With summer approaching, book lovers across the country are flocking to local bookshops or browsing their Kindles for the perfect holiday reads. There is nothing quite like relaxing by the pool with a favourite treat and an engrossing book. However, if you have been experiencing a reading slump, deciding what to read next can feel daunting.
Why Reading Slumps Happen
It is easy to drift away from reading when social media, video games and streaming platforms constantly vie for attention. Yet going long stretches without reading can make it considerably harder to return to the habit, and many worry about the effect on concentration. One self-confessed bookworm found herself battling to find anything she fancied reading earlier this year, but after discovering a few straightforward strategies, she is now completing around one book per week.
How to Get Out of a Reading Slump
1. Read for Five Minutes a Day
One of the most effective things to resume reading is to remove the pressure entirely. Begin by simply reading a few minutes each day. The toughest part of doing anything is often starting, and doing it once daily will eventually help rebuild the habit. You do not even need to purchase a book to start. The best way to resume reading was signing up for the Dracula Daily Newsletter. Dracula, the novel, is composed of diary entries. Rather than tackling the entire book in one go, you receive each entry on the exact date it takes place within the story. All you need to do is spare five minutes at the start of your day by opening your inbox, and within a few months, you will have finished the entire book.
2. Pick Up Something Bizarre
Sometimes simply trying something out of the ordinary is the best way to rekindle your love of reading. It can help shake off any lofty expectations and make it enjoyable once more. During the winter months, one reader found herself really struggling to read due to gloomy, dark weather. One day, an email from a local bookshop promoting British history titles caught her eye. The standout recommendation was A Cheesemonger's History of the British Isles by Ned Palmer. The idea of reading about the history of cheese struck her as rather odd, yet she ended up purchasing the book on her next visit. It proved to be an utterly captivating read. If you fancy branching out, browse the history, nature, travel or philosophy sections of your local bookshop to see whether anything quirky catches your eye.
3. Join a Community
Knowing you will be discussing a book with others at a later date can give you that extra push to pick it up and see it through to the end. One of the simplest ways to discover local book clubs is to browse websites such as Meetup, or pop into a nearby bookshop or library to check for upcoming events. If heading out feels like too much effort, explore online groups instead. Goodreads is one of the finest websites for online reading communities, but it is also worth browsing Reddit, as it offers more specific groups tailored to whichever genres you enjoy most. If you are going to be scrolling through your phone anyway, you might as well develop healthier social media habits by seeking out book clubs — it could even help you decide what to read next.
4. Read an Old Favourite Comfort Book
Picking up a brand new book during a reading slump can feel overwhelming, so revisiting something you adored in the past can be a brilliant way to rebuild momentum. Completing a book, even one you have already read, can give you a real sense of achievement and serve as a reminder of why you fell in love with reading in the first place. As a teenager, one reader was absolutely devoted to the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. In February, she chose to revisit Mort, the tale of a farm boy who becomes Death's apprentice. It is such a brilliantly funny and inventive book that it rekindled her childhood love of fantasy. Having turned the final page, she found herself devouring one fantasy novel after another, swiftly falling back into the wonderful habit of reading for pleasure.
5. Watch a TV or Movie Adaptation First
Watching a TV or film adaptation before picking up a book can make it considerably easier to shake off a reading slump. It allows you to familiarise yourself with the characters and setting, making the story feel far less daunting and much simpler to picture in your mind. If you enjoy the adaptation, it can also ignite a passion for the genre and point you towards other books you might love. A few months ago, one reader began watching The Handmaid's Tale on Disney+ after hearing that a sequel was due out this year. She ended up picking up the book once she finished the series and became utterly captivated by dystopian fiction. This led her to devour many of the genre's landmark titles, such as The Stand by Stephen King, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and the most celebrated of them all, 1984 by George Orwell.
