Embrace the Art of Romanticizing Reading

This post discusses ten different ways you can romanticize reading.

I am one of those people who loves to romanticize everything. I like to eat my lunch outside so I can admire the trees. I light scented candles as often as I can. I write my schedule using colorful pens. I try to be extra kind to the people I meet throughout the day, and sometimes I end up making new friends. Doing things like this bring me so much joy, and help me to see beauty in everything. We have been given one life, and I don’t want to waste mine being negative – I want to enjoy every single moment I’ve been given. This is not always possible, but I do the best I can!

I didn’t realize I’ve been romanticizing reading until very recently. I have a ritual of reading a book with a cup of coffee or hot tea in the mornings, before I have to join the real world. I bring multiple books with me on vacation, and I love to take this time to read outdoors. Beach reading is my absolute favorite! I write out book lists (with my colorful pens, of course) to inspire my reading life. Romanticizing reading makes me excited to read books.

I’ve compiled a list here of ten ideas to romanticize reading. Maybe this list will inspire you to come up with a few of your own! Here are some things that I think help make reading more enjoyable.

Find a cozy reading spot

In my opinion, this first order of business when romanticizing reading is finding the coziest, comfiest spot to enjoy your book. What does your ideal reading spot look like? You may want to get out your coziest blankets and pillows to set up a comfortable spot to read. Or build a blanket fort, if you’re feeling nostalgic! You may like soft lighting to help make a calming, cozy atmosphere by using lamps with warm light bulbs, string lights, or candles. Or you may prefer natural light near a window. I dream of having a window seat with lots of fluffy pillows and soft blankets. I would never want to leave! Your cozy reading spot doesn’t have to be at home; it can be anywhere. A café or the library are some great places to read. Where is a place you feel like you can cozy up with a book? Head over to Pinterest to find some ideas for your ideal reading spot, or check out my board for inspiration!

Read outside

I am always jealous when I see people sitting outside enjoying a book when I’m not able to! Being out in nature offers a host of mental health benefits, such as lowering stress and anxiety, improving attention and memory, and boosting your mood. With all that in mind, imagine how being outside can impact your reading time. I have found that spending time outside helps to quiet my mind, allowing me to focus more on my thoughts, or on the book I am reading. Rory Gilmore was onto something when she chose her favorite reading tree at Yale! Getting away from your usual space to read outdoors is a great way to enjoy a book, and romanticize reading.

Annotate

Try romanticizing your reading by annotating a book! If you are not familiar with annotating, it is essentially making notes in your books by highlighting, underlining, or writing in the margins. This has traditionally been done with non-fiction books, but can also be done with fiction. And it’s not just for school anymore! In recent years, annotating has become an art form, with people drawing and creating designs on the pages of their books. It can be quite beautiful. Annotating is a way to connect more deeply with a story, which in turn, helps you to remember it better. If you’re not a fan of writing in your books, it’s okay! Many people choose to use sticky notes and tabs, or write in a journal as they read. The beauty of annotating is that you can do it however you want. Just don’t write in your library books, please. ;) You can find tons of annotating ideas and examples on Pinterest. You can see my annotating ideas board here!

Make your own bookmarks

I love finding cool bookmarks, but I also love making them! I like using different bookmarks for each season, or having my bookmark match the book I am reading (anyone else?). Making your own bookmarks is a fun activity to do with friends or on your own. It’s also an easy way to upcycle cardboard, paper, and old craft materials. The satisfaction of being able to use something that you made is a great feeling, and a fun way to romanticize reading! For bookmark craft ideas, check out my Pinterest board.

Make a fun snack or drink to have while reading

I think most readers enjoy having their favorite beverage while reading. I also like to keep a snack close by (in all areas of my life). I recently had the idea of making a themed drink or snack to go with the book I’m reading. What are the characters drinking or eating? What is a drink that you think would match the character’s personality? Just another fun way to immerse yourself in a book! If you’re a foodie, this may be your ultimate way to romanticize reading.

Listen to music

Listening to music that matches the mood of the story can enhance your reading experience. It’s kind of like when music is added to a movie or television show. It can make you feel happy, sad, tense, etc. I can’t listen to music with lyrics while I’m reading, but I love listening to instrumental music. I eternally have some song stuck in my head, so putting music on helps me focus better and quiet whatever noise is in my brain at the time. Spotify and Apple Music have tons of great playlists for reading! Try looking up genre playlists, or seasonal instrumental music. YouTube also has endless ambient videos that include music or nature sounds to fit the mood or atmosphere you’re going for. I like playing videos of the beach with ocean sounds! You can also make your own soundtrack based on a book to listen to as you read, if you’re up for it. What song does each chapter/character remind you of? Music can be very powerful, especially when it comes to romanticizing reading!

Make a seasonal booklist

For the past year, I have been making seasonal booklists. At the beginning of each season, I’ll write out a list of books I want to read, which usually match the months, weather, or events that are happening around that time. I don’t always read every single book on the list if I’m not feeling it, and usually end up reading some others I didn’t write down. For the most part, I stick to the list I started with! Having a small list of books I’d like to read during each season gives me something to look forward to, and ends up enhancing the feelings I have surrounding that time of the year. I love checking off the books as I go and adding others that I ended up reading! It is also less overwhelming for me to look at a small list of books compared to my “want to read” list on Goodreads, which I’m always adding more to. Try creating a seasonal booklist to romanticize reading and enhance your experience of each season!

Dedicate time to reading

See if you can dedicate a day, or an hour, just to reading. Set up your cozy spot or find a nice place to sit outside, get a snack, light a candle, and just immerse yourself in a book. We all need to take time to slow down and do things we enjoy. If you’re tired, it is okay to rest. If you’re not feeling well emotionally, it is important to take care of your mental health. Reading is a great form of self-care, as it gets your mind off the things going on in life, lowering stress and helping you relax (it also costs $0 if you check out a book from the library!). So, take care of yourself and read. Unless there is a true emergency, I promise that the to-do list can absolutely wait, and everything will be fine. If you’re feeling extroverted, invite your family or friends to join you. Reading with a friend may be the care your soul needs, and help you romanticize reading even more!

Read out loud

This sounds a little weird, but reading out loud by yourself or with your friends or family is a different way to romanticize reading, and can also be really fun! When my siblings and I were learning to read, my family read Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry together. We each took a turn reading a few paragraphs or a page of the story. It was a great family-bonding activity, and we laughed a lot. I wish we did it more! If don’t want to read out loud with others, you can read out loud on your own. I was a bit of a theatrical teen, so if I found a monologue in a book I liked, I would sometimes read it out loud in front of the mirror (Hey - it was good acting practice!) When I read out loud now, it’s more like whisper-reading, but I can better feel the emotions of the characters. It also reminds me to slow down, enjoy the process of reading, and appreciate the words the author chose to write.

Join a book club or form your own

Does the idea of joining a book club scare you? Me, too! I have realized that I am not the traditional book club type. If traditional book clubs do it for you, that’s great! But if not, how would you change them? Would you and the other participants read the same book, or different ones? What types of activities would you do? The beauty of book clubs is that there aren’t really any rules. They don’t need to be deep or super structured. They can be whatever you want them to be. Figure out how you and your friends can enjoy reading together and create your own non-traditional book club (or traditional, if you’re into that sort of thing!) to romanticize reading.

What are some ways you romanticize reading, or would like to? Leave your suggestions in the comments below. Let’s all take the time to make our lives more positive and beautiful. Thank you for being here today, and I hope you find some ways to enjoy your reading life!