Getting Out Of A Reading Slump? | katherineandbooks

The very dreaded reading slump... What is it? A reading slump is basically after you finish a book, and the ones you pick up after are sucky. You just keep picking up a book and putting it down after 30 pages, and it goes on for many, many books. 

I recently got out of the hugest reading slump I was in. I didn't read a single book for my own pleasure from February to June of 2015. It was so horrible. 

During a reading slump, what probably happens in your mind is that you keep asking yourself some weird questions, for example 

"Will I ever read again?"  or  "I have so many books on my TBR shelf, this can't possibly be the end of my reading career!" 

I asked both of these questions to myself, but eventually, got out of a reading slump. Here are my tips on how to avoid reading slumps and getting out of one!

To avoid a reading slump...

1) Don't pick books out of a TBR jar

I know a lot of readers who use this specific technique to choose what to read, and as much as I find it original, I find it really useless. Of course it's fun to put books in a jar that you decorated yourself, but you end up having to read those books. Maybe the book you picked is Delirium, but you were in the mood for a contemporary. Then, you end up not enjoying the book as much...

2) If you don't feel like reading/finishing a book, PUT IT DOWN!

This one is hard, especially for people whose prides hurt when you don't finish a book (me, for example). It's almost heartbreaking to read a book, not enjoy it, and put it down. They usually remind me that I wasn't capable of finishing it, especially when they are super popular books. But if you force yourself into reading a book that you don't like, you won't want to read after.

3) Don't read a book because everyone loves it

With booktube and tumblr and whatnot, everyone knows that some books are totally hyped up. However, it's not because everyone loved it that you will. If, for example, you dislike dystopians, and everyone loves Divergent, don't read it because they love it. If the plot doesn't interest you, don't even consider it. Read what you really want to read, or else you'll end up with a problem like in #2).


To get out of a reading slump...

1) Don't force yourself to read

If you've continuously picked up books that you did not enjoy, don't continue doing it, especially not after you picked up up to 5-6 books. Give yourself a break. Watch Netflix, YouTube (booktube actually, they'll spark the reader in you again), TV, go shopping, etc. Find something else to occupy your time, and wanting reading will eventually come back.

2) Do things that will subtly spark your reading

By things that will spark your reading, I mean watching booktube videos (especially bookshelf tours!), read book blogs, fanfictions even! If you're more into going outside, go into a bookstore. Bookstores are always filled with books that you've read and want to read, and seeing those will probably remind you of how much you love to read.

3) Pick up a book that you've loved before

By this I mean read Anna and The French Kiss. All jokes aside, pick up a book that you've read and LOVED. You'll find it easier to read, and because you know you loved it, you'll finish it, and it'll get you back into reading. I always suggest reading a book like Anna and The French Kiss or any Harry Potter books.

Here you have it, 3 tips to avoid reading slumps and 3 tips to get out of them. I really hope that they were/will be helpful to you!


Katherine x