Top Ten Tuesday: Books Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Book Slump

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

When I’m in a book slump, I immediately take a break from this hobby as even the slightest expectation of reading only prolongs and deepens those feelings for me.

What I need to do instead is get out of the house and exercise, attend non-bookish events like festivals or parades, spend a lot of time in nature, visit museums, socialize in person, try a new food, get a new hairstyle, go on a day trip or full vacation, or whatever else it is I have the money, time, and energy to do to shake up my routines.

In no way do I expect this to be the solution for everyone, but I wanted to mention it as a possible option for anyone who is currently in a terrible book slump. You can be a voracious and enthusiastic reader and still take breaks of any duration when necessary.  Hobbies are supposed to be fun and relaxing, after all!

Okay, now I will buckle down and try to answer this question without going off on a tangent.

If someone is in a book slump and finds that reading is actually helpful in that moment, I’d suggest ideas like:

1) Rereading your all-time favourites

2) Poetry

3) Children’s picture books

4) Exploring genres you rarely or never visit

5) Watching film or TV adaptations of books you’ve read

6) Listening to audiobooks (say, while you’re taking a walk in the park if that’s a safe thing to do in your community!)

7) Stories that are much longer or much shorter than what you typically read

8) Books from cultures or places in the world you do not know much about

Why do I suggest these things?

Well, it’s about getting exposed to tropes, methods of storytelling, and styles that you are not used to.  All of these things vary widely from one corner of the library or bookstore to the next.

As much as I love science fiction and fantasy, I’ve read so much of them that sometimes it’s really nice to pick up a mystery or piece of historical fiction instead and enjoy something that has a different flow to it.

In my experience, sometimes a book slump is actually about feeling deeply tired of reading the same types of plots over and over again. If you can shake things up and try something new, reading can be become a joy again.