2023 Bookish Goals

This is technically a Top Ten Tuesday topic but I’m behind so I’m just going to post it on a Saturday so we can still share and discuss reading/bookish goals of the year!

I don’t typically set New Year’s resolutions as it gives extra unnecessary pressure to meet them. Instead, I like the idea of an encouraged goal for the year. Something to think about but not absolutely required to do within an allotted time. Do any of you ever feel that goals just sound better with less weighty expectations?

Anyway, here are my 5 reading-related goals for the year! Counting down from 5 and in no particular order…

5. Not be afraid to DNF

I’m not one who easily gives up, plus if I’ve made up my mind that the synopsis sounded interesting, I have a hard time just letting go. Perhaps it’s my struggle to say “no” in general to things, and I guess that extends to books for some reason. But this year, I’m going to try to let go of books that no longer interest me in the middle or even near the beginning.

4. Read more nonfiction books, especially Christian books

For those of you who are newer to my blog, I am a Christian although I’ve always struggled to read nonfiction Christian books, whether theology or just Christian living, which is why I rarely review them here. Technically, this struggle extends to ALL nonfiction as I just don’t find as much enjoyment going through the pacing they normally set, but I really want to actually read more this year. I’ve read some memoirs last year so that’s a good starting place, and received a number of wonderful Christian books for my birthday recently so here’s to also reading more books I own.

3. Read more genres/formats

Formats includes graphic novels and audiobooks. I had the pleasure of meeting Kami Garcia last year at a convention and am enjoying her Teen Titans graphic novels. I started listening to audiobooks last year and hope to continue doing so this year while I walk my dog or during slow days at work.

As for genres, I mentioned nonfiction books above but I want to read more historical fiction and diversify my contemporary reads a little. Of course, fantasies are still my number one but it doesn’t hurt to read a little more variety over a year.

2. Buy less books

This is me trying to keep myself accountable. Last year I did slow down (a little) in buying books, but I grew a soft spot for special edition books. Oh my, there were some gorgeous versions that came out last year from certain book box companies. I’m gonna tell myself not to buy any this year unless absolutely necessary.

(P.S. do January preorders count that we’re technically ordered last year? Whoops. Bought Chain of Thorns and Hell Bent already.)

1. Read for fun!

Yes, last but not least, learning to read for fun again. I took a hiatus from blogging for a while in 2018-2020 because reading started to feel like a chore. Now that life’s picked up again with work, social commitments, wedding planning (!), I’m so busy that reading doesn’t feel like an escape so much as more work.

I say I didn’t order this list, but this is probably my top goal for the year. I want to LOVE a book instead of flipping through the pages as fast as possible so I can review it and move onto the 10 others I have waiting for me to read. It’s been a long while since I felt that way, and I want to feel it again. So if that’s also you, I encourage you to take a deep breath with me and find the love of reading once again this year at your own pace. Close out those extraneous expectations and pressures. Just breathe and dive into a world unfolding before you.

Hope your year has been going well! If you are also setting some goals for you to encouragingly meet in the next 12 months, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!