Here’s a question for my readers:
Have you ever set a numbered reading goal?
I have. In 2017 my goal was to read 50 books and last year it was to read 100. I reached 50 books… both years. I know, I know, I only reached half my goal last year. And even though I read 50 books, which is still way more than what most people read in a year, I was bummed.
But, I did learn a couple things about myself from this failed goal:
- Numbered goals are not my thing.
I remember entering the month of June with only 25 books under my belt last year and I felt overly anxious. I rushed through several books just to raise my count. (I don’t think I can tell you much about the books I speed read that month.) I found that I was becoming discouraged and apathetic about reading in general that summer.
- Reading for a requirement took the joy out of my favourite pastime.
Remember in high school when there was required reading? Perhaps you were like me, and even if the book selected was good, my rebellious nature brought me to angst against the novel. That’s exactly what happened last year!
- In order to increase my overall count, I would finish a book even if I hated it.
Luckily this didn’t happen a lot, but each time it did, I felt like I was stuck on a terrible blind date and was too nice to leave half-way through!
Conclusion:
Through these revelations about myself due to a failed reading goal I have a new outlook on my reading expectations.
My new mantra starting this year is to Read What You Love.
I am still working out the kinks but here are some tips that have helped me with this new book-out-look:
Do some research before selecting a book.
Read a teaser synopsis.
Look at book reviews.
Ask friends and knowledgeable book sellers.
Read authors you support and trust.
Give each book you select a chance,
but know that it’s okay if you find you don’t like it and need to move on.
As the year progresses I will be adding and tweaking these tips as I learn more about my new mantra. If you have any tips that help you read what you love feel free to leave me a comment!
That’s it for now!
Your Friend,
Kimi Rose
Rose on Reading 
I too get discouraged but it is due to my inability to quickly switch from one genres to another. For example, mystery to fiction. It’s similar to be at a wine tasting without cleansing your palate between tastings. We should write a series of palate cleansers— a short story written to cleanse your sentence palate of one author and/genre so we are ready to fully savor the next.
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