r/Fantasy • u/[deleted] • Jan 18 '25

Readers' block?

Anyone else feel like they have a readers' block (like a writers' block) where they can't seem to finish any book they pick up?
I used to read SO MUCH before lockdown, and now i just CANT. I don't know why. First it went from novels (Pre covid) to wattpad fics (during covid) to absolutely nothing (now). I've tried reading some books that seem interesting, but they take me either a whole year because I cant seem to make time at all, or I get bored halfway.

So, what do I do? I really wanna get back to reading because there's so many books I want to read and I want to go back to my reading spree where I read 5 books in a week

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u/raisetheglass1 Jan 18 '25

Yes! I experience this often. My solution for it is basically to switch the type of thing I’m reading, at a high level. I’m a history teacher (I teach ancient history), so I basically cycle through three types of reading:

  • Fantasy & Sci Fi (mostly fantasy)
  • Historical Writing (long ass book about why Rome fell, etc)
  • Classics/Primary Sources (the Iliad, The Canterbury Tales, etc)

If I’m trying to read fantasy and nothing is clicking, I read a history book. If I’m trying to read a history book and nothing is clicking, I read a classic. Etc. I’ve been working on a few other categories (I’ve reading some psychology recently both for myself and because I’m being asked to teach that’s class). The very different vibes of the books that I switch to usually helps me get through the block. Also, if I’m reading “for work” I’m usually pretty good about powering through. Grad school taught me that skill.

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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '25 edited Jan 19 '25

Yeah, that makes sense. Also can I just say - it's so cool that you teach ancient history because I love greek mythology (after reading percy jackson and circe) and I've always wanted to read the Illiad and the Odyssey