A “book slump” is a period of time when a reader has little to no interest in reading. They feel they keep reading books that they end up not liking at all, or even despising.  These two words, “book slump,” already cause anxiety and stress in avid readers. Some feel ashamed of being in a book slump. However, almost all book-lovers have gone through this, so if you are currently dealing with one, don’t be ashamed. Here are some tips to help battle an almost unbeatable book slump.

• Read short books or novellas

Many times, book slumps happen after a book burnout, when a person reads a bunch of books and afterward feels burned out. After taking a break from reading by doing your favorite activity (swimming, walking, binge-watching a show, etc.), choose a short book or a novella. You don’t want to go from a book slump right back into a 600-page classic that will take three weeks to finish. This will most likely put you back into a book slump which will further discourage you from reading. Instead, choose a fast-paced book of your favorite genre. This key is to ease yourself back into reading so you will be able to handle that 600-page classic.

• Read books in a genre that you love

After a person reads a book that they do not like, they often avoid reading because they don’t want to relive the bad experience they had with that book. If this is the case with you, go for books in a genre that you know you love. If you are big on romance, go for a romance book with a trope you know you will love. This will help with making sure you do not trudge your way along the pages but instead glide across them.

• Reread a favorite book

Sometimes, all we need to do is revisit a treasured book to encourage us to find a new favorite. Rereading a book we love helps us to realize what we look for in books, whether it is good characterization, amazing diction, an immense plot, etc. It is like a standard that we can use to find other books that have a high chance of being our new favorites. In addition, rereading a favorite book allows us to see why we love reading in the first place. It gives us a familiar and comforting experience. Furthermore, rereading a favorite book takes away the stress of choosing a new book that may not live up to our expectations. 

• Participate in a reading challenge

External motivation is very beneficial in making people do things, in this case a reading challenge. Logging in minutes on an app or on paper motivates someone to continue reading, especially if they get a badge or prize for it. During the summer, the Oak Park Library does the Ventura County Library Summer reading challenge using Beanstack. During the 2023 challenge, readers who signed up got a free book from the library when they read 500 minutes and when they read 1,000 minutes got put into a raffle for one of thirteen Nintendo Switches. These prizes help motivate people to keep on reading even when they are stuck deep in a book slump. 

• Try an audiobook

If you are struggling with being able to sit down and focus on reading, audiobooks are a great tool to combat absent-minded work. Putting on an audiobook while doing mindless chores or walking your dog allows you to still read while being productive. This is especially useful during busy weeks when you are moving around a lot or if you are commuting a lot. Audiobooks are also amazing if you have a hard time finding time for reading in your schedule. 

• Set realistic goals

One of the best ways to get out of a book slump is by setting a goal. With the new year on the horizon, a New Year’s resolution could be to read a certain amount of books. It is a great way to encourage yourself to read even if you feel you are down in the dumps. A great app for setting reading goals is Goodreads. They have a feature where you can set a goal for how many books you want to read and it will send notifications to you to remind you of your goal. However, don’t set a goal of reading an unfathomable amount of books in one year. Start easy like ten books in one year and then increase that goal if you pass it. Furthermore, do not beat yourself up if you do not reach your goal. Just try again. 

Even though book slumps are annoying and sometimes make us feel embarrassed, do not be too hard on yourself. If you do or do not read, you are still the same person. Book slumps are like the phases of the moon. They never last for too long, and before you know it, you will be reading another book.