Welcome back to book club everyone. If you’re a frequent reader of this column, you may be wondering, where on earth are Maggie and Delia? I promise they’ll be back next week, but I thought that for this first story back to school, I’d use a little personal experience to give advice on living in the world of books as a busy college student.
Book slumps, for those who are unaware, are periods of time in a reader’s life where, how do I say this? The idea of even opening a book is unbearable. It, in my mind, has always kind of been like an illness. You catch it, you experience the symptoms for a bit and eventually you’re cured.
I’ve never been the type of person to wait out a sickness’ effects. I do everything I can to heal myself as quickly as possible. After years of experience, I’ve picked up a couple of tips and tricks along the way.
Before I start, some may be wondering: why is not reading for a while such a big deal? As intense as this answer may sound, when you start to lose interest in a passion, it feels pretty defeating. At least, it definitely does for me. So now, here are a few tips.
Search for a root cause
One of the first things I always do wherever I find myself in a reading slump is constantly question how I got to feeling that way. I wonder whether or not it has anything to do with the books, the pace I’m reading at or the setting.
This, though usually consisting of a multitude of factors, at least for me, is usually the hardest step for me to take. It’s that whole you can’t begin to solve a problem until you address it kind of thing.
Once you find the root cause of your slump, or even if you can’t quite pinpoint it, then it’s time to start “healing.”
Create a comfortable environment
I cannot begin to express how important a comfortable reading environment is. It honestly can make or break how easily I can dive into reading the book.
An example of a place where I wouldn’t feel super comfortable reading, for example, is a busy library. Though hypocritical to a library’s purpose, I’m not one for reading in busy places. I can get pretty facially expressive when reading, and there is no way I’m letting people perceive me in those moments.
I often find I am most comfortable reading in places where I am just comfortable in general. For example, I love reading in rooms with a lot of natural light and a cool breeze. There’s no fear of not being able to see the pages clearly or getting too warm and uncomfortable.
I also think blankets are a must, and so is a snack and drink within arms reach. Making sure I have these has genuinely made even the slowest of reads a little better.
Picking the right book
This is, in my opinion, the most important step in getting out of a reading slump. A lot of the time, reading slumps happen when I am either reading too many books at a time (which I may or may not be doing right now) or I just finished a book that was a really intellectually or emotionally stimulating read.
I really love recommending books to people. So sometimes, I phone a friend to ask them if they have any favorites I should try to read. Everyone has a different taste when it comes to things like author, genre or length, so it gets you out of your comfort zone.
I also find it really helpful to search for books that are quick, satisfying reads. These are books that satisfy a quick indulgence. They may be books that have a simple plot, or even books you’ve already read and know you’ll like.
For example, while I may typically reach for things like memoirs, philosophy books, psychological fiction, longer novels, academia or historical fiction, sometimes it’s nice to pick up a fantasy or dystopian-esque science fiction book.
Books that have gotten me out of reading slumps
- “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V.E. Schwab
- “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
- “Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm” by Laura Warrell
- “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- “Normal People” by Sally Rooney
Braun can be reached at [email protected].
