Even the most passionate book lovers hit a wall sometimes, when a book is just not flowing as it should. At TBLNG Press, we’ve had our fair share of half‑finished novels and days when picking up a book feels like a chore. But stories are at the heart of what we do, so we’ve each found little tricks to fall back in love with reading. We asked our team, from editors to designers, to share their go-to hacks of escaping a reading slump, and here’s what they had to say:

Tip #1— Allow yourself to pause

Oriyomi, Editor

My role requires a lot of reading, so the deadlines and expectations I am managing mean I have to push myself through whatever text I am working on, whether I like it or not. 

But for leisure reading, I often choose books that don’t stress my brain. If I’m reading a fiction or non‑fiction title and it’s not flowing as I wish, I leave it and read something else until I’m ready to continue. Sometimes I binge‑watch movies before returning to books. I have lots of half‑read books in my library because of this, and that’s okay.

Tip #2— Follow Your Mood and Read What Feels Familiar

Victory, Editorial Intern

Reading should not be a chore and when I find myself in a reading slump, I read what feels familiar.

I dive into webnovels, manga, comics, and other kinds of media that are easier to enjoy. I also spend time looking at book synopses and figuring out what interests me at that moment—since I’m a chronic mood reader, matching my mood to the book helps me get back into reading.

Tip #3— Stick With Genres That Feel Easy for You

Gbenga, Designer

I don’t think I’ve been in a reading slump lately; honestly, I don’t even remember what it feels like. Since I discovered that some genres are a struggle for me, I’ve learnt to stick with the genre that doesn’t stress me.

Tip #4— Read for Yourself, Not for Trends

Bolami, Social Media Manager

I read what interests me, not necessarily what’s trending. I’m also quick to DNF a book; I don’t push through when I’m not feeling it. I might come back to it later, or I might not, and that’s okay. No pressure.

Your Reading Journey, Your Rules.

Reading slumps happen to everyone, even those who work with books every day. What we’ve learned as a team at TBLNG Press is that there’s no single “right” way to get back into the rhythm. It could be by revisiting old favorites, exploring new genres, switching to comics and web-novels, or simply giving yourself permission to pause and DNF. The most important thing is to keep reading fun and personal, not dictated by trends or peer pressure.

And when you do find that spark again after a flump, it feels all the more rewarding.

Tell us, how do you get out of a reading slump? Share your tips with us in the comments or tag us on social media—we’d love to hear from you!