As a cheery fifteen-year-old, I’d rush to my school library every week to occupy the same tiny spot tucked between two towering bookshelves that comforted the reader in me. I’d retrieve my favorite book from its secret hiding place and binge read, the only sounds surrounding me being those of my thoughts, the voices of characters, and the ticking of the clock. Naïve as I was, I wanted to actualize my far-fetched dream of reading all the fiction that had ever been produced in the world. A couple of years later, as this dream cloaked itself behind a thick layer of haze, I stared at the books on my bookshelf, dead in the eye, waiting for them to hypnotize me into reading them. While these were the same books I had piece-by-piece collected and loved, I seemed to have a complete reading blockage.
A reader’s block in simple terms refers to the intense inability to read, concentrate on words or retain their meanings despite sincerely attempting to do the same. Despite its overpowering effects, many regard it as an unreal, cooked-up phenomenon. Explaining this loss of reading ability in terms of some broad reasons would amount to ignoring its pervasive scope. In totality, it can result from a combination of factors like lack of time, motivation, or inability to find a suitable book. Hence, when you find yourself reading mindlessly, as words begin to form a whirlpool in which all meaning gets lost, you might be experiencing a reader’s block. It’s real but it can be managed.
I’ve always considered myself a bookworm, juicing out every drop of meaning and emotion from books I read. I’ve been a rather slow one but I was happy for I knew I was catching up. Additionally, I view reading as an investment that’ll only benefit you when you give it enough time and thought. Finally, I read to soothe my escapist tendency and in that sense, the world of a book is my haven, away from a despairing reality. Hence, when the pandemic-induced lockdown was imposed, I wished to devote an earnest amount of time to reading for I had more of it, seemingly less on my plate and a genuine desire to escape the dreadful pandemic. However, like all things that we over-plan, this too was a complete failure. This happened to me at a time when several others were rekindling their hobbies. However, surprisingly, through a strong social network, I’ve figured that a pandemic prompted reader’s block has not been uncommon. Instagram posts where individuals engage in some self-teasing for having been avid readers are teenagers who’ve grown up to be weary adults devoid of any energy to read have been doing rounds and this shouldn’t be ignored.
The answer to this prevalent phenomenon of reader’s block during the pandemic lies in the linkage between mental health and reading. The increased stress surrounding the ‘new normal’ has exacerbated our anxieties which in turn have blocked us from focusing. Hence, experiencing a reader’s block in such a distressing time is normal and can be efficiently dealt with by employing a couple of simple tips-
1) Find the crux of the problem: The first step to equipping yourself to deal with a reader’s block can be by analyzing what’s causing it. While the answer may not always be crystal clear or understood through a single strand of thought, digging it up, as difficult as it might be will be of help in adequately reacting to it.
2) Find yourself the right book: Sometimes, the first few lines of a book may ignite a revolting feeling in you to keep it away. While such a spontaneous reaction will evoke the illusion of a reader’s block, the right book might also wipe it off. Hence, despite how deeply embedded a book is in popular culture and despite how many people recommend it, figure out for yourself if it’s your type. Also, feel free to unbind yourself from promises that you made to yourself as an empty-headed teenager of reading all the fiction in the world. Despite how fulfilling it sounds, not every book is made for you and, not every promise can be kept.
3) Fix a goal: Once you fall out of the habit of reading, diving back may seem difficult but it can be made easier by setting goals. Goals attract our focus and energy and pursuing simple ones will eventually pave the path for the achievement of difficult ones. A simple, achievable goal can be to read one chapter per day. While incentivizing the achievement of every small goal will facilitate a more concentrated reading, pushing yourself beyond limits may have the reverse effect. So, don’t be harsh on yourself!
4) Start small and light: Starting with simple pieces of poetry or lighter novels before moving onto heavier ones will help cement the habit of reading. These will be relatively easy to digest and consume little time thus building both a habit of reading and a sense of confidence in it (reading The Confessions of a Shopaholic might help, just saying).
The aforementioned tips are based on personal experience and I sincerely hope that they’ll help you, readers! Before ending, however, I’d like to leave you with a thought that often circles my head, leaving a profound impact. Growing up, we’ve been conditioned to constantly question societal phenomenon, dissect them and analyze their essentiality. Hence, every time we try to read or watch something, our first response is to unconsciously forage for problems and, only later when the immediate thoughts have settled in, do we try to take it at face value. While such critical thinking is a precious skill, does it also ruin reading for us especially when we wish to read with an empty head?