I can’t believe I’m crazy enough to do this again, but I’ve decided to create another reading challenging for 2014.
You may remember that I challenged myself to read 100 books in 2013. I finished the year having read 108 books, each of which I learned something from.
What I really loved about the challenge was that it forced me to be more intentional about making time to read. I love to read, but it’s easy to let television, social media and other somewhat passive activities steal reading time.
I averaged nine books a month in 2013, but I got into a flow at the end of the challenge, averaging 12 books a month and making up for the months when I read less.
I decided 12 books a month is realistic for me. If I read 12 books a month, that would mean reading 144 books in 2014.
Here’s the problem. Reading 12 books a month really wouldn’t be challenging. It would just mean continuing at my current pace. Plus, the obsessive-compulsive part of my personality can’t stand the randomness of a 144-book reading challenge. So, I decided to step it up a bit.
I am challenging myself to read 150 books in 2014.
Yes, this is a lofty goal, but I think I can do it.
Just like last year, I will list the books I plan to read each month. I will list 12 books at the beginning of each month, but I’ve found that the list changes a lot as things arise that I need/want to read. I’m ok with this. Here’s this year’s list.
Also like last year, I will review many of the books I read. I hope you will enjoy the reviews and they will help you find books you want to read. I won’t be able to review all of the books because I wouldn’t be able to post anything but book reviews on the blog, but I’ll try to give you a good sample of what I’m reading. I also have an active Goodreads account where I rate the books I read. I invite you to join me there. I definitely recommend reading any book I give four stars or more.
I will use the Twitter hashtag #150Books to indicate reviews of the books I read and posts related to reading.
I hope this year’s reading challenge will be as fulfilling as last year’s. More than anything, I hope I continue to make more time to read.
My 2013 Reading Challenge was the only resolution I kept, so I decided to do it again. I’ve pledged to read a total of 40 books – 26 page turners and 14 audio books – which would match what I did in 2013. I want to confirm to myself that it wasn’t a fluke!
I will be able to get a nice jump start on it because I have a week long vacation in a snowy area to start the new year, so it will be a lot of sitting around and reading time. I can’t wait!
Thanks again for introducing me to this challenge and for your really good, spoiler-free reviews.
ThinDifference profkrg Impressive. I managed 50 in 2013 but many of them were rubbish. Maybe I will go for 50 books worth my time!
nlcondit ThinDifference I don’t think there’s any such thing as rubbish. You learn from everything you read, even “don’t do” lessons.
profkrg ThinDifference good point. last book so poorly written it set my teeth on edge but made me articulate what makes good fiction
MirandaSman All the best!
Do you count reading stories (fan fiction stories) as part of this reading challenge? I’ve read a great deal of fan fiction stories, some of the stories are very short stories but most are decent length stories. I’ve also read several books this year too, thanks to the kindle app on my tablet. I plan on reading more in the new year than I did this past year, I didn’t beat the goal from the prior year (had a problem with the tablet that set me back and I just couldn’t catch the number from last year). How would you equate the fan fiction stories compared to books? For 2013 I read 1019 stories (that includes 64 books on the kindle that were not fan fiction).
CapriceMcCabe Wow. That’s a lot of stories. I’m not really sure how I would equate those to books. I know there are books of short stories. Do you know how many stories these usually entail?
TammyL Tammy, Congrats on meeting your reading goal! Vacations are a really good way to read a lot during a short time. I have read a ton during winter break. I’m glad you enjoy the reviews. Good luck on this year’s challenge. Happy Reading!
Most of the stories were full a few thousand words (that’s how they are listed with the fan fiction). There are a few stories that were drabbles (a few hundred words) and snippets (very short stories).
This count is down from last year – I had problems with my kindle app on my tablet where I had to re-download all my books so that took a long time to do. I’ve become somewhat addicted to finding free books for the kindle that are interesting too.
2012 I read 1729 fan fiction stories (I didn’t count how many of these were books)
2011 I read 2302 fan fiction stories (I lost some of the titles when I had a computer crash)
I didn’t find fan fiction until the end of 2010 beginning of 2011. When I first started reading I was trying to keep the stories and writers in a log and it was getting confusing. So being the OCD Nerd I am I created a computer log with the writer, the title, where I read it, how long ie chapters or oneshots, drabbles, snippets, date I finished reading it, computer address, summary of the story and the date I started reading (some of the longer WIP stories I wanted to know how long I was reading them while the writer was writing them). This has been an interesting journey and with reading so many of the stories I found that I enjoy reading so much more. Maybe I should have a line indicating the number of words per story???
I wasn’t sure how you would equate the reading of fan written stories to books that are available. Sorry for going on too much.
ClaireSMBB JodiOkun Thank you both!
CapriceMcCabe It seems like a log would be really helpful. Otherwise, I think I’d begin to forget what I had read and what I hadn’t.
thebarefootceo Dont they do that already from your energetic presence????
RebelBrown haha 🙂 How are you doing my dear?!
thebarefootceo Im running like a goose with no feathers in the cold. My house going on the market and I found my ranch! YAHOO! How ru?
RebelBrown well now I am laughing ~ love that expression! you crack me up! XO
thebarefootceo I just made it up – glad you liked it:) Feeling a bit goofy this am.