We have all heard about the ‘Writer’s block’ or ‘the blank screen syndrome’ as most of us have long stopped writing with pen on a paper but use the computer instead. This is that dreaded feeling at the start of every new written project, whether it is an essay or a novel. But have you heard about the ‘Reader’s Block’? How many times have you added “Read More“ to your New Year’s resolutions? How many times have you wondered you were such an avid reader once upon a time but where your reading skills have gone? Stuart Jeffries, a journalist and author who is widely credited with coining the phrase “reader’s block” in one of his 2008 pieces, defines it as a problem that readers face as a result of the pressure they feel to read critically acclaimed or canonical novels, even if they don’t enjoy them.
Perhaps, you had a read-before-bed habit that’s now gone in favor of the next effortless streaming service. You have not been to a library for God knows how many years! There are bookshelves at home, stacked with books, crying for your attention. You promise yourself to come back to then every time you wipe the dust off them. So have you wondered how can you plan to get back your reading habit? Here are my tried-and-true tips to help you get back a sustainable reading habit.
But first, let me tell you what not to do. If you’re frustrated with yourself, asking why you even have readers block, take a good hard look at your life. It’s filled with stimulation! Hence, it’s only natural that you find it challenging to wind down and clear your mind to be able to read anything. There is no need to force yourself to finish a book you don’t like. Allow yourself a reading hiatus if it feels like a chore or doesn't excite you anymore. Now, let’s see what you can do to get excited about reading again.
Are you short on time? All of us are and you are not alone. Here are some quick tips: recommendations? https://www.literature-map.com/ is a search engine that allows you to look up certain authors and receive dozens of authors of the same genre or writing style. If you don’t own a lot of books or a library membership this is a good place to start. You can subscribe to the Kindle store on amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Store/ and choose whatever title interests you. While I have nothing against E-books I love the smell of a paperback and the act of flipping the pages is simply priceless!
Follow the rule of 50. If a book is challenging and you still want to finish it, don’t form an opinion until you’ve reached page 50. Some books just take a little while to take off. Giving them the 50-page grace is all they need to successfully pull you in.
Can’t fit reading into your schedule? Why try squeezing it in the middle of your day when you can easily do it before bed when the busy day is over? Reading before bed will be all the more effortless if there are no screens in your bedroom, including your phone. That way, you won’t have to exert willpower to resist the temptation of the screen – it simply won’t be there to tempt you.
Buy a new book that people are talking about. Head to the bookstore and challenge yourself to try and buy just one book, and soon, you'll discover you want to read them all. They have this ability of transporting you to the author’s world, which may have no resemblance with your’s.
Be a member of an online Bibliophile club. This is a very helpful move as you will come to know a lot about new publications. You will find people whose reading taste matches that of your own and they will guide you to the correct choice of books. Treading is a very addictive habit and soon you will find everything interesting from poetry to garbage.
Are you zoning out while reading? If a worried mind is stopping you from concentrating, pick up a new meditation habit. This does not have to be the classic silent seated meditation. You see, our mind deals with all sorts of stimulation that has to be processed, but we rarely get the chance to get in touch with ourselves to do that. That’s why we tend to zone out when our mind allows it – while driving, doing the dishes, taking a shower, or reading. Your meditation can be a short daily walk outside, journaling your feelings and thoughts, or having a 10-minute dance party in your living room. These activities cleanse your mind, allowing you to be less preoccupied while reading.
You don’t know where to start. Re-reading your favorite book is a no-brainer. You probably already have a title or two popping up in your mind. Most of the time, the fact that keeps us from reading is the casual stress of daily life. The familiarity of a well-known book will offer comfort during stressful periods. If you pick a favorite from when you were younger, it will also be a pleasant nostalgia trip. Even Ramayana and Mahabharata if you now pick up and read you will explore a very new perspective, which you might have missed as a child!
Do you always feel like you’re not reading enough? Where there’s a will, there is a way, but this goal is far too vague to be tangible. Are you looking to spend more time reading? Read more self-help books? Are you aiming at specifically catching up on the classics, or is there a list of recommendations you’ve been planning to get to? The more specific your reading goal is, the easier it will be to achieve it. When setting up your goal, be realistic. I, for one, could not pick up any daily habit for the life of me. If you’re anything like me, an achievable goal would be to read for 30 minutes every day if possible. Forcing yourself to read daily is setting yourself up for disappointment. Start small and grow gradually.
Do you find ever book too long? If you feel your attention span is getting shorter, go for a briefer read. Collections of short stories can be easily found online. Classics, like “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, or “Fear” by Stefan Zweig, Detective stories of Felu-da by Satyajit Roy might help you finally shift from first to second gear in your reading project.
Do you find every book too boring? If you’ve been let down by a few books in a row, no issues; try a new genre. Thrillers are sure to pull you in, so they’re a good starting point. Try Perry Mason or Agatha Christi. If you enjoy traveling, try books by authors of different nationalities; they will give a glimpse of another culture. I’ve had the time of my life traveling to Portugal while reading “Blood-Drenched Beard” by Daniel Galera, or traveling to Italy and reading "Trick” by Domenico Stranone.
Try an audio-book. Many traditionalists are of the opinion that audio-books don’t really count as “reading,” but many researchers would disagree. There is no difference in reading comprehension between those who had listened to an audio-book and those who had used an e-reader. It may seem counterintuitive, but audio-books can also help beat reader’s block. This is because they can help reignite your passion for learning and consuming stories at a time when you’re having difficulty reading. Try listening to the audio-book while you rest during a break, clean your house, or work out. You’ll feel extra accomplished for having done two productive things at once, and it may provide the momentum you need to get back into reading.
Do you have a digital dopamine addiction problem? Are social media and television taking up all your spare time? Books will find it very difficult to compete just as tea is no substitute to cocaine! Binging on the television or reading bots generated social media posts make your mind a passive receiver, whereas books encourage you to imagine the author’s world and be with his characters in their life and time! There is no comparison – one media is insulting your intelligence while the other is stimulating it.
Keeping up with any new habit may be a bit challenging. Find a community to help you be consistent. It doesn’t have to be a book club; it can also be subscribing to a reading blog, reading paper book reviews, or even following a book-review page on social media. Asking a close friend to lend you the last book they read is a surefire way to get back on the reading horse.
Books are a store-house of knowledge. They are a man’s best friend, often working as his philosopher and guide. Good books provide an enjoyable company to their readers. They enhance one’s learning curve and broaden the perspective towards life. Books often provide a person with the ability to judge between right and wrong and the courage to follow the righteous path. Books indeed provide a pleasurable company and prove to be a trustworthy, lifelong companion. They don’t question us, make us forget our troubles, and offer us to live many different lives and enable us to empathise with others. They are truly our best friend!
A good perspective . Indeed someone of us need a prod to start reading again .
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