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When It Feels Like You Can’t Read Anymore

When It Feels Like You Can't Read Anymore

I’m going to be stepping away from the articles and posts I normally write today and I’m going to do something a bit different. Doing mini rants and summing up thoughts that stem from my personal life is something I often don’t mix with writing. I much prefer to give good advice, humor, or. . .well, anything useful.

But I’ve felt like I’m not that person anymore.

Verbosity Reviews has been my baby for the past three and a half years. I’ve grown up with Verbosity Reviews and my life has changed over those years. When I started out, I was reading and reviewing two books a week. It was mostly YA and MG fantasy. Down the line it changed to one book a week and contemporary YA. Then it faded into reading whatever and reviewing it whenever I could. These days I feel like I don’t read at all.

Related: Growing Up With Verbosity Book Reviews (Changes)

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and just letting myself simmer in negative energy over this. I stopped blogging for the past week and a half because I told myself I had to finish the book I was reading and review it. I told myself it was for work because I generally have a strong work ethic. And so I tried. I sat down with this book for an hour or two and essentially made no progress.

Don’t get me wrong, the book is great. However, I have been looking at this all wrong.

There are four things that have changed in my life:

1.) I am busier than I have ever been

I have to accept that I don’t have the time that I used to. I’m working two part time jobs and I’m looking for a third job so I can stay afloat. I’m transferring to a university that’s tuition is double what I’ve been paying. On top of that, I’m entering my junior year classes and have decided to double major. It’s hard for me to have the time to sit down and relax enough to read these days.

2.) Stress

To piggyback off of the first reason, I am so stressed because of this. Not necessarily the work itself, but in knowing everything I have to do to be able to pull off my education. It’s not a matter of finding a cheaper university to finish in, either. For what I am trying to do, I firmly believe this is my most affordable option.

When I sit down to read, it has become so hard for me to shut down and relax enough to enjoy it. I usually end up putting the book down because I thought of one more place I could apply to for work.

3.) Life changes

That being said, my personal life has changed a lot. I’m in a different place than I was before and I don’t quite know what that means for me yet. Throughout life, my interest in certain books has changed. I change genres with the passing of time. I go back to books that I would’ve enjoyed a year or two ago and they aren’t fascinating to me at all now.

What is fascinating to me now is something I have yet to discover. So if you have any wonderful recommendations, I’d be glad to hear them.

4.) Higher standards

If book blogging has ruined me on anything, it’s books. I have read some truly AMAZING books since starting a book blog, but I have also read some really terrible ones. I’m not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover but I often do now. Something in the blurb will remind me about a book I hated or the cover design will look so low budget that I doubt the credibility of the publisher. After a lot of thinking, I don’t think it’s books that have been ruined for me.

I just have higher standards now. I expect a book that I don’t want to put down. I anticipate wanting to stay up hours past my bedtime to read “one more chapter.”

In the end, I have to let go of my inhibitions to enjoy reading again

I have to find what I’m looking for and I should not be pressuring myself to read books that aren’t working for me, even if I feel you deserve it. I should not stop all blogging to tell myself that my next post is going to be a book review (unless it’s a solicited book with an actual deadline).

Related: 7 Ways to Keep Blogging When Inspiration Leaves You

I started book blogging because I enjoyed books. I want to get back to that.

Either way, I’m not going to stop blogging. I’ll keep putting out articles on books, publishing, and blogging in the meantime. But hopefully you’ll see some reviews from me again shortly.

How has reading changed for you over the years? Let me know in the comments below!

3 Comments


  1. // Reply

    I admire you for having a blog for all these years even while you’re in school. I couldn’t imagine blogging regularly while I was in college. I’m able to do it now because I work at a comfortable job that allows me to forget it all once I’m out the door and focus on myself and my hobbies.

    Blogging can be stressful and I have decided to cut back to blogging twice a week instead of three because I didn’t like feeling pressured to have something up 3 times a week.

    I’m glad you will still be around. Taking a break from reading is healthy sometimes. Once you are ready to start reading again, you’ll fall in love all over again.


    1. // Reply

      Agghhhh, I really needed this comment today. I have been so discouraged because I haven’t been reading and I feel like I’ve let my readers down. Just thank you so much.


  2. // Reply

    I love that you’re so honest about this! Honestly, there are times when I look at my TBR list and see a chore. I want to get through all of them, and that sometimes takes the fun out of it. Book blogging has definitely made me more critical of books, and less willing to spend time reading awful books. I don’t think you should feel bad about this at all. You’re busy, and that’s perfectly okay! When you do find a good book, you’ll find yourself staying up the night to read more. If a book simply doesn’t make you feel that way, it’s not a crime to put it down and search for a better one 🙂

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