Only a few weeks ago I was lamenting about my slow progress so far this year with my reading projects. Though it’s too soon to declare victory, over my reading slump July did see an improvement over the last few months.
Many of you were kind enough to share you own tips and strategies for overcoming reading slumps. Kim of Reading Matters usually turns to a fast paced novel like a psychological thriller to get her back into the swing of things. Agatha Christie is the cure used by Simon of Stuck in a Book. Brona of This Reading Life suggested re-reading an old favourite while Chris from Calmgrove came up with the idea of abandoning all my plans and declaring instead that 2024 would my Year of Reading Randomly.
Rediscovering the Joy of Reading
I did follow Kim’s advice in part though, instead of a thriller, I read Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. This was certainly a quick read and though it did have some elements of social commentary was mostly a humorous tale. The contrast with what I’d been reading previously was just what I needed. And then came the unexpected pleasure of The Light Years, the first book in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles.
Both those books rekindled the joy of reading that I’d lost. And that’s down to the wonderful messages of support from all of you. It meant so much to know that you all understood the frustrations of losing the reading mojo.
So how do I keep this new spirit of positivity? That’s the question that’s been buzzing around in my head this last week I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to change my approach.
Ever since I started blogging I’ve become more structured in my reading. In pre-blogging days I just read whatever caught my attention in the bookshop/library or because I saw it reviewed in one of the national newspapers (in the glory days when they still did reviews). Once I started blogging however, the temptation to create reading lists and join various challenges and projects just took hold. And suddenly I was reading hardly anything that wasn’t part of a challenge or a list.
This is no-one one’s fault but my own. I see a blog post announcing a reading challenge/project and just get swept along by my enthusiasm. And before I know what’s happened I’ve made yet another reading list or started yet another project. I’ve weaned myself off many challenges in recent years but still have several that are ongoing like my Classics Club.
Making those lists was great fun as was the feeling of being connected to other bloggers. Actually those were the best and most enjoyable parts. Actually reading my way through those books became to feel like a chore. They were books I felt I had to read instead of books I wanted to read. Consequently those projects took years to complete or — in many cases — never did get completed.
Changing Directions
There has to be a better way!
The Year of Reading Randomly idea from Chris really chimed with me. What if I just stopped doing all these challenges and just read whatever took my fancy? Now wouldn’t that be liberating!
The more I’ve thought about it, the more appealing this idea has become. I’ve decided to embrace it and instead of following any structured plan I am going to adopt a far more relaxed “no plan” reading plan. There will be only two structured elements: the monthly choice from our book club and the monthly pick from the TBR book jar.
Yes this random reading approach means giving up on #20booksofsummer but since this year I’ve read only five books from my list of 20 (I’ve abandoned three) that’s no great loss. Progress with my Classics Club list and my plan to read literature from all the African nations has also been glacial so it’s not like I’m giving up just when I’m nearing the finishing line.
I can still read the books that featured in all these projects — all I’m really doing is freeing myself from the shackles of having to read them.
Maybe I’ll enjoy the experience so much I’ll decide that reading randomly will become just a way of life.