by Shelly Foreshaw

Some books meet you where you are. Others require a little strategy.

If your reading life has felt off lately—distracted, sluggish, or strangely joyless—you’re going to want to diagnose the problem. The right fix might be simpler than you think.

Here are some common causes for a reading slump and how to fix them.

#1. You’re having trouble concentrating.

Diagnosis: Narrative Attention Deficit

You sit down to read, but your mind flickers elsewhere. Paragraphs blur. Sentences slide past. Your attention span isn’t ready for long form content, the book isn’t holding you—and maybe nothing will. So you get up to eat. You do the dishes again. You pick up the book and put it down, then pick up the book and put it down, then pick up the book and put it down.

Prescription: Find the narrator who insists on taking you with them.

Some books are designed to grip you from the first line, with prose that’s urgent, lean, and emotionally direct. When my own concentration falters, I turn to Bret Easton Ellis—not for moral instruction, but for pace. His narrators don’t wait for you to catch up; they just go. A great indie author pick for fast-paced fiction is Sherri L. Dodd and her Murder, Tea, and Crystals trilogy.

Some books feel like films. Chuck Palahniuk once said he set out to write for people who loved video games—not traditional readers. The result was Fight Club. Books like this aren’t just fast; they’re immersive, built for people whose attention is pulled in all directions. (RPG fantasy fans: Check out Veil Online!)

And seriously—keep an eye on debuts! Something written before the author had the luxury (or burden) of refinement. In my reading life, their books always seem to move so fast—because they must!—and the energy is contagious. When in doubt, follow the momentum. Boxcutters by John Chrostek fits that mold!

#2. You just can’t seem to get started.

Diagnosis: Entry Resistance

You’ve picked out the book, maybe even opened it once or twice—but somehow, starting feels like such a task. The first page hasn’t drawn you in, and the thought of returning to it already feels like work.

Read past the resistance. Commit to a minimum page count on your first attempt—fifteen pages, twenty, maybe forty if you’ve got the time. Enough to cross the initial threshold and allow the narrative to begin unfolding. Often, the real problem isn’t the book itself but the inertia of beginning. The second time you pick it up, the world of the story will already be faintly familiar, and that makes returning easier.

Extra, Spicy Tip: Skip the prologue or introduction. Don’t waste your reading energy on the preamble—save it for the actual text. You can always return to it later, once the book has had a chance to speak for itself.

Need more convincing to get started? Here are some of the biggest benefits of reading.

#3. It feels like you don’t have enough time.

Diagnosis: Literary Delusion

We are made up of time. It never changes. 24 hours, every day. There are moments, there are small pockets; these are the little times.

Those books you’ve been wanting to read might feel too daunting. The chapters might be too long. You might feel like you can’t commit at the outset to finishing a full book in a specific amount of time.

Prescription: Reach for short stories. They offer the satisfaction of completion without the long-term commitment. They are so often spaces for authors to take creative risks—testing ideas, styles, or narrative experiments. The best of them come with sharpness: a sense that the story is being held taut by its brevity.

They also linger! Since the author doesn’t have space to expand on every detail, you end up doing some of the imaginative work yourself—filling in the emotional terrain, sketching out the lives that unfold just beyond the final line, while you’re doing your busy work around the house or in your life. It’s a kind of co-authorship. This not only activates your inner world, but it also leaves you with compact, vivid narratives that tend to resurface days later in conversation or thought.

Best of all, short stories can lead you back to longer reading. They awaken the part of you that craves story, and once the appetite returns, reaching for a novel feels less like a chore and more like a continuation. You have the time; you just have to make it. Smartly.

Plays can also offer something unique. Unlike short stories, which can be jagged or experimental, plays often dwell in deep emotional and psychological space. They are less concerned with the outer plot than with what the characters are wrestling with internally. There’s immediacy to them—dialogue, tension—that creates a vivid sense of life unfolding.

Anton Chekov and the American classics are especially good here. Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller are often described as psychological writers—not in an academic sense, but in an intuitive, emotional one. Their work grips you not because of the plots, but because of the emotional clarity and quiet devastation they manage to evoke in just a few acts. You leave not just with a story, but with a mood that stays with you.

#4. You are bored by your current book.

Diagnosis: Narrative Drift

The prose stretches on without much movement—neither in plot nor in cadence. You find yourself drifting, rereading the same lines, or worse, skipping ahead without really absorbing anything.

Prescription: If you’re reading leisurely, don’t be afraid to move on. I don’t care if you’re 200 pages into your 400 page book. It’s still going to feel too long if you’re not enjoying yourself. Sure you can’t add it to your finished pile for the year, but sometimes reading slumps are specific to the book. Move on. There’s better books waiting for you, like these ones.

If you’re reading as an assignment or feel like you have to read the book, go for a walk. Pace up and down your room, your hallway, your garden—anywhere that allows for a bit of steady, uninterrupted movement. The physical rhythm can help impose structure where the writing offers none. It keeps you alert and engaged, and paradoxically, heightens your focus. With the mind slightly occupied by movement, your attention on the text sharpens. What seemed shapeless on the page starts to take on a rhythm of its own.

#5. You feel like you’re lacking momentum.

Diagnosis: Passive Absorption Mode

Some books don’t offer natural pauses—long chapters, no section breaks, no clear arc. You’re not reading to savor the prose; you’re reading to understand, to absorb, or simply to finish.

Prescription: Read in public. A subway ride introduces “organic” interruptions—someone getting on or off, a shift in the carriage, a dog barking in the distance. These interruptions, rather than breaking your focus, can create a strange, dreamlike absorption. The plot lodges itself more firmly in your mind, and you often retain more than you expect. Alternatively, the ambient distractions can produce a kind of tunnel-vision concentration—as if your mind is working harder to hold onto the thread of the story.

This approach works especially well for lighter or less stylistically rich books, the kind you don’t necessarily want to sit down and savor, but still want to read through with momentum.

If you’re prone to dizziness or public transit isn’t an option, replicate the effect in a café or bar—ideally in the evening, when the hum of conversation is steady and low. The surrounding life creates texture and contrast with the text.

#6. You’re feeling intimidated by the classics.

Diagnosis: Literary Stage Fright

You’ve been meaning to read them—Dostoevsky, Proust, & co—but something about their reputation, the page count, or the way people talk about them makes you hesitate. You want to admire but are afraid you won’t understand them—or worse, that you might not enjoy them.

Prescription: Begin with the author’s shorter work. Novellas, short stories, essays. Just get a sense of their voice, concerns, and style. A single story can introduce you to the atmosphere of their work without requiring a major commitment. It builds familiarity and, more importantly, appetite.

Once you’ve had a taste, you may find you want to read the longer works—not out of obligation, but curiosity. Most of these stories are available online or in collected editions. Think of them as literary aperitifs—sharp, suggestive, and much easier to approach.

If you want to read Robin Wall Kimmerer for example, author of the hefty but incredible Braiding Sweetgrass, start with The Serviceberry.

#7. The book you have to read is too difficult.

Diagnosis: The Comprehension Stall

You’re reading the same paragraph for the third time and still can’t quite tell what it’s trying to say. The prose is dense, the terminology unfamiliar, and the argument elusive.

Prescription: Begin with the conclusion of the chapter or section—this is where the author often distills their central claim. Once you know where they’re headed, you’ll be better prepared to trace the path they take to get there. Next, skim the chapter to identify key terms that you don’t yet know. Take the time to look these up before your proper read to not interrupt your flow later.

When you return to the full chapter, you’ll find the argument clearer, the reading smoother, and your focus far less fragmented.

#8. You’re reading the wrong format.

Diagnosis: Paperback Inaccessibility

I love physical books. New book smell, old book smell; I welcome it all. I love to listen to the gentle swishing of the page as I turn it to find out what happens next. I love placing it face-out on my bookshelf or nightstand and carrying it by my side as I venture to my comfy spot.

But you don’t always feel uncomfortable reading in public, or you need to turn the light off because your partner is asleep.

Prescription: Experiment with a new format.

E-readers can be great for public reading. Not only might some of them fit in your pocket, but if you whip out your Kindle at your kid’s sporting event, it might just look like you’re on your phone like so many others.

E-readers are excellent to fall asleep by too. If you read a paperback, you need the light on. With e-readers, you can lie in bed, read with only one hand, and fall asleep naturally without having to interrupt it by turning off the light. (Be warned though: you may drop it on your face.)

And audiobooks open up a whole new world of possibilities for readers! The time-sensitive reader can do the dishes, put the clothes away, even go to the gym while they’re reading. Nonfiction books make for great audiobooks because it doesn’t matter much if you tune out for a paragraph or two. Give it a shot!

What’s causing your reading slump? Let me know in the comments!

About the Author

Having worked as a playwright in Berlin, Shelly Foreshaw now splits her time between Germany and the UK while working as a freelance writer. She’s currently in the process of publishing her first novella.

Thank you for reading “Troubleshoot Your Reading: A Guide to Overcoming Reading Slumps” by Shelly Foreshaw! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Jaylynn Korrell

What tips & tricks can you use to read more books?

With each book you read, your mind expands, your vocabulary grows, and your imagination gets a good exercise. But many people find themselves reading less books per year than they’d like, or they don’t read one at all. Actually, over 50% of American adults haven’t read a book in the past year. But many of them want to read more.

So…give yourself a break.

You’re not alone. And hey, there’s room to grow! And what better way to grow than through books?

There are so many benefits of reading, and I’d love to help you reap them.

Reading more can change your life, but it’s not easy. 

Luckily, there are ways to double, triple, and quadruple your reading goals for the year. As someone who is averaging 9 books per month right now, I can tell you that reading a lot might be more possible than you thought.

Here are a few tips to help you read more books this year.

#1. Read Multiple Books at a Time

I used to have a strict rule about reading only one book at a time. I had to completely finish one before I even considered picking up another. Reading two or more books would be too distracting–could hinder my reading experience of that particular book. 

I was wrong.

There is a way to read multiple books at a time in a way that isn’t confusing or unsatisfying. 

My first tip: choose to read books that have absolutely nothing to do with the other.

For instance, I’m currently reading Mars, which is a short fiction collection, The Hidden Life of Trees which is a nonfiction book about (you guessed it) trees, and Montessori Baby which is a nonfiction parenting book. It’s almost like taking different classes during the same semester. I don’t think about one while I’m reading the other. I also don’t have to keep track of different main characters. Making each book I’m reading completely different from the others has done wonders for increasing my books-finished count each year.

#2. Give Yourself Plenty of Options

Not every novice reader has a library full of books at home, and that’s okay! But giving yourself a wide variety of books to choose from could help you find a book that’s perfect for you at every moment you choose to read.

This doesn’t mean you have to run to your favorite indie bookstore and purchase everything that catches your eye. On the contrary, there are plenty of ways to gain access to a wide variety of books without breaking the bank.

The library is your friend! Used bookstores & thrift stores are too. So is Hoopla, Libby, and Kindle Unlimited. If you like reading on an e-reader, you’ll likely benefit from the million+ titles found in their database. You can even try a 30 day Kindle Unlimited membership for free just to see if you like their selection.

#3. Read Before You Go to Sleep

If you have a smartphone, there’s a pretty good chance that you use it before bed. And if you use it before bed, you know how easy it is to accidentally scroll for an hour. Two.

Let’s repurpose those hours. Let’s make reading a habit.

I’m a big fan of eBooks before bed instead of reading a physical book, just because it’s easier and it helps me to fall asleep. I particularly like nonfiction at this time too, because it’s usually easier to stop in the middle of a chapter.

If you’re not the only one sleeping in your bed, you may need to find ways to keep it quiet or dark in your room. That’s not exactly possible if you’re flipping through a print book and using a night lamp to see it. To keep down the noise and the brightness, try using a Kindle! Ereaders let you press the screen to turn your page and have a night-mode light setting that can be adjusted to your liking. It’s also better on your eyes than a smartphone.

#4. Keep a Book on You

One of the best ways to make sure you’re reading as much as possible is to have a book on you at most (or all!) times. Eschew excuses for why you’re not reading more by just being prepared.

And believe me, there are usually times where you’ll have the opportunity to read. Maybe it’s while you wait in line to get a coffee or while you wait for your Uber or the bus. Basically any time you would pull your phone out and scroll, you’ll also have the opportunity to pull your book out and read it.

And if you don’t like the bulkiness of a book you can always pull out that Kindle, which is slimmer and can hold thousands of books on it. Some of these devices can even fit in your pocket, and strangers don’t peer at you as much as they do with a book with a catchy cover.

#5. Set a Daily Goal

Making a daily goal is a great way to create a reading habit. How much you should read a day is up to you in the end, but I like a sweet-spot of 20 minutes per day.

Sure, you may be able to read more during the day. And if you can, you should definitely go for it, but giving yourself a small daily goal will help you keep your new habit during busier days.

#6. Don’t Be Afraid to Quit

It’s happened to the best of us. We pick up a book with the intent of finishing it in no time, but the story is just not for us. The main character may be unlikable, or the pace could be too slow. Whatever the reason, we just don’t want to keep reading it. And that’s okay. 

When you just aren’t into a book, you should 100% quit reading it. 

Often times a bad book can hold us back from achieving our ultimate reading goals. And while the point isn’t exactly to speed through books to achieve a higher read count, it helps to move through them at a reasonable pace.

A bad book (or one that you’re just not vibing with) can make you stop wanting to pick it up when it’s time to read. If you only like to read one book at a time, a bad book can also prevent you from reading the next book.

You shouldn’t quit every book that doesn’t grab your attention right away, but knowing when to move on is a great way to help you read more books. 

#7. Listen to Your Books

If you have a hard time following sentences on a page, you’re not alone. Plenty of people don’t like reading physical books, but they still like the experience of exploring new subjects and styles of storytelling.

Thankfully, audiobooks exist.

You can listen to an audiobook like you listen to a podcast. Do it while you’re running, while you’re traveling to work, while you’re doing the dishes, cleaning–the list goes on.

Apps like Audible allow you to keep a library of audiobooks in one place. Their membership options also give you access to a ton of free audiobooks in your Audible Membership. Audible is another one that gives you the option to try a 30 day free trial!

Or, or, or, or, don’t forget about Hoopla or Libby! Most public libraries come with a digital platform where you can listen to audiobooks for free.

#8. Read as Soon as You Wake Up

Everybody reads differently! I know that I already advised you to read before bed, but not everyone is a night person. If you find that you are most in the mood in the mornings, start your day with reading instead of ending it that way.

Mornings are often a time for clear thinking and coffee. What a romantic mood to set for the right book.

Even just a few pages could help you get closer to your goals to read more. You can break up your goal of 20 minutes a day into 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes at night to ensure that you’re not ever racing the clock to finish your pages.

#9. Track Your Reading 

Give yourself a goal of how many books you want to read for the year, then track your results is a visible way. Every time you finish a book write down the title on a numbered piece of paper.

Keep this paper in a visible place, one that you walk by each day. Being constantly reminded of the number of books you’ve read and have to read can help to motivate you to keep reading more. It’s also nice to see your progress and what you’ve accomplished so far. 

#10. Find a Reading Community

It can help to have other people holding you accountable for reading more often, which is why finding a reading community can be so helpful. Things like book clubs are a great way to encourage you to keep up with your reading commitments while also allowing you a space to dive deeper into what you’re reading about. Someone else will likely catch something in the book that you missed completely.

Finding a reading community is easier than you think. Aside from the countless reading groups on the internet, many local bookstores and libraries host book clubs of their own. It’s a great way to get involved in your community while also finding people who enjoy the same hobbies as you.

And that’s all I got for you for now! I’m glad you’re reading this and all, but…it’s time to go read more books.

About the Author

Jaylynn Korrell has been writing reviews and blog posts for IBR since the very beginning. She takes the photographs and manages the IBR Instagram page. In her spare time, she likes to play board games and take road trips around America. She is the founder of Good Gift Lists.

Thank you for reading “10 Easy Ways to Read More Books” by Jaylynn Korrell! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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by Usman Raza

Do you feel like you’re not a good reader?

You’re not alone.

Reading requires an active brain, and it’s not always easy to get there. Endless distractions, confusing sentences and syntax, noise–you name it, people who read have struggled with it.

But you can make it out of the struggle. You can be a reader if you want to be. It is one of the most powerful forms of independent education and an important aspect of human development; there are so many benefits of reading. Reading can open your eyes to new cultures, ideas, and ways of life. Reading as a habit can make you smarter, happier, and healthier.

But reading does take time, no matter how good you get at it. Still, you can make that time relaxing and enjoyable. So let’s transcend the reading frustration and get you to where you want to be.

Here are my recommendations for how to become a better reader.

1. Take notes as you read

I know, I know, I hear you. Reading is supposed to be relaxing, not homework.

But be patient. That part is coming.

Whether it’s for class, for work, or just for yourself, taking good notes when reading can actually go a long way in helping you remember what happened in the book and what’s important. You’ll start to recognize that you’re writing down the details that matter, and in that process, actually learning the details that matter–whether it’s fiction or nonfiction.

Take in all the information you possibly can. Write down the details of what happened, when it happened, and what was said. Write it all down, however you do it. Whether that means using a pen and paper, a digital notebook, or your phone. Then, before your next class or the next time you pick the book up, revisit your notes.

Taking the time to summarize key ideas can help you build on your knowledge, making for a richer learning experience. And I’m confident that you’ll be able to retain more when you’ve taken the time to take good notes.

And then, after a few books like this, maybe you won’t need to take notes anymore. Maybe you can just curl up next to the fire, enjoy yourself, and comprehend the important parts of what happened. But the only way you’ll get better is if you work at it–and those notes can go a long way in helping you get there.

#2. Schedule Time to Read

Even if it doesn’t feel like it now, reading can be one of the best ways to de-stress and unwind. Once you get into the groove of reading regularly–and really, all it takes to be a reader is to read–you’ll start to notice that you are spending less time away from stressful emails and more time in the pages of a book that could help you learn, escape, and think.

But reading can be hard to fit in your schedule. That’s why it’s important to put it in your schedule in advance.

Reading is good for you. It can have a positive effect on your mind and your mental health. But, like exercise, it could feel low on your priority list.

Once you start thinking of reading as less of a task and more of a way to unwind and unplug, you may start to notice the available minutes to read are piling up.

So, yes, you can schedule the time in stringently--“from 8 PM to 8:20 PM, I will read my book”–or just put in your schedule that you want to do it for twenty minutes. Then, throughout the day, when you feel tempted to pick that phone up, pick your book up instead. You’ll be glad you put it into your daily routine.

3. Monitor your comprehension

Reading comprehension refers to the ability to understand various words, phrases, and ideas in what you are reading. 

A lot goes into exercising your comprehension skills, but the most important element is practice.

Practicing your comprehension skills daily will help make you a better reader. But how do you do it?

Well, as you read, just make sure you actually understand what’s going on. If you don’t, find the cause of the confusion in each sentence. Is it a word you don’t understand? A phrase? Look it up. Context clues are great and all, but nothing helps comprehension the way actual definitions do.

Note-taking is helpful in monitoring comprehension too. It’s easy as a beginning reader to just want to get the pages done (especially if you have a limited amount of time to do it), but if you don’t understand what you’ve read, you may as well have not read it at all.

4. Find your own reading strategy & style–and stick to it.

Every one reads differently. Their schedules are different, their preferences are different, their formats are different–it doesn’t matter. As long as you put the time in to read, you are a reader.

But remember: good readers don’t just read; they read actively. They decode for understanding, not to just get to the next page.

So don’t let book jerks get to you. Find the strategy that works best for you. Take notes, set yourself up in the most comfortable spot in the house, put wordless jazz on in the background, set a timer. Go paperback, eBook, audio–it doesn’t matter. Just choose to make reading a habit and start doing it.

If your goal is to improve your ability to read—and succeed academically—you will need to use a reading strategy that works best for you. Then you can focus on consuming the content you need when you need it–not how to get it done.

Happy reading to you! What stands in your way of becoming a better reader? Let me know in the comments!

About the Author

Usman Raza is a CEO and the co-founder of Faith-Based Advertising Company and a content marketing specialist at Church Marketing Agency, The Glory Candle, and Christian Store, Paradise Altar Church. He is devoted to helping small businesses bridge success gaps by providing in-depth, actionable advice on digital marketing, SEO, and small business growth. Follow him on Twitter @usmanintrotech.

Thank you for reading “How Do You Become a Better Reader?” by Usman Raza! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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