Whenever January comes around, many people set New Year’s resolutions such as eating healthier, exercising more often, or being more productive. As booksellers and book lovers, there’s another resolution that’s important to us: reading more books. Although the first months of this new year are over already, there’s still plenty of time to dive into books that have been yearning to be read, books that have been abandoned halfway through, and books that are almost jumping off our shelves screaming ‘’PICK ME!’’.
While there are people who like to set reading goals, there are also people who are against them. An argument that’s often used against setting reading goals is usually something among the lines of ‘’It’s not important how much I read. What I read is what matters more.” While the notion of quality over quantity is universally understood and agreed upon, there’s something to say for setting reading goals:
- Goals provide structure: setting reading goals can help you maintain that balance and routine, especially if you’re busy, have a very irregular pattern, or just generally find it hard to stay consistent.
- Sense of achievement: We all know that sense of achievement after reaching a goal, no matter how small or big. It’s what motivates us to keep going and to aim for the stars.
We’ve spoken to a few colleagues at ABC about their reading goals for 2022 and this is what they had to say:
Chiara – ABC The Hague & Leidschendam
‘’Do you have any reading goals for this year?’’
Chiara: This year, I have two reading goals! First, I would like to read more fiction written by female authors. I was going through my list of books and I realized that apart from the timeless Charlotte Bronte, Harper Lee, and Daphne du Maurier, I was falling behind in terms of female writers… So, I decided to start the new year with my new friends Margaret Atwood, Octavia Butler, Ursula LeGuin, and (finally) Hanya Yanagihara… I must say that so far, I don’t regret it at all!
My other goal for 2022 is to read more non-fiction books. In particular, I want to become more familiar with essays written by famous authors, since I find this genre particularly revealing of the author’s personality and thoughts. I recently became a buyer for the ‘Essays’ section at the ABC in The Hague, so I can even choose what you guys are going to see on the shelf, – double the fun for me!
‘’Which are some books that you want to read this year?’’
Chiara: This year I want to read more by Stephen King, especially his most acclaimed (and scary!) novel IT. I recently watched the movie, and I am very curious to see how the author was able to tell such a scary, compelling story in the format of a book. In the past, I was let down because of the length of the book, but I am sure that this year I am much more motivated, thanks to all the other dedicated colleagues that I have around!
‘’How do you stay consistent with reading and deal with reading slumps?’’
Chiara: Unfortunately, I must admit that I am a very inconsistent reader and that I have struggled for a long time with reading slumps… However, I have this ritual that before going to bed I MUST read at least 50 pages, otherwise, my brain thinks that is not time for sleep yet! Also, I try to always carry around a book with me: when I go to work, when I visit a friend, when I travel, etc. I will always find a spot to sit down and finish that chapter!
‘’Do you keep track of your reading habits and goals?’’
Chiara: I used Goodreads for a while and I realized is not my thing at all… I felt pressured to update my reading list regularly, and I could not keep up with it. I am a very old-school (and chaotic) person, so at any moment you can find my book lists written on thousands of papers scattered all over my room and inside some pockets. But that’s also another goal for 2022: I want to buy a proper bullet journal (we have so many cute ones at the shop!) and create some orders in my lists!
Lilia – ABC The Hague & Leidschendam
‘’Do you have any reading goals for this year?’’
Lilia: I wanted to read more new titles, but have already started the year doing massive re-reading.
So I guess my reading goals are to ENJOY THE RIDE, even if it’s the comfort of a re-read.
‘’Which are some books that you want to read this year?’’
Lilia: To Be Taught, If Fortunate – by Becky Chambers
Any new Nalini Singh, because I’m a huge fan.
I’m hoping for a new S.K. Dunstall. They have written my all-time favorite Linesman series and I just hope they keep going.
And I’m planning to deep into Ahead of the Curve, by Jenny Rushmore, because as a dressmaker I cannot leave it be. ;-)
‘’How do you stay consistent with reading and deal with reading slumps?’’
Lilia: I re-read, or listen to books/podcasts. And sometimes watch series. I just binge-watched Bones and after doing that I was ready to read again.
‘’Do you keep track of your reading habits and goals?’’
Lilia: I always write them down on Goodreads, but I’m not the most disciplined person, so sometimes it takes months before I update my readings.
Floris – ABC Amsterdam
‘’Do you have any reading goals for this year?’’
Floris: I don’t have a specific number I want to hit. Ideally, book a month. For me, this is already quite ambitious. It depends on the book how fast or slow I finish it. Never two books of the same genre in a row, except for a series. because I don’t wanna be stuck in one genre but explore more different genres and have an extensive palette for books.
‘’Which are some books that you want to read this year?’’
Floris:
– Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
– The Master and Margarita
– The Eye of the World
– one of Brandon Sanderson’s books
– Atomic Habits
‘’How do you stay consistent with reading and deal with reading slumps?’’’
Floris: Be okay with reading small bits at a time to a certain point. I do have some sort of timeframe I stick with; I need to carve out at least 30 minutes a day because otherwise, I don’t get into the book enough.
‘’Do you keep track of your reading habits and goals?’’
Floris: I try to keep track mentally! Don’t have an app for it, or a journal or something. I have enough other habits that I try to keep track of and I’m afraid that if I apply that to reading, it’ll take the fun out of it.
Jitse – ABC Amsterdam
‘’Do you have any reading goals for this year?’’
Jitse: I am aiming for a book a week, so 52 books this year. My time is limited so it might be a daunting goal. However, I believe you should aim high and shoot higher.
‘’Which are some books that you want to read this year?’’
Jitse: There are a few new titles I am interested in: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, and How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatu. I also have several classics on my list, mostly Sci-Fi classics such as 2001 by Arthur C. Clarke but also literature and non-fiction books.
‘’How do you stay consistent with reading and deal with reading slumps?’’’
Jitse: By dedicating time; discipline is the most valuable ally in consistent reading. So I block an hour a day to read. Although this is usually in the evening, I must confess that I sometimes fall asleep reading.
‘’Do you keep track of your reading habits and goals?’’
Jitse: I make a pile of the books I read this year, and as the year goes by the pile grows higher. It’s a great conversation starter. Once I finish a book I pick a new one from my library, depending on my fancy or the book I read previously.
We hope our booksellers have inspired you to set a reading goal. There are still months to go which means there’s plenty of time to set a reading goal for this year and read to your heart’s content.
