What Does An Avid Reader Do When She Loses Her Reading MoJo?
Wednesday, September 9, 2009Posted in: Reading while bored, very random effing ramblings
Urrrgghh, in the last couple of weeks, I’ve picked up at least eight books, and have put them all down by the time I got halfway through.
I simply have no interest in reading at the moment, and it’s pissing me off. I’ve bought several DVDs to compensate, but the majority of them are still sitting unopened in the DVD cabinet.
I started reading an old Temptation book the other day, but I even struggled to finish that.
The book was a 1990 Gina Wilkins title called Changing The Rules. It has always been one of my fave categories, but I still didn’t manage to finish it.
Changing The Rules is about two successful people who are casually dating, but struggling to keep their feelings from getting deeper. The heroine gets pregnant, and everything changes.
The heroine and hero were very likeable and the story was well executed. I still didn’t finish it though.
I also tried Rita Clay Estrada’s 1986 title, The Best Things In Life. The heroine finds a three-year-old kidnap victim, and the father who’s an actor in a popular soap opera comes to claim her. Romantic entanglement follows.
Another fave, but I still couldn’t finish it.
What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve even tried switching genres. Nothing works. Tis depressing.
There should be an official medical diagnosis for people who have lost their reading, mojo. Booked-out-itis perhaps?
Ok that sucked. Shoot me now.
Speaking of the longest writer’s block ever, (ok maybe we weren’t exactly talking about writer’s block) has Lisa Valdez got a publication date for Patience yet?
Venus Vaughn
September 9
8:50 am
Good luck with it. I have no tried and true solutions.
Sometimes I switch to magazines, sometimes I switch to YA or *shudder* litfic, sometimes I watch a lot of TV and sometimes I just zone out on Sudoku puzzles. Or I’ll bake a cake.
I hope whatever’s blocking that GoodRead feeling dissipates.
Janean
September 9
12:30 pm
I’ve had the same problem going on for almost a year. *sigh*
I think it is because there are too many other things on my mind lately for me to concentrate on a book for very long.
Myra Willingham
September 9
12:49 pm
Editing for a living insures I read but I haven’t read anything for the sheer pleasure of it for a few months. My TBR bookcase…not pile, mind you, but bookcase…is filled with the latest Feehan, Kenyon, Koontz, and more. I keep saying I’m going to start reading when I’m on the toilet. As least I’d get a few minutes in. 🙂
Christine Rimmer
September 9
1:17 pm
I switch to literary books. Or quasi-literary. Popular literary, maybe? A little Anne Tyler, Sue Miller, Margaret Atwood, early Marge Piercy, Anita Shreve… they all do it for me. I enjoy the lack of HEA for a while, the possibly grim world view. And eventually, I’m eager to get back to romance.
As to Patience, no sign of her yet…
Tymber Dalton
September 9
2:04 pm
When I get like that, as *shudder* horrible as this sounds, I start catching up on housework and home improvement/repair projects. *hanging head in shame* Getting away from mental work and switching to working hands-on with something for a few days helps me sort of clear the mental palette.
Or you could try a hobby or outdoor activity you haven’t had much time for lately. Something to totally switch tracks.
In my case, I do that and within a few days my brain starts tugging on me to get back on track. (Mostly because I hate housework and home improvement projects. *LOL*)
Diane V
September 9
2:09 pm
I try to switch genres if an old fave doesn’t restart my reading mojo. For old favorites — Linda Howard’s “After the Night” or “Dream Man”, or JD Robb’s “Naked in Death” or “Conspiracy in Death” usually due the trick for me.
Switch genres – I try children’s books (which I then donate to a local elementary school) — I’d recommend “Help Me, Mr. Mutt”, “I Need My Monster”, “A Couple of Boys Have The Best Week Ever”, “The Dragon in the Sock Drawer” or any of the Hank Zipzer books (by the Fonz – Henry Winkler).
Since I’m an animal lover, I also tend to seek out true story animal books when looking to restart the reading mojo — “Homer’s Odyssey” about a blind cat (eyes removed due to an infection at 2 weeks) and his author owner was a great story I read last week.
Shiloh Walker
September 9
3:10 pm
I’m having a case of the blahs right now myself. Hate it. Hope your slump breaks soon. 🙂
Lori
September 9
3:25 pm
Watch TV. Nothing like network television to kill some brain cells and make you need to read j/k
I’ve gotten more than a little tired of romance so have switched to literary fiction and biographies. And chick lit.
Jill Sorenson
September 9
3:26 pm
I haven’t had the blahs since I started writing. My problem is always too many books, too little time. When I’m immersed in a project, I don’t read at all, so I’m always chomping at the bit for a book break.
Anya Howard
September 9
3:28 pm
Maybe you’re just thinking too hard about it, Karen? There are times we all have things going on in our lives that can change or interfere with our moods and interests. I’d suggest not feeling guilty about it, just go with the flow and the interest will most likely return naturally when the time is right for you.
katiebabs
September 9
4:18 pm
I go through some lack of reading mojo from time to time. Take a break from reading for a week. You may be surprised how the urge to read will overtake you.
Or you could always read some funny haha books like How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse or books with cute animals or baby pictures in them.
Mariana
September 9
4:25 pm
I’m with you on the blah re: reading. I’ve sort of just lost major interest. I’ve read a few that I’ve been waiting for, but for the most part nothing is really that interesting to me. I’ve been giving myself projects: organizing my books, maintaining my spreadsheets, crap like that.
I’ve actually picked up a few books to re-read by going through my boxes; I couldn’t rememeber something about the story, or I remembered a great scene that I wanted to revisit.
It sucks though to not be truly into a book.
Marianne McA
September 9
5:11 pm
Comes back, eventually. I usually resort to non-fiction, because I don’t expect that to entertain me the same way.
Other thing I have found is that when the computer is broken, I read with a vengence. It’s always easy to come on-line and read blogs and MBs instead of settling to a book – and that satisfies the urge to read, without any real reading taking place. When that alternative is not available, books become enticing again.
SarahT
September 9
5:17 pm
Aargh! I had a nice, long comment written and my PC ate it!
A brief summary of what I wrote: If I have a reading slump, I re-read old faves, switch genres, or read non-fiction, magazines, etc. If none of that works, I try other forms of entertainment such as TV, DVD or board games. Eventually, my reading mojo returns.
Las
September 9
5:39 pm
I get the blahs very often with romance. I either switch genres or, more often, I re-read older books. I read so fast that even if I loved a book I’ll sometimes forget most of it by the time I’m halfway through the next. I did this for a whole year when I just couldn’t stomach reading new romance, because for every decent–not even good, just decent–book I’d come across, there’d be at least 10 pieces of shit. (And that would still be the case if review blogs didn’t help me narrow the playing field.) Sometimes I’ll even go to the library and pick up really, really old Harlequin Presents for shits and giggles. Ah, misogyny!
When all else fails, I have StumbleUpon to keep me occupied.
sybil
September 9
7:01 pm
I am a big rereader, so at the beginning of the year when I couldn’t read really anything I was doing that… but seems like that isn’t working for you either.
I ended up falling into suspense again, which is an old fave of mine. One I would still read more of if I could find a way to balance between faves but not enough time and I end up craving the HEA. But it was a time where I couldn’t really read any historical romance without wanting to throw it. I think the serial killers fit my mood at the time *g*.
And when I checked a few weeks ago, Valdez still hadn’t turned in the book. Don’t wait for her to pull you out of your slump.
Shelly @ Bewitched
September 10
2:39 am
I’ve had one of those “blahs” for almost a year! lol I’m just now starting to get the mojo back. This time of year always does it to me cuz I’m bummed summer is ending and the cold is impending, but once the days are actually crisp I look forward to reading all curled up with a blanket. Maybe you need to purchase something to go WITH your reading…a new blanket, a new mug for your fave beverage next to you etc etc. Ahhh who am I kidding. I just like to spend money! 🙂
sallahdog
September 10
2:59 am
I have been so busy lately, remodeling some rental units, that when I do get home, I am too tired to concentrate on a book… so I have switched to listening to books on tape during the day while I work… It makes the workday go a lot faster..
Nicola O.
September 10
4:23 am
Huh, I don’t know. I read for pleasure, so if I don’t feel like reading… I do something else. Don’t put pressure on yourself to read, egads. That just makes it work.
Ann Bruce
September 10
5:17 am
Comic books, video games, and The Departed or the original Infernal Affairs work for me.
Of course, you can work eighty hours a week for four weeks until you are just DYING for five minutes with a book.
Rosie
September 10
7:04 am
I don’t think there is a cure. I’ve tried switching genres, movies, and they all suffer when I’m in a slump. I think you just plug along until something sets a spark. Oh, you could meet your girlfriends at a bar for drinks and drown your sorrows.
Angela
September 10
7:16 am
I get that way if I’m online too often. There’s so much out there pertaining to the romance genre that it begins to lose its shiny newness. Everywhere I turn there are reader blogs, reviewer blogs, author blogs, industry blogs, twitter, forums, etc discussing, dissecting and dismembering just about any romance ever published and to be published. There’s no fun, it’s all about finding pithy things to say about books and also trying to keep up with all of the buzz. It’s too tiring for me. I usually end up retreating to old, old books and leaving everyone alone for a good long while.
Mad
September 12
4:27 pm
Heh, now that you posted about the new bean coming your way, this reading slump makes perfect sense now. When I was pregnant with my youngest, I spent about 8 months not reading or buying books at all. Was just not in the mood. Too tired, too ill, too everything during that pregnancy so reading took a backseat. I did watch a lot of movies and TV shows during that time, though.
Mariana
September 12
5:49 pm
@Mad – LOL! I was just thinking the same thing 😉
Well, I can recommend, What to Expect when You’re Expecting… that’ll get you out of your reading slump 😉 Many congrats!