If you’re anything like me, you wish you could spend more time reading. Cuddled up with a fuzzy blanket and a cozy book sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon, especially when it’s wintertime and being outside means red ears and frostbite. But, just like every goal, obstacles inevitably cross your path. A reading slump is no one’s friend, and it can feel like you’re trapped. How could you not want to read – your most beloved hobby since the third grade?! No fear, we’ve all been there. From a seasoned reader and prospective English major, here are my tips for getting out of a reading slump.
Choose a Captivating Genre
Although everyone has a different preference when it comes to genre, I find myself gravitating to different genres depending on my willingness to read. When I’m in a groove, I can really sink my teeth into literary fiction and other contemporary genres. I loved Normal People by Sally Rooney, a popular example of literary fiction. However, if I’m in a reading slump, a Rooney book may instead read like white noise simply because my reading brain finds it difficult to focus on the novel’s intricacies. My advice – choose a traditionally captivating genre. My personal favorite is mystery or thriller for when I need that extra boost of motivation to read. Once I get into a juicy thriller, I can’t put the book down. Next thing you know, you’ve read two books! By then, I need a break from all the suspense and the frequently violent imagery so I find my way back to good old YA romance or literary fiction. And voila! No more reading slump. If you need a place to start, I recommend a Holly Jackson or Alex Michaelides novel. They’ve helped me out of my own reading slumps in the past.
Don’t Set Overwhelming Goals
Sometimes the thing holding you back from reading is the overbearing expectation you have for yourself to read a whole lot of books really fast. The expectation to read particularly dense or long books can also feel overwhelming. If you haven’t been in a reading groove for quite some time, picking up Tolstoy will likely elongate that reading moratorium. In short (pun intended), don’t set overwhelming goals for yourself. Pick something manageable, preferably around the 300 page mark or possibly a YA novel which generally maintains easy-to-consume language. Many book rating services, including StoryGraph, will also tell you how fast-paced a book is which can also be a motivator for reading. A dense, long and slow-paced Russian classic will not get you out of your slump (if it does, I sincerely applaud you). A 300 page murder mystery? Sounds more like it!
Take a Break
Whenever the goal of reading more starts to cross the line between a fun hobby and a chore, things start to take a turn for the worse. Reading should be fun! But just like anything else, if you push yourself too hard, you can become burnt out and uninterested. In light of this, make sure to give yourself a break. Sometimes taking a small break from pleasure reading is necessary. Life can get stressful, and if you pressure yourself to read in addition to all your daily to-dos, reading will slowly but surely become one of those to-dos as well. And no one wants that! Reading will find its way back into your routine when the time is right.
Go With Your First Instinct
As a book lover, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of books there are to read! When in a bookstore, I find myself wanting to add practically every displayed book onto my to-read list (and into my shopping cart). But of course, there’s only so much time in a day and it can be overwhelming to read multiple books at a time. My advice – pick the book that stands out the most to you. What are you instinctually pulled towards? What book does your eye linger over longer than the others while grazing the bookstore shelves? That is the book you should pick. Sometimes when we try to read what’s ‘trending’, we can get pushed into reading what we think we should read rather than what will actually attract your interest. You know yourself more than anyone else, so trust your gut!
Reading Buddies
Although many self-proclaimed readers identify as introverts, many of us are still driven to perform better when working with a buddy. Need extra motivation to get out of a reading slump? Grab a friend! Chances are, one of your friends is also trying to slither their way out of a slump too. Book clubs are exciting prospects, but can sound overwhelming if it means building a group from scratch, especially if you consider yourself introverted. But reading a book with one or two friends? That’s much more manageable. And the best part: you get to talk about the book with them afterwards! I may be a little biased as I love talking about books with friends, but having that extra accountability when reading with a friend can really motivate you to read more and can also be a fun social activity. Even while writing this, I’m excited by the prospect of book buddies – enthusiasm is infectious, so get yourself a reading partner!
Although reading slumps can feel like time has slowed and you’ll never find the motivation to read again, no fear! As I’ve outlined, there are a variety of ways to help jumpstart your reading habit again and surface from the depths of your slump. Once the motivation finds its way back to you, the exciting part begins! Happy reading!