How To Get Over A Reading Slump: 10 Best Tips!

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(Last Updated: Aug 25, 2022)

So, you’re in a reading slump?

There’s no lying that every reader experiences this inevitable reading slump. We all wish we didn’t. I’m no expert, but the fact that I went into hiatus for about two years stemmed from this. Besides, I almost always fall into a slump right after finishing a book that I really enjoyed.

We’re all familiar with this feeling, I’m sure. You clicked on this because you’re wondering how to get over a reading slump. Well, I got a few tricks up my sleeve. I can’t guarantee that these tips will work for everyone, but they work well for me.

Best Ways On How To Get Over A Reading Slump 📚

1. Re-Read Your Favorite Books

I don’t usually re-read books, but it’s always a fun experience revisiting your favorite books. I’m sure you would agree!

Re-reading a favorite is a sure way to get over your reading slump! This is practically a tried and tested tip. Most of my favorite books are YA contemporaries. I remember re-reading Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway a few months ago, and I still loved it!

I guess the only downside of this is can change your reading experience and rating of the book, especially if you’ve outgrown a certain author or genre. Or perhaps upon your re-read, you realize that the book had problematic themes that flew over your head when you first read it.

2. Make that Audio Switch 🔉

Switching to audiobooks started as a band-aid solution for me, but it does the trick! There are times when I don’t feel like reading a book in print, so I try to find the audiobook version instead.

Sometimes, I also read the printed version along with the audiobook. Now that I’ve found the joy of annotating books, I couldn’t stop highlighting and writing down notes while reading.

While audiobooks tend to be more expensive than print or e-books, there are platforms that offer free trials. Audible, Scribd, and Libro.fm are just some of them. I’m currently subscribed for a trial of Scribd, and you can get 60 days for free when you use my link. 😏

Meanwhile, Libro.fm offers an Audiobook Listening Copy (ALC) program for reviewers. Reviewers can receive a number of free audiobooks they can review every month.

You can sign up to Libro using my link, which earns me an audiobook, and I’ll love you forever!

3. Listen to Audio Dramas or Fiction Podcasts 🎙

This is my favorite tip! I’ve been listening to podcasts since I was in college. Welcome to Night Vale and Serial were my gateway to this medium.

Most of the podcasts I come across are the conversational types, the usual two or more people discussing different topics until I came across The Bright Sessions created by Lauren Shippen.

The Bright Sessions is a fictional podcast about atypicals or people with powers going on therapy. It was the first fictional audio drama I’ve ever listened to that has a complete cast. I remember completely falling in love because it’s nothing like I’ve ever listened to before!

Some of the other audio dramas I love are RomComPods, Limetown, The Truth, 36 Questions, and Steal The Stars. Science fiction, fantasy, and crime are the dominating genres. Sadly, there are not many romance audio dramas yet, but here are some romance audio dramas that I think you should check out.

The usual discussion podcasts also work. Since I’m a huge Marvel and MCU fan, I listen to podcasts like Days of Marvel, Marvel Movie News, Inside Marvel to get my usual geek fix.

For other stuff, I listen to Wake Up with Jim and Saab, Let’s Not Meet, and Pinoy Campfire Stories.

4. Netflix and Binge: Watch TV Shows or Films 🍿

Sometimes there are stories that we prefer to play out in front of our eyes rather than in words.

I’m on autopilot when it comes to watching movies and series, especially when I was on hiatus. I’m on Netflix or Viu every night just endlessly binge-watching things I could, especially K-Dramas! Just this year, I rewatched some of my favorites such as Racket Boys and Run On.

What helps me get back to reading is watching book-to-movie/series adaptations. There are a lot of book-to-movie adaptations on different streaming platforms. To All The Boys I’ve Loved before is just one of the many popular ones.

Heck, I’m currently watching one as I’m writing this which is Shadow and Bone. Watching book adaptations just lets me get back into my reading headspace because it gets me curious about the other aspects of the story that didn’t make it on screen.

Tropes are another thing! Most of the time, after I watch rom-coms, I find myself looking for books with similar tropes or similar vibes. This is a sure way to get ride of a reading slump!

5. Pick Up Some Comic Books or Graphic Novels 💥

I mostly do this when I know I want to read but the books I pick up just don’t click with my mood. Yes, I read books based on my mood so there are days when I can finish a book in one sitting, or not read at all.

Reading comic books is a hobby I picked up once I got into the crazy Marvel Cinematic Universe. I’ve read a lot of comics but my ultimate favorite has to be Ed Brubaker’s Captain America run where he retconned Bucky’s death and made him The Winter Soldier. Now that the MCU is back in action with Sam as Captain America, I’ll probably pick up All-New Captain America again after I finish Winter Soldier (2018).

Graphic novels are also a great pick! There are many times when I gravitate towards them, especially now that graphic novels are breaking into the Young Adult Market nowadays. Some of my favorites are The Avant-Guards by Carly Usdin and Trese by Budjette Tan.

Webtoons are another alternative! There are apps like Naver’s Line Webtoon and Tapas.io where you can read lots of webtoons. I recently finished the first season of To Love Your Enemy, which I totally loved. I’m just waiting for more episodes to drop so I can start Season 2.

For more webtoon recommendations, check out Rain’s Webtoon 101 post.

What I love about reading comic books and graphic novels is you hit two birds with one stone. You get to enjoy a light reading and it counts towards your Reading Challenge!

6. Switch Up Genres

I have three trusted genres that I often switch around: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, and Thriller. Switching genres help cure my slump, but most of the time, I end up in a rabbit hole!

For instance, I recently got into what I call my “cishet romance era”, where I binged six romance books in a row after finishing Summer’s Edge, which was a thriller. This mostly happens when I enjoyed the last book I read, and I feel like a slump is coming so I try to gain momentum of my reading spree.

What makes switching genres fun for readers is we get to discover new books and maybe get out of our comfort zone.

As in my case, I don’t read a lot of fantasy or science fiction nowadays, but I sometimes read a few (mostly comics or webtoons) to gain a sense of fresh perspective on storytelling and worldbuilding.

7. Read Somewhere New or Change Your Reading Environment

You can try to reorganize your bookshelf or build yourself a reading nook. Let’s be real, this is also a great way to get your chores done. You get a clean and organized shelf (or room), plus it can get rid of your reading slump!

You can also get a spot in your favorite coffee shop or library, or any place really, and spend the whole day reading.

Since we practically have non-existent public libraries here, I usually just go out to my usual coffee shop, with a book or my Kindle. I work remotely from home, so I find the ambiance refreshing despite the noise and the buzz around me when in public.

8. Browse Your Local Bookstores or Libraries

This goes hand in hand for me with the last tip I mentioned. What’s really convenient for me is that my go-to coffee shop is actually just a few steps away from a bookstore!

Browsing books, not only piques my interest in reading, but it also helps me get in touch with new book releases! Just make sure you’re in control of your budget when you do this because you might end up buying all those books!

9. Read A Novella or Short Books

I admit I haven’t read a novella IN YEARS, but one of the things that led me to my aforementioned “cishet romance era” is finding short books to read. Of course, this can be subjective depending on your definition of “short books”.

In my case, I count books with 250 pages or less as short, with twenty chapters or less. What’s great about these books is they’re fast-paced and straightforward with the plot.

Although, some short romance books, especially those available on Kindle Unlimited, are just books split into parts and they often end up in cliffhangers.

But hey, at least, if they do end in cliffhangers, you’ll end up wanting more, right?

10. Join A Book Club or Forum Discussions

Who says book clubs are dead?

Despite the pandemic limiting face-to-face interactions, there are tons of Discord servers that also serve as virtual book clubs you can join! Talking about books with friends, albeit virtually, is always fun. And It’s also an excellent way to cure a reading slump!

You can even do readathons, buddy reads, or just plainly ask for a book recommendation!

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These are just some of the best tips on how to get over a reading slump. I hope you enjoyed reading this and picked up some of my tips to try on your own.

Let me know if these worked for you!

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Let’s Chat! 💬

Have you tried any of these tips I mentioned? What do you usually do to get over your reading slump?