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New Year, Pt. II: 2013 Bookish Resolutions

1. Read 100 books.
I read 127 books in 2011 and 142 books in 2012. While I considered setting this much higher to really challenge myself, I decided I wanted to get it at 100 so that I still felt like I could relax and enjoy what I'm reading. I've also noticed that I often avoid picking up thicker books because all I can think about is how long it will take me to read. I want to stop doing that in 2013!

2. Read books I own, and get TBR below 50 books.
This is modified from my resolution last year - I felt like I needed to be more specific so that I could have a measurable goal. As of this moment, and if I've updated Goodreads correctly, I own and have not read 98 books. Ideally, I'd love to get that number below 50 books, but I think that's a good number to aim for right now. I don't think it will be too hard if I'm focused and purposeful about my reading this year.

3. Don't buy a book unless I'll read it immediately.
I have a problem, and it's not just that I buy too many books. The truth of the matter is that I'll buy a book I just have to own right away and let it sit on my shelves or Kindle for months. I have seriously purchased so many books that I don't end up reading for a long time. In 2013, all that has to change. I can't keep this up.

Instead of buying books just because the fancy strikes, I'm going to challenge myself to not purchase anything that I don't intend to start immediately. No more Kindle one-click binges where I end up with five or six new books. This will possibly be the most difficult change for me to make this year, but I think it's necessary and will be a good thing in the long run.

4. Read one classic and two re-reads per month.
I love reading classics, but it requires a totally different frame of mind and reading focus than most of the stuff I read. I don't usually find myself reaching for a classic because I'll think, "I could read three or four books in the time it will take me to read that one." However, classics are usually so worth the time invested! That's why I want to read at least twelve classics in 2013.

Re-reading is one of my favorite things to do, but I've put it off recently because I've been buying way too many books or getting grabby hands in the library. Instead of just talking about wanting to re-read some favorites, I'm going to actually do it. Two re-reads a month is the goal, and I'm actually really excited about choosing two old favorites to revisit every month.
5. Take notes on finished book before starting new one.
For a period of time, I was doing really good about keeping a reading journal. All that changed when I took my blog hiatus, and I haven't really picked it back up since. I will finish a book intending to write the review for it right away, but then a few days go by and next thing I know I've read two other books since and haven't taken notes on any of them. It has to end! Plus, I know my reviews would be better if I took some more notes while I was reading.

6. Write more discussion-focused blog posts.
I mentioned this in my End of the Year Book Survey, and I actually think I've already figured out how I'm going to incorporate this into my blog on a regular basis. Some of my favorite posts by other bloggers aren't reviews - they are discussions, reading rants, conversations with their readers. I really hope to accomplish that this year.

7. Reply to all blog comments.
If you take the time to comment, I think it totally deserves a response. I make no promises on the time frame in which I want to respond to comments, just that I really do want to reply to all comments. I was doing really good at this for a while, but I've gotten slack lately. Time to get my head in the game and start responding!

8. Stay up-to-date and comment more on blogs I follow.
I think part of the problem is that I follow so many blogs, but I just can't bear to take any off my reader. There are so many good thoughts floating around out there, and I love seeing what other bloggers have to say. However, that often means I'll check my reader after a week or two and have 200+ blog posts that I haven't read. Ummm.... struggle. So, I'm going to make more of an effort to stay up-to-date on the blogs I follow (even if it means cutting back that number a bit), as well as commenting more. I love getting comments, and I can only imagine that other bloggers love getting comments, too.

14 comments

  1. YES! ALL OF THOSE THINGS! I really like that you will only buy books if you read them right away. I need to do that. Meanwhile, I bought a whole bunch of books yesterday that I know I won't read right away. And I like your other goal of taking notes on your books when you're done -- I need to do that, too! I always seem to put my review writing to the side until I have a huge pile to write ... then I can't remember anything. Notes help!

    Good luck with your goals, Hannah!

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    1. I think the only buying if I'll read them right away is going to be my hardest resolution to keep, but I also think it's the most needed. I have a terrible habit of going on Kindle book buying sprees and then not reading any of them for months. I'm sure exceptions will happen sometimes (my birthday, a great daily deal), but I hope I stick to it for the most part!

      And yes, I NEED to take notes! I'm terrible at it, and I need to get better. I know it would make my reviews better.

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  2. I love these goals! Particularly that you're not going to shy away from those big ol' beastie books because they are so big and take up too much time. Enjoy all the books! Crop down the TBR! GO HANNAH.

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    1. Thanks Lisa! If I don't crop down the TBR, it's going to fall over and bury me alive :) But seriously. It's gotten out of hand! Hope I get it edited down in 2013 to a much more manageable size!

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  3. Great goals! I'd struggle with the "only buy it if it will be read immediately" goal. Darn Kindle Daily Deals!

    I'm also trying for one classic per month and to journal notes after every book so that I can actually get reviews written for them all.

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    1. I think I'm going to struggle with (majorly), but I'm really hoping that I'll be able to stick with it. I really need to learn more self control!

      Yay for classics :) Can't wait to see what you pick!

      Hope you're able to stick with book notes. I SO need to be better about this!

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  4. Good on you for setting these goals, Hannah! I have at least 100 books that I own but haven't read, and I am going to try and fit them in in-between review books, otherwise they just keep piling up.

    And I find that commenting on blogs works if I divide my blogroll up and do 1/2 now and half later, or even a 1/4 at a time, I might not get to every blog for every post, but I try to get them all a couple of times a week. I have stopped replying to comments left on my blog (most of the time they're not questions) but I want to start that up again :)

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    1. Thanks for the suggestions on commenting on other blogs! I love doing it - I just have such a hard balancing everything sometimes (reading books, writing posts, replying to comments, reading other blogs and writing comments). I'm really working in doing it all but having reasonable and realistic expectations about what I can accomplish of each.

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  5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you plan on re-reading more. LOVE it. I find that people just don't do it enough, and I think that is okay, but selfishly I have to admit that it makes me sad. Hubby Mike says to me all the time "Why on earth would you read a book AGAIN?" and I just can't imagine not wanting to go back to a world that I've loved so much. I love that goal.

    And you know I love the discussion posts, and I plan to try and do more of them in 2013. I hope I can! These are such great goals. :)

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    1. I LOOOOVVVVVEEEEE re-reading. Seriously. I sometimes wish new books weren't written for like one year so I could spend all that time re-reading without also feel like I'm missing out on new books being released. I've found that there are a lot of people who think the same as your husband. I have several friends who can't imagine re-reading because they "already know what's going to happen." Um, yes, and your point? That just means you can find more to love about the book without being completely focused on the plot.

      And I hope you do more discussion posts. I LOVE YOURS! They are some of my very favorites!

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  6. These are great bookish resolutions. Although I set a goodreads goal, I have been thinking of having a goal of a certain amount of pages, instead of number of books.

    Good luck on your resolutions :)

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    1. I really like your idea of setting a goal for number of pages instead of number of books. What a great way to do things! It would totally take off that pressure of feeling like you don't want to read a thick book because it will take too long. Good luck if you do that!

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  7. Go Hannah! You can totally accomplish your 2013 goals.

    I'm definitely with you on trying to get my TBR down to manageable amount. I've got 64 unread physical books lying around (and I shudder to think how many unread books are on my Kindle), and I'm determined to really get to reading them all. Hopefully, we can both manage to whittle them down by the end of the year!

    Also, I can relate to #3. Late last year, I started trying to be more picky about what books I absolutely needed to buy - and it's helped me spend less money and read more of the books I've been meaning to read. Hopefully, you develop the habit and it becomes easier over time!

    Yay for re-reading! I'm doing 1 a month, and this month it's going to be either Anna & the French Kiss or Lola & the Boy Next Door ;)

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    1. Yeah, I made myself count unread physical books AND Kindle books, even ones that were free. That's what really puts it over the edge of madness. I really hope we're both successful this year at this goal!

      Glad to hear you had some success with #3 - I think it will really help me spend less money. It's not about not buying ANY books, but about not buying them and having them sitting there for forever. I really hope to develop the habit!

      LOVE STEPHANIE PERKINS! I'll so be re-reading one (or both) of those this year!

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