How to Get Out of a Reading Slump

“And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” - Dr. Seuss

Reading slumps happen to the best of us. They don’t always occur immediately; sometimes they gradually creep up on us. Either way, one day you might find yourself suddenly unable to continue reading a book that you were previously enjoying. You might find it hard to focus and engage with any book at all! At that point, you might bargain with yourself, tell yourself that you’ll continue your reading later that day. Later turns into tomorrow, turns into the next day, and before you know it, you’ve gone a week without reading. You may try to tell yourself that it's just the book, and maybe you need to find something else to read. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find a good book that gets you out of the reading slump! However, in most cases, you’ll probably just embrace the comfort of Youtube or Netflix instead. Don’t you worry! Reading slumps like these happen to all of us, and with a couple helpful tips and tricks from me, you’ll get out of that slump in no time!

Tip #1:

When faced with a reading slump, brief texts are your best friend. Because of their length, short literature helps readers feel as if they have accomplished something when they are finished. It often inspires readers to pick up another book. Forcing yourself to read tons of books with hundreds of pages is bound to exhaust you and trigger a reading slump. Instead, try picking up something that is no more than 250 pages. Story collections and poetry books are also easy to fly through! Stop trying to trudge your way through Les Misérables by Victor Hugo or The Stand by Stephen King. Save the longer reads for a later time, when you’re recovered from your reading slump and ready to fully tackle them. 

Tip #2:

If your primary reading slump affliction is lack of interest in books you’d planned to read, try re-reading some of your old favorites! While not all of us like to reread books, many readers love revisiting past reads. Going back to read something that you previously enjoyed works wonders, as it doesn’t have the same weight as a new book does and gives you opportunities to pick up on things you didn’t notice the first time around. If you’re like me, and easily get bored rereading the same book, try watching a movie or television series adaptation of a book you like. If you’re someone who doesn’t like watching movies and doesn’t like rereading, then try reading something that is similar to a book you like. Just look up “Books similar to…” on Google, and lists of books will come up that either have a similar plot or made people think of that book. In general, going back to books that you know you’ll love is a great way to start reading again when the going gets tough.

Tip #3:

Perhaps the easiest way to get out of a reading slump is to simply embrace it. Yes, they can be horrible, but reading slumps are inevitable. Any avid reader is bound to go through one at one point or another, so sometimes the best thing we can do is learn to just let it be. Don’t force yourself to read when you don’t feel like it! Instead, take a break; start watching a new show, play some video games, or even go on a movie marathon. Doing so will remind you why you love storytelling, even if it's in a different form, and will eventually help you find your way back to books. 

In the end, the most important thing is to remember that any reading slump you’re in will wear out eventually. In the meantime, you can try new things, work on yourself, or simply take a well-deserved break. In any case, don’t beat yourself up for not enjoying a book. Take your time, and come back to books whenever you’re ready. 

Citations: 

Liu, J. (2016, August 17). 8 Ways To Get Out Of A Reading Slump. Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/450832/8-ways-to-get-out-of-a-reading-slump

Rodarme, S. (2014, September 26). 5 Tips For Getting Out of a Long-Term Reading Slump. Retrieved from https://bookriot.com/5-tips-getting-long-term-reading-slump/

Seales, J. (2016, March 17). 10 Ways To Snap Out Of A Reading Slump. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/articles/148413-10-ways-to-snap-out-of-a-reading-slump