Are you an avid reader who’s struggling to pick up a book nowadays? Wish you could go back to those childhood days when you came back from school, finished your homework, and indulged in your favorite series? Same. I want to go back to the days when my biggest concern as a kid was when I could read, for example, the next Magic Tree House series. Unfortunately, ever since this school year started, I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump. With all the readings that professors have been assigning, especially this quarter (OH MY GOD, it’s ridiculous!), I honestly haven’t been making any effort to read books that I actually enjoy, which completely sucks. I miss the feeling of being transported to a different world when you read a book, rooting for the deeply misunderstood, sarcastic (and *maybe* somewhat toxic) characters, and just overall forgetting about your reality for a second.
Anyways, you may be thinking “Is there a point to this?” Yes, bear with me. I’ve been wanting to get back into the habit of cozying up with a blanket and reading, even if it’s only for 30 minutes a day. So, if you’ve been in a reading slump as well, you’re in the right place. Here are some tips that may get you back in the mood:
Pick something short
In the beginning of escaping my reading slump, I attempted to finish Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. That was possibly the biggest mistake I could have made. If you have not seen the book, it’s pretty thick. Definitely not as huge as the Harry Potter series, but still big. I so badly wanted to gather up the motivation to finish the book (mostly because I needed more Kaz and Inej moments), but ugh I couldn’t do it!
The idea of reading a big book at that point just seemed like another assignment to me, rather than something exciting, thus inevitably pushing me deeper into my reading slump. What did we learn here? Don’t make my mistake and pick out an unnecessary large book—especially when you barely feel like you have the motivation to read in your free time. Start out small! Try to pick out a standalone book, or books that you think will grab your attention and slowly get you back to, or introduce you to, the world of reading. Some books I recommend:
- It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (2016)
- A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi (2018)
- The Way I Used To Be by Amber Smith (2017)
- The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (2021)
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
- The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson (2014-2016) (unfortunately this is a series, but it’s such a good read, I have to recommend it!)
Go back to a favorite
For me, picking up the Percy Jackson & the Olympians (2005-2009) series is usually one way that I get over my reading slump, since I’m thoroughly obsessed with all of the characters in the series. However, personally this time around, my motivation to pick up ANY BOOK hit an all-time low, so that didn’t work for me. If you haven’t done this yet, definitely give it a go and see if it “cures” your reading slump. Going back to an old personal favorite and re-reading that one book or series, that you were once in love with, can potentially light that spark in you that’s been missing.
Book Club
This is the one thing that got me back into reading, which is really shocking for me. Forming a book club with two of my friends and having that extra accountability has personally helped me stay motivated in continuing to read everyday. Currently my friends and I are reading The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and it’s absolutely the right move for someone who’s coming out of a reading slump. Secondly, it being a mystery novel is perfect for a book club since the theories are endless! I can’t exactly tell if I’m making this sound like an assignment or class discussion group, but I promise it doesn’t feel like it with the right people. As an introvert, I hate discussion groups, so when I say this is NOTHING like that, I mean it. Book clubs with your friends can be so fun, since you’re reading a book at the same time and get to talk about the parts that shocked you, characters you’re completely in love with or hate, or theories you have about what’s going to happen next.
Hopefully, these tips help you to find your way back to reading! If you find that none of these suggestions work for you, there’s tons of other tips that might be more to your liking. At the end of the day, if you don’t feel like doing anything, including picking up a book, just don’t! Reading is supposed to be an exciting and almost magical adventure, so don’t put so much pressure on yourself!