Written by Chetana Thakur

A common problem faced by all bibliophiles is when we find ourselves in a reading slump. The Urban Dictionary defines reading slump as a reader’s worst nightmare. And that is exactly what it is!

Books have been a source of immense happiness for me since I was a kid. When I feel stressed, I read. When I am bored, I read. I read when I feel happy, and when I feel sad. At the end of a very stressful day, books help me relax. But reading slumps are a major killjoy. The very thought of reading slumps irks me. There’s no exact cause for reading slumps; however, not finding the ‘perfect’ read, distressing situations, changes in personal life, anxiety and depression can be a few reasons for not being able to read any book. Especially, during difficult times, such as this pandemic situation, reading slumps are quite common. Most of my fellow bibliophiles have gone through a reading slump at some point or the other in the past one year. Also, a sudden increase in urge to watch TV series (which, almost all of us are guilty of now, thanks to the lockdown, when we spent most of our time watching one show after another on Netflix) might be a cause for reading slumps.

But… for every problem there’s a solution. And there are also quite a few solutions to the problem of reading slump.

Listed below are a few ways on how to get out of a reading slump:

• Listen to audio books:Audio books are a great way to get out of reading slumps. When you don’t feel like reading from the pages of a book, your mind is too stressed to read, just close your eyes and enjoy an audio book. There are various platforms like Storytel, and Audible where you can listen to hundreds of audio books of your choice.

• Read short stories: Do you suffer from commitment issues when it comes to books? If you fear committing to one huge book, and you are overwhelmed by big reads, try reading short stories. Reading short stories is one of the best ways to get out of a reading slump. As the length of the book is short, it won’t trigger your inner anxiety.

• Re-read some of your favourite books: Go back to reading some of your all-time favourite reads, or your comfort reads. Read that feel-good book which you loved reading when you were in school. When I suffer from reading slumps, I always re-read some of my favourite feel-good reads like – Heidi, Little Women, or Pride and Prejudice.

• Try out a new genre: Adding diversity to your reading list might take you out of a reading slump. Try going out of your go-to genre and read something different. Here are some book recommendations for you to try out! (Please insert link of the previous blog post on Book Recommendations according to Genre)I am sure you’ll enjoy these amazing reads.

• Join a Book Club: Discussing about books with your fellow readers can give you great happiness. I, personally, love talking to my friends about books. Talking about books can instill enthusiasm to read. Joining a book club is a great way to talk and have bookish discussions. You can also get to know about the latest releases and trends in the book world from Book Clubs.

These are a few ways to tackle reading slumps. How do you get rid of reading slumps? Tell us in the comment section below!