The Dreaded Reading Slump

December 6, 2013 Books, Commentary, Geek Girl Life, Reading 4

You bookworms know what I’m talking about.  You have hundreds (literally hundreds!) of books just waiting to be read, but no matter how many you pick up (or load up) and start, none can hold your attention.  You’re reduced to playing Giant Boulder of Death on your iPad and looking sadly at your to-read list.

books

Just a small part of my to-read pile.

Or maybe I’m just describing my life.

I’ve been in a reading slump for months and months, and I have no idea exactly why.  I’ve always been a bookworm.  The year after I got out of grad school, I read at least a hundred books.  Last year?  I read twelve.  Twelve books.  That’s just… sad for a typically voracious reader like me.

It’s not that I wasn’t reading at all.  I spent a lot of last year reading and writing fanfiction, and I enjoyed the heck out of it.  I just don’t know why I couldn’t get into reading print fiction, even books that I’d been anticipating.

I’ve managed to read twenty books this year, and hopefully I can cram at least one more in before the end of the month.  I haven’t been writing much lately, so I’m not sure why I can’t get into a reading frame of mind.  I’m just… in a slump.

So how do you recover when you get into a reading slump?  I seriously have no idea, so I’m begging you, readers.  Tell me how to get out of this slump!

  • Arun K Raman

    If your stuck in a slump, have you tried going to a different genre than you usually read? For example, just can’t read those 30 paranormal romances on the shelf, go pick up some China Mieville or something equally weird. Just try to get away from what you read and read something else. After a few books of something else, go back to your old interests.

  • Linda P

    When I’m in a reading slump, I read lots of short, funny books. That helps push me out of my slump. But I wouldn’t stress. You’ll snap out of it eventually!

  • Mandy

    I like to jump between reading, catching up on shows, and playing video games. I’ll spend about a week or two obsessing on one of those and then switch when my interest fades.

  • charlie

    Maybe a different genre? Or (this may be hard to come to terms with) but maybe the books you’re reading aren’t catching your interest?