How to Get Back Into Reading

Reading a great book is one of life’s greatest joys, but nowadays we are accustomed to the instant gratification afforded us by the fast-paced, technology-driven culture of modern life. What with TV, movies, video games and social media, it can be easy to forget the simple pleasure of sitting down with an immersive book.

Reading is better for your mental and physical health than extended screen time, and it is also a fantastic way to exercise your brain and learn new things about the world. If you used to read a lot as a child but have got out of the habit now you’re an adult, don’t worry - all it takes is a little push to get back into it.

Choose a Short Book

Get back into the habit of reading again with a short novel. After an extended period without reading, it can be hard to immediately dive into an 800 page classic. Start small and tackle a book that’s relatively easy and entertaining, and you’ll begin to flex that reading muscle again.

Disconnect From Everything Else

When reading, make sure that’s all that you’re doing. It can be tempting to have your phone nearby or to play music, but this will make it much harder to concentrate, and you won’t enjoy the book to its full potential.

Set Aside Time Every Day

Consciously make time for reading as part of your day. Starting with as little as 5 minutes can make a big difference, and you’ll gradually be able to - and want to - read more and more. You’ll be devouring books for pleasure again in no time.

Rediscover your love of reading with the vast collection of eBooks and audiobooks at www.vujar.com.

The origins of Easter and why it is a movable feast

Sunday April 21 sees the celebration of the Christian festival of Easter. Although chocolate eggs and the Easter Bunny may be the prevalent images we see in stores at this time of year, Easter is a time when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

However, as with many Christian festivals, the origin and timing of Easter owes much to Pagan celebrations. For a start, there is nothing in the Bible which hints at the date or time of year that the resurrection happened. However, it is thought that spring was adopted as the best time of year to celebrate the resurrection as it was then that we see plants and flowers ‘reborn’ after the winter.

Spring has always been characterized by new life and that obviously seemed like the fitting time to mark Jesus rising from the dead.

But why is Easter on a different date every year?

Again, we have to look at Pagan traditions. Easter generally falls in late March or early April, around the time of the vernal equinox, which is the time of year when there is an equal amount of light and darkness.

The fixing of Easter Sunday each year is decided based on when the first full moon occurs following the vernal – or spring – equinox. Easter Sunday is the first Sunday which falls after that first full moon.

The name Easter is thought to have been derived from the name of a pre-Christian goddess in England called Eostre whose feast was celebrated at the start of spring. Scholars recorded that early English Christians would celebrate the resurrection of Jesus in ‘Eostre’ time and the name eventually became Easter.

Find out more about festivals and customs by checking out the books at www.vujar.com.

The Most Powerful Exercises To Improve Your Writing

If you’ve got aspirations of being a successful writer, it can be helpful to practice your craft. Even if words tumble out naturally, there are tips you can try to help improve your style and content. Here are a few easy but powerful exercises which will make a huge difference to the quality of your writing.

Omit adverbs

Adverbs are the words in a sentence which modify the verb, typically ending in -ly. Examples include quickly, easily, gently etc. There’s nothing wrong with adverbs in a sentence but they can make your writing lazy. By leaving out adverbs as an experiment, you’ll find more descriptive ways to get your message across and your sentences will be much sharper too.

Cover up your screen

It’s easy to get distracted by the editing when you’re supposed to be writing, and this can seriously hamper the amount you produce. Constantly going back over what you’ve already written doesn’t help anyone but it’s a hard habit to break. To give yourself the freedom to focus on the words which are coming next, try covering up your screen. Turn the brightness right down so you can’t see what you’re typing or you could always type with your eyes closed! You need to do a bit more editing at the end but the difference in your productivity will make it more than worthwhile.

Try starting halfway through

Getting the perfect start can be a real block for some people so scrap that and move along a bit further. Starting halfway through takes away the pressure to create an impactful beginning, and allows you to enter the story when it’s already established. Once you’re up and running and have been able to let the writing develop, you can go back and fill in the missing first section.

Taking a look at other examples of great writing can also help, and taking time out to enjoy a book can be a positive way to move forward. Check out www.vujar.com for some of the best online books that are available at your fingertips, whenever you want.