hello! Reading slumps are the number one enemy of every avid reader. They are the worst and unnecessary and they can take forever to get it through. And if you don’t know what a reading slump is, it’s basically not being able to pick up a book and/or read with no apparent reason … you just can’t.
I became the book nerd I am today around when I was twelve and my Portuguese teacher introduced our class to a new YA book series that our school was promoting – Cherub by Robert Muchamore and my very first fandom – so within this past seven years I have had a few reading slumps myself, therefore, I decided to share some tips that help me and so might help you overcome your reading slump.
tip no. one: give it time
I know literally, everyone says this ‘give it time‘ whether you’re heartbroken or sad or with a headache but the truth is that giving time the time really helps. Give time to enjoy other hobbies than reading like croché or painting or playing tennis and don’t force yourself to read.
tip no. two: novellas or fanfics are a great way to start
Once you think it’s time and you want to read again start with something softer than a six hundred historical fiction novel, perhaps try to read some novella from one of your favourite series or even a fanfic.
tip no. three: re read your favourite book
If you’re someone you don’t really like novellas or fanfics you can always re read you favourite book(s) as it’s guaranteed you will enjoy it.
tip no. four: go to the bookstore/ library
Going to your near bookstore/ library can evoke your reading bug and browsing around to try to find some new and exciting book is always fun and a good idea.
tip no. five: buddie read
This buddie read concept was only familiar to me when I started bookstagram, and it’s when two or more people decide to read one book at the exact time in order to change ideas and thoughts about it. It’s really good if you’ve been in a reading slump and you need some boost to get you on reading mode.
these are usually what I do when I’m in a reading slump BUT there are times when I try all five and I still can’t get around to read so here’s my radical tip that contradicts everything I said before
radical tip: force yourself to read
When you just got enough of your reading slump and you have tried everything to overcome it and it still doesn’t go away you can try to force you on reading. You can do this by making small goals per day such as ‘read two chapters a day’ or ‘ read twenty pages’ or even ‘read this two hundred page book’ because by achieving these goals you set for yourself, you are going to be motivated and sooner or later you are going to be back to you ‘normal’ book nerd mode.
But again these tips are some of a few that work with me, for instance, right now I’m in an awful book hangover on which you basically feel like you do in a reading slump but the reason why you are unable to pick up another book is that you’re still living your last book. And to overcome that I do the same thing, I would do if I was in a reading slump. I already tried four of the five tips I wrote ahead but none of them helped so I’m planning one day of this week (or what is left of it) to read Uprooted by Naomi Novik in one sitting. This always works for me and it really puts me into reading mode again and that’s exactly what I need.
What are your ways to get out of a reading slump? New ways are always welcomed because we all bookworms have been through it and we know how much it s*cks.
Inês xx
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