It’s a brand new year and we shouldn’t be in a book slump yet BUT, they never hit when we think they will. Holidays can be draining and make you not want to jump into anything. So for those of you who are slumping and slumping hard… Here are some tips and/or excuses.
Reread an old faithful
This is why A Court of Mist and Fury looks so worn compared to the rest of the series. Read a book (or parts of a book) that you know will treat you well. Something about the predictability is comforting and makes you feel better.
Take a break and binge watch something
I had a small slump lately and watching 6,000 baby product videos on youtube busted me out of it. Either the videos or my husbands super confused looks.
Switch up genres
I use thrillers and romance books as breaks in my fantasy slumps. I find that overdoing it on YA fantasy can cause me to slump badly, so I throw in a thriller or a fun romance and i’m back to going to war with 17 year olds.
Switch up your medium
I am not the queen of audiobooks and never will be. But sometimes it’s soothing with the right book. I suggest full-cast or a famous narrator that you know you will love. Switching to ebook or audio may help get you through the slump because some books are just better that way.
Push on through
Not the best advice I know. Sometimes I just force myself to get through. This is usually is when I know it’s me and not the book. The book deserves to be read and get a review and I am just blah. So I push through and usually I end up in a better mood.
Take a nap
This is the solution to most problems honestly. Don’t read exhausted because nothing sticks and you find yourself reading the same page seven times. Just let your body rest when it needs to!
Read reviews of a book you are excited about
Reading reviews helps me a ton. If I am debating between two books, I don’t go to the blurbs. I read my friends’ reviews on goodreads. People you know are the best way to determine if you will like or dislike a book.
Create a reading schedule or plan
And reward yourself for it! Either make up page goals per day or do it in sprints. I like sprints myself. I set an alarm on my phone for 10 minutes and you will be surprised how hooked you can get in a 10 minute sprint. The key is to silence your phone during that time. Anyone can silence for 10 minutes and then you can check your twitter/texts etc.
Just let it pass
Again, maybe i’m not great at advice? If you try different things and still aren’t feeling reading… This too shall pass. Just move on to another activity because once a reader…
What are your book slump strategies? Let me know in the comments!
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I just have to succumb to the will of the slump these days and hope I feel like reading again soon. Which is fine, I guess, since I have other hobbies. But the pressure I put myself under!
Great post of solid ideas, love!
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Funny thing is, Reading is the only thing that I haven’t slumped in, so far this year. I’ve literally lagged behind all of my other goals!🙈🙄
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Hey at least you are enjoying your life reading!!!
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Oh absolutely!!! Books are literally the only thing that is saving me this horrible month, since I’ve been unwell and work load is insane at office😐
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Ugh I’m sorry!
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Thanks.. on the road to recovery so hoping things will be back on track by next week😊
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[…] week I talked about my favorite ways to Break a Book Slump and went into how we look at book tags and why content creators aren’t getting the credit […]
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I fall victim to reading slumps more often than I’d like to admit, but I’m definitely going to keep these tips in mind next time one comes around. Something that helps me is keeping up with my blog. If I notice I haven’t posted a book review in a while I make myself read something short, usually a graphic novel, that way I can get back into the hang of it 🙂
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Oooh Graphic Novels is a great way to jump back in. I need to read more of them!
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Graphic novels and audiobooks are my go to’s
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Great post! Even though it hasn’t been long in 202, I have been trying to fight off a reading slump. In the meantime, I’ve been reading lots of manga.
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Hey, slumps hit all the time. At least you are still reading!
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Yes! I agree!
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All great tips! I’m lucky, I rarely find myself feeling “slumpy”, but on that rare occasion I usually find it’s because I’m reading the wrong book. I’m reading something that bores or frustrates me, or I’ve read too many similar books in a row. That’s why I save some books I’m really looking forward to, and don’t read them straight away – they stay in a special pile for when I “need” them, and they almost always do the trick. 😅 Also, A SNACK! I find it SO difficult to concentrate or engage with what I’m reading if I’m hungry. I put something in my belly and I’m good to go!
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Ooh a snack is a great idea! Our brains aren’t meant to run when the tank is empty!
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