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101 Tips and Tricks to Overcome Reader’s Block

101 Tips and Tricks to Overcome Reader’s Block

Reader’s block is when you haven’t read anything good lately and are going through a bit of a literary dry spell. It is also the state where you cannot pick up a book and read it. It might be that you are able to read a mere paragraph or two, or even a page, but you don’t retain anything of what you just read or have the attention. It’s pretty common if you’re just exhausted from having to read so many books during school or just from wrong selection of books to read.

Reader’s block is a well-documented problem, and even avid readers occasionally suffer from it. The good news is that it’s not incurable, but it might require a little creativity and effort on your part. Read on to learn tips, tricks, methods and suggestions on how to overcome this obstacle. Sometimes it’s as easy as reading through it, until you stumble across something you like and are enthralled with words and books again.

We’ve also posted 101 Tips to Fight & Overcome Writer’s Block approximately 9 years ago and we hope that this additional resources can help in your journey getting more hours into your reading schedule. As reading and writing are closely connected to each other, writing will undeniably find its own way should you need to take a short break from reading.

This is a long list, so feel free to grab a cub of tea to go along with it. A lot of additional links and resources are provided along with all the points but should you’re in a lazy mood, we’ve made a video out of this list so you just need to focus on the points as they appear on the screen. You can either click here for the video or just view it below.

Feel free to forward and share this list to your friends or dearest bookworms who you know that are currently suffering from reader’s block. Try them out, experiment and most importantly – do not give up! Happy reading everyone.

101 Tips & Tricks to Overcome Reader’s Block

  1. START EASY – Don’t start with “Infinite Jest” or “War and Peace”. Go easy with your selections. Refer to point no 2 below for “easy” books to read.
  2. START BY READING SHORT STORIES OR NOVELLAS – Good way to experiment and discover which styles or subjects you enjoy most.
  3. TRY DIFFERENT GENRES – Stick or get out of your comfort zone depending on your reading situation. There are 2 main blocks (fiction and nonfiction), and an endless list of genres branching out of these two. Click here for the full list.
  4. READ PAGE 69 BEFORE COMMITTING TO A BOOK – You should choose your reading by turning to page 69 of a book and, if you like it, read it. This unusual tip comes from John Sutherland, an English professor and the author of “How to Read a Novel”. Alternatively, you can approach this in a different way by reading all the way to the 69th page and determine whether the book is a perfect fit for you.
  5. STOP READING IF YOU’RE NOT ENJOYING IT – It’s totally OK to stop reading that particular book which is slowing you down. If reading turns into a chore, something is wrong somewhere – pick another book.
  6. LISTEN TO AN AUDIOBOOK – Break the cycle by trying out audiobooks. Contrary to popular belief, listening to audiobooks is not “cheating”.
  7. EXPLORE ABRIDGED AND UNABRIDGED AUDIOBOOKS – The difference is the length of the book. An abridged audiobook is a shortened version of the book. An unabridged audiobook contains all the original content of the book. An extremely good place to start is LibriVox
  8. DISCONNECT FROM THE NET AND TECHNOLOGY – Mute and place your mobile a distance away while you’re reading. Social media, work, emails can be a huge distraction. It turns out that digital devices and software are finely tuned to train us to pay attention to them, no matter what else we should be doing. Dopamine is good but it’s bad when it’s trained to focus on the wrong things.
  9. REKINDLE OLD FAVORITES – It’s never a chore to redo something that you know you enjoyed doing in the past. If you find yourself stuck, go back to a well tested book.
  10. READ ABOUT READING – Believe it or not, there are books on “how to read”. One of which that is highly recommended is – How to Read a Novel: A User’s Guide by John Sutherland, Columnist for The Guardian and professor of modern English Literature. Click here for a long list of alternative options.
  11. READ ABOUT BOOKS – Don’t feel like reading? Read about books instead. There are interesting blogs and Youtube channels that talk about books all day. The reviews, criticisms, opinions and interpretations may guide you in the right direction. Find a blogger that resonates with your tastes.
  12. TOO LITTLE TIME – No time to read due to your busy schedule? Time to make some time for reading or just multi-task (e.g. listen to audiobooks while commuting or working out, etc.)
  13. TOO MUCH TV / NETFLIX – Perhaps redistributing some of your movie sessions to your reading slots could help.
  14. RE-READ A BOOK – Isn’t it odd how much fatter a book gets when you’ve read it several times? No doubt, this applies to movies as well – the more you watch the more you’ll know about it, discovering new tiny details that you’ve missed the first few rounds. This new discovery could impact and change your thoughts on how you perceive the ending as well.
  15. READING REDUCES STRESS, IT’S FUN AND IT IMPROVES OUR EMPATHY – If you’re really stressed out and it’s hampering on your reading progress, fear not! With the right book – it’ll melt the stress right off. Depending on the book, it’s also fun, engaging, stirs your imagination and allows you to dive into the lives of others. If you always keep these points afloat, they’ll fuel your desire to read.
  1. GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP / REST – One of the most efficient and proven ways of falling asleep is to start reading. So sufficient amount of rest is important before picking up your book, or just cut it short if you’re tired. The Teletext Reading Report asked 4,000 Britons about their reading habits. Many have revealed they found it hard to make time for reading.
    • Feeling tired (48%)
    • Watching TV (46%)
    • Playing computer / games (26%)
  2. GET COMFORTABLE – It is important that you get yourself comfortable when attacking your reading materials. Invest on a comfortable reading chair. Ensure the sofa you’re lying on is suitable for reading with proper and sufficient lighting.
  3. GET A LIBRARY MEMBERSHIP AND DON’T GET BANNED FROM IT – Being one of the best sources of books and knowledge out there, it is an amazing place for you to read and a truly magical source of information. Talk to the librarians, they are literally walking search engines, ever ready with great recommendations.
  4. FIND INSPIRATIONS AND MOTIVATIONS FROM CELEBRITIES’ READING LISTS – Specially helpful when you have no idea what to read next. Endorsements from certain parties may trigger certain level of curiosity and excitement as well.
  5. EVERY JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A SMALL STEP – Pick a day to read, start small. Even 5 minutes or 1 page of reading a day is a small victory you need. Pick an easy book to read, from a genre you fancy, get comfortable and form that habit on a daily basis. 5 minutes will turn into 10 and into 30. By the time you know it, you’re reading for hours everyday. But of course, pace yourself reasonably. Just go with the flow.
  6. DON’T AIM TOO HIGH – Start small and try to avoid the great is-ought dilemma. You know you should, but you probably won’t. Based on your schedule, set a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly targets.
  7. SET A DATELINE – Reading shouldn’t function like a time restricted project. However, setting a dateline to your reading objectives will help to streamline your priorities and add a little dose of structure to your overall routine.
  8. IDENTIFY YOUR MAIN OBJECTIVE AND BE OK WITH IT – Are you reading for pleasure? To be a better writer? To improve your vocabulary? To keep up with the current trend? Whatever it is, reading is beneficial in numerous ways and it’s definitely OK to alter your reading habits based on what you want to achieve.
  9. MAKE A COMMITMENT AND ANNOUNCE IT PUBLICLY – Set a reading target (a reasonable one) and announce it among your family members and close circle of friends. Get them to monitor your progress and don’t hesitate to reward yourself.
  10. CREATE A LIST AND TRACK YOUR PROGRESS – A list of items that are marked “Done” or “Completed” seem to provide a clear sense of accomplishment for anyone. A definite form of encouragement for any reader to keep on reading. Plus, if you keep notes with this list, you can share it with others.
  11. KEEP A BOOK JOURNAL – In addition to maintaining a list of books that you’ve read or about to read, a book journal serves as a great self-enforcing activity – the more you read, the more you want to read. In the journal you can state the title, author, the year the book was first published, a short summary, your short review and of course the date you finished reading it.
  12. JOIN A BOOK / READING CLUB – Joining a group of people with similar interests will definitely bring a great deal of encouragement in your reading habits. A support group like this not only motivates you towards the right direction but is also a rich and reliable source of book recommendations. Becareful though – don’t fall into the trap of reading for the sake of impressing others. Most book clubs are actually very flexible and are totally OK if you decide to stop reading any of the book they have suggested.
  13. FIND RECOMMENDATIONS YOU CAN TRUST – Besides book clubs – family, fellow bookworm buddies and even authors you like are the best sources of “what-to-read-next”. Sometimes a short detailed summary and a heartfelt endorsement will really get you moving. You can also refer to Celebrities’ Reading Lists above.
  14. READ WORKS FROM YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR – Since you already know their writing style and what to expect from them, you would be more invested in the book and will be able to push yourself harder to finish it.
  15. PICK A BOOK WITH LOTS OF ACTION – Choose a fast-paced thriller that does not let you tear your eyes off the pages. Pick a horror fiction that makes you hide your book in the freezer. Read a book that makes you stay past your bedtime.
  1. DON’T BOTHER READING CHALLENGING LITERATURES – In the digital age, attention spans are getting shorter, with readers admitting they are unable to concentrate on long-winded novels. Teletext’s TV information service (teletext.co.uk) has came up with the Top 10 fiction & non fiction titles which Britons cannot finish:
  2. Fiction

    • Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
    • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
    • Ulysses by James Joyce
    • Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
    • Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
    • The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
    • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
    • War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
    • The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
    • Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

    Non Fiction

    • The Blunkett Tapes by David Blunkett
    • My Life by Bill Clinton
    • My Side by David Beckham
    • Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
    • Wild Swans by Jung Chang
    • Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr
    • The Downing Street Years by Margaret Thatcher
    • I Can Make You Thin by Paul McKenna
    • Jade: My Autobiography by Jade Goody
    • Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze? by Mick O’Hare
  3. BOOK SERIES – Long and difficult books may put a stop to any of your reading attempts but consider investing your time in really good book-series. Instead of going through one really good read, why not multiply it and keep on going?
  4. READ ALOUD – Depending on your surroundings, reading aloud seems to help out in breaking the monotony of reading in silence. You can also read to your child and it surely benefits both the reader and listener.
  5. DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE – Although it’s advisable not to force ourselves upon literature that doesn’t interest us, we must fight against the scourge of reader’s block. This effort will definitely be repaid tenfold once the momentum kicks in.
  6. GET AN EREADER TO READ EBOOKS – This should be at the top of the list but the fiery debate between physical books and ebooks will never cease, hence forcing us to go with the flow. Ebook has its own advantages – reducing clutter, great features, can be read in the dark, etc. Personally, I have gotten myself into a habit of reading in the dark before bedtime and it works pretty magnificently. That’s exactly how I completed Paulo Coelho’s Alchemist. At the moment, the top 2 eReaders are Amazon Kindle and Kobo eReaders
  7. START YOUNG – It’s always a good idea to nurture habits of mind in early childhood. Read to your kids or other young children. Parents, teachers, older siblings / friends should always encourage the younger generation to adopt healthy reading habits.
  8. RESEARCH BEFORE YOU READ – If you’re exploring new titles without any references or recommendations, Goodreads and Amazon are two good sites to find good reviews. Goodreads in particular, more often than not, has book summaries in its “Community Review” section. These summaries are priceless in shining some light on what you’re about to embark upon.
  9. READ WHENEVER AND WHATEVER YOU CAN – Reading does not need to be confined to books. Mix it around – read newspapers, magazines, comics, manuals, even the back of the cereal box at the breakfast table. Challenge yourself with the crossword puzzle from your newspaper.
  10. STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN SCHOOL AND REGULAR READING – Your education comes first. Pleasure reading can be slotted in whenever you have the extra time to spare. Reading does get involved in school nonetheless, just from a totally different genre and purpose.
  11. FICTION & NON-FICTION – A very effective method of switching between genres is between fiction and non-fiction. The writing style is different and the end result is definitely something else. If you’re juggling among dozens of other genres and sub-genres, just simplify it with these two areas.
  12. YOU NEED A DIFFERENT SKILLSET TO DIGEST FICTION AND NON-FICTION – Throughout our schooling days, academic texts may cause our minds to be fixated to a specific kind of reading style and approach. To break it, we need to introduce a non-academic based book or simply venture more into fiction.
  13. DON’T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF IF YOU’RE NOT READING – Clear off your to-do lists and allocate priorities accordingly. Usually with a clear mind and peace, you’ll be able to settle down in your favorite resting area and start reading.
  14. GET OUT OF A CRIPPLING ENNUI – Ennui is the French word for boredom. In English, it is defined as “a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction”. If you’re tired or bored of everything, it’s OK to take a break from reading and start exploring other activities.
  15. PAPER CUT PHOBIA – If you’ve experienced really bad paper cuts in the past and have developed a phobia out of it, then moving to eBooks would be the best recommended solution. There’s even a term called papyrophobia – the extreme, unwarranted and irrational fear of paper.
  16. OVERLY ATTACHED PETS – Our pets demand a great deal of attention from us, sometimes creating unnecessary distraction on our daily plans. Walk them or tire them out first so that you can have a more peaceful session of reading. Or just train them to be your faithful reading companion.
  1. TRY TO AVOID THE TSUNDOKU GAMETsundoku is the art of buying books and never reading them. Difficult to resist for sure, but sometimes we just need to get our hands dirty and start reading them.
  2. IF YOU’RE A MEMBER OF THE TSUNDOKU CLUB, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT – Try to reorganize all the books / ebooks into genres in a spreadsheet (if you haven’t done so). Create additional categories such as “Must Read”, “Summer Reads”, etc. Through proper systematic organization of your books, you’ll get a clearer picture of what you currently have and the choices you can make. Calibre is a popular free ebook management tool that everyone can use to manage and read your collections.
  3. MAKE READING A DAILY HABIT – Brushing our teeth and having our meals on a daily basis are so common that they function on muscle memory. If you can get reading to be part of this muscle memory, then you’re golden!
  4. IT’S OK TO CHEAT – If you’re required to read for other reasons than pleasure, then it’s totally OK to cheat. Read summaries, infographics or reviews to know what the book is all about. Certain points might trigger an overwhelming interest and you may end up reading the whole book.
  5. Sites WITH BOOK SUMMARIES / Tools

    • Paul Minors – Popular productivity, business and self-development books.
    • Alex J. Hughes – Nonfiction.
    • Actionable Books – Business books.
    • NJLifeHacks – Nonfiction.
    • Sipreads – Actionable takeaways from the best books.
    • Sloww – Slow living, simple living, life purpose, spirituality, philosophy, psychology & more.
    • Samuel Thomas Davies – Get The Big Ideas from The Best Non-Fiction Books of All-Time
    • Nat Eliason – Summaries, notes and reviews.
    • Derek Sivers – Tiny summary but detailed notes.
    • The Art of Living – Detailed Book Summaries of Top Nonfiction Books
    • Four Minute Ebooks – Over 800 book summaries.
    • Reading Graphics – Best-selling business and personal development books.
    • Blinkist – Key takeaways from the world’s best nonfiction books in text and audio
    • Instaread – Bestselling book summaries in 15-minute audio or text segments.
    • GetAbstract – Nonfiction summaries that help you make better decisions in your business and personal life.
    • ReadItForMe – The world’s best business book summaries in 12 minutes or less.
    • Optimize – Life-changing ideas from the world’s greatest self-development books.
  6. BE AN MVP – To echo the point above, it’s apparent that some wonderful individuals have engineered their own form of summaries from their own reading adventures. You can do the same if you don’t feel like reading at the moment. Write, express, share your thoughts and importantly – be the most valuable player in the reading community.
  7. BE PATIENT AND EXPERIMENT WITH EVERYTHING – Whatever method you use to read and to continue reading, it’s imperative to be patient with the process and result. Do not be afraid to experiment with anything that comes into mind.
  8. DO YOU GET TIRED EASILY WHILE READING? – If yes, it’s time to pay your nearest optometrist for a checkup. If the eyes work harder to focus on close-up objects, they are considered farsighted. When someone who is farsighted doesn’t wear glasses, the eyes have to work harder to focus, often leading to headaches and fatigue.
  9. PICK THE BEST TIME TO READ – Depending on your schedule or habit, early mornings could be your best reading time. Some may feel that a couple of hours before bedtime would be the magical time slot for reading. Find the best time and stick with it.
  10. READ IN DIFFERENT FORMATS – Go back and forth with different book formats – physical books (hardcover / paperback), ebooks (e-reader / mobile) and audiobooks (abridged / unabridged). You can listen audiobooks with a pair of headphones or let it play out loud through your speakers. Mix it around and see if it gets you moving.
  11. READ “CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE” GAMEBOOKS – If the names Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson sound familiar to you, then you’ve “played” through their wonderful game-books. Amazingly interactive with really intense elements that keep you moving at all times. They also provide different endings depending on your choices. If you’re really stuck and have no idea what to read next, this is definitely something worth exploring.
  12. PRACTICE ACTIVE READING – Don’t just read passively.
    • Focus on the text, highlight parts that stand out, and ask yourself questions.
    • When you come across a quote, passage, or scene you like, mark it on the pages.
    • Use bookmarks and highlighters to keep track of interesting stuffs.
    • Write down notes and organize important points from the book for easier future reference.
  13. KNOW WHEN YOU’RE EXPERIENCING A BURNOUT – Take a break. Resist all you want but there’s such thing as doing too much of something.
  14. REVISIT ALL THE BOOKS YOU’VE READ – Consider the books you’ve recently completed and ask yourself if they have any common elements. From this data, formulate something that may steer you towards your next list of books to read. Find your niche.
  15. REFER TO BOOK / LITERARY AWARDS – This is a good place to start exploring if you need a fresh list of books to read. There are way too many awards to be listed here, but this is a good place to start
  16. ADAPT TO DISTRACTIONS – This point have been covered in different angles above, but being able to adapt to any form of distractions is the monumental solution to get yourself to move forward effectively. If your mobile is screaming out a dozen notifications per second, it’s time to mute it and leave it aside in a different room (assuming it’s not urgent). Plan your time well and don’t be afraid to move things around so that you have the time to read peacefully.
  1. SET YOUR PRIORITIES – Complete your existing tasks at hand, run your errands and clear off any remaining to-do stuffs and obligations. A sense of peace while reading is the ultimate environment you can create for yourself.
  2. BRIBE / REWARD YOURSELF – Depending on your situation, reward yourself with a treat, a night out at the cinema, a nice meal or anything else that will get the engine rolling. A reward can be given even with small milestones like “50 pages” or a couple of chapters.
  3. OVERCOME BOOK HANGOVERS – It’s truly difficult to find a new book to read after a heavenly, heart stopping and goose-bump inducing story. You may do further research on this book, share your thoughts online and digest other readers’ views just to pass the time and recover.
  4. FILL UP ALL THE FREE SLOTS YOU HAVEMultitask. Read while you commute. Listen to an audiobook while you’re cooking. Instead of listening to workout music, explore podcasts or short audiobooks. Different kind of genres go very well with long runs and hikes, slowly bringing in other interesting elements to the whole experience.
  5. PLAN WITH YOUR PARTNER / SPOUSE – As a special individual that spends a lot of time with you, this will help a lot if both of you can read together. You don’t necessarily need to read the same book as long as you’re doing it together. Challenge and motivate each other.
  6. ASK YOUR CRUSH, LOVED ONES OR THE PERSON YOU LOOK UP TO – Ask them to list out their favorite books. You tend to read it just to get to know the person better.
  7. WATCH THE MOVIE VERSION OF THE BOOK FIRST – If the movie / series impresses you, read the book or books. The books usually have more in-depth details and story line. Popular movies adapted from book are Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, Stephen King’s movies, Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling, etc.
  8. PLAY A GAME THAT’S BASED ON A BOOK – One of the most popular game that is based on a book is The Witcher by CD Projekt Red based on the same titled novel series The Witcher by Polish author Andrzej Sapjowski.
  9. WRITE – Writing and reading are interconnected through so many levels and ways. If you’re not in the mood to read, start writing. Start a diary or a blog. Share your thoughts on Facebook or Instagram.
  10. READING MAKES YOU A BETTER WRITER – Backed up by famous authors and agreed by large as one of the main prerequisites of being a good writer – reading is undeniably a fixed component in the equation of being a great writer. If you’re an aspiring author, try to read as much as you can.
  11. GO FOR A SHORT VACATION / WEEKEND GETAWAY – Stop worrying about work, get that well deserved rest, chill beside the beach or hike that scenic hill. Or just simply relax and read the whole day. If you’re on a 52 book per year challenge, holidays can offer an excellent time to catch up so you can free up some slots to focus on your work when your holiday ends.
  12. SIMPLICITY – Different authors have different writing styles. If you’re just starting out, choose authors that use simple and easy to understand language and writing styles.
    • Ernest Hemmingway – “He has never been known to use a word that might send the reader to the dictionary.” – William Faulking
    • John Steinbeck, O’Henry, Mark Twain, Evelyn Waugh, Kate Atkinson, Tana French, Agatha Christie and many more…
  13. CHOOSE ANOTHER ACTIVITY THAT YOU CAN FALL BACK TO – For example, play computer games if you start slacking in the reading department and vice versa. Switch accordingly.
  14. YOU MAY BE ALLERGIC TO DUST JACKETS – If you’re allergic to dust jackets, this may hamper your reading sessions. A quick allergy test or simply moving to eBooks can help with this issue.
  15. USE A BOOK SUGGESTION TOOL – Some sites for you to play around with:
  1. STURGEON’S LAW: 90% OF EVERYTHING IS CRAP – That means that 9 out of 10 books you pick up are going to be more or less unreadable. We need to manage our expectations and try not to get discouraged easily. A book that works beautifully for others may not necessarily work for you and vice versa.
  2. GET YOUR HEART PUMPING – Go for a walk, exercise, visit the gym – do whatever you can to get the blood flowing. Embrace the nature and get the mind working again. Increased blood circulation opens up to positive thoughts and increases productivity.
  3. HONOR YOUR BLOCKS – It happens for a reason. If you have reader’s block at the moment, you’ve probably read too much bad stuffs and you need to give it time to flush them out of your system.
  4. SNACK WHILE YOU READ – This is a simple idea that actually helps. Prepare a snack of your choice, some chocolates or a couple of beers – whatever you need. Let the food tickle your taste buds as the book stimulates your mind.
  5. PLAY SOME MUSIC – Set the stage and mood. Ambient based music seems to be the better choice as it doesn’t interrupt with your reading rhythm. Some readers prefer when there’s a total and complete silence. A noise-cancelling headphone should help in this department.
  6. TRY AROMATHERAPY – Stimulate all of your senses. Stimulate your sense of smell with aromatherapy, your sense of taste with some snacks, music for your ears and your vision and mind with the book you’re reading.
  7. THRASH TALK WITH SOMEONE – Let’s face it, thrash talking requires knowledge. If you lose an argument or a debate because you’re not so well versed with a certain topic, this may encourage you to read on that topic more.
  8. READ TO YOUR FANS – As streaming starts to flourish and grow at a rapid rate, you as a streamer could read on stream to your fans and followers. Not only you’re reading and providing content at the same time but you may also encourage someone else to start reading. This also works well if you have a Youtube or a podcast channel. Definitely a win-win situation.
  9. PICK A BOOK TO READ BASED ON YOUR LIFESTYLE – If you’re living on the fast lane, rushing most of the time or busy with a plethora of work and errands all the time, try not to pick up a really long book to read. Avoid War and Peace like a plague. Start modestly and build up the confidence by finishing shorter books.
  10. KIDS BOOKS – Just because some of us are adults, that doesn’t mean we can’t read children’s books. Take a trip to a more playful universe. Give it a try.
  11. DON’T READ ON AN EMPTY STOMACH – Prepare yourself to be as comfortable as possible before picking up your book. You need the energy to engage in unexpected twists and turn of events.
  12. READ QUOTES ON READING – There are many encouraging, motivational and inspiring quotes about reading. Read some of them and it might get you reading again.
  13. DONT BE A PERFECTIONIST – It’s absolutely OK if you don’t remember everything and every single detail from what you’ve just read. If you need to backtrack, feel free to do so and take your time.
  14. DON’T ALLOW BIG WORDS TO SLOW YOU DOWN – Being in the true spirit of learning, some of us tend to stop reading in order to figure out the meaning of certain words which we do not understand. If you think this process interferes with your reading rhythm, focus more on reading and less on the words. Highlight the words / phrases and revisit them later. You may pick up your dictionary only after at the end of each chapter or after reaching your reading target.
  15. BROWSE THROUGH POPULAR PASSAGES AND QUOTES – The first few sentences or pages of a book play a great deal of importance in grabbing a reader’s attention. Certain passages may even carry greater weight than the book’s title itself. You may opt for this selection method in choosing your next book to read.
  1. DONT’ KNOW WHAT TO READ? – Refer to our list of suggestions based on different topics – What to Read?
  2. DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOKS AND READ – We have a huge selection and lists of free ebooks:-
  3. UTILIZE READING TOOLS – Various tools are available at your disposal to help you out in your reading sessions:
  4. CHOOSE A BOOK BASED ON A SPECIFIC CHARACTER – Sometimes a special character will carry the whole story and make the book magically unique than the rest.
  5. PARTAKE IN BOOK QUIZZES – Change your reading gear to book related quizzes. We have prepared a few video-based quizzes. Happy guessing!
    • Guess These Authors – 1 | 2 | 3
    • How Well Do You Know Your Books – 1 | 2
  6. TRY OUT SOME READING TIPS AND TRICKS – We are resourceful beings in nature, and it’s not surprising that there are numerous tools, tips and tricks on how we can read better.
  7. ADMIRE THE LARGE VARIETY OF BOOK COVERS – Books are not only about writing and the expression of one’s imagination, but the creative gift of a designer who houses a story through a well designed cover. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.
  8. ENJOY BOOK POSTERS AS THEY ENCAPSULATE A STORY WITHIN A SINGLE IMAGE – It is true when they say that a picture is worth a thousand words. A book may have hundreds of pages, but a poster may cut that all down to one. It may not represent the whole picture, but the story’s essence is given a new breath of life within a single glance.
  9. TEST YOUR READING SPEED AND IMPROVE IT – Polish your reading skills not only in terms of speed but also on the level of effectiveness.
    • Read Speeder – Free Speed Reading Course
    • Speed Reading Test – Are you an efficient reader? What kind of reader are you? You will know in a few minutes after you have completed this free online speed reading test.
    • Free Reading Speed Test – Quickly determine your reading speed and comprehension using themed and leveled reading comprehension tests.
    • MyReadSpeed – Calculate your reading speed and show you just how easy and quickly you can read some of the best known classic books.
    • GetSpreed – Take this free speed reading test to measure your reading speed and reading compehension
    • And many more…
  10. JUST READ – You’ll never know if you’ll ever “click” with a book unless you start reading it. At its truest sense, the term “Don’t judge a book by its cover” does carry a weight in every single book you read. Ignore the cover for a second and just pick one up and start reading. Certain chapters will capture your attention and get you moving without you even knowing it.
  11. LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST – PERSEVERE – Don’t give up. The more you read, the easier it’ll get, even if you don’t want to. It’s totally worth it. Happy reading!
  12. BONUS! – THIS LIST IS AVAILABLE AS A DOWNLOADABLE EBOOK IN PDF, EPUB, MOBI & AZW3 FORMATS – If you prefer to read in certain formats or in your eReader, jump over to the download links below for the files, TOTALLY FREE.

101 Tips & Tricks to Overcome Reader's Block

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101 Tips and Tricks to Overcome Reader's Block