When You Don’t Want to Read Anything
Reader’s Block Is Real, and I Don’t Like It
Writer’s block is known. It gets talked about and dissected and examined. I’ve stared down this particular chaos goblin more than once, and chances are you have, too.
But what the hell happens when you get reader’s block?
One day you’re burning through chapters like it’s your full-time job and you’re up for a promotion. But the next day (or week... or six months), nothing sounds good. Not the buzzy bestseller by a beloved author. Not the trashy beach read that you’ve been waiting for since the last snow. Not the ten books piled on your nightstand. Not even the one with dragons and beautiful people kissing.
You start. You stop. You discard. You lie about how many books are on your DNF list. You begin to wonder if you’re broken.
This is reader’s block! It’s horrible. And annoying. It messes with your down time. I dare say it can lead to an existential crisis. Nothing works right. The world could end.
And, worse, it appears reader’s block is kind of normal. My very unscientific study of fellow readers reveals that most people experience it from time to time. It’s a cold and lonely place to be.
So, here’s how to gently unstick yourself:
🧪 1. Re-read Something That Made You Feral
You know the one. The book you stayed up all night reading, and then wandered through the next day like a zombie but with zero regrets. For me, this is Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. It hooks me no matter how many times I go back, and sometimes just knowing you can be hooked is enough to get you through the slump.
🧃 2. Pick a Book That Feels Like a Snack, Not a Salad
Now is not the time for Important Literature. Go for something fun and fast. Juicy, maybe even a little indulgent. Plot heavy? Absolutely. Deep and complex? Not today, thanks.
🎧 3. Change the Format
If print books feel like work, try an audiobook. If audiobooks feel like noise, try a graphic novel. If novels feel like too much of a commitment, try short stories. Don’t get judgey with yourself. Whatever gets you turning pages (or swiping screens) again is what you’re after.
🏹 4. Ride the Tide
Go to your local library or bookstore and browse with an open mind. Let the current push and pull you. Go ahead, judge the books by their covers. Or titles. Or whatever. Embrace a weird subject or left-field genre. Follow your gut, not some list.
📮 5. Ask a Real Human
Ask one person you trust what they just read and loved. No “top 10 of all time” lists. Not their book club selection. Just one book that they couldn’t put down. Take that title for a spin.
📚 Your Turn:
Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner just ended my reader’s block.
What’s the last book that got you out of a slump? Drop the title in the comments—I’m making a list!
On the Writers With Wrinkles podcast: Listen to the two part master craft on drafting and revising with editor Joel Brigham. Cheat sheets for both episodes available to WWW newsletter subscribers.
Reading: Shred Sisters. By Betsy Lerner. This novel examines a family, particularly the sisters, over the span of twenty+ years. Nothing happens (this one is the opposite of plot heavy) and yet I couldn’t put it down. The small observations and details are so fine as to needle under your skin and stay there. The moments are ordinary, but taken together they are extraordinary.
Watching: The Lord of the Rings trilogy (9+ hours!) The things I do for my kid.
Book Coaching: Feeling stuck on your own book? I do 1:1 coaching for writers who want traction without the drama—reach out if that’s you.