Reading Slumps and How to Defeat Them
I am in a reading slump.
The timing of it is awful.
The last few weeks of my life have involved a lot of change and uncertainty. I’ve been feeling down and overwhelmed. I’ve been heartbroken.
I am still centered on writing, of course, but reading has fallen to the wayside. I’ve picked up three or four books and none of them feel right. I can’t focus on it. I can’t concentrate. It’s like I’m in a pit in the ground. It’s started raining, and no matter what I do, I can’t get out of it because the walls are slick and everything is wet and nothing works the way it should.
Have you felt this way? I’m tired of feeling this way.
In order to defeat a reading slump, you have to know what’s causing it. For me, I can’t concentrate. But other causes of reading slumps include boredom, a book hangover, and burnout.
Here are four things I’m doing to climb my way out of my reading slump.
- Read something you’ve read before.
I know some people who don’t reread books. I can’t say I understand that. I, for one, love the comfort of a book I know I love.
Reading something you know you love, especially if its a shorter book, can help rejuvenate your love for reading. It can help you find a way to reconnect to literature.
There is psychology in rereading books and rewatching TV shows. When people are uncertain or anxious, they may find comfort in reading or watching something they’ve consumed before. It is known. There are no surprises. They feel in control.
Try picking up something you know you love, and see what happens.
2. Try a different genre
I primarily read fantasy. I adore it. Long fantasy books with complex history and outstanding character arcs make me happy. They can also be draining to read. The repetitiveness of certain tropes can be exhausting. They aren’t as interesting to me.
I’m going to try to read dark romance. This genre is completely different from what I usually read. I’m a little nervous, a little excited, and a lot hopeful.
If dark romance doesn’t work, I may make the jump to nonfiction. I’ll choose a topic that interests me (I think it’ll be psychology.) and find a book that talks about that.
3. Get away from social media
Social media is not reality. All of social media is a carefully constructed ruse. People will only show you what they want you to see and they will hide the ugly parts. It makes me feel guilty, small, and insignificant when I see people posting about what books they’re reading and I’m not. Comparisons are not good for your mental health.
Stop doomscrolling.
Put TikTok down.
Read your book.
If you can’t read because of your reading slump, then find a way to reconnect with yourself. Avoid mindless scrolling.
4. Take a break
At the end of the day, maybe you’re just not meant to be reading right now. That’s okay. Summer fades into autumn but those long, hot summer days always come back. It is not the end of the world. Your passion for reading will return.
Right now, I’m teaching myself how to draw. I’ve never been good at it. I want to get better at it. Instead of reading, I put Gilmore Girls on and I try to sketch the things I see. I’ve been watching kdramas and playing video games. I’m using the time I’ve gained from not reading to see what else I like to do.
Explore other hobbies.
Maybe all the pressure you’re putting on yourself to read is what is keeping you from reading.
Take a break. Walk away.
Everything is okay.
At the end of the day, reading slumps are a part of a reader’s life. Whether they last for a few days, or a few months, the inability to find enjoyment in a book is inevitable. And that’s okay. It happens. Life functions in phases. You’re not meant to read a lot in this phase.
But, if it is bugging you a lot, I hope one of these tips helps you.
How do you get out of a reading slump? Let me know below!