driven.
For podcasts, check out Escape Pod or Podcastle, for short (30-45 minute) sci-fi or fantasy stories, respectively. They're usually pretty good. They get stories from award-winning authors.
For audiobooks, go to Audible.com. It's a godsend for me. For the free book they give you, I recommend Infected by Scott Sigler. It's an action-packed horror/thriller that moves at a good pace. If you get squicked out easily (it's got a more than a little bit of body horror in it), get Earthcore by Scott Sigler instead, which has less horror and more adventure (but still lots of action).
Seriously, give it a try. You might be surprised.
For podcasts, check out Escape Pod or Podcastle, for short (30-45 minute) sci-fi or fantasy stories, respectively. They're usually pretty good. They get stories from award-winning authors.
For audiobooks, go to Audible.com. It's a godsend for me. For the free book they give you, I recommend Infected by Scott Sigler. It's an action-packed horror/thriller that moves at a good pace. If you get squicked out easily (it's got a more than a little bit of body horror in it), get Earthcore by Scott Sigler instead, which has less horror and more adventure (but still lots of action).
Seriously, give it a try. You might be surprised.
It can be challenging for some people to "get into" reading, but it certainly isn't impossible.RaikuFA said:
I was the same way until I discovered that there were certain genres of books that I find interesting and therefore, the stories I read always appealed to me from beginning to end.
Some people also have certain "conditions" that they need to undertake in order for them to focus and enjoy reading: some read alone or with others around, some might enjoy eating or drinking while they read, some prefer to be outside as opposed to inside, others like it to be quiet as opposed to loud.
Take me for instance: I always read in the morning, the time at which I'm most productive, in my room, drinking a beverage, and surrounded by silence. This allows me to focus on my book and allow myself to be engrossed in the story. I also take notes on what I'm reading to further entice me to learn more about the story and look forward to the next chapter.
I sort of have to agree on op with this one. My imagination is completely non-existent, that's why any fictitious book or anything that relies on describing scenery is unreadable to me. However, I do like to read non-fiction and fact based books. The last thing I read was a Star Wars glossary just to figure out what the hell the whole thing was about.
So my advice to you is read something factual, rather than artistic. Either that, or just go for comics.
So my advice to you is read something factual, rather than artistic. Either that, or just go for comics.
For me, personally, I need to be in the right mood to read. But when that mood comes I read book after book and can't stop myself, it's quite a nice feeling actually.
Try going out of your comfort zone, read something 'different'.
I recently picked up 'Pan Lodowego Ogrodu' (Lord of the Ice Garden) which is a Polish Sci-Fi/Fantasy book that plays with quite a few different themes. When I read the synopsis I thought I wasted my money but the book is actually fantastic and not something I ever thought I'd enjoy. Books are wonderful you heathen.
Try going out of your comfort zone, read something 'different'.
I recently picked up 'Pan Lodowego Ogrodu' (Lord of the Ice Garden) which is a Polish Sci-Fi/Fantasy book that plays with quite a few different themes. When I read the synopsis I thought I wasted my money but the book is actually fantastic and not something I ever thought I'd enjoy. Books are wonderful you heathen.
@RaikuFA
Books aren't boring, dude. They are one of the greatest achievements of our species, to pass knowledge or tales on from one to another and like all art will outlive our natural lifespan. Perhaps your issue might be with what you reading and for what reason. If you are studying and are being forced to read certain books as part of said studying, you aren't going to be jumping to read. I get it, been there and hated it too, but that's the price of education and a potentially better life for yourself as a result. I hated reading To Kill A Mocking Bird, but loved Shakespeare. Education can do a lot to turn many off of books, because their focus is so narrow and myopic at times, with focus on the classic stuff, while ignoring many new and recent works. As for comics in their eyes, that's a dirty word not to be considered. A pity. I used to get the same frowns from teachers back in the day too, but don't listen to them, such biased crap is what stops many from picking up a book, and now that reading is on the decline, those same teachers wonder why.
If you are reading for pleasure however, its best to find something that interests you to read. If you like games, read books about games. And if you hate reading as a task, there's always audiobook as a choice. These allow you to consume tales or knowledge, while doing something else and not burning your tired eyes out on text. I use them a lot, and before them had little to no interest in a lot of books either. They have opened up my eyes to new worlds, thoughts and ideas I'd not considered before. These days, I tend to use audiobooks while I play games or when doing those mundane tasks in life, and I'd highly recommend trying them. They are the modern equivalent of being read a bedtime story, so all you need to is give them time and an open mind.
And failing all of the above, there's always comics and graphic novels you can try. These can be fun while requiring a low barrier entry and commitment. Outside of the superhero stuff being pushed everywhere, you'd be surprised at the kinds of topics comics can/have covered, while still entertaining and making you think a bit.
Lastly, if you want to encourage more people to read, try not to restrict what they read (age category withstanding. This is key to why many are dropping books as an option, while accepting games, film and music. And like someone else said, next time you see a girl/guy you like reading a book, take interest and ask them about it. Its a great ice breaker, even for strangers. A book also always trumps a film adaption any day.
GN Suggestions:
Death Note, Maus, Pluto, Monster, Master Keaton, Vinland Saga, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin.
Invincible, Thief of Thieves, The Walking Dead, Drafted, DMZ, American Vampire, Northlanders, Prison Pit, Sullivans Sluggers, Wizzywig, Scott Pilgrim, Hip Hop Family Tree, The Exterminators.
Audiobook Suggestions:
Ready Player One, Game of Thrones,
Books aren't boring, dude. They are one of the greatest achievements of our species, to pass knowledge or tales on from one to another and like all art will outlive our natural lifespan. Perhaps your issue might be with what you reading and for what reason. If you are studying and are being forced to read certain books as part of said studying, you aren't going to be jumping to read. I get it, been there and hated it too, but that's the price of education and a potentially better life for yourself as a result. I hated reading To Kill A Mocking Bird, but loved Shakespeare. Education can do a lot to turn many off of books, because their focus is so narrow and myopic at times, with focus on the classic stuff, while ignoring many new and recent works. As for comics in their eyes, that's a dirty word not to be considered. A pity. I used to get the same frowns from teachers back in the day too, but don't listen to them, such biased crap is what stops many from picking up a book, and now that reading is on the decline, those same teachers wonder why.
If you are reading for pleasure however, its best to find something that interests you to read. If you like games, read books about games. And if you hate reading as a task, there's always audiobook as a choice. These allow you to consume tales or knowledge, while doing something else and not burning your tired eyes out on text. I use them a lot, and before them had little to no interest in a lot of books either. They have opened up my eyes to new worlds, thoughts and ideas I'd not considered before. These days, I tend to use audiobooks while I play games or when doing those mundane tasks in life, and I'd highly recommend trying them. They are the modern equivalent of being read a bedtime story, so all you need to is give them time and an open mind.
And failing all of the above, there's always comics and graphic novels you can try. These can be fun while requiring a low barrier entry and commitment. Outside of the superhero stuff being pushed everywhere, you'd be surprised at the kinds of topics comics can/have covered, while still entertaining and making you think a bit.
Lastly, if you want to encourage more people to read, try not to restrict what they read (age category withstanding. This is key to why many are dropping books as an option, while accepting games, film and music. And like someone else said, next time you see a girl/guy you like reading a book, take interest and ask them about it. Its a great ice breaker, even for strangers. A book also always trumps a film adaption any day.
GN Suggestions:
Death Note, Maus, Pluto, Monster, Master Keaton, Vinland Saga, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin.
Invincible, Thief of Thieves, The Walking Dead, Drafted, DMZ, American Vampire, Northlanders, Prison Pit, Sullivans Sluggers, Wizzywig, Scott Pilgrim, Hip Hop Family Tree, The Exterminators.
Audiobook Suggestions:
Ready Player One, Game of Thrones,
I can't say I've had that problem. I only read non-fiction. Whatever book I pick up is about a topic I'm interrested in, which keeps me reading.RaikuFA said:
Not all books are boring. Some books I think have magical sleep powers though. I remember trying to read the Wheel of Time books and I never got further than a couple of pages before falling asleep, I even tried skipping the prologue but had the same results trying to get through the first chapter. It's not that I found it boring, nor have I experienced anything like it before or since - it was just an impossible exercise.
Genuine question, do you think this is more common now due to the proliferation of videogames? If it's a question of lacking imagination, is this because kids go outside in the woods to play less and instead stay inside? I'm 24, and adore reading, but my younger cousins hate it and the time I used to spend reading or outside using my imagination they spend on a videogame.
I think games can contribute as well. Stuff we imagine is often tied to things we have experienced in the past. One cannot play "The Floor is Lava" if he's never at least seen a picture of lava, or heard about it in a tale or a lecture. As a result, I think one's imagination is more often limited by limited experiences. If a kid spends his entire childhood playing Call of Duty to the exclusion of everything else, odds are he won't be able to imagine himself fighting orcs as a paladin. If he spend that time watching reality TV instead, his imagination would probably be limited solely to things that exist in the real world.rpck1990 said:
The question of whether or not games hamper out ability to imagine things we have experienced was a bit out of my depth so I turned to google and found these links.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102125355.htm
http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2011/video-game-playing-tied-to-creativity/
To avoid bias, I tried googling "Video games damage creativity" but I still got articles stating that they do the opposite and make kids more creative.
Books aren't boring if you visualize. They shouldn't be merely words on a page, otherwise they are meaningless. When they get into your head, when you see all those pictures and characters and situations playing out in your minds eye, that's when the real fun starts.
When I was a kid I would often put a book aside for a few minutes or even half an hour at an exciting moment to run a thought experiment or two, try to imagine how thing would play out if something happened. It was insanely fun, I still remember my heart racing from all the limitless possibilities for things to happen.
So yeah, reading is an art. But once you learn it nothing is more natural.
When I was a kid I would often put a book aside for a few minutes or even half an hour at an exciting moment to run a thought experiment or two, try to imagine how thing would play out if something happened. It was insanely fun, I still remember my heart racing from all the limitless possibilities for things to happen.
So yeah, reading is an art. But once you learn it nothing is more natural.