7 Ways to Get Out of a Reading Slump

What should you do when you find yourself in a reading slump? Read this post, then leave a comment to join this dialogue. And don't forget to keep scrolling to see today's writing prompt.

Apr 29, 2025

What do you do when you fall into a reading slump, or just can’t seem to enjoy anything you read. Or worse, what do you do when you can’t bring yourself to pick up a book at all?

Even the most dedicated bookworm can fall into a reading slump from time to time. Life happens and can irritatingly get in the way of your ability to read if you let it.

Luckily, there are ways to get out of a reading slump.

1. Befriend other bookworms and talk about books with them as often as possible.

The more friends you have that talk about books, the more likely you’ll be exposed to books you’ll want to read and talk about. And the more you’ll be encouraged to keep reading so that you can join others’ conversations about books. You’ll stay excited to keep reading. You might even want to consider joining or starting a book club.

2. Ask for book recommendations.

Ask a librarian what you should read next. Ask your bookworm friends. Join online book groups and ask them what you should read next. The more reading recommendations you get, the more likely you are to find a book to read that will get you out of your reading slump. You will likely be pleasantly surprised by what others recommend, too. Soliciting book recommendations is also a great way to be exposed to new authors, or even entire genres of writing.

3. Have your next book picked out and ready before you finish your current book.

This way, if your current book isn’t exactly capturing your attention, you’ll be motivated to hurry and finish it so you can start your next read. It’s also a way to ensure you don’t stop reading between books because you don’t know what to read next when you finish your current book. And it will give you plenty of time to acquire your next read, especially if you need to check it out from the library before you’ve finished your current read. You can always change your mind on what to read next, of course. Selecting your next read ahead of time can simply help with decision fatigue, or lack of reading motivation (especially if you’re not enjoying your current read) when it’s time to pick up your next book. Basically, start building your TBR (To Be Read) pile of books.

4. Read something different from what you typically read.

If you are in a reading slump, it might be because what you’re reading is starting to bore you. If you only read mysteries and can always determine what will happen in a book before it does, you might start to get bored with their predictability. If you only read history books about a certain time period or event, certain facts will become repetitive over time. Etc. I know we all have our go-to genres, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But reading more diverse books by diverse authors will ensure you never get bored with what you’re reading.

5. Keep your reading time sacred. And learn to read anywhere and everywhere.

If you like to read before bed, then make sure you always prioritize time before bed to read, no matter what. If you like to read during your lunch break, then make sure to read on your lunch break, no matter what. If you don’t keep your reading time sacred, you’ll constantly feel interrupted by other things when all you really want to do is read. Then over time, you’ll stop trying to read at all because you’re always “too busy.” Even if you only prioritize thirty minutes to an hour of reading time a day, that’s more than enough. Even if you prioritize reading while you’re waiting for the train or riding the train, that’s more than enough. With that being said, however, life has its busy seasons. So, in those busy seasons, always bring a book or e-reader with you. You can read in line while you wait for your coffee or while you wait for your kid’s practice to end. You can read in between meetings. Etc. If reading is habitual and more like a compulsion, you’ll do it anywhere and everywhere you get a few spare minutes, decreasing the likelihood you’ll ever experience a slump.

6. Read the first twenty pages of a book, then see what happens.

If you’re in a reading slump, pick up a book, any book, and read the first twenty pages, then see what happens. Repeat as needed until you find yourself reading well past twenty pages of a book. It doesn’t matter if you pick up dozens of books before you get to the one that will keep you hooked. Just keep going until you find something that you want to read.

7. Don’t be afraid to put a book to the side for the time being. Or forever.

If you’re genuinely not enjoying a book you’re reading and it’s preventing you from continuing to pick it up, don’t be afraid to put it aside for the time being and pick up another book. If you never go back to that book, oh well. Sometimes we may just not be in the mood for a particular book but would enjoy it at a later time. And sometimes, a book just won’t ever be our cup of tea, and that’s okay. There are so many books out there to read and we only have so much time on this earth. Read what you enjoy.

What would you add to this list? What do you do to get out of a reading slump? Leave a comment to start a dialogue.

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