Escapists Uncensored: Burned Out or Just Bored?

Escapists UncensoredIf you haven’t noticed, I’ve been in a full-on reviewing slump of late. I’m reading, but not like I used to, nor have I felt the urge to really review what I’ve read. I’m starting to think it’s because I’m reading books I know I’m going to love – Archangel’s Legion by Nalini Singh, Born Wild by Julie Ann Walker, Tempt the Stars by Karen Chance, and Drawn Together by Lauren Dane for instance – and have read the previous books in the series. I mean, how many times can you say a book is awesome without repeating yourself, right?

So I’ve been attempting to read new authors and series, and it’s helping, but my reading time is so sporadic and broken that I’m not losing myself in the books. For instance, I’m currently reading Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, the first Jane Jameson novel by Molly Harper, and I’m loving it, but it’s taking me a good week just to get 60% of the way through it. Not because it’s not good, but because I’m grabbing five minutes here and there to read. I had actually started it once and had to re-start it because so much time had passed.

NAC.2014.250pxSo I’m thinking I need to get myself back on schedule, not only with my reading, but reviewing as well. To help with that, I’m going to jump back into the reading challenges and I’m going to challenge all the LE girls to do that same.  They’ve been better about it than I have, but I’ve noticed a decline with them as well. *grin*

So what reading challenges am I going to do? Of course I’m participating in LE’s New Author Challenge, but I’m going to really jump into it and start the new year by only reading new authors. Well, except for a few exceptions – Jeff’s story comes out at the end of January and I have to read Howling for You, it’s Jeff and Fallon! I’m not going to repeat the details for New Author Challenge only because it’s one I’m hosting and have hosted for the past 6 years, so hopefully people are familiar enough with the concept.

ReviewBooksChallengeThe second challenge I’m going to commit myself to is Phantasmic Reads and Fiktshun‘s Review Pile Reading Challenge. The concept is fairly easy:

  • Runs from January 1st until December 31st, 2014
  • No blog necessary, just books received for review and a place online to review them
  • Any books received specifically for review are allowed, regardless of format.
  • Phantasmic Reads and Fiktshun will also be having monthly giveaways as encouragement to empty that pile.

Right now that’s all I’m going to positively say I’ll do. I might join in a couple more later, but if I stack too many on myself, than the whole intimidation factor comes in. I have plenty of books to read/review, so I really don’t need the added stress of burying myself. *grin*

A few other changes I’m going to make are more real-life related, but I believe have impacted my slacking quite a bit. I’m going to dedicated part of each night to simply reading. Grabbing the occasionally minute here or there is fine, but I’m committing myself to reading a good 30-45 minutes each night. Considering I can usually finish a book in 3-4 hours (with interruptions), this should help a lot.

My other change is going to be really fun. I’m remodeling my office. Does anyone else have an office or workspace that’s actually the family dumping ground? I swear to go, I had my desk cleaned for all of 20 minutes before stuff was getting put on it. I haven’t seen the bottom of it in months. Working at the table or couch has not been as productive as when I was working in my office, surrounded by my books. So I’m emptying it out completely, cleaning up the holes/dings, adding another layer of paint (which I should’ve done when I first painted it), and bringing in some new furniture and shelves. I already have everything picked out, it’s just a matter of getting this project done. *grin* I’m actually really excited about it.

So that’s what I’m doing in an effort to try and get out of this slump I’ve been in. I’m also thinking I’m going to get back to a couple authors I haven’t read in awhile – LK Hamilton, Gini Koch, Meljean Brook, etc.

Do you have any tricks you use when the slump hits or do you power through it?

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

2 Comments

  1. I hate reading slumps. They feel so unproductive– and a lot like gestation before an epiphany. Just get me to the epiphany already before too many good books slip by and put me further behind. :) I love the review pile challenge. I definitely need it. And I’ve always tried to read authors new to me, so I’m signing up for that too.

    How to get out of a reading slump? You have to fall in love with reading again. For me, I had to find a really great book/author with a fresh concept. (Have you read Kristen Callihan? Oh my. Clockwork and shapeshifters and zombies.) And also decide that it’s okay if I don’t finish reading every book. This was the epiphany for me. Even if I like a book, it’s okay if I don’t finish it if I’m not *loving* it. There’s just so many books and so little time.

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