5 Tips for Getting Out of a Reading Slump

There are times when you just don’t feel like reading. I learnt that the bookish community likes to call this time a reading slump.

Sometimes, you might just need a push to get back into the groove of reading. You might want to read, but you’re not sure how to get back into the swing of things.

You don’t have to read every day or to read a certain number of books every year. But reading is a fun hobby for a lot of people, and a lot of people like to keep personal goals about how much reading they want to do in a given period of time.

So, if you’re ever in a reading slump, here are five tips that have worked for me.

1. Pick a different genre

Personally, I find that if I read too much from one genre, sub-genre, or trope, I feel burnt out about what I’m reading.

It can be useful to switch up your genres from time to time. For example, if you’ve been reading nothing but historical romance, you might want to try a different kind of romance like contemporary romance, or a different genre altogether like non-fiction.

2. Pick a book that’s easy to read

When I’m in a reading slump, I find it tough to get inspired about reading a book that I find difficult.

Pick a book with a writing style that you enjoy, an author that you love, simpler language, a quick read – whatever you enjoy, I’d recommend that you choose a book in a style that seems fun to you. Reading a book that’s easier to read can make it easier to get back into the flow of reading.

3. Revisit an old favourite

It can be fun to immerse yourself back into a familiar and favourite book or series. Maybe re-reading the book will give you a new perspective, or maybe it’ll remind you of the good memories you had reading the book the first time around.

The good news is, if you own the book already, you won’t have to purchase it again or borrow it from the library again!

4. Try a reading challenge

Reading challenges are a lot of fun because they invite you to try books that are outside of your comfort zone, give you ideas of what to read next, and feel like a bit of a scavenger hunt.

There are lots of reading challenges out there. Some are very specific in their prompts and others are broader. I’d recommend that you choose the one that you’re the most interested in. You can try to complete as many books from the challenge prompts as you can, or just complete the prompts you’re interested in.

Some sources for reading challenges include:

• POPSUGAR’s annual reading challenge – the 2022 one is located here
• Reading challenges from The StoryGraph
• Challenges from the The Lost Challenges group on Goodreads
• The 2022 Master List of Reading Challenges by girlxoxo
• Challenges from book-related subreddits – for example, /r/cozymystery and /r/romancelandia

5. Take a break from reading

This one seems a bit counterintuitive, I know. But sometimes, the best way to get back into a hobby is to take a break from it for a while and to enjoy other hobbies that you’re interested in.

Or, you could switch to another method of reading. Have you been reading a lot of physical books? If so, it could be interesting to switch up the format and try audiobooks instead.

In any case, your time away from reading can make the return even sweeter!

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Like I mentioned earlier, reading isn’t a competition. It also isn’t a job (for most of us, at least). So, it’s not necessary to get out of a reading slump – sometimes we need a break, even from our favourite hobbies.

But if you are interested in getting out of a reading slump, I hope that you’ll find these tips useful. Do you have any tips for getting out of a reading slump that have worked for you before?

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