You all know that recently I hit a book rut of epic proportions: two weeks of almost no reading! I only finished one book in the first 16 days or so of August.
I've finally broken out of my reading slump, and I thought I'd share a few tips on how to avoid reader's rut, in case any of you are having the same problem!
- Finish a book. Normally I'm a big proponent of reading multiple books at once, but when you're feeling slumpy, it's easy to read a few pages here and a few pages there, and then fizzle out. If you focus in and finish one book, it can give you just the little boost of triumph that you need to tackle a new book.
- Reread a favorite. I reread a couple of Georgette Heyer books I love, and re-listened to Fangirl on audio. I find that my brain gets into tv/game mode, where all I want to do is binge on Netflix or play Two Dots on my phone. Rereading something I love just helps my brain switch back into words-mode, which is just the boost I needed to start reading some light fiction.
- Which brings me to my next tip: read something light. Whatever your favorite brand of light fiction is, grab a book and go. Cozy mystery, romance, YA fantasy, whatever floats your boat. This time I went for a couple of kid lit titles - Half Magic and The Giver. Each of them took me less than 90 minutes to read in their entirety, and then I felt all victorious for finishing two books in two days.
- Try a book everyone's been talking about. Sometimes those hyped up fiction books -- The Martian, Ready Player One, The Girl on a Train -- are hyped for a reason. They're fast and addicting, and a perfect way to get yourself hooked back into reading.
- Go somewhere just to read. Whether you like reading in a coffee shop, at the library, or by the pool: carve out some time, take a book, leave behind your electronic devices (if possible), and focus in on a book for an hour or two.
What do YOU do to break out of a book rut?
