I posted an Instagram story over the weekend about getting out of a little bit of a reading slump, and someone replied and asked for more tips because they were dealing with one themselves. I wanted to be able to share a little bit more in detail than I can on Instagram, so I thought this would be a great place to share my reading slump tips and tricks!
Re-Read an Old Favorite
Sometimes when I’m in a reading slump, it’s because I can’t figure out what I want to read. I’m very much a mood reader – I have a list (well… a photo album on my phone of screenshots) of books that I want to read, but I pick my next book based on whatever appeals to me in the moment. Sometimes I just can’t decide what mood I’m in! So I’ll go back to an old favorite (for me, this is often an ACOTAR book) that I already know and love to help me get back into reading again.
Read Somewhere New
So much of a slump is just about feeling like nothing is new and exciting. So I’ll try to get out of that by switching up where I read. I’ll take my book out onto my patio, or take it to a local coffee shop or park. Maybe for you it’s reading from your bed instead of your couch, or vice versa! It’s not the where that matters, just that it’s different. The act of being somewhere new and different can make reading feel novel (pun intended!) and exciting.
DNF With Abandon
Some people feel pressure to finish a book that they’re not enjoying, which can force a bit of a slump – it’s hard to be excited to read when you’re just not liking what you’re reading. I highly encourage DNFing (did not finish-ing) anything you’re not liking! Life is too short to read books that you’re not enjoying. Put the book down and pick up something else!
Read What You Want
There can be so much pressure to read certain books – the classics, or even contemporary literary fiction – and a real stigma against the “fluffier” books like romance. I am very, very firmly against this, and very in favor of reading whatever you want. Sometimes you just need the escapism of losing yourself in a fantasy book with bat boys, or a Regency-era romance. Reading is reading!
Do a Buddy Read
I talked about this in yesterday’s Gratitude List, but I’ve really been into Buddy Reads lately – when I read a book at the same time as my friends (often virtually) so we can discuss. Basically like a book club, but we can chat about it as we’re going rather than waiting until the end. It makes reading feel more like a community activity rather than a solo one! Plus, I am competitive by nature, so I am encouraged to keep reading so I don’t fall too far behind.
Set a Reading Vibe
I read at home a lot, as I assume many of you do too, and sometimes it just feels boring to be in the same place doing the same thing again. So I make the act of reading into a whole thing – kind of like a ritual! I make myself a fun drink – maybe a coffee, maybe a margarita – put on some nice ambiance from YouTube to listen to, light a pretty candle. It turns reading into a whole experience, and makes it something to look forward to.
Commit to Read Every Day
At it’s core, reading is nothing more than a habit. So sometimes when you get in a reading slump, you’ve really just fallen out of the habit of reading. This is what happens to me a lot! What I find helps is making sure I read a little bit, every day. It’s fine if it’s only 10 minutes, or a few pages – it’s still reading. And pretty soon, I find myself reading a little more and a little more until I’m back in the groove again.
