Even the most passionate book lovers hit a reading slump from time to time, and it can be difficult to shake off. Maybe you’ve lost your interest in a specific genre, maybe you’re wanting to read something more significant to real-life events or maybe you’re simply looking for an easy read that can distract you from a busy lifestyle. All the intentions are well and good, but taking the first step to get out of your bad habits and start reading again can be a tricky one.
Here are some important ways you can fall in love with reading all over again:
- Create a Reading Space
Instead of trying to fit reading in wherever you can, make a big, relaxing moment of it. Create a space you can safely retreat to — and that you want to retreat to — in order to read your favourite book. Think of soft furnishings, a comfortable chair and a reading light, and add whatever helps you to relax like candles or soothing background music. Coupled with a private and relaxing space, you may be inclined to read more and regain your enjoyment of it.
- Visit a Bookshop
Falling in love with reading again can mean falling in love with the whole experience — which means actually shopping for books and being in a library or bookshop-type environment, surrounded by hundreds of books to choose from and feeling inspired. Visiting a bookshop means you can enjoy the experience of browsing and choosing, and then be more excited to take your new books home and read them.
- Discover New Titles with a Subscription
If your current books aren’t cutting it and if you’re finding it difficult to get motivated for new reads, why not try a subscription box? Book subscriptions, like the ones with headymix.co.uk, mean that you don’t have to stick with old titles or spend hours searching for something which speaks to you. Book boxes are tailor-made for you and can be delivered straight to your door. After all, getting new mail and waiting for deliveries is part of the fun too, meaning you can look forward to reading new titles even more.
- Read Something Casual and Fun
When trying to escape a reading slump, the last thing you want is to pick up a 1000-page copy of a heavy-going and demanding novel — even if it’s a masterpiece. If you’re trying to rediscover your passion for reading, try something frivolous and fun which isn’t going to take too much out of you, and which won’t take too long to read.
Once you get back into the swing of it, you can branch out with different novels.
- Read with Others
You may have more motivation to read if you set a deadline for finishing and share the experience with others. This could be an official book club, whether online or in person, where you can share your experience of the story, or it could simply be agreeing with a friend that you’ll read the same book and talk about it along the way.
It’s always possible to fall in love with reading again and discover great new stories.