How to get out of a reading slump.

 

If you are reading this...you might be experiencing a reading slump or… you just want to know how to get out of a reading slump in case you have one in the future.

Reading slump is like writer's block, but for readers. You get it?  Before I knew what it was called, I once told a friend that I had a reading block, before I knew what it was called. Ha!

A Reading slump is simply the inability to read, of five attention to a book, when no book seems good enough to read.

From the urban dictionary.

There is no clear reason as to why reading slump occurs. It might have to do with many reasons such as, depression, too much reading, stress, reading a particular book or genre for too long, distractions, gear break, grief, etc

Also just finishing a really really good book can cause a reading slump. You might be reluctant to dive into another book because you don't want to be disappointed or read something stupid. 

Here are five ways I would recommended :

🔺disclaimer: it might not necessarily work for you but it has proven to be 75% effective.

1.Read a book you really like: Rereading a book you really like will most likely draw you out of a reading slump. The familiarity will draw you back into bookish dom and make you yearn for more words.However If you are like me and you hate rereading books on normal grounds. It will most likely make your reading slump worse.

2.Step out of your comfort zone: if you are the type that reads the same genre every time, maybe it is time to step out of your comfort zone. Your brain is bored. You are bored of that genre, although you might be unconscious about it, but you are. Especially if you are, the reading romance and romcom every time, person. Not to throw shades but, romcom and romances can be very predictable. Yes they are entirely fun and can be cute to read. But after reading fifteen books, of hating each other then loving each other, fake dating and then really dating, pinning and crushing first until he lives back,meet cutes, dramatic kissing, dramatic love making and reading about weird descriptions about gentails and sex, like describing a penis as sheath and he plunged his hand into her brimming wetness, and also "no matter what happens happy endings", even though the male protagonist goes to Mars with Elon Musk he will still come back the next day and kiss the female protagonist. Ha! Really your brain is bound to get bored after all that. Why don't you step out of your comfort zone, read something different, I promise you your brain will latch onto the words instantly. People who read YA novels all the time, you are not excluded. Where every MC has a best friend and gets the boy or girl of his or her dreams. Sigh…

3.Pick up something short: try reading short story collections, something short...like Sally Roney's normal people or Candice Iloh's everybody looking. Your brain will be willing to read through the words because it is short. Check out this article by buzzfeed:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/danieldalton/short-reads?

4. Join a book club or ask for recommendations from friends: you will mostly likely be willing to read, or force yourself to read. When you are in a book club and all your fellow members have finished the book for the week and you don't want to be the fake bookish person. Hehehe.

Also you would be eager to read a book when a friend tells you it is good.

5. Just sit and cross your legs: 

I know this is bad advice especially for book bloggers like me. But well you cannot comman go and die abeg(only Nigerians can understand this)

translation: you cannot kill yourself.

How about you just  lean into the slump and relax. Engage in other hobbies you love, or try new hobbies, especially the ones you have always wanted to try but couldn't because you were carried away in books and as a result forgot about the new hobby as well as well as forgot to text and check up on your friends.  As for book bloggers, you can try dishing out content that doesn't have to do with you reading more books. Take creative pictures of books, of yourself, write something witty and humorous about your daily experiences, share book memes. Just relax and take a break. The yearn for books will come back naturally.

You feel me?