Did you outdo yourself in 2018? I’m referring to the Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge that I’ve been hosting for the last few years.
Did You Outdo Yourself In 2018?
I pledged to read 150 books this year, but for a change have fallen seriously short of my goal. I’m only up to to 74 so far and can read only about 2-3 books more before the year is over.
But I’m not beating myself up over this. It’s been another crazy year for me. So much loss and change. So many new feelings and emotions. There were many days I was just exhausted and fell fast asleep. No time, no energy to read.
I will soon be sharing with you about my best read in 2018 and how that has effected me.
For now I’m going to talk about reading and urge you to join me and other book lovers for the 2019 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge and another Reading Challenge we’re going to host on Write Tribe. (Both coming soon).
Some book related conversations
We’ve had some interesting book related conversations on the Write Tribe group recently. And I decided to share my own views here.
Kindle or Hard Copies?
Just today, my friend, Ishieta Chopra, asked a good question about reading on a Kindle versus reading a hard copy – she wanted to know which one made for faster reading. In her own experience, she read a paperback faster than on a Kindle.
For me, it’s been quite a different experience. In 2007-08, I hardly did any reading. It was only when I realized that I had cataracts in both eyes, my going off books made sense. After my surgeries, I got a Kindle and my reading speed has improved a lot. So much so, I found it hard to read ‘real’ books.
Now I realize that I love reading fiction on my Kindle but prefer to read hard copies of non-fiction books. Recently, I’ve started again to buy myself at least 2-3 hard copies of non-fiction books. This helps me to study and make notes.
How would you answer Ishieta’s question?
Do book challenges put pressure on us?
In another recent conversation, I remember someone asking if book challenges made sense. Didn’t committing to read a certain number of books for a challenge put pressure on you to read for the sake of reading? My answer to that would be that no book lover ever feels pressure to read. If challenge myself (and others) to read books simply because I love reading. I don’t feel compelled to finish my target. I often abandon books, I don’t like.
Book Challenges help me to interact more with reading communities. They also help me to get to know about new books and select books I want to read.
How do you keep track of the book you read?
My friend, Vinay (aka Leo) answered this in the same way I would have. We both use Goodreads to track our books. I love how you can put your books into different ‘shelves’ and keep track of progress within a book and also vis-a-vis your Challenge target.
More book related posts coming up soon. But I’d love to hear your book stories from 2018. Do share.
#FridayReflections
You are invited to join the Friday Reflections linkup hosted by Shalini Nair of Kohl Eyed Me and me every Friday to share a good cup of tea and your reflections.
Here’s how #FridayReflections works :
- Every 1st and 3rd Friday (and a 5th Friday, if there’s one) you are invited to write a post based on the prompts provided. On the 2nd and 4th Friday join in with your reflections.
- Use the hashtag #FridayReflections. Please follow Friday Reflections on Twitter @FridayReflect and join our Facebook Group.
- Add your link to the linky below.
- Use the #FridayReflections badge to encourage other bloggers to join in too.
Today is a prompt free Friday.
Visit and comment on the posts of other bloggers linked here.
Inlinkz Link Party
Agree book challenges make you part of that lovely world and won’t be a pressure if you love your books to core. Lately I am unable to finish any book and three different books are lying in three different rooms, but somehow the lazy worm creeps in. but with a challenge i hope i can make it. I still love hard copies but have lately realized kindle helps carry many books in hand without clutter or much space. I love handmade book marks and that is what i miss big time in kindle. but still the paper smell is something which is missing in ebook.
I did outdo myself even though I didn’t sign up to your challenge. Aiming for 150 books is mental! There is no way I can do that and I doubt I could even do 52 books like so many people aim for.
I recently bought a kindle and I find that it’s good for nonfiction books where I want to take notes and highlight things. It hasn’t stopped me from buying hard copy books. In terms of which is faster, I don’t think the device makes a difference for me personally – it’s the book itself.
And yes, Goodreads is my favourite way of tracking my books.
Looking forward to seeing what reading challenge Write Tribe has to offer for 2019…hoping details are out soon as I’m writing a post to plan my 2019 challenges 🙂
I love to read, but have been so absorbed with work this past year that I have set aside reading and writing in favor of the projects I’m currently working on. What “me time” I’ve had has been spent vegging in front of the TV, or sleeping, for the most part. I’m going to aim small and try to overshoot the mark – I’ll sign up for 26 books in 2019. I’d like to aim for a book a week, though even 26 would be a vast improvement over 2018.
I love reading so much that I can use it as an escape from everything and everyone else! I had to make a conscious decision since the last few years to read fewer books so that I can do the other things that I love as well, like art and writing. That’s worked fabulously well. Reading balanced with other interests.
I don’t try to outdo my targets each year. But as opposed to 60 something in 2017, I read more than double of that number in 2018, so yes, did outdo. And I’m quite happy about that! 🙂
I don’t find reading challenges to put pressure on my reading. I read, and if what I read fits into a category, that is covered. At times, a category actually helps me find a great book that I might have missed otherwise.
I read both Kindle and hard copies. My speed mainly depends on my mood I think, rather than the kind of book. 🙂
And yes, as I mentioned, Goodreads is good enough to help me count the books in a year! I don’t shelve books in different genres or anything. Just read and mark the date I finished reading.
Oh, no. I couldn’t! I set a target of 52 and I could do only 38 uptil now. I’m halfway through 4 more books and I hope to complete them before the year-end. That’s it. But I am not so disappointed as I know I read some good books this year. Can’t wait to know more about Write Tribe Reading Challenge! It will be amazing. Also, I love reading on my Kindle, especially at nights, so that I don’t disturb the boys. Also, sometimes it is hard to hold a hardbound book for so long. So, Kindle is amazing! I’m not so sure about the reading speed though. 🙂
I’ve fallen short of my reading goal this year as well. I’m at 64 and my goal was 100. But I didn’t start until June so I think I’ve done pretty well. I love real books but have found that there is a time and a place for ebooks as well.