🚨 A Love Letter to Slow Readers Everywhere
If you’ve ever stared at your TBR like it’s judging you… If you’ve ever reread the same paragraph three times because your brain took a detour to wonder if a hot dog counts as a sandwich (still undecided)… If you’ve ever felt like a slow reader because you don’t blaze through 30 books a month…
This one’s for you.
Here at Bookly, we know there’s no one right way to read. Fast readers, mood readers, audiobook lovers, note-takers, re-readers, page-skimmers, plot-annotators – and yes, our beautiful slow readers – all deserve to feel seen, hyped, and celebrated.
📖 From “Used to Love Reading” to Book Nerd Again
Let’s start with a round of applause for Bookly. Seriously.
This little digital regalo 🎁 was like having a tiny cheerleader in my pocket. It hyped me up when I read five pages. It tracked my progress in a way that felt fun, not forced. Bookly reminded me that reading any amount was worth celebrating – not just finishing books, but enjoying them.
Before I redownloaded Bookly and picked up a novel, I was floating in a kind of literary limbo. I used to love reading – but life happened. Somewhere between college, deadlines, neurodivergence, and doomscrolling, books went from joy to chore.
And then something in me whispered: “What if we just… tried again?”
🧠 Reading While Neurospicy: Chaos, Magic & Acceptance
As someone who’s both autistic and ADHD, reading has always been its own beautiful mess.
My brain doesn’t always play by the rules. It wants to:
- Highlight entire pages 🖍️
- Perform dramatic monologues from Chapter 7 in my living room 🗣️
- Pause mid-sentence to look up random facts 📱
- Stare at a wall for 10 minutes processing a plot twist from Chapter 3… even though I’m still on Chapter 2 😅
I am a slow reader. I forget things. I reread. I need silence and background noise at the same time (don’t ask how it works – it just does). And for a long time, I thought that meant I wasn’t a “real” reader.
Spoiler alert: That’s a lie.
💙 Bookly Helped Me Read My Way as a Slow Reader
Here’s what helped me fall in love with reading again:
- I read out loud (accents included — main character energy only)
- I act out scenes when I feel like it (Oscar-worthy, always)
- I don’t annotate unless I want to (reading isn’t homework)
- I light a candle, sip tea, and make it sacred
- I started with just 5 minutes a day, using Bookly to build the habit slowly
Now? I’m up to 30 minutes. But there’s no rush. This is my pace. My story.
🐌 5 Gentle Tips for Slow Readers
If you’re also rediscovering reading – or just want permission to go at your own pace – here are a few things that helped me as a slow reader:
1. Start small. Like… tiny.
Set a 2-minute timer. Read one page. Whatever feels doable. Reading is reading.
2. Read what sparks joy – not guilt.
That 700-page fantasy epic that made me feel like a failure? I let it go. Marie Kondo-style.
3. Romanticize your reading ritual.
Light the candle. Cue the lo-fi beats. Make reading your cozy safe space.
4. Track progress in a way that feels good.
Bookly helped me set realistic goals – not pressure-filled ones. I actually want to track now.
5. Let it be messy.
Miss a day? Or seven? The book will wait. You can always begin again.
🫶 A Final Word to My Fellow Slow Readers
To the ones who read with their fingers tracing each word… To the ones who reread, restart, or retell stories just to feel them again… To the ones who must fight their brain just to sit still and focus… To everyone who is a slow reader…
You are not broken. You are not less than. You are not “behind.” You’re just walking your own beautiful, winding, sacred reading path.
There is no right or wrong way to read. And if you fall off your plan, you can always start again. Every day. Every hour. Every breath is a new page. Reading isn’t about performing. It’s about connecting to yourself, to others, to this wild, weird world we live in.
So take your time. Read slowly. Highlight nothing. Highlight everything. Play music. Read out loud. Cry at the same line every time. Be a soft, slow, bookish rebel in a fast-paced world. Because your way of reading is valid and worthy. And it’s enough.
You belong here, exactly as you are.
💫 Ready to Embrace Your Own Reading Rhythm?
Whether you read two pages a day or two chapters a night, the most important thing is this: You’re still a reader. You’re still making progress. And your story matters – at your pace.
No matter how your reading journey looks, Bookly’s here to support it. From gentle habit tracking to cheering you on (hi, Bloo! 🐾), we’re your reading BFF every step of the way.
This reading guide was written by our Bookly Pro Reader, Robert Arnáu 💙
🔁 Want to Build a Consistent Reading Routine as a Slow Reader?
We’ve got more tips, tools, and support waiting for you on the blog:
✨ How to Start (and Stick to) a Reading Routine While Working Full-Time
Because even 5 minutes before bed absolutely counts.
⚡ How to Increase Your Reading Speed Without Burning Out
Only if you want to! (Remember: speed ≠ success.)
🧠 The Best Way to Improve Concentration While Reading
Especially helpful for neurodivergent brains, or anyone who’s easily distracted by snacks.
📱 Keep Track of Your TBR and Reading Progress With Bookly
Whether you’re re-reading your favorite comfort book or conquering a chunky fantasy epic, Bookly is here to help you:
✅ Track your books and progress
✅ Build sustainable reading habits
✅ Read at your own pace – no pressure, no judgment
✅ Celebrate every milestone (even the messy ones)
And of course, Bloo, your cuddly reading assistant, is right there to cheer you on. 🩵
👉 Download Bookly and start reading your way – slowly, softly, proudly.
