Why I’m Not Reading Fiction Right Now (And That’s Okay)

For a long time, I felt like I should be reading fiction. It felt like something good, something enriching, something I used to love. But lately, every time I try to pick up a novel, I feel this resistance—like I’m being asked to carry someone else’s emotional world when I’m already full with my own.

As a highly sensitive person, reading fiction isn’t always relaxing. I find myself working hard to keep track of the plot, remember small details, and carry all the emotions the author is weaving together. Sometimes that feels beautiful. Right now, it feels heavy.

Instead, I’ve been drawn to quiet, real-life voices—simple living YouTube videos, podcasts about intentional choices, reflections from other single women carving their own paths. There’s something grounding about hearing someone speak softly about what really matters to them. I don’t have to analyze, perform, or keep up. I can just be.

Maybe fiction will return when I have more room for it. Maybe not. But for now, I’m honoring the season I’m in, and that feels right.

I used to feel guilty about this shift, like I was somehow failing as a reader or missing out on something important. But I’m learning that not every season of life is meant to be filled with plot twists and character arcs. Some seasons are quieter—more about noticing the sunlight on the floor, the sound of my daughter’s laughter, the peace in a clean kitchen at the end of the day.

In this season, I’m drawn to simplicity. Not just in what I consume, but in how I live. I don’t want to get lost in a fictional world right now. I want to be present in my real one. I want to feel the rhythm of my days, the softness of slowing down, the beauty of making space for what matters.

So if you’re finding it hard to read fiction right now too—if you’re not watching the shows everyone’s talking about, if your stack of books is collecting dust—I just want you to know: that’s okay. Your attention is not broken. Your heart is just tuned to a different frequency for now.

And that, too, is part of the story.