Michelle Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Do you plan your reading over the year, or is it a random thing. There are quite a few people here who are doing various challanges, some have a TBR pile, others 'go with the flow'.. so how do you plan? For me, I've stopped keeping a note of my TBR pile, because my tastes change all the time, and I often change my mind about a book before I get to it. In fact, I've realised in an ideal world, I'd be happier buying a book then reading it, then buying the next.. etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 My plan is that I don't have a plan I don't do well with lists of books waiting on me, or even stacks of books staring me in the face. I feel like I have to read all of them NOW ,which isn't possible. It's really fun to be in an online group and see what everyone else is reading , but as I get older, I don't like having a book I HAVE to read ,or reading a specific book that would fit a specific category . I keep all my book in my Cloud on my Kindle and only pick out a couple at a time to actually see . I try them and if they don't catch my interest, I put them back and pick out a couple of different ones until I actually find one that "clicks " . I agree about buying so many books, then when you get to some of them, you're wondering why you bought it in the first place, so your idea is best. Only have a couple books. Read them, then get a couple more . I hope I can whittle down my number on my Kindle this year and slow down or stop buying completely. I really don't NEED any more books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Julie, you sound very similar to me. The only problem is, I think I'm addicted to buying books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I do have a TBR list, and a few other lists of books I'd like to read, but, I'm not actually bothered if I stick to any of them. What I really want this year, is to be more considered in my reading, and not just settle for easy, entertaining reads that pass the time, but are ultimately forgettable. Especially in the second half of last year, I ended up with more and more of those easy reads, and this year I'd like something with a bit more meat on the bones, and hopefully find some books that really blow my socks off. I think that some of the reading lists I do have, will provide the type of books I'm looking for, so I anticipate reading quite a lot from these lists, but I'm always open to change and recommendations, so who knows where the wind will blow me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Yes, I agree. So am I . I think being in here where you hear of someone who just bought some new books, they name them off ,then I immediately go into Amazon and look them up . My brain sorta goes into overdrive at that point. Before I know it, I CLICK and the book is in my Kindle . I'm like an alcoholic . I REALLY need to stop .We could use the money right now for more important things . I'm wondering if it'd work to set up a thread in here for people to learn how to stop purchasing books for as long as possible ? Kinda like a Game of sorts ? Like each person has to tell how many books they own when they sign in . We go all year and have to tell the TRUTH about if we bought a book and what it was. We need to keep a point system, and for every day you go without buying a book, you get a point. Every book you buy, you lose a point. Then in December, the winner for the year ( the one with the least points, wins an Amazon gift card .) If each person participating tossed in a dollar, then there'd be a small reward in December . Just an idea .. Maybe it'd give people an incentive if they feel their book buying is out of control ( Like me ) It might even be funny for those that buy TONS of books to see how HIGH their number would get compared to others . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 The basic plan for 2014 was to read as much as my TBR tree-books, and try not to buy any more! I really haven't the space for them. Unfortunately, by Jan 4th - I have bought 12 books . 10 bought from the library sale for £1 is an irresistible offer, well that is my defence . I find it is such a struggle to resist the urge to buy books, and I still try to use the library approx. 4 or 5 books per month. But the urge to buy them is so strong!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Claire, I really like my light reads at the moment.. I'm not in a position to sit and focus on a book for long, so they're better for me. I hope you find some excellent reads this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Yes, I agree. So am I . I think being in here where you hear of someone who just bought some new books, they name them off ,then I immediately go into Amazon and look them up . My brain sorta goes into overdrive at that point. Before I know it, I CLICK and the book is in my Kindle . I'm like an alcoholic . I REALLY need to stop .We could use the money right now for more important things . I'm wondering if it'd work to set up a thread in here for people to learn how to stop purchasing books for as long as possible ? Kinda like a Game of sorts ? Like each person has to tell how many books they own when they sign in . We go all year and have to tell the TRUTH about if we bought a book and what it was. We need to keep a point system, and for every day you go without buying a book, you get a point. Every book you buy, you lose a point. Then in December, the winner for the year ( the one with the least points, wins an Amazon gift card .) If each person participating tossed in a dollar, then there'd be a small reward in December . Just an idea .. Maybe it'd give people an incentive if they feel their book buying is out of control ( Like me ) It might even be funny for those that buy TONS of books to see how HIGH their number would get compared to others . I agree wholeheartedly julie, this is a serious problem some times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Michelle, I'm sure I will need some light reads during the year, so I don't expect to exclude them completely, but I just found last year was underwhelming by it's lack of depth in my book choices, and finding very few stand out books that have stayed with me. One of the reasons why I stuck with lighter reads for a lot of time, was just like you, I was finding I didn't have the time, energy or focus for settled periods of reading, so the lighter books gave me enough reading to satisfy, and kept me going. At the time, they were perfectly entertaining and provided that little bit of light hearted escapism that I treasure when reading. I think that I've partly decided on this course of action to encourage me to find more dedicated reading time, when I really do sit down and concentrate on a book and not just pick it up at lunchtimes at work, when I'm often too tired to concentrate, or can't get my brain to move away from work topics. Who knows, I may find that other factors mean that I'm still in the same situation, and I end up with a bucket load of light reads by the end of the year again, but I just hope to be able to discover a few more books this year that challenge and delight me, as some of my favourite books of the past have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Well I am a none planning type of person when it comes to reading. I read what I feel like reading when I feel like reading it and if it turns out that what I am reading is boring or isn't what I thought it was I leave.it and move onto something else . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I don't really have a plan, but my very general goal is to reduce my TBR pile down. I don't do any challenges, because I find that puts pressure on myself to read a particular book when I don't really feel like it (and inevitably there will be some books in Challenges that I have no interest in, but I would feel 'forced' to read out of obligation. I just tend to read what I feel like when I feel like it (which is probably why I have many books on my TBR pile that are over 10 years old). Partway through last year I did a couple of plans of about 7 - 10 books each, but I think I abandoned it fairly soon, as I found it too restrictive. Sometimes you just don't feel like reading a particular book, and then the next day, for no reason, you really want to read that book. You can't really plan around that, so I'd say I just go with the flow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I'm a bit ashamed of my books TBR at the moment. I do like having plenty of choice when it comes to book selection but there is such a thing as too much choice and I'm finding that's just as bad as not enough. I do intend to get it down this year and not just add to the problem but I can't say .. hand on heart .. that I have much faith in it happening I will consider it a success next year if the figure is even the teensiest bit lower. I do better though when I don't set myself too many goals so it's all going to be fairly relaxed (and it'll be the only thing about me that is ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I don't, well, I haven't done reading challenges before. However. On my 2014 thread I spoke of and listed a group of Classics that I want to get through this year. They are from a Columbia University course called Readings in Contemporary Civilization. It's a course my husband took years ago. Since they are the basis for so much, and I've not read them, I want to. That and Stephen King's Dark Tower series. lol Our only other plan is not to buy any more books this year. To cement this idea into fact, I counted up, on Library Thing, our 'books bought this year', and it was a total of 815. So, Charles has started a list of Books Not Bought. That may or may not turn into our Wish List for 2015. Awhile back, Gaia asked me how many in our TBR stack(s), I finally came up with a guesstimate of about 2400-2500, if I remember correctly, so no need to go without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Kate You're braver than me. I don't even want to know what I spent this past year on books. Let's just say it's time to put the brakes on for me. It sounds like lots of others in here are thinking the same . It's gonna take lots of willpower, but we can do it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Yup, we can and we will! Good thing the larger portion of ours were Library Sales, Estate Sales and Amazon Market Place purchases!! Even so...... Added in Edit: And, that total is not counting our kindle purchases. Edited January 6, 2014 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmonkey Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Since nearly all my books come from the library I'm constrained by what's available there, so I can't plan too much. I do have a list of books that I want to read, that I look for when I go to change my books, but I'm usually lucky if one of those is in when I'm there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 (edited) Well this year I want to be able to get my TBR pile down a fair bit as it is currently standing at *gulp* 509 books! I want to try if I can read some of my older books this year but I'm not having too much of a reading plan, just pulling a few books out every now and again and reading through the smaller pile of books! I might do a reading plan but I'm going to read what I fancy really not stick too much to it. I also need to curb the book buying too! Edited January 6, 2014 by lauraloves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I have a modest tbr of 63 physical books, but I've decided I want to try more science fiction this year. About 15 books on my tbr are Sci-fi and I'm thinking about reading The Masterworks list as a target, because Philip K. Dick has such a presence on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Do you plan your reading over the year, or is it a random thing. There are quite a few people here who are doing various challanges, some have a TBR pile, others 'go with the flow'.. so how do you plan? A very interesting question! In fact, I've realised in an ideal world, I'd be happier buying a book then reading it, then buying the next.. etc This is my ideal, too. I would love to go to a shop, and to be able to start reading the book I buy the minute I get home, with no qualms. But then again, I'm very driven by my mood, so when I got home, it might not be what I was after at all.. Although I dare say I don't think my mood could change so quickly. I do have a TBR list, and a few other lists of books I'd like to read, but, I'm not actually bothered if I stick to any of them. What I really want this year, is to be more considered in my reading, and not just settle for easy, entertaining reads that pass the time, but are ultimately forgettable. Especially in the second half of last year, I ended up with more and more of those easy reads, and this year I'd like something with a bit more meat on the bones, and hopefully find some books that really blow my socks off. I think that some of the reading lists I do have, will provide the type of books I'm looking for, so I anticipate reading quite a lot from these lists, but I'm always open to change and recommendations, so who knows where the wind will blow me? I think I have a very similar mindset to yours at the moment. Like you, I had to go for 'easier' reads at the end of last year, because of my mojo, and I did a lot of re-reading. So like you, this year I'd like to try and go for the more 'deeper stuff'. If my mojo allows me. And, I know I have a lot of challenges on my reading list, and some people are very bewildered by that. But I don't consider myself as the type of person who'll be disappointed if they can't keep up with challenges. I might talk about it, but it's not something to seriously get me down. I like variety. I like to have my options open. I'm a bit ashamed of my books TBR at the moment. I do like having plenty of choice when it comes to book selection but there is such a thing as too much choice and I'm finding that's just as bad as not enough. I do intend to get it down this year and not just add to the problem but I can't say .. hand on heart .. that I have much faith in it happening I will consider it a success next year if the figure is even the teensiest bit lower. I do better though when I don't set myself too many goals so it's all going to be fairly relaxed (and it'll be the only thing about me that is ) I like having many books to choose from, being such a ready-moody person But I know what you mean about having too much choice... All my bookcases are double stacked (front row and back) and I know I have books in the back row I don't even remember about! So having too many books is bad in that way: I can't literally see all the books I own, unless I move books around, and that irritates me. There might be some amazing, mood-suited reads in the back rows that I a m neglecting only because I can't see them. I will cheer you on, on your quest to try and reduce TBR this year! Good luck Our only other plan is not to buy any more books this year. To cement this idea into fact, I counted up, on Library Thing, our 'books bought this year', and it was a total of 815. So, Charles has started a list of Books Not Bought. That may or may not turn into our Wish List for 2015. 815 books bought last year?? WOW. That's my TBR _twice_!! Of course there are two of you... But still. Awhile back, Gaia asked me how many in our TBR stack(s), I finally came up with a guesstimate of about 2400-2500, if I remember correctly, so no need to go without. Wow Okay, I guess I'm staying for six months instead of three Since nearly all my books come from the library I'm constrained by what's available there, so I can't plan too much. I do have a list of books that I want to read, that I look for when I go to change my books, but I'm usually lucky if one of those is in when I'm there. I kind of envy you No worries about TBR! Do you borrow a lot of books on one go? Well this year I want to be able to get my TBR pile down a fair bit as it is currently standing at *gulp* 509 books! I remember when your TBR was smaller than mine.. Now the tables have turned!!! (Have you already catalogued all the books you got from the e-bay thing?) I have a modest tbr of 63 physical books, but I've decided I want to try more science fiction this year. About 15 books on my tbr are Sci-fi and I'm thinking about reading The Masterworks list as a target, because Philip K. Dick has such a presence on it. Good luck! As for the actual question? My only real aims are to read books, enjoy them, and reduce TBR. And read at least one book in Swedish. I say that every January, and I never manage to read anything in Swedish, but this year it will happen!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie9 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 the only plan i have is to read all Stephen King books from the beginning again, not all at once though, not long finished The Stand so im going to have couple weeks break from his books and read other random books in the meantime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I remember when your TBR was smaller than mine.. Now the tables have turned!!! (Have you already catalogued all the books you got from the e-bay thing?) When I first joined here I was very envious of all your books and wished I could have as many . . . then whoops it happened! hehe I only had around 30 or so books on my TBR when I started to post on here and now look hehe I havent done all the ebay books yet still! (They are in my mums house in her attic so quite difficult to get to but I will one day. I did take out 100 or so of the books that I really wanted to read though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 When I first joined here I was very envious of all your books and wished I could have as many . . . then whoops it happened! hehe I only had around 30 or so books on my TBR when I started to post on here and now look hehe This place is a very bad influence on a person... Or good. Depending on how you want to look at it! I havent done all the ebay books yet still! (They are in my mums house in her attic so quite difficult to get to but I will one day. I did take out 100 or so of the books that I really wanted to read though! I can't believe you still haven't gone through them properly But I guess it's like a huge Christmas present... You can save some of it till later and it keeps on giving... Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I never had more than 2 or 3 books waiting to be read before I found this forum!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I never had more than 2 or 3 books waiting to be read before I found this forum!! Seriously? Haha... Another example of someone who's been mightily influenced... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Seriously? Haha... Another example of someone who's been mightily influenced... Absolutely true, AND they were nearly always library books too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.