It’s inconvenient here at Alison Central to implement any New Year changes, resolutions, goals, etc. until at least January 3rd. The 1st is a do nothing holiday and the 2nd is the husband’s birthday. This year his cake was courtesy of his new stepmother; his 81 year old father was married on New Year’s Day. Since we spent the 1st in Galveston with new friends and new family and a lot of wedding food, we had to make up for lost do nothing time on the 2nd, and we did a good job. ;)
I talked about my 2010 reading in this post, but I didn’t mention my 2011 reading goals. Bottom line: I plan to read A LOT! For some twisted reason, it’s hard for me to sit and read unless everything else is done. That’s just wrong because 1) everything else is NEVER done, and 2) reading is part of my job. Stephen King says so. There will be no more guilt about leaving the floor unswept or the dishes in the sink or the laundry waiting to be done while I get in a few chapters. So there, guilty conscious!
A book a week is the plan. That’s twice what I read in 2010 and is totally doable. ;)
Now about what I plan to read … This is my only true resolution. There is NO NEW BOOK BUYING ALLOWED until I get through some of what I have. Downloading samples is permitted but no clicking to buy. My Kindle app is loaded with hundreds of books: freebies, auto-buys, impulse purchases, and digital copies I’ve bought to replace unread print books. I’m in the process of converting to an all digital library and am only keeping print books that aren’t available electronically. For me, it’s a vision / accessibility thing. Reading print has become an effort and I’m only willing to make it when a must read can’t be had any other way.
So I’m issuing myself a 2011 reading challenge: I have to read ten books from the TBR pile before I can buy another. Freebie downloads are allowed but even those need to be curtailed. Seriously. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean it’s worth the download!
As to what I’ll be reading: I love all the reading challenges posted around the web but never remember to participate when I sign up. I’m doing my own challenge instead, combining concepts from several I’ve seen, and only challenging myself, heh (though anyone who wants to play along with any or all of my guidelines is welcome).
Apart from the above buying freeze (and I’d never challenge anyone else to that insanity), here is my challenge:
1) 1 new to me author each month (and I have plenty to choose from)
2) 4 genres / sub-genres each month (to help avoid ruts)
3) 4 release years each month (to help cull older books)
Additionally I will aim for:
4) 1 book from glommed author (and I have many)
5) 1 book from unfinished pile (until that pile’s depleted)
6) alternate male and female authors (since I gravitate to male)
The goal here is to stop spending money when I have enough books to last a lifetime! If I finish the four books with time to spare, I can indulge in anything I want!
Anyone want to play along? With all or part?
UPDATED TO ADD:
Here are my four books for January:
Secrets to the Grave
Play Dead
The Spiritualist
The Name of the Wind
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Great challenge and one I should be a part of! I need to stop buying books and actually read what I buy! My TBR is out of control and my usual “turns a blind eye” hubby is starting to comment about my books! He even suggested I donate a bunch of them……told him I had a few I could donate but he best not touch my books in an effort to help out!
I tend to stick to my “comfort” authors/genres and I would love to challenge myself to read some new things by new authors!!
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My hubby opened his birthday Kindle, which was still registered to my Amazon account, to find his shelves filled with 500+ books, heh. He gave me an evil eye, then I deregistered him. So, yes, this is all about reading what I have!
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If he ever figured out how to get into my ebooks on my laptop, desktop and my eReader he would have a stroke! LOL It’s bad enough he can see my print books!
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I hear you! LOL!
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I’ll join you, not that I need to read more (read 75 and started 2 others in 2010) but I do want to read more widely than I have the last couple years.
1) 1 new to me author each month (and I have plenty to choose from) — amen to that!
2) 4 genres / sub-genres each month (to help avoid ruts) — I’m going to add that at least one book each month must be non-fiction and/or writing related
3) 4 release years each month (to help cull older books) — not sure I need to do this but will have to look over my TBR pile
4) 1 book from glommed author (and I have many) — not sure what a glommed author is, LOL
5) 1 book from unfinished pile (until that pile’s depleted) — only have 2
6) alternate male and female authors (since I gravitate to male) — I’m going to say at least one male author per month
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Sherri – A glommed author is someone whose books you’ve bought a bunch of after reading one or two that you love. I’m not sure where the word “glom” originated, but I think with AAR. So I have like 10 Lee Child books, and I keep reading other things instead!
I had thought about making one book non-fiction, but my head wants make believe, so good for you on that!
I’ll put up a post at the end of the month where anyone playing along can report in!
And yay on the 75 books!
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Good to know…thanks Alison. So glommed author books won’t apply to me as I only ever buy one or two of a single author at a time.
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Good Luck!
Not buying until I’ve read some of my stash has been a resolution I’ve consistently failed with for nearly a decade now :)
On the plus side, I am becoming more selective of what I buy …
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LOL, Heather. Downloading samples has really saved my bacon. In the past, I just bought without test driving!
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The goal here is to stop spending money when I have enough books to last a lifetime! If I finish the four books with time to spare, I can indulge in anything I want!
Anyone want to play along? With all or part?
Can I just giggle at your efforts? ;)
Seriously, it’s a good idea, and since I now have two reading devices, I seem to be heading in the same direction. One thing I’ve learned, though; glomming samples off Amazon is a wonderful method of retail therapy that doesn’t break the bank.
I seriously do need to read more — and I’m afraid I might well be at the point where I have enough books in the house to last the next five years or so (so we are at least prepared for the inevitable zombie apocalypse).
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LOL, well, these efforts are WAY more doable than the ones I set last year. And I totally agree that samples have saved my bank account!