Do you want to read novels but find it challenging to finish one?

Perhaps you start reading a novel and lose interest in it or get busy with other things. Whatever the reason, you have lots of half-finished books dotted around your home.

It’s always nice to find out what happens to the characters you have gotten to know and feel connected to. However, when you have ADHD, not finishing a novel can feel more personal. 

When you start a novel, there is an unwritten expectation that you will finish it, a built-in mini goal.

When you don’t finish a novel, you may feel disappointed in yourself or feel a sense of failure.

It can also feel puzzling, especially if there was a time in your life when you did read books cover to cover for fun.

 7 Tips to Help You Read a Novel When You Have ADHD.

Before you start, we want to set you up for success, so ask yourself these questions

1. Do you want to read it?

If you are reading for pleasure, check in with yourself that it’s a book you want to read.
Sometimes, we feel like we ‘should’ read a book, perhaps because it’s a classic, a book everyone else is reading, or a friend lent it to us.

We can also be a bit snobby about books, thinking one genre is better than others.

I know someone who took a high-brow book on an 8-hour plane ride, he thought he wanted to read it, but he ended up reading the airline magazine (the one in the seat pocket next to the tray table) because, the intellectual book couldn’t hold his attention.

What he really would have enjoyed and been motivated to read was a fun bestseller from the airport bookshop.

2. Does the book appeal to you?

The next step is to find out if now is the right time for you to read this book.

Even if a book is from a genre you love and written by your favorite author whose style you enjoy, it might not be the right time to read it. Where you are in your life and your emotions all influence how you perceive a book.

A book that might be captivating to you in a year from now might feel blah now.

The only way to know is to start reading it.

You aren’t committing to reading the whole book now, just the first chapter. This is where the library, bookstores, or the free preview on Kindles are great because you can test-drive the book.

Read the first chapter, and if it captures your attention and you’d like to keep reading bingo!

You have found your next book to read.

3  Give yourself permission

Give yourself permission to read novels!

You could have some underlying beliefs about reading novels.

Perhaps you feel that spending time reading a novel is an indulgent luxury, so you’ll read when you’ve completed all your ‘more important’ tasks. Classic ADHD thinking 🙂

Or that reading nonfiction books is OK because you are learning facts, but reading novels is frivolous.

In the podcast ‘Just One Thing‘, host Michael Mosely recommends reading a novel for 30 minutes daily.He explains reading a novel has many health benefits, from reducing stress and depression to strengthening social skills.

All amazing benefits when you have ADHD.

Knowing that reading a novel is good for your health might alleviate your underlying guilt about reading a novel!

Here’s the link to the podcast episode so you can listen to i.

4. When are you going to read?

When a book is really captivating, it’s easy to find the time. You are naturally pulled towards it because you can’t wait to find out what happens next.

The danger is that when there is a lull in the plot, ADHDers can lose interest, and the book gets left half-read.

However, if you have a habit of reading at certain times of day, you will pick up the book even when it gets slow and continue until it gets good again.

When are you going to read? In bed before you go to sleep? On your commute? At lunchtime? Carving out a time to read in your weekly schedule supports your goal to read a novel.

5. How to focus on the text – 7 suggestions

If you are enjoying the content of the book but having a hard time focusing on it, here are seven suggestions.

a. Are you hungry?

Are you hungry or thirsty? This affects concentration and focus, and is an easy fix. One day I was on a long train ride and I couldn’t understand why it was so hard to focus on my book. Then I realized I hadn’t eaten in hours. After getting a snack and some water, reading became easy and I was sucked back into the plot.

b. Is it just reading?

Is it just reading novels? Or is it hard to focus on other things too? If it’s hard to focus on other things too, that might be a signal to revisit how you are treating and managing your ADHD.

c. Read out loud

Try reading out loud for a little while. That can be helpful because it forces you to focus on one word at a time. Once your focus kicks in, you can go back to reading quietly again.

d. Word Runner

Along the same lines, try Word Runner. It’s a feature on the Kindle app. It shows you one word at a time, and you get to set the speed. A friend of mine sets it fast so she is forced to concentrate.

She said, “I know it helps me focus A LOT better and read faster. I can visualize the story just as well too, probably because my focus is so intense.”

You could experiment and see if this helps you too.

e. Read a format that feels easy for you

Experiment with paper books versus an e-reader. Find out which is easier for you to focus on. When you find what works best for you, keep doing it.

For me it’s my Kindle. When I discovered the dyslexia font, it changed my reading experience 1000%. Everything became easier for me; reading didn’t take so much effort. The dyslexia font can help ADHDers who don’t have dyslexia, so check it out and see if it helps you.

f. Font size

E-readers, including the Kindle, allow you to change the size of the font. If you prefer books, you can also get books in large print. It’s not an eyesight issue, it  just makes processing the information easier which in turn makes it easier to concentrate.

g. Environment.

Find the right balance of being in a stimulating enough environment so you don’t fall asleep, but not so noisy or busy that you are distracted.

6.Set reading goals

Yearly reading goals

Yearly reading goals can be a great way to stay motivated to finish each novel because they are part of a larger goal.  Set a goal, such as reading 12 novels a year or 52, or choose a number in between, and track your progress.

Goodreads is a valuable resource as it encourages you to set an annual reading goal with its Reading Challenge, which you can start at any time. It then tracks the number of books you’ve read and monitors your progress toward your goal.

Daily reading goals

You can also set mini-goals each time you sit down to read, such as finishing a chapter, reading 10 pages, or reading for a specific amount of time, like 20 minutes.

7.External Accountability

If you are struggling to finish novels, consider joining a book club. External accountability can be great motivation for ADHDers to finish a book.
Plus, the book comes alive in a whole new way when you discuss it with other people.
Book clubs usually meet once a month, so if you want to read more than one book a month, you can join more than one book club.

Books clubs often have themes, such a science fiction book club or a classics book club. If you decide to join one (or two), find one that appeals to your reading taste.

Happy Reading!

P.S Create a book-buying rule

Sometimes ADHDers buy a book to remember they would like to read it one day.

The downside is that this contributes to clutter and makes people feel guilty for having lots of unread or partly read books.
Instead, create a new personal book-buying rule for yourself

Only buy a book, either on your Kindle or a paper book, if you are actually going to start reading it that day. Only buy it if you have time or inclination to start reading it today.

Come back again when you do.
You can take a photo of the book or write it on your wish list of books you’d like to read to remember it.

Other reading articles

The Untapped Brilliance blog has several articles about reading books. The idea behind How to Read a Book When You Have ADHD is to eliminate guilt if you read books differently from the traditional linear way.

Another article talks about how reading on a Kindle can be super helpful for ADHDers.

What tips do you use to help you enjoy reading novels?

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