- Read more than last year. My goal for 2012 was to read 100 books, and I failed miserably. This year I'm aiming for 75, but I'd like to at least read 52 - one per week, and one more than last year.
- Blog regularly. The first half of last year was taken up with wedding planning and then the actual wedding, and then it was hard to get back into a good blogging rhythm. But I feel like I'm off to a good start this year, and plan on posting at least five times a weak, as I did when I first began my blog.
- Stay up-to-date with reviews. A big problem with my blogging last year was getting behind on reviews. At one stage I was nine books behind! It created unnecessary stress and made it harder to actually write the reviews when I finally got around to it. This year I intend to write reviews on the day I finish the book. So far, so good!
- Ignore the drama. I feel like 2012 was the Year of the Drama Llama in the book blogging community. I've made a conscious decision to step back and ignore it all (although hopefully it doesn't happen this year!). It just sucks the fun out of blogging.
- Read more classics. Back in my uni days, the classics took up the majority of the books I read. Some of it was for my English Literature major, but a lot of it was just for fun. When I started working full time I had much less time on my hands and found myself drawn to quick and easy reads. Now I want to get back into reading the classics, so I'm aiming to read at least six this year. That's only one every couple of months - I think I can do that!
- Finish all of my challenges. I signed up for waaay too many challenges in 2012 and failed most of them. This year I'm only doing four and I intend to complete them all. That means reading at least 12 Aussie books for one challenge, 10 by Australian women writers for another (obviously these will overlap), knocking at least 36 books off my TBR pile, and, as stated above, reading 75 books in total.
- Buy less books. I have a bit of a book buying addiction. There was one stage last year where I was getting packages nearly every day, and half the time I couldn't even remember what I'd ordered. Indeed, I ended up ordering multiple copies of a couple of things! This year I need to make sure I read the books I already own and...
- Use the library more (and get books back on time). I finally joined my local library last year after living in the area for four years. I used it quite a bit at first but then I racked up some heavy fines and have been too chicken to go back since. I need to square off my debts and get back into it. That, or sign the husband up for a card and use his. Mwahaha.
- Read books I've been meaning to get to for ages. Like those in last week's Top Ten.
- Reread some of my favourites. I've only reread one book since starting my blog, because I'm inundated with new books I want to read all the time, but I really miss revisiting some of my favourites - like Jane Austen, for instance. I've also been contemplating reading some of my childhood faves, like The Babysitter's Club, but I think that would be a bigger project that I need to plan out and right now I'm just concentrating on getting my blogging mojo back.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Sounds like a good plan
ReplyDeleteLet's hope I can achieve it :D
DeleteGreat reading goals, good luck with them! =) I really like the look of your blog. So neat and your background is so neat!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of the same goals so I'll be working on them right along with you.
Thanks Rowena! Good luck with your goals too
DeleteI hear you on the rereads. Since starting the blog I've barely reread anything because I feel like I should be reading things I can blog about. It means I'm missing some of my favourite books so it's one of my top goals this year.
ReplyDeleteI might blog about my rereads anyway, because I haven't actually reread them since I started the blog. We'll see ;)
Delete52 books would be very impressive!
ReplyDeleteFinger crossed I make it!
DeleteI'm nodding along to most of these, I'm aiming to do the same things with my blog (post more regularly, read more classics etc.) - Good luck! :D
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you too! :D
DeleteAll these are my goals too aside from 5 and 8. 5 since I dont really like classics,and only read them for school reports. And 8 since we don't have libraries in the Philippines. Happy 2013, and good luck with allyour goals! :D
ReplyDeleteMy Bookish/Blogger Goals
There's no libraries in the Phillippines?! My mind is blown.
DeleteCongratulations on the wedding. Love that photo, too. I sorta feel that way a lot, lately. Luckily I missed the drama so all is good. Great goals for the new year. Have a great year.
ReplyDeleteNice list! A few of mine include finishing a series I started and trying to read 50 books!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteGreat goals!I'm doing four reading challenges as well, I hope I can finish them. Good luck with completing everything on your list!
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten.
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ReplyDeleteGreat goals! I especially dig the re-reading classics/childhood favs. I'd love to do that! It might even be fun (if you have the time) to do like a flashback week or something where you reminisce/review some of those old books.
ReplyDeleteGoals are hard for me because I constantly compare myself to everyone else (like the # of books read in a year-- how the hell does someone read 100+?!). I really need to take a chill pill. If I don't have the time, then I don't want to push myself to try something that's unattainable. Then you're just setting yourself up for failure and all sorts of bad feelings. My goals this year consist of catching up on books that got lost in the shuffle and just focus on what's right for ME.
That's a great idea, thanks Nikki.
DeleteI know exactly what you mean, I do that too. I see people who read 100s of books and feel terrible. But I really shouldn't do that and like you say, focus on what's right for me..
Wow! Those are some very lofty goals. Alas, I am such a slow reader, I would be very happy to read 2-3 books a month. So maybe my bookish goal will be to read 36 new books with at least 5 classics.
ReplyDeleteI do bow in your presence however for you are truly a better reader than I. (You go girl!) :)
That's a great goal! I don't think there's such a thing as a better reader. Everyone has their own pace. I know I wish I could read faster!
DeleteGreat goals. Much better than mine. I just want to survive 2013. :D
ReplyDeletebtw, congraties on the wedding! :)
Thanks Melissa! Well, that's an important goal too ;)
DeleteI like your list.
ReplyDeleteAmen on less drama and staying up to date.
Thanks Juju :)
DeleteI joined a classics challenge because I've read so few! I hope to get to at least 10 this year. I also joined a Kindle challenge so I can overlap it with all the free classics I've downloaded and haven't read yet!
ReplyDeleteI have only ever read one Australian author, Geraldine Brooks, and I love her! She has two books I haven't got around to reading yet (March and Caleb's Crossing) I plan to get around to them soon, but I don't own them and pledged to not buy any new books for 2013 (I don't think that will happen though). My favorite book of hers is People Of The Book it's based mostly in Bosnia and Australia, but minor parts are based all around the world including Boston, The Middle East, and Africa.
That's a great idea. I downloaded heaps of classics on my kindle too and I haven't read any yet.
DeleteI haven't actually read Geraldine Brooks! I have People of the Book but I haven't read it yet. Maybe this year!
Oh goodness. My goal was 100 books last year, and I failed, too. I read 108 the year before so I feel extra sore. I managed to reach 90 on Goodreads, but at least 20 of those are novellas or short stories, so I seriously don't think they count :P
ReplyDeleteAnd up to date with reviews! I think this is the one thing I'm actually decent at. I write my review when I finish the book, before I start the next one, every. time. But it's only because I've trained myself to do it. The same as I can't sleep until I wash my face and brush my teeth. I forget everything about the book otherwise. I'm a bit OCD?
As for everything else? YES YES YES. I have this terrible habit of buying Kindle books and not keeping track of what I spend, so it gets even worse.
"This year I need to make sure I read the books I already own."
Uh, YES.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO RE-READ SAVING FRANCESCA? I want to read this! It's my one of my best friend's favorite books. As in, I have two best friends, and one of them, Kristin, SF is her favorite book. I NEED TO READ IT!
And... holy crap. I'm stopping myself here. This comment is turning into an essay. SORRY! Your list is kind of inspiring ^__^
If Goodreads counts them I say the count ;)
DeleteWhen I first started blogging I was really good at reviewing as soon as I finished a book, but last year I got off track. Totally going to stay on track this year, I hope!
When I read SF last year it was actually a reread. I loved it so much more the second time around. It is an awesome book, as is everything else by Marchetta.
And thank you for the compliment. Long comments rock :D
Woo-hoo for 9 & 10! I actually need to re-read some of my favorites because I realized that I haven't reviewed them on my blog yet! And that seems crazy. Plus, it gives me an excuse to re-read them so I don't feel too guilty for re-reading something I've already reviewed.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your goals :)
That's a good way to look at it.
DeleteBUY LESS is one of my main goals as well!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm always down for ignoring the drama ;)
I should have put stay up-to-date on reviews as one of my official goals since it's something I'm trying to work on. I think I'm 10+ behind right now (and that's after writing 7 the other night...sigh...lol).
Wow - good luck catching up!
DeleteYES on ignore the drama. If I have one goal this year, that is it! It's so easy to get wrapped up in what is going on and then if you do that, you fall behind on EVERYTHING. Blogging, reading, real life. It is ridiculous and not worth it. I wish you luck with this, and hopefully we can both be successful at it.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. This blog and Goodreads are supposed to be my happy place, and for a good part of last year it didn't feel that way. This year has to be different.
DeleteI completely agree with you on these goals! I know I a banded my blogging for a while last year and I really want to be more regular with my posts. And I need to start reading some classics.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and happy new year!
Thank you! The same to you :)
Delete