What to do when you are in a Reading Slump? 6 Tips to Get You Out of Reading. Slump

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It is official 2021 has been a bit of a reading slump year. 

A bit of background information, when the pandemic hit I was reading consistently however I was on the verge of a  burnout with podcast reading. I tend to read most of the books that I feature on the show. As you know I share multiple shows per week so it is a lot of reading.

I took a break and hit a reading slump back in August/September. Then I discovered that short audiobooks work for me so I went on a mini-binge on audiobooks which was fun but it didn’t last long. However, I ended up picking up novellas which were short reads. By the end of 2020, I ended up reading 233 books (there were two books that I read that I  didn’t count on Goodreads). I ended up having overall a good reading year.

Well it is almost April and I have read less than 50 books. I have started countless ARCs but finished far and few between. I am in a bit of a reading slump.

Here are some  tips and tricks as to what to do when you are in a reading slump:

It’s ok to put down a book if you are not feeling it right now

I learned that I am not a good DNFer. Unless the book is extremely problematic. I want to read through the end. However, one action that I discover is that I don’t mind putting a book down for a few weeks and months, then spending an afternoon finishing off. At the end of the day, I realized that I did enjoy the book better because I gave it space to sink through.

Pick a Novella or Category Romance

Short books work for me because I can read them quickly. Novellas might be a hit or miss where you wish there were more pages but I think they give you a taste of the author’s voice.

Category Romance gives you all of the tropes and they tend to be fun to read. Find a line or an author that is tried and true and pick a book. 

Switch up Genres 

If you have been reading a bunch of contemporary, perhaps try to read a Historical Romance or Paranormal? I have done this a few times and it seems to work.

Start an Audiobook

You can start with audiobook novellas if you are unsure if you want to dedicate 8 to 12 hours on a story. Audible Plus has some great novellas (see some of my recommendations). 

Ask you Friends for Recommendations

If you are looking for a great read, ask your friends what has been the last book that they read that they can’t stop gushing about? What book has become an all time favorite book?

Pick a tried and true trope 

If you have a trope that you love, pick a book that features this trope prominently.  If you need recommendations, check the podcast archives as I have featured guests sharing their go to trope recommendations.

WHAT IS MY ACTION PLAN?

Because I am in the midst of a reading  slump, I will use this blog as a bit of accountability space and share with you what has been working and what has not been working.

Here is my April 2021 game plan:

  • Pick a Category Romance from the Blaze and Dare lines as I will be a guest in the Categorically Romance Podcast 

  • Take a break from ARCs for about a week

  • Read some Historical Romance

  • Listen to at least 3 audiobooks this month

  • Pick a Lynsay Sands Paranormal Book because they are a lot of fun

In the comments below,  please go ahead and share your go to tips and tricks as to what do you do when you are in a reading slump? 

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