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TSS: 2013 Reading Goals

tssbadge12012 was not my greatest reading year in purely numerical terms; in fact, it was my slowest reading year since I started blogging. I completed a total of 138 books, the lowest number since 2006. There are a few reasons for this. The primary one is really that a friend gave me a computer, which I’ve since upgraded almost entirely, and I’ve been spending a lot more time since April playing various games on my own and with others, rather than reading and reviewing as I thought I would. I also started to spend some regular time with friends and my husband and I had stretches of time where we watched a lot of episodes of TV shows at once (namely How I Met Your Mother and Babylon 5). I’m not disappointed by this, but it’s strange not to approach 200 books for the first time in so long!

This is also the first year that speculative fiction – science fiction and fantasy – have outweighed historical fiction and romance since I started keeping track of genres, with 56 of the former and 50 of the latter. I’ve known and said for a long while now that I’ve been moving away from historical fiction, and the numbers are finally showing those feelings to be correct. I read a lot of urban fantasy this year and I’m getting more and more interested in science fiction at last.

Like last year, I haven’t borrowed any books from the library; the two books that I did read which were borrowed were from my mother and someone at work (I refused to purchase Fifty Shades of Grey). I’ve been working full-time all year and am now very comfortable buying whatever I feel like reading at any given time, within reason obviously, and I’d rather buy a book than pay a library fine. I also read nearly 62% of my own books, which is a higher number than since I started getting review copies. I stuck with my high percentage of female authors, around 68% this year.

If I’m disappointed by anything, it’s the low number of non-fiction books I read, just 18. That was one of last year’s goals and one that I spectacularly failed. Despite loving most history that I read, I seem to regularly decide that I don’t have the brain power for it and leave it to the side.

So! What would I like to accomplish with this year of reading?

  1. Read more non-fiction. Surprise, surprise – rather than letting these collect dust on bookshelves, as they have this year, I’d like to actually start making progress with history. I’m going to start with an aim of reading 20 books, to at least go over this year’s 18, but more would be brilliant.
  2. Read older books. This is another goal from last year that completely languished. I read 35 books that I got before 2012 in that year. Only 7 of those, however, were acquired before 2011, and in reality, I acquired well over half of my unread book collection before 2011, so I’m basically not touching those books at all. I don’t want that to continue. I’d like to set a goal of reading at least 1 book acquired before 2011 every month. Small, but progress.
  3. Be prompter at reviewing. I read less now, so I don’t have much excuse when my to-be-reviewed pile starts to stack up. I’m going to aim to review at least two books I read a week, which is close-ish to how many I read in total, and I won’t stress about which books I do and don’t review (unless they are review copies, of course). If it’s an urban fantasy series, I’ll probably continue not to review books after the first in the series, for example. I’m okay with reading even fewer books if I can get better with my blogging again.

Otherwise, I’m going to stick to what I’ve been doing, reading mostly my own books but keeping relatively up-to-date with my review copies. I’m happy with the quality and the variety of what I’ve been reading.

My non-reading goal is actually to get into the habit of writing fiction every day. I’ve set a goal of 500 words a day, and we’ll see how I do with sticking to that. I’m not trying to get anywhere with it, not yet, just trying to condition myself to actually do it.

What are your reading goals for 2013?

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9 comments to TSS: 2013 Reading Goals

  • 18 nonfiction? That’s better than I did at…I think…one: Bossypants by Tina Fey. I really wanted to read more nonfiction, but I just have to accept the fact I like fiction more than nonfiction.

    As for not borrowing a book from a library, as a library assistant, I am dismayed to hear that. :) I get most of my books, whether in e-book or physically, from libraries. The good thing about the e-books is that they can’t go overdue. They just expire. However, I don’t have to worry about the physical ones either since I work at the library out of which I take them. If I had to pay fines, though, I’d rather they go to the library than having to buy another book. I guess I just prefer free books over having to pay for books.
    Bryan´s last post …Books on the back burner for lack of concentration

  • I think I’m going to start committing late-in-series books to more mini reviews. It’s so hard to review those books without giving everything away.
    Beth F´s last post …Weekend Cooking: A Look at My Cookbook Shelves

  • Good luck with your goals. I can’t even get things together enough to set any.
    bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last post …Review: The Art Forger

  • Good luck with everything, especially writing fiction! It would be awesome to come across a book by you one day :D I know what you mean about not reviewing books in a series after the first – these days I do the same, or I just wait and do a review of the whole series.
    Ana @ things mean a lot´s last post …Thoughts on my first month in public libraries

  • I have kept my goals for this year nice and simple. I want to continue adding more non-fiction to my reading, plus I would like to make more time for re-reads.
    Good luck with all your goals!
    jessicabookworm´s last post …New Read: Trusting God

  • Reviewing a series is difficult, because you want to talk about it but avoiding spoilers becomes impossible. Best of luck and also for your writing. 500 words is a good goal to set as a starting point.
    Charlie´s last post …Winter Holiday 2012: Canary Wharf

  • I had a quiet reading year, too… On the one hand it makes me sad, but on the other hand I enjoyed the other things I did, too…
    Kailana´s last post …Televenge by Pamela King Cable

  • Fiction writing :) So exciting!
    Bookgazing´s last post …Draft Hugo Ballot – 2013

  • Susie

    I work at a small public library in rural Oregon. We have no fines for overdue items. I love it. It makes checking out library books so easy and friendly. It is a drag though when people take advantage of that policy and keep things until — forever. We do have a conscience jar and it is very evident that most people feel guilty for bring back books and other items late. It’s too bad your local library isn’t as “user friendly” because then just think how many more users it would have. In terms of reading goals, for myself, I lowered my goals this year because there is much to do in the world and maybe if I weren’t reading I might experience some of it.