As a writer, I’m always on the lookout for new blog material. For instance, my son, Andrew, recently asked me what I thought about the latest CDC guidelines for masks and vaccinated people. (I could seriously write an entire blog post about this). We had a good conversation about what to do and where to go from here. It was one of those parenting moments that made me smile. And then I thought, “Wow, this would make a good blog post!”
But then I remembered that I made the conscious decision to write about reading during this month-long blog challenge. I’ll be honest. It hasn’t been easy. However, I set this goal for myself and plan to see it through.
Speaking of goals, I set three reading goals for myself this year.
The Goodreads 2021 Reading Challenge – Since 2014, I have a set number of books I plan to read in a given year. Some years I’ve met my goal, and others not so much. In 2020, thanks to the pandemic, I read 20 books in 2020. To see if I can top that, I set a goal of 21 books in 2021. So far, I am on track, having read seven books to date.
The Unread Shelf Challenge – One of my goals is to curb my prolific book-buying habit and read the books I already own. It has been 18 days since I bought or borrowed a new book, and I’m quite proud of myself. I have read two books from my shelf so far. This week, I am on vacation, and usually, I would plan a visit to a bookstore. But, I plan to read my books instead of shopping for more. I am determined to cross the finish line on this particular goal, but come June 1st – I can’t make any promises.
The third goal is personal to me. Thankfully, it required no logins, memberships, websites, Facebook groups, etc. My third goal is to read books that make me smile. I want a real page-turner that tells me I can’t possibly make dinner until I finish the next chapter.
What goals can you set for your reading life? Here are a few ideas for you.
- For the non-reader who wants to start reading again, join a book club.
- For the avid reader, make a list of books you want to dive into this summer.
- For the person who doesn’t have a lot of free time, pick a short book.
- For the person who has lots of free time, turn off Netflix and pick up a book.
- For the person who has a long commute, download Audible, and listen to books while driving to work.
- For the person in a reading slump, pick a new genre. If you are a romance reader, try a mystery instead.
Okay, your turn. What is your reading goal?
My reading life hasn’t always been ideal. The books I was forced to read in middle school could have easily turned me off to books altogether. For instance, when my seventh-grade reading teacher assigned us “The Red Pony” by John Steinbeck, it was pure torture. The endless discussions about allegory and symbolism put me right to sleep. And the fact that my teacher had a thick, British accent and a soft-spoken manner made it even worse.
It’s been one of those Sundays where I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it. One of the things I had hoped to cross off my to-do list was to set up my affiliate bookstore with Bookshop.org. I thought it would be an excellent way to monetize my blog, and I love that they support independent bookstores. But, easier said than done. After a few hours of trying to upload my book list, the website incredibly uncooperative. And the Help section was not helpful in the least. So instead of the intended booklist, I am giving us both a gift today.