At the end of each year, I set a reading goal for the following year. It is, in fact, the only New Years resolution I make, believing that if I want to make a life change I should do it now; waiting for the New Year is not going to help that change stick. (My husband is now mocking me and my continuous promise to once again give up refined sugar . . . "after the New Year.")
My goal for 2013 was to read 52 books in the year. I hit my goal--barely. But in looking back at my Goodreads book montage, I noticed a lot of fluff books that I enjoyed at the time but did not stick with me. To be sure, there is a time and a place for fluff books. I had a new baby in January 2013 and went back to a crazy work schedule in July of 2013, so fluff was exactly what I needed this year.
But going into 2014 I have a new goal: quality over quantity. You know the books I am talking about. The ones that may take a few weeks or even a month to get through. The ones you think about when you are not reading them. And when the book ends, you feel as if you have made a new friend. Books like The Book Thief, Empire Falls, and A Prayer for Owen Meany come to mind.
So this year, on by Goodreads goals list, I am going to make a list of books I want to read in 2014. I will add 12 to that number (to account for the book club picks) and that will be my numerical goal for the year. Granted, I will still read some fluff (I still need to read Allegient, and the new Debra Geary book, of course), but my focus will be on more reputationally sound books.
And to make things interesting, I have a second goal for 2014: every other book I read has to be a paper book rather than on my beautiful, lovely new Kindle Paperwhite. The merits of Kindle reading versus paper reading can fill a separate post, but suffice to say, there is a place for both in my life and I want to embrace that this year. The biggest factor in my decision is my 3-year old daughter, who gets very excited when she sees me reading a "real" book and comes to join me. A Kindle is just another device to her, but a book is a book. Going into the early reading years with her there is no better way to set an example than through good old paper and ink.
What are your 2014 reading goals?
~WMc
I agree completely. I, too, read 52 books this year. Never again. Reading became more about reaching the goal than about enjoying the book. My goal next year is 15. Like you, 12 for book club, and three more. Though I'll probably reach my goal around March or April, I really want to avoid the end of year pressure of finishing books before time is up. I also want to avoid intentionally choosing to read solely because of page length.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Happy New Year, and happy reading!
I just committed to a nice, normal 20 books for 2014. We can celebrate in April after we hit our goals...you know we won't be able to stay away from quick-read fluff all year.
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