One thing I learned a long time ago is that process is everything. It also can be a lifesaver when you are stuck and don’t know what direction to go in at the present moment. The best way to choose a book is to go to a library (or bookstore although for this part I prefer a library because sometimes you think you are going to enjoy something and you don’t) and see what pulls your interest. Read the back of the book. Does it sound interesting? Maybe open it and read the first page. If it doesn’t pull you in then probably not the one for you. I’ve been using this method for my whole life and it always seems to work even during my dry spells. The other thing I’ve found that helps is switching up what genre you read. If I’ve been on a mystery streak or a nonfiction streak I switch it up to something else. Everyone has what I call their palette cleanser genre which is the genre you can pick up regardless of your mood, and it just feels right. There’s also the possibility of book recommendations from friends. This isn’t my preferred method. There’s also booktube and bookstagram. I have a couple of creators I follow because I like what they have to say but try not to fall into the rabbit hole of listening about books rather than actually reading them. Although one creator was talking about creating a reading challenge (not one linked to the number of books you have read) which I find to be intriguing and is something I might just try. I also think reading more than one book at a time is valuable because it eliminates the feeling of trying to pick just one thing. This is also why I don’t force myself to only read one book at a time. If I did that I’d likely never read because I’d be overwhelmed by making the right choice. Remove perfectionism from your life as much as you possibly can. There is no right way to do things. Be open to experimenting and trying new genres. I’m including links that go through and describe popular genres. Make sure you are clear on what you are reading before picking it up because that will affect what happens in the story and your enjoyment of it. For example, if I’m in an anxious mood where I don’t want any surprises I am going to avoid reading anything mystery related. It’s also important to understand the difference between Horror and Thriller. As well as the different subgenres of each genre (Romantasy is very different than say, Lord of the Rings). A neat challenge I’ve thought about trying is going through and reading a book each month from a different genre and all its subgenres. A cozy mystery is much different than a Sherlock Holmes mystery. I’m not a fan of reading all of the books written by one author (although I do want to read all of Jane Austen’s works because there aren’t that many). The other thing to get into when in a reading slump is poetry. It’s a small commitment and you are still reading. The idea of feeding your mind everyday is important. I’m including the link to the Poetry Foundation which has a poem of the day that is something to try. You could try finding a book that has the same theme or image as a poem or similar titles. Be creative, be open, and just read!
https://blog.reedsy.com/book-genres/
Leave a Reply