I started the year by setting a reading goal on Goodreads. There was more than one reason for doing it. I do think of myself as a reader. It was a way to remind myself to read. I also love making lists. Lists of things to do, packing lists, lists of shows and movies I’ve watched, lists of books I’ve read. I figured setting a goal would make me more likely to log into Goodreads and record my accomplishments. I’m happy to say that I just finished book 23 and have already started number 24. My year-goal of averaging two books a month should be complete before September is out.
Ways to Get and Stay Motivated
Saying you’re going to read two books a month is easy enough. But actually, doing it can be challenging. So how did I work towards my goal? Well, I thought about my mental and physical roadblocks.
Sometimes I want to immerse myself in a whole world but am too mentally exhausted, and focusing can be difficult. An easy way to fulfill escapist moods is to watch TV or films. But that doesn’t help achieve reading goals. So yes, audiobooks can help. If you listen to podcasts without distraction, you can do the same with an audiobook. When trying to rest my mind before bed, listening to a book can help.
Oh, you’re not into audiobooks? Well, they’re not always my favorite either. Find a genre designed to hook you. A cozy mystery by Agatha Christie with a vocal talent such as David Suchet might be your winning combination. Check out this sample of The Mysterious Affair at Styles, and you’ll see what I mean.
Maybe you want to read the book but not by yourself. I get it. In that case, I have a suggestion that you can try in two ways. Find a book club. You can find dozens through Goodreads, Facebook groups, or even celebrities. Or you can find one at your local library. I don’t enjoy discussing a book by typing in a forum. Because of this, I found a book club at my library. Lots of libraries offer more than one type of group. I genuinely enjoy reading classic books with others. Fortunately, my local library has a chapter of the Great Books Foundation. The organization focuses on significant works in the Western tradition. But there is some leeway. So, my chapter has, occasionally, included other notable works. And the great thing about a library book club is that you can always opt-out one month and join back in later.
There’s one more option. You want to read a book outside your party of one, but you still want it to be intimate. You may have a friend who loves to read and also wants to read more. Become Book Buddies. I’ve been doing this for almost a year now. A close friend, who doesn’t live close by, and I take turns choosing books to read together. We section the book into halves, thirds, or quarters and then chat once-a-week on the phone. And honestly, I’ve discovered new authors and come to appreciate books I would have dismissed as blah. So yeah, we talk about the books, but we also have a weekly coffee date to chat and stay aware of each other’s lives. It’s a win-win.
What I’ve Realized from My (almost) 24 Books
Reading fiction or non-fiction will give you a gateway to worlds and viewpoints you would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience intimately. But I’m talking about what I’ve realized I like, don’t like, and what I miss.
As I said, I do love the classics, but I also like reading breezy books. So, the aforementioned cozy mystery or chic-lit. And I enjoy central female characters that are complex. Do you know what I don’t like? Never-ending To-Be-Read (TBR) lists. I find them overwhelming. I love reading the It Book of the season, but then I never have time to read other things. Some of these popular books have captivated my attention. But several have left me, if not underwhelmed, then indifferent. And I miss reading sci-fi. I want to find books like the ones I loved as a child, but at my current reading level.
So, I’m thinking of trying something new. I’m keeping my TBR succinct. The first four or five books that come to mind I can add to my list for the month or the quarter, and then I’ll work my way through them. Yeah, I can change my mind along the way, but I don’t want to be choosing from an infinite Netflix cue of books where I read the synopsis, figure out the page count, and then still have no idea which to pick.
As I’m about to finish book 24 and get ready to read book 25, I’m going to choose books for the remainder of the year by authors or from genres I’ve thoroughly enjoyed in the past. Here’s to reading Kamila Shamsie and Kurt Vonnegut and Jodi Picoult again. And to my, dust collecting, copies of Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck. Here’s to reading more than just short stories by Asimov. And speaking of short stories, I can revisit my first literary love with The Roald Dahl Omnibus – written for my current reading level a go.
Did you set a reading challenge this year? How far are you from achieving your goal? Be sure to comment down below!
