Hi all!
Welcome back to another Top 5 Wednesday! Today I want to discuss my best tips to overcoming a reading slump. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically a period of time where you have no desire to read whatsoever. It’s awful! All readers go through this at some point in their life. There’s no worse feeling than wanting to dive into a book with all of your heart but not being able to do so. I hope these help. Let’s do this!
#1 – DON’T FORCE IT
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just have to step away from the books and do something else for a while. If you try to force it, you may find yourself even deeper in the slump. Binge watch a show, de-clutter your space, engage in a new hobby, exercise, spend time with friends or listen to music. After a while, you may just find you want to read again. The most important thing to do is stay busy and not put unnecessary pressure on yourself. The love will return, I promise!
#2 – TRY A DIFFERENT FORMAT
If you only ever read physical books, why not try listening to one on audio or breaking out your Kindle? There are multiple ways to read. I like to use all three. That way, if I ever get tired of staring at a screen, I can go for a walk and listen to the story instead, providing a completely different perspective. The same goes for types/genres of books. Try a contemporary novel if you only ever pick up fantasy. Read a graphic novel or a comic book. Short stories and novellas are also a great way to break out of a slump. Mix it up!
#3 – RE-READ AN OLD FAVOURITE
There’s a reason the familiar is so comfortable. Re-reading an old favourite is like slipping into a warm, cosy bath. This really does work in the midst of a slump. I have a gigantic, long TBR (To Be Read) list but sometimes, I need to step away from unread novels and re-visit an old love. It’s never a waste of time. Every single re-read brings a new layer and depth of appreciation. Try it and see.
#4 – BUDDY READ
Like exercise, humans are much more motivated to act if a friend is involved. Buddy reading provides incentive to keep up with the other person and discuss the plot as you both go along. I have actually never buddy read a book before but I’ve heard it’s an excellent way to enjoy reading again. It’s like being part of a tiny little book club. I am definitely going to use this tip the next time I find myself in a slump.
#5 – VISIT A BOOKSTORE OR LIBRARY
Artists visit galleries for inspiration so it only makes sense that book-lovers wander through bookstores and libraries to achieve the same result. Whenever I enter a library or bookstore, I am filled with a longing to pick one up. The smell of books, the beautiful covers, the promotional posters, the atmosphere…it all serves to entice the reader into starting a new story and losing themselves in the process. A little outing may be just what you need.
Thank you so much for reading! Please list any tips you may have down below.
Peace & Love xoxo
Love this post! I can relate so much because for a long time I found myself in a reading slump. As of recently I have begun gravitating more to reading again. So agree that you can’t force yourself to read if you don’t want to – by forcing you simply go into reading a book with a reluctance and chances are you’d want to be elsewhere, and that wouldn’t be a nice kind of reading. I really love the variety of books you read and share and do hope to see more. The Aliebn book was so good and thank you for writing about it. Hope you are well my friend and cannot wait to see you again <3
I’m so happy to hear you are reading again my friend 🙂 it’s such a great thing to do especially for writers like us. Always happy to make more recommendations! Cannot wait to see you very soon xoxo