Managing the Reading Rut

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

I have found myself in a crazy reading rut for the last six weeks. At first it made sense because I was racing to finish the semester in school but now I would think I would be back. Yet I find myself just uninterested in everything. I have tried reading books I loved in the past and books from different genres still not interested.

Currently I am trying not to over think it, so I am reading cookbooks which means I am also cooking for everyone LOL...I am also reading more magazine articles or newspapers and even those I skim.

So what do you guys do to manage the reading rut and what book typically pulls you out of it?

[Darcy]

I will read some smut, it will usually get me out of the rut. Also light fun fluffy books work too.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I've had a mega reading rut lately. It sucks! We've been watching Doctor Who on DVD and Netflix, but that helps.

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

I went to the bookstore today to do some browsing and I got another magazine..vogue fall edition not much reading there lol

Darcy that is what I used to use too. I think this weekend I will try a oldie but goodie

[Emy]

Honestly, I wouldn't call it a rut, just that you needed a change - reading cookbooks is still reading after all :)

For me, to get out of a 'rut' like this, I just let myself read what I want to read, or not at all. It's the feeling of "I ought to be reading x" that gets me down then.

[Mike]

I read comic books or listen to audio books and that usually does it for me.

[Jacy]

I usually do one if three things...I start crafting, i.e. counting cross stitch or crocheting. Sometimes even that seems like I'm forcing myself to do something, so then I'll go to Video games, Mario, Zelda, Ratchet and Clank, Soul Calibur, Q'bert and Pacman are mindless entertainment that end up making me want to do something stimulating. If none of that works, I pick up a book from my childhood that I've read so many times that I practically know it by heart, e.g., Witch of Blackbird Pond, Romana, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, or Huckleberry Finn. When I finish one of them, I'm always ready to read something new!

[Gin]

I read a YA PNR/UF that everyone is raving about that I ordinarily wouldn't read. I usually don't prefer YA, but for some reason they seem to help pull me out of my rut. I guess maybe its because they are usually a quick and easy read. The last one to pull me out was

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

These are great suggestions and as I type this I find myself watching Law and Order I am like on season 5 LOL at least netflix is keeping me busy.

You know I tried an audio book this weekend but I tuning him out...huh video games that could work.

My one success is I did read a magazine with words :-)

This is crazy weird.

[Shannon]

I think the important thing is to read something you *want* to, rather than something you think you *ought* to. Something really light and fun, maybe even a guilty pleasure. Like Gin said, YA often does it for me. Or I'll go see if there's a new book in any of the series that I follow. There's something very easy and comforting about picking up book five or six in a series, with characters and a setting I already know well--it's like sliding into a warm pool.

But I love reading cookbooks too! And I agree with Emy, that "counts."

[Sandra, Need more time to Read!!]

Wow, Dawn, usually the good old re-read of favorites pulls me out. Sorry that didn't work for you.

I also start reading shorts, 100 pgs or less, by authors I know or re-reads of same. Smut also works for me or TV I've recorded that I need to watch then wipe so I can record more :)

[Sarah]

I've had a similar problem where I just didn't want to read anything. It started in August and I'm just now slowly getting out of it. I got really wrapped up in watching entire TV series so I watched all 8 seasons of House M.D. and focused on school. I don't really have a go-to thing that gets me out of a rut, I just know when I'm ready to jump back in.

[Sonia]

I'm in the middle of a rut too... but mine is a little different... I just don't feel like opening a book to read... If I force myself to do it, I read it till I'm forced to put it down... but then I don't feel the need to grab it again, even if I'm enjoying the story... so now I'm in the middle of 4 books without any prospect of finishing any... the worse part is that there are a LOT of books that I want to read, but just can't bring myself to do it

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

Sonia wrote: "I'm in the middle of a rut too... but mine is a little different... I just don't feel like opening a book to read... If I force myself to do it, I read it till I'm forced to put it down... but then..."

This sounds most similar to me

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

I am pleased to announce I am finally reading again. Of course now I am tired so I fall asleep but at
least I am interested :-)

[Sarah]

Dawn wrote: "I am pleased to announce I am finally reading again. Of course now I am tired so I fall asleep but at
least I am interested :-)"

Glad to hear you're out of the reading rut!

[Sandra, Need more time to Read!!]

Yay!!!

[Kristin]

I hate book ruts. Lately I will pick random things on Netflix to see what holds my interest.

[Mary X]

I usually catch up on movies, TV and magazines or something. Get myself out of the house. Usually watching movies will put me in the mood for a specific genre or theme to read.

[ladymurmur]

If pulling an old favorite off the shelf doesn't work, something I love and know so well it is almost effortless to read, I'll go online and find fanfic for a movie/tv/book series that I like. Somehow this "exercises" my tired brain in a different way from reading/watching the source material, and tends to whet my appetite for "the real thing". If nothing else, I'm delighted if I find something good, and can laugh hysterically without feeling bad if I find something horrid.

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

Kathy wrote: "How did you break the rut eventually?"

I just let it go. I watched a ton of movies and tv shows. The only thing I read was magazines and then one day a book came in from my library holds, it was Time Untime and boom just like that I started reading.

At the end of the day I think I have to not worry about it

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

Kathy wrote: "I've never been in a reading rut. There are so many interesting looking books constantly clamoring for my attention!"

That is fantastic.
I wish I had a better understanding of why it happens. Sometimes it seems like it happens because there is something going on in real life. Other times it seems like burnout of a genre.
I hope it never happens to you!

[Alisa]

I think I've been in a rut this whole new year. I thought it was lack of attention at first but I still can't seem to settle in. Nothing is holding my attention. Blah! Hate this.

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

Alisa wrote: "I think I've been in a rut this whole new year. I thought it was lack of attention at first but I still can't seem to settle in. Nothing is holding my attention. Blah! Hate this."

I have been there :-)
Sorry it blows

[Dawn, Desperately seeking new worlds]

Kathy wrote: "Maybe that's it. I read a lot of different genres and if one starts getting samey. I read something completely different."

Not sure it is just about the genre...for example switching from PNR to mysteries does not seem to stop it...I made it a point last year to make sure I was reading a variety of books and Lord knows I read a ton for work but it is like Alisa said nothing can hold your interest for long.