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Hi there! I hope you have had a great week. Have you done something just for you this week?
I got into a reading slump recently.
It was rough.
I couldn’t get into anything I was reading.
I blame The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab. It was heart-wrenching and I had a serious book hangover afterwards.
If you haven’t read it, I definitely recommend it. But make sure to give yourself a little time to recover afterwards.
I was just jumping from book to book, barely giving myself a chance to breathe between one cover and the next.
Then, when this book happened to me (and boy, did it hit me hard), everything else lost its luster.
So, how do you fix a reading slump?
Well, here are 4 easy steps…
1: STOP READING!
This may seem counterintuitive…
How do I get interested in reading again if I’m not reading?
Well, your brain is crying out for a break.
You’ve exhausted yourself. You’ve lost interest.
If you keep trying to consume more books, you’re just making it worse.
And, you might not be enjoying the books that you would otherwise love!
I stopped reading the Serpent & Dove series, and I think I might have enjoyed it if I hadn’t been in a slump.
So stop reading!
Just give your brain a break.
2: Find something else that sparks creativity.
Paint. Go for a walk. Watch some movies. Take pictures.
Do something else in the creative world.
Yes, you can still get a great story from TV/movies.
Don’t be snooty.
Just do anything that gets your creative juices flowing.
I like watching movies, but there are so many options.
You just need to remember how it feels to be creative, but without reading books.
I paint sometimes. I’m not great at it, but that’s not really the point.
If your brain is tired of the same old thing, you’re stuck in a creative rut.
Have you tried cooking? Baking?
It can be really fun!
Just do something that makes you feel free and excited again.
Maybe you’ll get that spark back.
3: Practice Self-Care.
Another reason you may not be into books recently might be because your mood has taken a dip and you didn’t realize it.
I’m guilty of this.
I get so hyperfocused on stories. I let them occupy my mind so wholly that I don’t realize I’m actually compensating for some deeper issues.
It’s nice when a book can help you cope.
Sometimes it pulls you out of this world and gives you a new one to think about for a while.
This can be good, but only for a while.
You have to confront your issues or they will eat away at you without you even realizing it.
This reading slump is your brain’s way of saying,
“Hey! Pay attention to me!”
Take a step back.
Ask yourself how you’re feeling, mentally and physically.
Are you covering up issues you’re struggling with by reading a bunch of books?
It’s ok to take a break and just feel your feelings.
4: Read a different genre.
This really helped me get back into reading!
I decided to go for something light and easy.
I read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
I’m not going to lie to you. This book was not some masterpiece.
But it was a really fun and easy read!
It was something light that could get me interested in reading again.
It was exactly what I needed.
A change of pace.
Keep in mind that changing genres might not work if you haven’t already done the other steps.
Your brain is giving you a sign. You need to listen, not just hop into another distraction.
I hope these four tricks will help you get out of your reading slump!
Let me know what tricks have worked for you in the past. I would love to hear from some fellow readers.
And, most importantly, take care of yourself.
You are your top priority.
Sending love,
MK
MK Laurren 