What do I do if I have lost interest in reading?

[kc529]

I am- was- an avid reader who loved to get lost in between the pages of any novel that I picked up. However, in recent times I don't know why, I just can't seem to be able to finish an entire book and I miss it so much. It helped me relax and deal with things. Now, I just feel lost. I've even tried to go back to the basics and re-read the Harry Potter series but even halfway into the third book I got bored (with Harry Potter!!!!!!!!!!) I don't know what to do. This has been going on for months and I feel terrible about it. I always just seem to find something more interesting to do than reading (which seems impossible, I know.) If anyone could help me or give me advice, I'd be so grateful.

[jamespoet]

I went through the same thing. Really I just had to keep trying and using new books until I got out of the slump. Sometimes you just burn yourself out after a while and need some time to let your mind get back up to speed.

[bearreader1234]

If a book starts to bore me, I switch to scanning. I'll read only the first and last lines of a paragraph. If that doesn't help only the first line gets read. If tolerance has flown out the window I get rid of the book. At that point I know I'm wasting my time by reading it.

[Amira_booklover]

Hi! this happened to me a few years back. I adore all things romance novels and I started to get bored. nothing enthralled me. what I did and it worked amazingly well was to switch genre. I read a lot of crime drama, mystery and thrillers and I discovered so much more to stories and the written word. I was able to re explore romance and it is still my favorite to read. but now I am able to read all sorts of book. sometimes it helps to switch things up.

[Gemma_375]

I agree with the above post, try switching genre for a little while! Or find a book that you have heard a lot of good things about so you are excited to start reading it in the first place. I had a slump like that before, because I had read a series of seriously dull books, but I kept going (I commute about 3 hours a day, so even when I couldn't face reading any other time, I still read then) and eventually I found a book that excited me, and I haven't looked back since!

[Doodahday6]

I became very busy and was stressed when I sat down to read. So, I started listening to audio books and this allowed me to continue to enjoy books, while I was accomplishing other tasks.

[RILENTLISS]

It sounds like you're forcing yourself to remain contained in an old paradigm. Maybe you are growing, so try reading books with greater depth and meaning.

[Bookworm0266]

Take a break by doing something else..For me when i get burn out from reading I watch Netflix.

[jamespoet]

It sounds like you're forcing yourself to remain contained in an old paradigm. Maybe you are growing, so try reading books with greater depth and meaning.

I agree with this poster. It's kind of like working out--when you've done a certain exercise at a certain level of resistance (like, say, bench pressing 200 lbs for five sets of five for a couple of months), then after a while your body becomes so accustomed to the exercise that there's absolutely no growth. So you move on up to the next level.

In reference to reading, you're basically developing your mind when you read a book. So maybe finding something to more challange you than what you're used to reading might offer certain beneficial results.

[electramia]

You seem like you may need to get back into the groove of things. Reading shouldn't be a forced habit, but its much more enjoyable when its natural. Maybe find a book that really had you interested. I'm sure that'll help.

[gali]

Try some new genres and begin with some light reading to get into the right mood. Good luck!

[K_Robinson]

Why don't you take a break from reading for a while, that way you will start to miss it! As the old saying goes "absence makes the heart grow fonder!"

-- 31 Mar 2014, 00:40 --

Why don't you take a break from reading for a while, that way you will start to miss it! As the old saying goes "absence makes the heart grow fonder!"

[Userhorse102]

My advice would be to find what used to be your favorite book and try to reread it. It may be enough to make you read again!

-- 31 Mar 2014, 20:50 --

My advice would be to find what used to be your favorite book and try to reread it. It may be enough to make you read again!

[Jbessy]

No need to put pressure on yourself to read. I would suggest getting an audio book that seems like a lot of fun, then listening to that a few minutes a day. You can go for walks, or do chores or whatever while you're reading, and after a few weeks you will have started and finished a book! It takes almost no effort, and if you find a series of audio books you like, maybe you can continue that in paperback.

[kismoody]

Go to your local library and ask a librarian. They're usually pretty good at getting you out of that slump. If that doesn't work, look at what movies you're been watching or, if you like video games, what grabbed your attention. Sometimes making a list of what's been grabbing your interest outside a book helps. Once you have a list, try finding similar books that have those factors. Look at book reviews her and on other sights. Try and find starred, 5 stars, 4 stars, etc. that gravitate towards your list. You could even try nationally acclaimed, popular narrators and their audiobooks. Sometimes, a good reader can make a difference where a regular book couldn't. You probably won't find one that has all of them, so you may want to list which ones grabbed you the best.

Most importantly, keep trying and try a variety of stuff. You know what has not worked in the past, so go from there. You can also google books for those who've lost interest in reading or something to that extent. Librarians and booklovers everywhere have tried to take the guesswork out of that and have suggestions of what to try. Some may work, some won't. But once you find one you like (it will happen again, trust me. As a librarian, I've seen this happen to many and the majority find their groove again. The others are still working on it), try going off on a tangent for a while on books similar to that one. I promise you'll find that love again, but it may take a while. Good luck and keep us posted