6-Step Summer Reading Slump Prescription

Devangana Sharma| The Atlantic Muse| Summer Diaries| 2025-07-20

Bored? Read all of your favourite books? Can’t move on to another book? Sounds like a reading slump.

We have all been here—the awkward in-between stage after reading a mind-blowing book or an exhaustingly mediocre book. Don’t worry! There is nothing permanent about this, and it can easily be treated. It’s a great opportunity to switch up your reading habits, try something new, and perhaps fall in love with reading even more. Here’s how you can ease back into your favourite hobby, of course, a little chaotically. 

Say it With Me: Reading Slump be Gone

Step #1: Re-read a Comfort Book

Sometimes, reading a new book can be overwhelming and feel too daunting. It feels like a commitment you aren’t ready for. But a comfort book? That is a whole other story. Think hard: what’s the book that gives you a feeling of warmth? Yes…that book is your key to butterflies. Going back to that familiar and cozy place is like reconnecting with an old friend; no small talk is needed—ever. 

My personal favourite? Hit and Mrs. by Lesley Crewe is an all-time classic. It’s hilarious and emotional at the same time and includes just the right amount of action for the story to feel like a hug from the literary world. 

Step #2: Try Something Short and Sharp

You don’t need to dive headfirst into a five-book series where each novel is eight hundred pages. Not at all. Novellas, essays, and short stories are perfect. They get you invested but don’t bore you. Just finishing something helps you gain momentum again. 

I recommend reading George Orwell’s Friend: Selected Writing by Paul Potts. It is reflective and short enough to read in one sitting, but it has an after-effect. It’s the kind of writing that makes you pick up a pen (or another book). Don’t underestimate the power of the small but mighty. Your entrance to reading again doesn’t have to be grand; it can be something unexpected. 

Step #3: Genre-Hop

You might be wondering, island-hopping is one thing, but how exactly will genre-hopping help? Well, it’s just simple psychology… If you are way too invested in historical fiction or fantasy, then maybe some light romance will help? Switching up your scenery—a mental one at least—can help get you excited again. 

Step #4: Set the Vibe

Get a candle, some cozy blankets, tea or coffee (my personal favourite is tea), and make a playlist. The more inviting your setting, the more likely you are to read. Plus, it will all just be wasted effort  if you don’t even end up reading.

Step #5: Scroll…With Purpose

Hear me out. I am not saying to open Instagram or TikTok and go on a doom-scrolling session about non-reading-related things. Watch thirty-second clips of your favourite influencer ranting about their book, watch fancasts, and scroll past a beautifully annotated page. Want to hear an insider’s tip? I heard Digitally Lit Youth Ambassadors post some awesome content—no favouritism, of course. The inspiration is all out there. Just let it find you.

Step #6: Have a Break (Maybe even a KitKat)

If nothing works, just take a break. You don’t need to force yourself too much, because the results of that won’t be all that successful. Fake-enjoying books is also not going to get you anywhere. If your brain wants a rest, take a break. The right book will come to you when you are ready. And if you are bored? Participate in bookish activities like making bookmarks, creating playlists again, curating mood boards, and designing fan art—there is so much to do. 

Reading slumps are not a sign of failure. They’re just plot twists in your story—completely harmless. It might take a few days, a week, a month, or even a full year. But when you are ready…it will be like the slump never existed: poof…gone.