Redux: Reading goals for 2012

[Camy]

I know I just posted about this but I read this post by Danica Favorite and am inspired to challenge myself with new reading goals this year.

1) Read the 4 Love Inspired Suspense novels each month. I should be doing this already, but I’ve been bad about keeping up with them. I’ll usually only read two Love Inspired Suspense novels each month, and after looking at my book catalog, I realized that I’ve been reading all backlist books, not current ones. So I will be trying to read all current Love Inspired Suspense novels each month.

2) Start at least one new-to-me author each month. I copied this straight from Danica because I think it’s a fantastic idea. I also recently lamented on Facebook and Twitter that I had a ton of free ebooks on my Nook but I never seem to get around to reading them. Well, here’s my chance, because most of the free ebooks I get are new-to-me authors whose books I got for free because I wanted to try them.

3) Start at least one old book from my TBR pile each month. And let me confess, my TBR pile ranges in the thousands.

You will notice the language on numbers 2 and 3: Start, not read. Meaning, if I start a book and it doesn’t interest me, I reserve the right to not finish it and still count it toward my reading goal for the month. Aren’t I devious????

The reality is that I’m a slow reader. I’m not as slow as some, but I’m definitely not as fast as Danica and some other readers who can read a Love Inspired in an hour. (I know! Don’t you hate her???)

I don’t have the time to spend on a book that doesn’t captivate me. Some of you will gasp, but since I have so little reading time these days, because I do so much writing instead, I have to be very protective of the time I do set aside for reading.

Now, in order to accomplish these lofty reading goals, I realized today after talking with my friend Dineen Miller that I need to set small, attainable goals each week or each day.

So I will commit to at least 30 minutes of reading each day. I will set my timer and not do anything else but read. (That actually sounds heavenly to me. I have a feeling that won’t be a problem!)

If I read 30 minutes a day, that’s three and a half hours of reading each week. I can definitely finish a book in three and a half hours, depending on the book. I might even get a book and a half done each week. I think this will allow me to get 6 books done a month.

What do you think?

[Ausjenny]

I stopped reading after chocking on the reading a LI in an hour (I hate her too!!!!!!!!!!!!!) It takes me about 5 - 6 hours to read one.

I agree about the books that dont capture you.
My goal this year is to read a book from all 50 states again and I need to read about 5 different states a month so am trying to do this first then read what I want (of course review books have to be read also). Wow you are faster than me. I read at night so can sometimes get up to 2 hours a night. I try to get at least 2 books read a week and any more a bonus. some weeks are better than others just like some books are faster reads than others.
I do like your goals as they are achievable. Hey in the read a new author you may find some in the LIS list so I wouldn't discount that either. Oh alot of books I am reading are on my tbr pile.

[Camy]

Ausjenny wrote: "Hey in the read a new author you may find some in the LIS list so I wouldn't discount that either."

That's a good point! I didn't realize that! Woohoo!

That's awesome you're going to do all 50 states again! I have several friends who did states books with Barbour. Kim Sawyer, MaryLu Tyndall, Dineen Miller and Ronie Kendig do one in NY (Central Park Rendezvous), and Kimberley Woodhouse has one coming out this year, too but I don't know which state. It might be Alaska.

[Ausjenny]

oh Im ok for Alaska and Hawaii, (you could write books set in Hawaii) have to say Robin Jones Gunns under the Maui Moon took on a new feeling when I had been to some of the places she talked about.
With the seekers I cover a few states too (oklahoma and now Arizona,) I have a few Barbour books also.
You know the funniest thing last year mississippi took me til dec 30! this year I have had about 3 reviews ones I could request. (found out a couple dont come her) but I think I have one on the way already. I have read 4 books this year but no new author yet but I am dying to read Amanda Deeds book (aussie author) so that will be a new to me author. I am ready for another historical.

[Sandra]

I read a lot at night, but have no quantity goals for this year. I'm a slow reader, too. It usually takes me about 8 hours to read a 350-page book, but I love taking my time and getting into the story and characters.

[Camy]

Nothing wrong with being a slow reader. I like savoring really good books that way.

[Sharon]

Jenny, you read about the same pace I do. It takes me about six hours to read an LI. Most of what I have read this year is LI. I would love to read 3 books a week, but when I have time for two that is usually it. I am way behind on my reading challenge goal, tho. I wanted to read two books a week and I have been reading about two books a month. I think I am spending too much time on goodreads.com! But I want my church library represented here as an online catalog. It is so much fun adding books and sorting them into shelves. But that is also how I find new authors. I try to take a couple authors a day and add most of their books to my wish list. Now I am starting to "enable sorting" so I can list them in the order they were published by LI, or in series order for other publishers. Being a librarian is fun, but it does cut into my reading time somewhat. It also helps me learn about the authors and what they are writing.

[Camy]

Sharon, that's a great idea to have your church library here on Goodreads! That way people can know at a glance what you have.