So, you just finished reading Eleanor & Park and don't know what to do with yourself, well I'm going to help you out!
Firstly, what is a book hangover or a reading slump?
THE BOOK HANGOVER: The feeling you get after staying up all night to finish reading a great book. Then you realize no other book could possibly live up to the expectations of it and you never want to leave the characters because they are your babies and you just need a couple of days to take in that ending.
Okay, so here's another explanation... After staying up all night to finish reading a really good book (which you hadn't read a good book in a while) that by the end of the book you are extremely attached to those characters and you don't want to move on and let them go. The story was just so great that you want to read it over and over. But then again you can't and so you write your review, look up as many book review videos of that book as you can, fangirl about it online, and force your book buddies to read it so you can squeal in delight.
And then you fangirl so much that you can't even pick up a new book. Which leads us too...
THE READING SLUMP: It's been months, years (well maybe not years :P) since you've picked up a book and read it front to back, or even you know... the first page. It starts off with over fangirling, then you forget to read for a while and you pick up other things like; watching reviews, discovering booktubers, and the next thing you know you're...
FALLING INTO A NETFLIX HOLE.
Yep.
Who knew Netflix could be so bad? Let's face it we all knew Netflix is bad for us. Well.... okay okay.
But what do you do when all this happens? Who do you turn to in this time of need? Books. When Netflix asks if you're still watching (or maybe even before) just pause and exit Netflix. Close your laptop give it to someone, tell them to change the password, lock it in a safe, take that safe and ship it to the North Pole because hun, you need to read.
Tips to get your reading game on:
1. If you don't succeed, try and try again... Meaning if you just can't get into the book you're reading just put it down and set it aside, you can always come back to it! Forcing yourself to read a book you aren't in the mood for will most likely make your slump worse because instead of reading you'd rather watch another five and a half hours of Friends and Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and why is that? Because you aren't enjoying reading! So just remember, it's okay to set a book aside for a while.
2. Opposites attract! Try reading the opposite genre, even if you don't know what you want to read pick something up and if you aren't in the mood for it try reading something in a totally different genre. For example read a contemporary if you aren't in the mood for fantasty, or try out an autobiograhy (there are a lot of new YouTuber's books!)
3. Maybe you just aren't in the mood to read, so try listening! You can most likely borrow your books audio version from your libraries online catalog (if they have one it would be the site they link you to to find ebooks) or you know try out Audible (there are a lot of free trials for new members offered by YouTubers) I find that I really like listening to the audiobooks more! It helps you get more into the story when a voice actor narrates the book, plus you can multitask while listening! Ex: washing clothes, folding clothes, cleaning your room, driving, playing apps (I like to play CutePolish's new app called Polish Splash, it's free on your app store and super addicting. I'm on level 130. Shoutout for that free promo :P), rearranging your bookshelves, etc.
4. Set yourself some goals. Setting some goals for yourself to get back into reading is a great way to encourage yourself to enjoy reading again. What I like to do is mark every fifty pages or so, (I like to end mine at the closes chapter meaning it could be a little before or slightly after fifty) and make it a goal to read fifty pages a day. Doing this will allow you to finish the book within a reasonable time range but still pace yourself.
5. Get a book review/notes journal. You can buy a simple composition notebook or a fancy journal from Barnes & Noble, it doesn't matter just get what you like. You can use this to write notes, a TBR, books you want to read, etc.
6. Write notes frequently! I can't stress this enough, you can find out a lot through your notes. You can write better reviews, figure out story settings you like and don't, and keep track of when you started a book and finished it.
7. Make a TBR for the month. Nothing gives you more satisfaction than being able to mark something off a list. It makes you feel productive and you can give yourself a break for the month and only read a few books or a challenge by reading eight. It's all up to you to choose!
8. Lastly, try reading an ebook. Sometimes it's more convenient to carry your kindle around than a thick hardcover. Also it's easier to hold when trying to find that perfect reading position laying in bed.
I hope at least some of these tips help you and you get back into reading as soon as possible!
Firstly, what is a book hangover or a reading slump?
THE BOOK HANGOVER: The feeling you get after staying up all night to finish reading a great book. Then you realize no other book could possibly live up to the expectations of it and you never want to leave the characters because they are your babies and you just need a couple of days to take in that ending.
Okay, so here's another explanation... After staying up all night to finish reading a really good book (which you hadn't read a good book in a while) that by the end of the book you are extremely attached to those characters and you don't want to move on and let them go. The story was just so great that you want to read it over and over. But then again you can't and so you write your review, look up as many book review videos of that book as you can, fangirl about it online, and force your book buddies to read it so you can squeal in delight.
THE READING SLUMP: It's been months, years (well maybe not years :P) since you've picked up a book and read it front to back, or even you know... the first page. It starts off with over fangirling, then you forget to read for a while and you pick up other things like; watching reviews, discovering booktubers, and the next thing you know you're...
FALLING INTO A NETFLIX HOLE.
Who knew Netflix could be so bad? Let's face it we all knew Netflix is bad for us. Well.... okay okay.
But what do you do when all this happens? Who do you turn to in this time of need? Books. When Netflix asks if you're still watching (or maybe even before) just pause and exit Netflix. Close your laptop give it to someone, tell them to change the password, lock it in a safe, take that safe and ship it to the North Pole because hun, you need to read.
Tips to get your reading game on:
1. If you don't succeed, try and try again... Meaning if you just can't get into the book you're reading just put it down and set it aside, you can always come back to it! Forcing yourself to read a book you aren't in the mood for will most likely make your slump worse because instead of reading you'd rather watch another five and a half hours of Friends and Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and why is that? Because you aren't enjoying reading! So just remember, it's okay to set a book aside for a while.
2. Opposites attract! Try reading the opposite genre, even if you don't know what you want to read pick something up and if you aren't in the mood for it try reading something in a totally different genre. For example read a contemporary if you aren't in the mood for fantasty, or try out an autobiograhy (there are a lot of new YouTuber's books!)
3. Maybe you just aren't in the mood to read, so try listening! You can most likely borrow your books audio version from your libraries online catalog (if they have one it would be the site they link you to to find ebooks) or you know try out Audible (there are a lot of free trials for new members offered by YouTubers) I find that I really like listening to the audiobooks more! It helps you get more into the story when a voice actor narrates the book, plus you can multitask while listening! Ex: washing clothes, folding clothes, cleaning your room, driving, playing apps (I like to play CutePolish's new app called Polish Splash, it's free on your app store and super addicting. I'm on level 130. Shoutout for that free promo :P), rearranging your bookshelves, etc.
4. Set yourself some goals. Setting some goals for yourself to get back into reading is a great way to encourage yourself to enjoy reading again. What I like to do is mark every fifty pages or so, (I like to end mine at the closes chapter meaning it could be a little before or slightly after fifty) and make it a goal to read fifty pages a day. Doing this will allow you to finish the book within a reasonable time range but still pace yourself.
5. Get a book review/notes journal. You can buy a simple composition notebook or a fancy journal from Barnes & Noble, it doesn't matter just get what you like. You can use this to write notes, a TBR, books you want to read, etc.
6. Write notes frequently! I can't stress this enough, you can find out a lot through your notes. You can write better reviews, figure out story settings you like and don't, and keep track of when you started a book and finished it.
7. Make a TBR for the month. Nothing gives you more satisfaction than being able to mark something off a list. It makes you feel productive and you can give yourself a break for the month and only read a few books or a challenge by reading eight. It's all up to you to choose!
8. Lastly, try reading an ebook. Sometimes it's more convenient to carry your kindle around than a thick hardcover. Also it's easier to hold when trying to find that perfect reading position laying in bed.
I hope at least some of these tips help you and you get back into reading as soon as possible!
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-Makayla IG| stories_are_forever_
