As a mood reader, finding the exact book I want to read at the right moment is tough, which leads to starting many books that eventually end up unfinished. I’ve recently gone from having read 12 books in 3 weeks in December 2023, to having barely finished 6 books since August of last year. Between all of my classes, working on my undergraduate thesis, and editing and writing articles, I’ve barely had time to read. I used to always make sure to carve out some reading time at night in order to maintain my sanity, but lately, I’ve found my eyelids drooping at even the slightest attempt.
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And I miss it! I miss sitting down to read a few pages, only to suddenly find myself mid-book, hours later, starved for more of the characters’ lives and adventures. It’s truly a feeling like no other, the moment in which a book fully captures you. For me, it can be just one paragraph, even just one sentence. It’s the point of no return, like standing on the precipice of a whole new world, just one tiny step forward and you’ll fall down, down, down, into the rabbit hole, where it’s just you and those words, and everything seems possible.
As soon as you go over the precipice, there’s no going back; you’re in, the book’s got you. I love being unable to put the book down, telling myself, just one more chapter, until it’s 4:00 am and I’ve somehow managed to swallow the book whole. Time bends and stretches, and you’re so absorbed in these words that nothing else seems to matter. There’s no stress, no responsibilities; just a story, waiting to be discovered.
So, what can you do when this feeling stops? When, try as you might, you can’t find a book that holds your heart in its hands, a book whose words seem to have been dragged out directly from your own conscience. A reading slump! What horror! But worry not, dear reader, here are 5 tips on how to find your way out:
1. Don’t force yourself to finish:
Sometimes the key to finding the right book is finding so many books that aren’t. Allow yourself the space to leave a book unfinished when it doesn’t feel right, when it doesn’t speak to you. In my experience, dropping a book after a chapter or two helps me keep it on the back burner as an option for later. After all, you can always come back to an unfinished book once you’re in the mood for it!
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2: read with a friend:
Committing to a buddy read could help bring you out of a slump because it makes you feel less alone. Who are we kidding? Reading can be a lonely hobby, but reading a book with a friend, sharing your opinions back and forth, motivating each other to finish so you can talk freely (without the risk of spoilers!), is a great way to get out of a funk! One of my favorite parts of reading is being able to share my thoughts with those I love. It’s a great way to bond, and it makes reading all the sweeter.
3. Look for “easier” reads:
As a fantasy reader, jumping between such complicated worlds tends to be quite draining, especially when most fantasy books are over 500 pages long. Starting a new fantasy series after just finishing one can seem overwhelming, which often results in a reading slump. Therefore, in my experience, it’s always a good idea to have a bit of a palate cleanser before jumping into your next long read. Finding shorter books, with less convoluted worlds and magic systems, can really help avoid a slump. My usual picks are romances, because albeit a bit cheesy at times, they’re fun, they’re easy, and you can always count on a happy ending!
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4: reread your favorites:
I am nothing if not a collection of all the books I have ever loved. Therefore, my favorite strategy when new books don’t seem to hold onto me as they should, is to go back to those that have! Rereading a book you know you love is like coming home. You get to experience it all over again, from a different perspective. There is something to be said about embarking on a journey, already knowing how it’ll end; you’d be surprised how different a book can seem once you return to it: foreshadowing, parallels, so many details you might have missed the first time around… There is still so much to discover!
5. embrace the quiet
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, isn’t that how the saying goes? When all else fails, dear reader, the only thing left to do is to embrace the quiet. Don’t pressure yourself, that could be part of the problem. Sometimes, when I miss reading too much and nothing else has worked, I try to force myself to just read; I choose a book and I commit to it, but it never works out. The magical feeling can’t be forced, so I drop it and wait for it to come back. I’ve found it always does; it might take a while, but the feeling always returns. And let me tell you, nothing feels better than when you get your groove back, and you’re finally able to read and read and read.
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All in all, reading slumps can be extremely frustrating, so I hope these tips will help you a little, if not to get out of your slump, at least to realize you’re not in it alone. And hey, if you’ve made it this far, maybe it will help to know you’ve started reading again! Okay, granted, it’s not a book, not even close, but you’ve read something, and maybe that small step can make a difference!