1. Read more books. - Simple, right? Considering the amount of books I read last year, it sure should be. I think there are monkeys that are more well-read than last-year-Megan. I'm not sure I'm still fit to even call myself a book blogger. But that's enough self-derision - I want to read more book (For fun, not to avoid public or self-shaming. Really)
2. Acquire fewer books. - Well, the paper kind at least. I just got my Kindle for Christmas, so I'll probably give myself a little "honeymoon" before I ban myself from cheap e-books. The point is, the house is on the verge of collapse, and it'll probably take me until my mid-70s to read all the books I have in the house right now. Even if I never acquire another one. Which is unlikely. Which brings us to...
3. Get rid of more books. - I hate to do it, but I probably need to do at least one more great bookshelf cull wherein I try to grasp the reality of the books I am likely to read at some point and the books that I'm probably not.
4. Embrace the DNF. - I think I did a much better job of this last year, which may be part of the reason why my reading totals are a pretty down. I put a little time into a bunch of books that I ultimately decided not to finish. Good for my groaning bookshelves, not so great for enjoying reading. Nonetheless, I need to continue to be (even more?) ruthless about not finishing books I'm not invested in.
5. Read more YA. - I really fell off the YA wagon last year for some reason, which is a serious shame considering how much I enjoy it, not to mention the pleasure of reading something that's good and reads fast. I've already loaded a bunch of juicy YA onto aforementioned Kindle in support of this resolution.
6. Read more books that I've had for a long time. - There are some books on my shelves that have easily been there for a decade. It's time I got around to some of those. I know there are some really good books there, but I'm always getting distracted by the shiny new things.
7. Review every book I read. - This is always an unspoken goal of mine that I never quite achieve. If not review every book I read, then at least casually comment (on blog) on every book I read. ;-)
8. Keep up with my reviews. - I'm a raging procrastinator. Always have been. It would be so nice to get to the end of the year next year and not be like 5-10 reviews behind.
9. Rein in the review copies. - I'm always biting off way more than I can chew when it comes to review copies (see "distracted by shiny new things") until I make myself miserable because reading's become work. I gotta "just say no" a lot more this year.
10. Read the whole Bible. - This is something I've meant to do for years. I know some parts of the Bible inside and out, but others I haven't even read once. I'd love to finally be able to read it through completely at least once. I'm told it only takes 3 or 4 chapters a day to do it. Should be manageable but I always seem to wander off around Leviticus. Maybe this year?
Do you have any "reading resolutions" this year?
I could almost copy and paste this post to have my goals for the year.
ReplyDeleteThose are some great goals! Maybe if you don't have to read Leviticus straight through? I know some "plans" have you reading each day from OT, NT and poetry, or somesuch. (Also, sorry I'm such a slacker.)
ReplyDeleteGreat list of goals! I tend to get distracted by th shiny new books too, so need to show my TBR piles some love instead. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy husband keeps talking about how he needs to read The Kite Runner, since his aunt got him and his siblings copies for Christmas the year it came out. Every Christmas he says it and every year, he doesn't. I should dig it out and sit it out in a prominent place. He needs to read stuff that was written post 1970 (seriously, he loves books that were written in the lat 50s and 60s)
ReplyDeleteGreat goals. I think 7&8 go together. I procrastinate the reviewing portion in favor of reading more, but its easier to review if I just do it while the book is fresh.
ReplyDeleteI totally need to embrace the DNF as well. It's just so hard with Kindle books, because I can't give them back.
ReplyDeleteI would really like to do 7, and 10! Those are great goals! :) Good luck on them! :)
ReplyDeleteMy Goals for 2013
What I'm Waiting on This Wednesday
Great goals, Megan! I'm avoiding the "read more" goal this year. I'll be happy just to be able to read! I'm with you on #2 and #3. I have way too many books, and I'd really like to be better about giving away books as I read them.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have somehow gotten so. much. better. at #2 last year. And it's odd, I didn't put a lot of effort into it. Odder because of all those years before it when I was trying so hard to slow the acquisitions and I never could! Something just clicked this past year. Maybe it will happen for you too when you reach my advanced age. :P
ReplyDeletelike Kathy, I could cut and paste many of these - especially reading older books, buying fewer books and exerting control with the ARCs! Here's to a great 2013!
ReplyDeleteYou have some great goals. Of course you're a book blogger. You're one of my favorites. ;-)
ReplyDelete