When you’re in the middle of a compelling story that keeps you turning the pages to find out what will happen next, it’s easy to ignore your phone or the TV and choose a book instead. Yet when you’re in a reading slump and you either don’t have a book to read or you’re not very excited about the one on your nightstand, Netflix wins every time.
There’s nothing wrong with Netflix, or your phone for that matter! But if you’re someone who enjoys reading, it’s frustrating to be in a reading rut.
You don’t have to be stuck! Here are some tips for breaking out of the slump.
{be a quitter}
If you’re not often in the mood to read because the book you’re reading isn’t holding your attention, then I beg you, quit that book! Life is too short to force yourself to read a book you don’t enjoy, and what’s more, there are too many good books out there to waste time on one that’s not for you.
{track your TBR}
If you keep a list of the books you want to read (your to-be-read list, or TBR), it’s much easier to find books that will interest you. You can use Goodreads, a bullet journal, or any method you like, but keep a list of books that sound good. It may also be helpful to note where you got the recommendation from and why you want to read it.
{switch up genres}
Sometimes all you need is a change to get your reading life back on track. If you read a lot of thrillers but lately haven’t been as interested in them, pick up a romance instead. Or if you usually go for adult literary fiction, try a YA novel. Sometimes what your reading life needs is a little shake-up.
{indulge in a guilty pleasure}
I’m a big believer that ANY kind of reading is good reading. It’s supposed to be fun, so if it feels like a chore, maybe you’re reading the wrong books. But I know many people who feel like “good” readers don’t read certain genres, so they limit themselves to only the books they feel like they “should” read. I think that’s a bunch of baloney–read what you like! Whether it’s a juicy celebrity memoir, a historical romance, a sci-fi trilogy, or anything–try reading something that sounds like a guilty pleasure to you.
{re-read a favorite}
Sometimes the best way to get out of a reading slump is to revisit and old favorite. I’m not particularly proud of this, but when I was going through a particularly stressful time in my life several years ago, I re-read the Twilight saga multiple times. I know, the writing isn’t great, it was about teen vampires and I was in my late 20s at the time, and it was all a little ridiculous… but I found so much comfort in those stories, as ridiculous as they were. Sometimes revisiting stories that bring you comfort can help you remember why you love reading so much in the first place, and want to do more.
