Reading train - Improve your reading skills

why do i hate reading books i checked out all genres but im not interested i hate to read & im 17 yrs old?

i wish i love to read.the reason is i want to become a smarter person. maybe this is why i fail classes becuz i never like to read. im never in that mood of reading any type of books. how do i get in the mood of reading books.becuz i want to get smarter by reading books.

Public Comments

1. Well, set a goal to read one book every two weeks. When you read, say, 20 books, you'll really start getting into it. I used to play video games when I was younger but then, forced myself to start reading again. Now I'm a writer.
2. Well, there must be something you like. Like dancing, or horses or iceskating or anything. There're books on everything. Why don't you ask your local library about some books on something you're interested in? And have you tried reading Harry Potter? It's written very well, and holds your interest. Since it's an invisible world within our own, you might find it interesting. Several of my friends have got into the habit of reading through the Harry Potter books. And don't get discouraged thinking it's 'childish'. It's just a fun and imaginative read. I'm 20 and I love them :) You can try reading when you're bored. And I always like to munch on something while I'm reading :D Just find a quiet and comfortable place, settle down and read. And don't just read the words, imagine the characters and places you're reading. You have to get 'into' the book to really enjoy it.
3. i was like you when i was your age. i hated reading. my problem was i read sentence by sentence, not by the paragraph, and so on. i'm fine now, i even feel like i'm a part of the book at times. it was finding the right type of book for me. murder mystery's, haunted houses, etc, are my type. find yours. could it be phyco killers, books that they made movies from, bio's, sci-fi, rock music, read "slash" written by slash from guns-n-roses & velvet revolver. books are like movies, what kind do you like? happy reading to you.
4. My guess is that you haven't found anything that interested you yet. My suggestion: read some short stories and see what appeals to you. Even if you don't enjoy the story, if it's short enough you can "suffer" through it. That way, you may find something that actually appeals to you. I have a friend who hates reading. The only books he will read are those that "catch" him in the very first few paragraphs. That doesn't happen often for him, unfortunately. May I make a suggestion? Try reading some free, short stories online. It may help you. I'll suggest a few. Any of O Henry's stories http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/ After Twenty Years by O Henry http://www.shortstoryarchive.com/h/after_twenty_years.html The Ransom of Red Chief by O Henry http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1041/ The Gift of the Magi by O Henry http://www.online-literature.com/o_henry/1014/ Any of Edgar Allan Poe's stories http://www.online-literature.com/poe/ For instance: The Fall of the House of Usher http://www.online-literature.com/poe/31/ The Tell-Tale Heart http://www.online-literature.com/poe/44/ The Pit and the Pendulum http://www.online-literature.com/poe/40/ The Christmas Tree by Charles Dickens http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/117/ The Signal-Man by Charles Dickens http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/2941/ The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/the-haunted-man/ (a bit longer but good) The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen http://www.online-literature.com/hans_christian_andersen/967/ The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen http://www.online-literature.com/hans_christian_andersen/981/ Other stories by Hans Christian Andersen http://www.online-literature.com/hans_christian_andersen/ The Lottery by Shirley Jackson http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lotry.html Here are some other short stories: http://www.classicshorts.com/ A lot of authors and their writings: http://www.online-literature.com/author_index.php If one or more of these stories appeal to you, I'd suggest you read more by that author to see if you enjoy it. Don't try to read "at a gallop." Just read a bit at a time and keep going that way. I don't know if this will help you, but I hope so. BTW: When I was young, I didn't like to read. Then I read Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. I haven't stopped reading since. Here it is: http://www.online-literature.com/austen/northanger/ Another short story I love is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Here it is: http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/christmascarol/ I also enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. It's a fast read. However, it's not online for free...legally.
5. What sort of stories do you imagine in your head? You know, when you're waiting for a bus, sitting on a train, waiting to fall asleep, sitting in a really boring class... These stories (some would call them 'fantasies') are the types of stories you'd like to read. Can't find any in your local library? Google the topic - you'll be surprised what you come up with. It doesn't have to be the classic novel, either. Reading newspapers, magazines, comics, graphic novels, the internet, any non-fiction books - they're all counted as 'reading' - and, believe it or not, they're all pretty good sources of information. What kind of movies do you like? This might also help you in picking a book. If you like fast paced action movies, you might like Matthew Riley's books (especially if you like an ultra cool military hero thrown in), Tess Gerritsen or James Patterson. If you like the Harry Potter movies, try Emily Rodda, Tamora Pierce, Mercedes Lackey, Raymond Feist, Maggie Furey or David Eddings (start with some of his earlier series with Belgarath and Polgara, the later ones are very much 'high fantasy'). Even a bit of Lois McMaster Bujold, Elizabeth Scarborough, Jack McDevitt or Ann McCaffery if you like a bit of science fiction added to the mix. Like a bit of romantic suspense? Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks, Suzanne Brockmann... the list is endless. If you don't like reading from a book, there's always the ebook alternative - even cheaper then buying a novel - not as cheap as the library, though. What ever you do, though, keep on trying. I've always been a firm believer that there is a book out there for everyone. And if there isn't one for you (that you can find, anyway), write one - there's sure to be someone else out there who likes similar stories. (Yes, I do know how difficult it can be to write a book...But it's worth it.)
6. try starting with magazines about your fav subject. you could also discipline yourself to reading 1 hour every day (to start). the hard part is being still and blocking out any outside distraction, and then reading with complrehension. sit at a desk that faces a wall and have no music or TV or people in the room with you. this i think is the best basis for reading.
7. Most books are boring. Most people agree. there are sum really smrt peeps in my class who duzn't read. I like the sugestion uf reading short stories and recomend the book of lies. I read it and recomended it to my brother who could read O.K. but didn't do it often- only in class. Now he always read. Artemis Fowl is good but mainly for early teens- plenty of action though
8. (1) YOU MAY BE DYSLEXIC. Forget about "reversing letters." The modern definition of dyslexia is "any reading difficult not directly relating to IQ." Somewhere Sally Shaywitz, neuroscientist and dyslexia researcher, says that there are some people who will NEVER read for pleasure. Reading just doesn't work that way for them. http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=718 (2) TRY AUDIO BOOKS -- I recommend Bob Black's "Abolition of Work" from this site: http://audioanarchy.org/antiwork.php One idea -- if you play the file in Media Player, you can use the enhancements to speed up the playback ... so you can listen at twice or three times the normal speed. (3) ALTERNATIVELY, I'D RECOMMEND JEFF SOMERS' "ELECTRIC CHURCH" http://www.orbitbooks.net/the-electric-church-extract Because it's fun to read, it's full of bad attitude, and it uses the f word a lot in interesting contexts.
9. It's OK--not everyone has to enjoy reading. You're right though that reading is one way to get better grades. While you're in school, you'll just have to do it. Be sure that when you sit down to read an assignment, you turn off the TV, etc. You can have some music on in the background, as long as it's not something that's going to distract you (heavy metal or rap is probably a bad idea). Have you tried reading graphic novels, magazines about your favorite topics or hobbies? Short things that might interest you more than your history book or some dusty old novel. Anyway, there are lots of different ways to be intelligent. I happen to be good with reading and writing, but I couldn't fix a car to save my life. Mechanical intelligence is beyond me. You just need to find your intelligence.
10. Maybe you should get some audio books. If you're a multitasker, you can drive, clean, etc. while listening to them. What has inspired me to read more is watching movies that are based on books. Some that I recommend are:Fried Green Tomatoes, The Joy Luck Club, The Face on the Milk Carton, Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna, Christy, Rebecca, A Christmas Carol, The Secret Garden,A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,Treasure Island, A Walk to Remember, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Little Women. I usually watch the movie first, then read the book and compare the two.