New Year Resolution – Pick up a Book!

January is here again!

Once again we will all be looking to become better people. Be it slimmer, smoke-free, alcohol refraining, multi-lingual, kinder or less-stressed. The list goes on. For many, these admirable aims will fall by the way side within a few weeks. However, one area you can succeed in, and improve your life immeasurably is by making a list of literary resolutions. You may not have a slimmer waist line nor win the Nobel Peace Prize, but these are resolutions that you can keep. And they’re fun!

 Read More
For many, life seems to get in the way of a good book. However, they are a great way to unwind and escape the pressures of the day. Try to read at least 30 minutes a day. Why not switch off the TV or computer and grab a book (or tablet) before going to sleep? In addition, you might want to set yourself a goal to read a book a month, or two, or more? Why not draw up a list of books that you feel you should read? Or just ones that interest you? Or check out our list of children’s books: https://blackheneducation.com/blackhens-book-list-for-children/

Read New
Whilst buying a second hand book is a cheap way to stay well-stocked with reading material, it doesn’t help the author. They only receive payment once. Why not buy a new book for every three second-hand books you read.

Read Debut

Change can be a frightening thing. However, it can also reap rich rewards. Every now and then why not plunge into the sea of new writers out there. If you have a favourite writer, investigate who they like and recommend. Established writers often champion those new in print. Find out who they recommend.

Read Local
For many would-be book buyers the first thing they will do is type ‘Amazon’ on their keyboard. However, why not wander down to your local bookshop (or even find out where it is). Many local bookshops are fighting a losing battle at the moment to online retailers. Where you spend your money is a personal choice and deciding to help a local business, especially an independent  bookshop, can mean the difference between them staying afloat or disappearing to the stockroom in the sky.

Read Different

Even if you love sports autobiographies or gritty crime novels, why not break out into a different genre? If you have a subject that has always interested you but you’ve never got round to reading about it, do it this year! Or maybe something you’ve just heard about or read and want to know more. Go on, pick up that book and read it.

Read and Recommend

If you’ve read a great book, don’t keep it to yourself. Let friends and family know about it. Why not donate the books you’ve enjoyed reading to a charity and slip a note into each one saying how great it is? This way, the author’s work gets passed along and you’ve helped out a good cause. Plus you’ll have book space for all of your new purchases for 2020.

Finally remember that sometimes the fun things in life can get forgotten about in the mad rush of family life and work. Even if you only do one of the above, you will have a great 2020!