Reading Slumps

[Misfit]

[quote=""Vanessa""]I usually read something really light and easy going, a bit of chick lit or perhaps a fun mystery, if I feel I'm having a reading slump, which isn't very often. Something to take the weight off the brain! [/quote]

That's what I've ended up doing as well. There was one Sunday I had set aside for nothing but reading and I think I started at least five books and tossed each one back on the pile. I finally went digging through my stack of already read book and dragged out an old favorite romance for a reread. Yeah, it was silly fluff but I was needing some brain candy (no credit for that term, I've seen another reviewer use that on Amazon).

Another time was last fall after finishing A Place Beyond Courage. Nothing would do and I wall banged several books that I really did want to read until I pulled out another of EC's books for a reread.

[Divia]

[quote=""Telynor""]I tend to mix up my genres a bit so that I don't get into slumps. [/quote]

Now that you say that...I dont mix genres but I mix up time periods. I read a book about America then switch to European or something else and then switch it. I found that when I read 3 books about the Tudors I became uninterested in it all.

[Madeleine]

I find mixing the genres helps as well, or I'll re-read an old favourite or something short and light. I hate it when I've read a really good book and simply know that hardly any others will match up to it, although it hasn't happened for a while!

[LCW]

Most of the time when I'm in a slump I just quit reading for a few days. That usually does the trick! Also I try to mix up my time periods. I usually find that I'm drawn to medieval novels but too many in a row and I need a change.

[Ash]

[quote=""Madeleine""] I hate it when I've read a really good book and simply know that hardly any others will match up to it, although it hasn't happened for a while![/quote]

Oh, I know just what you mean! Usually my slumps are directly related to the power of the last book I read. When I finish a book that blows me away, one that I think about for weeks, one where I find myself missing the characters, well there is no way on earth any book I pick up is going to compare. Which is why I find getting away from books for a bit is helpful.

[Rowan]

[quote=""Telynor""]I tend to mix up my genres a bit so that I don't get into slumps. [/quote]

That's what I do as well.

[chuck]

Excellent advice and really constructive and interesting examples.........Nice to know other avid readers experience the same reading funks....My fightin' Phils are in the World Series (15 years since the last one) and I've decided to take a respite until the series is over....Again Thanks to all.......

[soliloquies]

I mix up genres too and if I really don't know what to read I re-read an old favourite.

[pat]

I mix genres too. I can't not read, it relaxes me! I generally have a variety to read, and if nothing takes my fancy its off to the library, where I search till I drop! This is where the dancing or autobio's books come in.

[Telynor]

[quote=""pat""]I mix genres too. I can't not read, it relaxes me! I generally have a variety to read, and if nothing takes my fancy its off to the library, where I search till I drop! This is where the dancing or autobio's books come in.[/quote]

Absolutely! I read at bedtime, and it works very well to put my brain into a relaxed state, and able to finally shut up and go to sleep. I tried journalling for a while, but discovered that I was getting just too agitated at bedtime, which is not good.