How Manga “Cured” My Reader’s Block

I’ve just increased my Goodreads 2022 Reading Challenge for the 2nd time this year.

It’s rare for me to achieve my reading goals (see Reading Challenge Guilt for more context), so I’ve only increased this year’s goal by five each time so as to not overestimate my capabilities as I usually do. But at the rate I’m going, I may need to increase my goal another four or five times before the end of the year.

What brought about this drastic difference in my reading habits?

Well, it could be because I spend less time writing now that I’ve completed a full draft of my fantasy witch novel and have started querying it to agents; however, I think one of the biggest contributors has been what I’ve been reading.

Out of the 22 books I’ve read so far this year, 17 of them were manga.

Over the years, I’ve collected a few volumes of manga based on my favorite anime but have mostly “avoided” manga due to the necessity of buying upwards of 10+ volumes to enjoy the full scope of the story. It wasn’t until I got a hand-me-down iPad around Christmas 2021 that my exploration into the world of manga truly began.

My husband and crowding bookshelves weren’t happy with all the books I’d been buying (and subsequently not reading), so in spite of my preference for physical books, I decided to finally give ebooks a try. In the midst of this transition, I found the selection of free ebooks available to Amazon Prime members via Prime Reading (not sponsored).

While scrolling through the plethora of ebooks at my disposal, I discovered the beautiful, sensual masterpiece of a manga series that is You’re My Pet.

(My favorite cover and volume)

I’ll let the description speak for itself, but if you’re a sucker for drama-filled romances and stunning artwork, then this is a must-read for you. Although I will give a trigger warning that there are some not-so PC parts involving alleged sexual assault around Vol. 8 that I tolerated/looked past knowing this was a common trope used back in the early 2000s when this series was published.

Despite its few shortcomings, I quickly became immersed in the series, reading all 14 volumes in the span of 4 months, and my love for reading flourished to a frenzy that I hadn’t experienced since middle school.

This frenzy also led me back to the library for the first time in a few years. I’ve gone about every other week for the past couple of months now, checking out several novels and, of course, manga.

I think the biggest way manga has helped me combat my reader’s block is by increasing my overall satisfaction with reading.

The stories themself have been captivating, but the low page count, plus the illustrations, means I can easily start and finish a volume in an hour or two. And finishing a book, no matter the length, gives me a major dopamine boost, which has helped reinforce a habit of reading regularly.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve still had times this year where I’ve gone a week or two without even picking up a book, but now more than ever, my body and mind crave the self-satisfaction reading gives me, making it easier to find my way back to that unfinished novel or manga volume.

What helps you overcome reader’s block? And if you read manga, what’s you’re favorite series?

Happy Reading!

C. R. Pigg

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P.S. If you’re looking for more book/manga recommendations, here are three of my favorites I’ve read this year.