Breaking a reading slump

[TheHatOfDoom]

I’ve been in a reading slump for ages. Not reading books and not finishing those I do pick up. Have been doing slightly better with audiobooks but missing actual reading.

Last week I was in London for a few days and killing time in the bookshop by the hotel one evening picked up the first of the Wayfarers books by Becky Chambers. In the 9 days since I’ve read it and the two sequels.

It feels amazing to be out of the slump but I’ve been in and out of reading slumps for all of last year and this. And I fear I’ll slip back into it now I’ve finished the series.

Any tips or tricks or must reads to keep the motivation going?

Hmm something lighter than you usually read maybe YA or the next in a series of characters you’re familiar with. I normally do a gentle crime novel to break slumps.

I stick with the same kinds of books for a while so if you enjoyed the Chambers read some more sci-fi, Children of Time by Adrian Tchaichovsky is very good. I haven't read them yet but heard lots of good things about Ann Leckie's books. Ursula Le Guin's The Dispossessed is brilliant and a good read.

Just finished Record of a Spaceborn Few.
Very different from the first two but I still loved it.

I think Becky Chambers is writing some of the best sci-fi this decade.

As you liked Wayfarers, try some of these:
Blackfish City (Sam J Miller)
The Fifth Season (N K Jemisin)
The World Walker (Ian W Sainsbury)

I'm a big fan of crime and thrillers, but sometimes find that I need a complete change of genre to re-kindle my motivation for reading.

When this happens, I tend to go for something completely at odds with what I normally read, maybe a bit of light humour, some sort of chick-lit with a HEA ending.

Often it does me and my soul good to have a break from serial killers, psychopaths, and insane mad men and women!

I also like to mix it up, adding in a few re-reads, some light stuff but then one big long heavier book that I’ve always wanted to read.

I was in a bit of a slump last year; hardly got through anything and couldn’t find things I liked or felt enthusiastic about. I got out of it by really planning ahead; scouring lists and shops, and also my own book shelves for inspiration. Then made a list of the the ones I fancied, bought the new ones when on offer and ticked them off as I read them.

It’s lovely to look back at what I’ve read this year. I’m definitely out of my slump!