How to Overcome a Book Slump
Book slumps. They’re horrible. Nothing captures your attention. You may read through a few chapters—or only a few pages—before setting it down. I’ve been through them, but the past month or so, I’ve successfully pulled myself out of a 6-year long slump.
Since starting high school, a majority of the books I have read have been for school. There was little time to read for fun, but when I did have time, I was so burnt out that I didn’t even want to look at a book, much less pick one up and read it. Things have gotten better since the beginning of 2019, but I still preferred a cheesy TV show or action-packed movie over a book. This summer, though, things have changed—and I want to share with you how I pulled myself out of a 6-year long book slump, and how you can fall back in love with reading again.
Tip #1: Read what you want to read. I think a lot of people fall into this trap that they need to read a certain kind of book for it to be acceptable. Throw out the idea that there are “acceptable” books and “unacceptable” books. That won’t help you climb out of a book slump. You want to read a heartwarming holiday romance book? Do it! You want to read a 700-page epic fantasy novel? Grab a copy and settle down with your favorite drink. Bottom line, you set yourself up for failure if you pick up something that you don’t want to read.
Tip #2: Don’t know what you want to read? Seek recommendations! I have several friends in my circle who will give me book recommendations that they know I will enjoy. Sometimes I don’t add the books to my to-be-read list (because, let’s face it, I’m going to die in a room full of books I meant to read), but sometimes I do! And then I read them and enjoy them! If you don’t have a lot of friends who read or don’t have friends who know your taste well, check online. Have a favorite book? Google: “books similar to [title]”. Or, visit your local library or bookstore. People who work there are always willing to give out book recommendations.
Tip #3: Reread your favorite books. I know, I know, this is somewhat contradictory to the second tip, but sometimes we crave familiarity. Sometimes we need to be reminded of why we fell in love with reading, and that little spark can help us out of our book slump. After rereading a favorite book or series, try picking up something by the same author, or find a book within that same genre. (Hint: see tip #2.)
Tip #4: Do a buddy read! Book clubs are popular for a reason: people love to read, and then they love to discuss what they read with other people. If you’ve kept up with my blog, you’ll know that I just recently read the Harry Potter series. My twin Alex had been (lovingly) bugging me to read the series for awhile, because she knew I would like them—and she was right. It also really helped that while I read the books, I could text her updates of where I was at and what I was feeling and my predictions and theories that could happen. Sometimes just having someone to talk to about the book your reading can help you stay focused and motivated. Having finished Harry Potter, I picked up a YA spy series that I can barely put down and will probably be finished with by the time this blog post goes up.
Tip #5: Find a format that encourages you to read. Do you prefer audiobooks rather than paperbacks? Create an Audible account! Do you find yourself more likely to read on a device than a physical book? Download Libby and log-in with your library card! There are so many different ways to read today, and you should find a format that works best for you. Personally, I have trouble reading from a physical copy, but I can wiz through a book in a day when I read on my phone.
I’ve missed reading for fun these past few years. I feel like I’m in middle school again, hiding my book under my desk while my teacher is at the front of the room lecturing about something. These past few months, as I’ve crawled out of my book slump, I’ve come to the conclusion that I needed to set myself up for success. That meant doing a few buddy reads, and then jumping into a series that I wanted to read. And I did all of this by reading on my phone.
Find out what works for you—that is how you overcome a book slump.
I hope you find your way back to reading. There is nothing quite like sinking into someone else’s mind and staying there for a while. (And if you want any book recommendations from me, feel free to send me an email here!)
“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.” —Anna Quindlen