With a full-time job, spouse, 2 small children, a house, and my own human body… I just don’t have much time. But I don’t want to give up completely. I’m keeping a soft goal of just 6 books this year. But really, I just want to always have something at the bedside to get to when I can.
Last year my goal was 6, I did 4 which i'm really proud of. I hadn't read a book in like 5 years before that so it's a great achievement. Whatever you manage if it makes you happy good job. If it doesn't then remember there's no deadline, just enjoy it.
I “cheat” and read a lot of graphic novels (aka chonky comics). Might be an easy genre to get into for a quick read. They’re not all about super heroes
I'm a mom too... And I totally count all the books I read to my kids as actual, factual books. I enjoy a vast majority of them as much, if not more, than my kids, so why the heck not?!
@@autonomousAcquaintances We need to stop the stygma and start normalizing manga and graphic novel into book count goals. I'm working on it myself we'll see how it goes.
I read 70 books in 2021 and perhaps only bought three of them (one of which was second hand from a charity shop). Going to my local library has transformed my reading habits. I love it so so much! I never reread books and don’t like clutter so it’s the best option for me.
I also never understand people who write off musicals entirely. Because I feel like even if you're treating musicals as a monolithic genre of music/show that you don't enjoy, surely you can still get some enjoyment out of the craft of the performance? Like these are INCREDIBLE singers and dancers, and so at the very least you're mesmerized at how they can do backflips across the stage or belt while doing a box step.
All of my reading is done via audiobooks. I don’t get why people are so douchey about it… I get through a book a week and I can multitask with exercise, doing art, or boring tasks at work. Makes me life so much more enjoyable 😍
Exactly. We don’t live in a world anymore where our only forms of entertainment are books and charades. As a society, we’re all extremely busy (unfortunately) yet we will have an expecting to read tens or hundreds of books a year on paper! Audiobooks are brilliant and not ‘cheating’
No hate just jealousy, I can’t pay attention unless I am reading, I can do podcasts, but complex storytelling flies over my head:c Any audiobooks recommendations I could give a try?
Since I started listening to audiobooks it’s revolutionized how much I read because now I can read simultaneously while listening and my brain doesn’t wonder away from the book.
I used to work at Waterstones and could easily read 50 or so books mainly bc they were free or heavily discounted. There IS a weird pressure amongst booksellers and even the customers themselves to have read hundreds of books when the simple fact is we have lives outside our jobs. Yes being around books is lovely but the numerical reading goal ( in my experience) is detrimental to your actual enjoyment of the books themselves x
Absolutely support a Leena vid on why you shouldn't hate musicals so I can forward to every person who has ever said "I just don't like musicals" to me!! Definitely interested to read the book too!!!
my goal this year is to read at least 25% non-fiction books. I read 150 books last year (and 52000 pages!!) but I actually want to read less this year, so I can think about each book more
Changing books on Storygraph: You should be able to switch editions and keep everything else you filled in (like the dates read, reviews and such). On the page of the book, next to the "mark as owned" and "buy" link, you can usually click "editions". Then you get a list of editions, and you can look for the one you want. There you can click on "switch to this edition". I use this quite often to switch between languages or paperback/hardcover/ebook.
what i do as well is to set the book as an ebook or a physical copy while i'm reading it and switching to audiobook when i'm finished. that way you get the pages + the right format stats!
I love how you described your response to people who say they could never read as much as you as "it's the only skill I have" and I feel that. I'm chronically ill and due to that I don't work and don't go to school. I don't have any skills in terms of sports because I can't do them. I can't do a lot of hobbies I used to love etc. But what I luckily can still do is read. So a lot of my time is spend reading. And when I can't physically read due to my health I listen to audiobooks. Sometimes listening to audiobooks with my eyes closed in bed is all I can do but I feel like I'm somehow still being productive because I'm consuming literature and learning something whether it's fiction or nonfiction
I would be interested in the musical video! I personally don't like them. And it's because I am really bad at hearing lyrics, so I'm always so confused on what's happening in the plot. I guess I can gather some from the tone of the song, but it is mostly just frustrating for me to consume because I'm trying to concentrate so hard on what the words mean. I think it's a little different from regular songs because I don't necessarily need to know the lyrics in a song to enjoy it. A musical feels a little different because I feel like I need to know what's being said to understand everything happening? ** This goes for live musicals. When it's a movie, I can enjoy it because I put on subtitles!
I check out the soundtrack in advance before going to see a live musical xD Takes the surprise element out of it, but I need it to know what's going on lol
I've worked in theater a bit and this is actually a huge accessibility issue that folks have been advocating around for a while. It's ridiculous that we (here in the US) are perfectly fine captioning operas in languages other than English but it's too aesthetically displeasing or difficult to have captions on plays and musicals in English. People have come up with wonky eyeglasses and such for people to wear that display the captions but it would be so much easier just to do it above/below the stage! I think some theaters will set aside specific performances as captioned ones but that's really limiting, and there's actually a ton of people who need or prefer captions for a huge variety of reasons. Anyway, that's a long rant to say it totally makes sense that you don't enjoy live musicals and it's on the industry to fix that! Also movie musicals are legitimately musicals, so if you like those you like musicals! Anyone who thinks you MUST see something live is a snob, and that's at least one good thing that's come out of the pancetta is that it's become somewhat easier to access recordings of stage productions, which are usually then captioned. Though we could stand to do better considering a lot of theaters quit doing streams once they could sell in person tickets again. Anyway sorry for the rant! Didn't know I had so many feelings about this, haha
@@alexh8716 that is so interesting!! I didn’t know something like the eyeglasses existed. I would see more live performances if I had the option for captions like that. You’ve got me on a research spiral to see what’s available on Broadway now!
This was a really helpful video for goal setting around reading. I got a lot out of it. Due to having a chronic illness, I’m unable to read anywhere near as much as I would like, because my brainfog won’t allow me. I even failed my goal of 12 books this year and only managed 5. This video made me feel better about it! It infuriates me when people say listening to audiobooks is not real reading. That is so ableist! Audiobooks make reading more accessible and they’re the only way I can read at all, because I can’t hold a book or process print (even though I love physical books).
Reading calming warm books at the moment. Struggling to read generally, because of fatigue and brain fog, so looking for short books that pack a punch so I can process them! Cognitive fatigue sucks 😅 Would love the musicals video 💜 Also- Velvety dress, choker and a burgundy lip- I am here for it 😍 feels kinda 90s grungy.
Also, if that's your jam, maybe get a poetry book. I find poems - especially ones that rhyme - very calming on bad brain days. (i always have to be a bit careful about the theme and make sure they're not sad poems though. Anything descriptive or pensive is good to calm me, melancholy or poems about grief just make me sad.) and they're usually short-ish, so you can read one or as many as you like without having to remember a proper storyline or anything.
I’m currently reading a book called Wintering, which is sort of part memoir part exploration into the facets of winter and the idea that we can feel the need to ‘winter’, and draw inside ourselves, at any time of the year. It feels very gentle to me, a perfect book to ease into the year with, and maybe you would enjoy it too 😊 (if you haven’t already read it, of course)
I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my yearly reading and my TBR and my personal library. I find setting goals in any of my hobbies is how I have to approach them all bc I’ve got ADHD and otherwise will forget that I like to do things lmao
One of my reading goals this year is to try and value 'other' forms of literature like comics, audiobooks, children's books, YA on the same level as 'normal' literature. [Lot to unlearn there, unfortunately] When starting to get into comics, as suggested by my partner, I realised I am a terrible reader when it comes to them. It is not a 'lesser' form of entertainment, because there are images, there is a true skill in being able to enjoy both picture and story simultaneously, one that I have yet to master. Another reading goal would be to learn to DNF books, far too often I have continued with stories that didn't resonate and that I didn't enjoy. Then my last would be to read more non-fiction. As an academic, it is really hard to push yourself to pick up a non-fiction besides all of the literature you already have to consume, but I would love to be able to read more memoirs or histories or mythologies of different people and different experiences.
if you want mythology then I recommend Stephen Fry's books on Greek mythology! Mythos, Heroes and Troy, all three are written pretty conversationally and humourously so you get the mythology knowledge without it feeling like an info overload, although Greek myths are so full of stories and dramas and interweaving lives that it feels just as fun as reading modern fiction
i read 11 books this year, which i liked becuase its equals out to almost 1 a month. instead of a reading goal, i love just having a diary where i keep track of my thoughts of all my books- the feeling of flicking through it and seeing the different books and covers that i read at different times in my life is so much more satisfying than a rnumerical reading goal and i love itt
You have such an illuminating perspective on the topic! I'm currently rereading one of my favourite books for the third time and I realised that it became such an unfamiliar feeling for me to read for the sole purpose of enjoyment instead of doing it so that I can talk about a book in class or review it online. Kinda strange how most often than not we try to find a bigger meaning in every aspect of our lives, because as adults simply having fun doesn't seem to be a sufficient use of our time anymore. On a more superficial level: your lipstick and dress combo is suuuuper pretty!
"I never heard people talk about it, I just saw it randomly on my library app. That's how I get half the books I read, seem great books are found that way.
my reading goals arent quantity but rather, which authors/genres i want to pay attention to! for this year, i wanted to read more of Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Sarah Waters & N K Jemisin & more non-fiction books because i looove those! (i read like 280 books last year so this year i decided to finally purchase a reading journal, which i got at a thriftstore, to reflect on my books more. and yes, i read that much bc most of them were YA books & i did not enjoy a good chunk of them and realised halfway i was outgrowing the genre) also edit: i don't think 280 is super high for my circumstances. i certainly read fast & i read tons of graphic novels, manga & children's fiction for my students! it's really my e-reader (kobo) that does so much heavylifting. my best tip is always to have a few books (and a tablet does that easily) for u, wherever u go! it's ok to not want to read all the time too
Your outfiiiiiiiiit damn that's so beautiful! Thanks for staying festive, very excited to hear your thoughts as always but couldn't wait to express how good that outfit looks!
What you said about fonts and ebooks totally makes sense from an accessibility point of view as well! Changing the font to have larger line spacings, left aligned justification (as opposed to fully justified) and choosing sans serif fonts are all things that can make text easier to read and process for dyslexic readers and people with other cognitive disabilities like ADHD and autism. I just got an e-reader and being able to customise the text is so helpful for my brain so far ❤️
This is so interesting! I didn’t know about the fonts. I don’t have ADHD and I’m not autistic (or least I haven’t been diagnosed) but I prefer books with larger font size and sans serif too.
@@julie5634 I only learnt out about it when I was studying web accessibility! Weird to think about how reading could be made so much easier by just changing the font.
I read 100 books in 2021, but I think I’m going to set my goal for 2022 at 50 books because I want to listen to more music. I’ve found that audiobooks take the place of my music listening time and I want that back. I want to go back to my teenage self and be constantly have music in my ears instead of an audiobook. (I still love audiobooks of course) just trying to find my balance of my loves this year.
I was a huge bookworm as a kid but I lost that trait during the years of school and university. I studied English and Media and HAD to read - a lot of unnecessary stuff in my opinion, so I didn't read in my free time. After graduating I had to learn to enjoy reading again. Just sitting down, and consuming a story WITHOUT having this thought in my had that I have to memorize this because I'll need it later. I don't anymore. I can read what I want and just for the sake of reading. Took me some time to get there again. I read 32 books last year (audio books in- but Manga and Webcomics excluded) and I'm very happy with my reading habits. I read every night before I go to sleep. I rarely miss a night. And if I don't read at night I have been listening to an audio book over the day. I also almost only read fiction to not fall back into the "I have to memorize this" headspace again.
„Breaking into Song“ Sounds so Good. I went to school for musical theater for 3 years and basically didn’t know much about musical before but the historic development is actually really interesting. I still love learning about it
I like setting reading goals just because i personally find it quite fun but Im never hard in myself if I don’t meet them. It’s just nice to look back on the year and see how I did.
I'm decreasing my number goal this year from 30 to 20 books. 15 of the (audio)books I read in 2021 were at a 3-month temp warehouse job, 5 were read in the car driving around for work, and 5 were read while training for an ultramarathon. This year I'm moving abroad to complete my dream internship so while some books will inform and inspire me (both fiction and non-fiction), I don't feel the need to escape, nor want to miss out on opportunities because I'm not being present. On top of this, I want to read more scientific papers which (especially as a dyslexic) are much harder work to read and don't fit into a number goal.
The Storygraph have on their roadmap that they’re looking into an ‘hours listened’ chart for audiobooks which should help resolve the pages discrepancy 👍 at the moment I just record the pages on the physical edition and then ‘DNF’ it at 100% and switch to the audio edition for read so I keep the pages and the correct format
@@testosteronic I think it depends on whether someone’s included the page amount while setting up the edition - I keep finding that they haven’t as they’re mainly user-added
YES I would love that video about why you shouldn't hate musicals!!! My kiddo loves musicals but can't get any friends to watch them, so it would be awesome to share on!!!
I set my reading goal lower this year because I have a couple long books I want to dive into. I’d love to do more fiction this year too, I was definitely in a non fiction vortex last year, so the change will be nice! Loved the video!
thank you for reminding me that reading should not be a chore ! my job means that i don't have much free time and the last thing i should be doing is spending that time trying to read books i don't enjoy, even if that means i'm not being 'intellectual'. on with reading whatever i want !
i personally love setting reading goals because it motivates me to dedicate the time to something i love, but i agree that they're definitely not for everyone! this year i have my goal of reading 50 books (which stays the same every year; i've definitely felt pressure to increase it each year but why should i? i don't want it to feel like a chore!) but also have qualitative goals of reading more poetry, and reading the books i already own rather than buying more. i think these kinds of goals are much more valuable than just number of books, and they're the ones i'm most excited about working towards!
I agree, setting a numbered reading goal only worked for me after I was back into reading regularly anyway. I like to set my goal too low, but it helps me read more, as I know I enjoy reading and it will bring me joy - but from time to time I have to make me do something nice for myself, because I forget what I derive joy from... This year, I'm trying something new. I just want to set themes for a while. In January I'm reading mystery and suspense and thrillery books. I've already realized I'm more excited to read and to save books for the future, but actually get to them (in the past I've gotten stuck in a genre instead of reading recommended good books from different genres). Thanks for all your videos, I enjoy them very much
I read 50 books in 2020 & 2021 and I am extremely satisfied with that so that's just gonna be my goal every year now. I don't feel the need to read more than that - I really just set the goals as a way to remind myself to actually take care of myself and do my hobbies even when life gets busy, because if I forget my hobbies I will burn out really fast
YES to the musical video!!!! it was already something new for me when you said that musicals were more working class.. i never thought about this but it totally makes sense! my bf doesnt like musicals and refuses to watch them and i really dont get it, so maybe i could convince him with your video :D
The letters to the lady living upstairs sounds amazing. My mum has been wanting to read something from a classic author I'll pass this reccomendation along and also maybe read it myself
Musicals are working class and operas are upper class endeavors? I'm definitely curious about that because here in Germany it seems to be the other way around: Theaters which traditionally show plays, operas & ballet are heavily subsidized for everyone and in some situations of poverty you get tickets entirely for free. There are a few theaters that only show musicals and they are not subsidized and therefore super expensive and only in the biggest city. Traditional theaters have started showing musicals as well but I'm 27 and I learned about this distinction in school as something that could never ever change. Obviously I'm thrilled that it's different now because otherwise I probably would have never seen a musical.
I used to do reading goals for myself and I definitely avoided longer books so it would be easier to reach that magical number... the past couple of years I've done away with the goal and it's been nice. I do have this "goal" in the back of my mind of reading more non-fiction and more diverse genres, but at the same time it's not like anyone's paying me to read any of it, I'm doing it for me. (Might do a page count goal this year, though, it might encourage me to pick up some of those bricks I've been avoiding!)
I’ve been keeping track of what I’m reading for 3 years and 2021 was my best year, I read 65 books! The year before I had read 56 and my aim is generally 50. (If I am not averaging 1 book a week it generally means something is profoundly thrown my life out of whack) I mentioned all this to my mum and she asked why the increase in 2021. I read a lot of picture books! My sister argued that I shouldn’t count those, but they are books and I read them, so on the list they went
I love setting reading goals! My goal this year is 40 books, 10 more than I read in 2021. I've also set reading prompts because I love readathons with challenges and one of my main problems is deciding what to read next! So each time I need a new book I can either go for what I'm in the mood for or pick a challenge and read a corresponding book (e.g. I'm currently doing 'read a book that focuses on a social justice issue').
In 2021 I read 12 books, which was my goal. I'm very proud of myself because it made me realise that I actually love reading historical fiction and reading a genre I enjoy instead of reading what I feel I should be reading, was a game changer. I used to think I should read classics and high literature, but really, my main goal when reading is to enjoy myself. While I do still want to get to reading classics, I feel like I should first enjoy myself more and read more digestible books before I get into the more heavy stuff. Like you said: reading is a skill that needs to be trained!
I used to love reading, and would do it all the time. After starting a family that was one of the things that got put on the back burner. In about May of 2021 I decided I was going to attempt to find my love for reading again. I was able to read 20 books by December. That was a really big accomplishment for me since I had not read in YEARS. I don't think there is anything wrong with just saying I'm going to read for pleasure and set an obtainable goal for myself. This year I am only going to plan on reading 30 books. That is something that is obtainable for me at this stage in my life. Also if I end up reading more that will be pretty exciting to surpass that goal!
Fully support a page goal instead of number of books! It always bothers me when booktubers say they can’t read big books or need to run through a bunch of novellas/graphic novels to hit their reading goal.. it just totally negates the whole point imo
I would love for you to do a video about musicals! I love musicals and I love bringing other people along with me to experience the joy of musicals as well
That musicals book looks great! You’ve inspired me to set up another reading goal for this year: Read 5 books about music. My other ones are: Read 10 books in Spanish (and I’m joining a Spanish book club to keep myself accountable), and; Read 5 intimidating books (mainly huge fantasy or thick nonfiction). The last two years I’ve read more than 100 books, but I’ve set my goal on Story Graph to 70 this year.
Concerning you're very wise comment about testing new formats, I've actually realised that my sight is not so good when i'm tired, so when I can, I'm happy to switch from an audiobook to the same paper book. It's the same content, same pleasure but it helps a lot.
When you said that sometimes you avoid reading really long books, I immediatelly thought of "Secret history" (which for the LONGEST time is on my tbr list, but always manages to intimidate me with thr lenght of it) and BAM, two sentences later you mention it as well 😂
Something I've found that really works for me is reading between 5-9 books simultaneously, as I'm a super mood-based reader. I'm not someone who can pick a TBR and stick to it, and my enjoyment of a particular books largely depends on whether it's the type of book I want to read in that particular moment. So I have a large range of books to choose from (nonfiction, fantasy, YA, contemporary, graphic novel etc), rather than forcing myself to read something I'm really not in the mood for. Also on the note of not being able to read for long stretches of time, this method really helps me on days I'm struggling to focus on one particular thing. I'll read 5 or so pages of one book, get bored and switch to another, and repeat that across multiple books. In the end, I've only read 5-10 pages per book, but have read 30-50 pages total in that sitting. It'll take me months to finish a particular book sometimes, but I'm still reading considerably more than I would if I was making myself just stick to one or two books at a time
i set my reading challenge for the year to read 1 book and it was honestly such a game changer. i'm taking my time now with the books i'm actually interested in and i'm enjoying reading again.
something that helped me a lot was shifting my focus away from "reading books" to just "reading." i read tons of articles and stuff online, and i'm trying to integrate books as a part of that without the weird pressure of Book Culture.
I’m writing my Master’s thesis this spring semester which will be pressure enough, so I don’t think I’ll set a reading goal before I’m done with that. 😅 And I usually set one but never reach the goal!
I set my goal to 15 books this year, because I'm also a masters literature student so I'll have to read a lot too, but I'll count those as well I think. Last year my goal were 10 books and I read 12 (also including a super long fanfiction lol) but I was just happy that I got back into reading and at the moment the 15 books are motivating me, but we'll see if I will raise the number even more next year. :D And I would love a video about musicals!!
I want to read my unread books this year and made my goal just reading a book a week, which is the lowest in years but this is as so as to not add unnecessary stress bc I have spurts of reading a bunch and then lulls where I just watch a bunch of stuff and that's all goood. Best of luck with your reading this year!
I'm so glad you covered this topic! My reading goal is just 12. But that's after like... Years of reading maybe 2 a year. So 12 is just manageable for me. It gives me a month to finish each book. I'm starting with The Grapes of Wrath because I want to know more of the classics. Good luck with your goal ❤️
In 2019, I read 0 books. I was shocked when i realised it because I have a reading record from 2014 or so where I read a 152 books. I decided I wanted to read more. In 2020, I read 8 books. In 2021 I read 40 books. Now my goal for 2022? It's 10 books. Why? I'm back in school, I have other hobbies, and I read 11 books in January 2021 when I was getting ready to move and wanted to read some the books before I got rid of them. I don't care nearly as much about goals as I do about *tracking* the books I read so I remember them, and how much I liked them, and what I liked about them. Happy 2022 people!
I’m not a reader but for read across America week I had to pick a book. I picked hunger games. Then during spring break (about 2 weeks) I read 2 books the next 2 hunger games books. I’m currently reading the ballad if songbirds and snakes. I realized how fun reading can be!
Last year I set a goal to read one book every two weeks, and it was just sooo unrealistic for me. Life can be so inconsistent and unpredictable, and your mental state and attention can also fluctuate. So this year I started just reading a little before bed whenever I struggle to fall asleep (most of the time) - and it's adding up. Now I guess it's my mini goal
I'm definitely trying to let go of reading goals this year! I started tracking the books I read in 2019 and didn't set out with a goal in mind but when I started approaching 100 I felt compelled to hit the target. Last year was kind of the same thing but I noticed toward the end I was opting for books I could finish quickly over books I actually wanted to read more. This year I haven't set any goals but I still want to track what I read - I just need to avoid the attraction of those round numbers!
I'd love to see the video about musicals! I added that book straight to my to read list. As an ex-MT student who's still interested in theory/musicals in general I think your takes would be really interesting
I have never been adept at keeping track of my reading habits or the number of books I read, so when I look back on it I feel as though I haven't been reading enough. In reality, I read every day between books and fanfiction, a lot of which are 100,000 word stories that I get through very quickly. I think the main thing that matters is what you get from it, not the amount. I feel stimulated and inspired by my daily reading. Fanfiction is also great because some of it can be short stories, some can be huge, and it is also really easy to read wherever because it is just on your phone!
Rec for getting into theatre theory if you haven't read this one yet: I read chunks of (I'm 90% sure it was) "Changed For Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical" for a paper in grad school and remember thinking it made some interesting points while being accessibly written.
The best thing I did in 2021 was get a library card. It massively took the pressure I was subconsciously putting on myself to read and love the books I had bought because I knew that if I didn't enjoy it, it would just be returned! Also I have been loving borrowing non-fiction audiobooks via the library and listening to then while doing chores and working in the laboratory (wireless headphones also a game changer!). I had always assumed that I would hate them and not be able to concentrate properly but I actually think I take in more than reading print non-fiction
I have successfully met my reading goal for the past 3 years. I'm a fast reader but I always start with 1 book a month, and increase it if I notice that I'm doing well. I'm busy, I have other hobbies and sometimes I just don't feel well, and realistically, no one is THAT impressed whether you read 12 books or 150.
I normally reach all my reading goals, but last year there was one I didn't reach for... reasons. Oh, and I read for work, I'm a librarian, but have to read mostly on my spare time.
I started reading a 1,030 paged book. It's going faster than expected, I'm already 275 pages through. It's absolutely possible to sneak in a long book in a year. :)
I thought your piece about switching between fonts is quite interesting! You mentioned fonts more times than I expected, and it got me thinking. Make the video about musicals please! :)
I hope you will involve Craig in that video about musicals. :D It would be super fun to see you actually trying to convert someone or rather confront the book and your feelings with someone who is not that much into movies/plays where people break into song.:D
I like the idea of setting non numerical goals, already set a goal of 50 for this year (did 43 last year) but will consider that for the future. Adding ‘God is not a white man’ to my tbr. I love reading fiction but I do want to dabble in in non-fiction more.
My goal this year I think is one more book then my goal last year. I actually read 12 books more last year than my goal, but I also know I'm trying to finish my masters thesis this year and know I might go through slumps
i've been doing reading challenges since 2016 when i graduated colllege and could go back to reading for pleasure more. I absolutely had moments of aiming a little too high and getting caught up in the tracking. now im treating the goal as a nice lil incentive to pick up books even thought social media is easier lol
With a full-time job, spouse, 2 small children, a house, and my own human body… I just don’t have much time. But I don’t want to give up completely. I’m keeping a soft goal of just 6 books this year. But really, I just want to always have something at the bedside to get to when I can.
Last year my goal was 6, I did 4 which i'm really proud of. I hadn't read a book in like 5 years before that so it's a great achievement. Whatever you manage if it makes you happy good job. If it doesn't then remember there's no deadline, just enjoy it.
I “cheat” and read a lot of graphic novels (aka chonky comics). Might be an easy genre to get into for a quick read. They’re not all about super heroes
I'm a mom too... And I totally count all the books I read to my kids as actual, factual books. I enjoy a vast majority of them as much, if not more, than my kids, so why the heck not?!
@@autonomousAcquaintances We need to stop the stygma and start normalizing manga and graphic novel into book count goals. I'm working on it myself we'll see how it goes.
Audiobooks are the way I've kept myself read with all the demands of life. After I had my kid my time to sit and read just vanished
Here is a sumptuous comment for my buddy Al Go Rithm. Yum!
Make borrowing more of your books from the library your reading goal this year
Mine needs to be returning that book I borrowed ages ago! 🤦♀️
The Libby app changed my life
yeas i like this goal
I read 70 books in 2021 and perhaps only bought three of them (one of which was second hand from a charity shop). Going to my local library has transformed my reading habits. I love it so so much! I never reread books and don’t like clutter so it’s the best option for me.
I also never understand people who write off musicals entirely. Because I feel like even if you're treating musicals as a monolithic genre of music/show that you don't enjoy, surely you can still get some enjoyment out of the craft of the performance? Like these are INCREDIBLE singers and dancers, and so at the very least you're mesmerized at how they can do backflips across the stage or belt while doing a box step.
All of my reading is done via audiobooks. I don’t get why people are so douchey about it… I get through a book a week and I can multitask with exercise, doing art, or boring tasks at work. Makes me life so much more enjoyable 😍
Exactly. We don’t live in a world anymore where our only forms of entertainment are books and charades. As a society, we’re all extremely busy (unfortunately) yet we will have an expecting to read tens or hundreds of books a year on paper! Audiobooks are brilliant and not ‘cheating’
Also, audiobooks are literally how everything started, they bring us back to storytelling!
No hate just jealousy, I can’t pay attention unless I am reading, I can do podcasts, but complex storytelling flies over my head:c
Any audiobooks recommendations I could give a try?
The author often reads their audiobook themselves, it's great! Ahem, also they pronounce stuff for you.
Since I started listening to audiobooks it’s revolutionized how much I read because now I can read simultaneously while listening and my brain doesn’t wonder away from the book.
I used to work at Waterstones and could easily read 50 or so books mainly bc they were free or heavily discounted. There IS a weird pressure amongst booksellers and even the customers themselves to have read hundreds of books when the simple fact is we have lives outside our jobs. Yes being around books is lovely but the numerical reading goal ( in my experience) is detrimental to your actual enjoyment of the books themselves x
Absolutely support a Leena vid on why you shouldn't hate musicals so I can forward to every person who has ever said "I just don't like musicals" to me!!
Definitely interested to read the book too!!!
I hate musicals and I doubt a video is going to change my mind. But I'll take the challenge.
my goal this year is to read at least 25% non-fiction books. I read 150 books last year (and 52000 pages!!) but I actually want to read less this year, so I can think about each book more
I would love a video on why you shouldn’t hate musicals! I took a “I don’t like musicals friend” to In the Heights this year, and she loved it!
Changing books on Storygraph: You should be able to switch editions and keep everything else you filled in (like the dates read, reviews and such). On the page of the book, next to the "mark as owned" and "buy" link, you can usually click "editions". Then you get a list of editions, and you can look for the one you want. There you can click on "switch to this edition". I use this quite often to switch between languages or paperback/hardcover/ebook.
Have you made this suggestion there? It's absolutely brilliant!!
what i do as well is to set the book as an ebook or a physical copy while i'm reading it and switching to audiobook when i'm finished. that way you get the pages + the right format stats!
@@disastart oh wow and the pages stay in your stats? That's super smart!
I love how you described your response to people who say they could never read as much as you as "it's the only skill I have" and I feel that. I'm chronically ill and due to that I don't work and don't go to school. I don't have any skills in terms of sports because I can't do them. I can't do a lot of hobbies I used to love etc. But what I luckily can still do is read. So a lot of my time is spend reading. And when I can't physically read due to my health I listen to audiobooks. Sometimes listening to audiobooks with my eyes closed in bed is all I can do but I feel like I'm somehow still being productive because I'm consuming literature and learning something whether it's fiction or nonfiction
I would be interested in the musical video! I personally don't like them. And it's because I am really bad at hearing lyrics, so I'm always so confused on what's happening in the plot. I guess I can gather some from the tone of the song, but it is mostly just frustrating for me to consume because I'm trying to concentrate so hard on what the words mean. I think it's a little different from regular songs because I don't necessarily need to know the lyrics in a song to enjoy it. A musical feels a little different because I feel like I need to know what's being said to understand everything happening?
** This goes for live musicals. When it's a movie, I can enjoy it because I put on subtitles!
Yes! I struggle with that in English because it's not my first language but even in my mothertongue, German, I struggle to understand the lyrics...
I check out the soundtrack in advance before going to see a live musical xD Takes the surprise element out of it, but I need it to know what's going on lol
I've worked in theater a bit and this is actually a huge accessibility issue that folks have been advocating around for a while. It's ridiculous that we (here in the US) are perfectly fine captioning operas in languages other than English but it's too aesthetically displeasing or difficult to have captions on plays and musicals in English. People have come up with wonky eyeglasses and such for people to wear that display the captions but it would be so much easier just to do it above/below the stage! I think some theaters will set aside specific performances as captioned ones but that's really limiting, and there's actually a ton of people who need or prefer captions for a huge variety of reasons. Anyway, that's a long rant to say it totally makes sense that you don't enjoy live musicals and it's on the industry to fix that! Also movie musicals are legitimately musicals, so if you like those you like musicals! Anyone who thinks you MUST see something live is a snob, and that's at least one good thing that's come out of the pancetta is that it's become somewhat easier to access recordings of stage productions, which are usually then captioned. Though we could stand to do better considering a lot of theaters quit doing streams once they could sell in person tickets again.
Anyway sorry for the rant! Didn't know I had so many feelings about this, haha
@@alexh8716 that is so interesting!! I didn’t know something like the eyeglasses existed. I would see more live performances if I had the option for captions like that. You’ve got me on a research spiral to see what’s available on Broadway now!
This was a really helpful video for goal setting around reading. I got a lot out of it. Due to having a chronic illness, I’m unable to read anywhere near as much as I would like, because my brainfog won’t allow me. I even failed my goal of 12 books this year and only managed 5. This video made me feel better about it!
It infuriates me when people say listening to audiobooks is not real reading. That is so ableist! Audiobooks make reading more accessible and they’re the only way I can read at all, because I can’t hold a book or process print (even though I love physical books).
Reading calming warm books at the moment. Struggling to read generally, because of fatigue and brain fog, so looking for short books that pack a punch so I can process them! Cognitive fatigue sucks 😅
Would love the musicals video 💜
Also- Velvety dress, choker and a burgundy lip- I am here for it 😍 feels kinda 90s grungy.
One of my most wonderful experiences was reading Little Women, for this exact reason. It's a book with so much warmth and love and coziness.
Also, if that's your jam, maybe get a poetry book. I find poems - especially ones that rhyme - very calming on bad brain days. (i always have to be a bit careful about the theme and make sure they're not sad poems though. Anything descriptive or pensive is good to calm me, melancholy or poems about grief just make me sad.) and they're usually short-ish, so you can read one or as many as you like without having to remember a proper storyline or anything.
I’m currently reading a book called Wintering, which is sort of part memoir part exploration into the facets of winter and the idea that we can feel the need to ‘winter’, and draw inside ourselves, at any time of the year. It feels very gentle to me, a perfect book to ease into the year with, and maybe you would enjoy it too 😊 (if you haven’t already read it, of course)
Same. Wintering, and Braiding Sweetgrass have helped me enormously so far.
I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my yearly reading and my TBR and my personal library. I find setting goals in any of my hobbies is how I have to approach them all bc I’ve got ADHD and otherwise will forget that I like to do things lmao
I so relate to that. I’m similar and I read a decent amount of books but I do it in bursts and then for a while I’m distracted by something else.
One of my reading goals this year is to try and value 'other' forms of literature like comics, audiobooks, children's books, YA on the same level as 'normal' literature. [Lot to unlearn there, unfortunately] When starting to get into comics, as suggested by my partner, I realised I am a terrible reader when it comes to them. It is not a 'lesser' form of entertainment, because there are images, there is a true skill in being able to enjoy both picture and story simultaneously, one that I have yet to master. Another reading goal would be to learn to DNF books, far too often I have continued with stories that didn't resonate and that I didn't enjoy. Then my last would be to read more non-fiction. As an academic, it is really hard to push yourself to pick up a non-fiction besides all of the literature you already have to consume, but I would love to be able to read more memoirs or histories or mythologies of different people and different experiences.
if you want mythology then I recommend Stephen Fry's books on Greek mythology! Mythos, Heroes and Troy, all three are written pretty conversationally and humourously so you get the mythology knowledge without it feeling like an info overload, although Greek myths are so full of stories and dramas and interweaving lives that it feels just as fun as reading modern fiction
@@ros.an. I am a Mediterranean Archeologist, so yea I do really like mythology, have read the Fry's. Thank you for the rec anyway!
i read 11 books this year, which i liked becuase its equals out to almost 1 a month. instead of a reading goal, i love just having a diary where i keep track of my thoughts of all my books- the feeling of flicking through it and seeing the different books and covers that i read at different times in my life is so much more satisfying than a rnumerical reading goal and i love itt
You have such an illuminating perspective on the topic! I'm currently rereading one of my favourite books for the third time and I realised that it became such an unfamiliar feeling for me to read for the sole purpose of enjoyment instead of doing it so that I can talk about a book in class or review it online. Kinda strange how most often than not we try to find a bigger meaning in every aspect of our lives, because as adults simply having fun doesn't seem to be a sufficient use of our time anymore.
On a more superficial level: your lipstick and dress combo is suuuuper pretty!
Hey Alina, randomly stumbled upon you here. Totally agree and will have to reflect on your words 🤍
"I never heard people talk about it, I just saw it randomly on my library app. That's how I get half the books I read, seem great books are found that way.
my reading goals arent quantity but rather, which authors/genres i want to pay attention to! for this year, i wanted to read more of Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Sarah Waters & N K Jemisin & more non-fiction books because i looove those! (i read like 280 books last year so this year i decided to finally purchase a reading journal, which i got at a thriftstore, to reflect on my books more. and yes, i read that much bc most of them were YA books & i did not enjoy a good chunk of them and realised halfway i was outgrowing the genre)
also edit: i don't think 280 is super high for my circumstances. i certainly read fast & i read tons of graphic novels, manga & children's fiction for my students! it's really my e-reader (kobo) that does so much heavylifting. my best tip is always to have a few books (and a tablet does that easily) for u, wherever u go! it's ok to not want to read all the time too
A musical discussion video sounds like fun! Also if you feel like it, maybe one about your favorite musicals?
I truly apreciate this one... I've drifted away from reading for enjoyment but am getting back into it now.
Your outfiiiiiiiiit damn that's so beautiful! Thanks for staying festive, very excited to hear your thoughts as always but couldn't wait to express how good that outfit looks!
What you said about fonts and ebooks totally makes sense from an accessibility point of view as well!
Changing the font to have larger line spacings, left aligned justification (as opposed to fully justified) and choosing sans serif fonts are all things that can make text easier to read and process for dyslexic readers and people with other cognitive disabilities like ADHD and autism.
I just got an e-reader and being able to customise the text is so helpful for my brain so far ❤️
This is so interesting! I didn’t know about the fonts. I don’t have ADHD and I’m not autistic (or least I haven’t been diagnosed) but I prefer books with larger font size and sans serif too.
@@julie5634 I only learnt out about it when I was studying web accessibility! Weird to think about how reading could be made so much easier by just changing the font.
I read 100 books in 2021, but I think I’m going to set my goal for 2022 at 50 books because I want to listen to more music. I’ve found that audiobooks take the place of my music listening time and I want that back. I want to go back to my teenage self and be constantly have music in my ears instead of an audiobook. (I still love audiobooks of course) just trying to find my balance of my loves this year.
The Proust quote literally brought tears to my eyes, so beautiful
I was a huge bookworm as a kid but I lost that trait during the years of school and university. I studied English and Media and HAD to read - a lot of unnecessary stuff in my opinion, so I didn't read in my free time. After graduating I had to learn to enjoy reading again. Just sitting down, and consuming a story WITHOUT having this thought in my had that I have to memorize this because I'll need it later. I don't anymore. I can read what I want and just for the sake of reading. Took me some time to get there again. I read 32 books last year (audio books in- but Manga and Webcomics excluded) and I'm very happy with my reading habits. I read every night before I go to sleep. I rarely miss a night. And if I don't read at night I have been listening to an audio book over the day. I also almost only read fiction to not fall back into the "I have to memorize this" headspace again.
Thanks
„Breaking into Song“ Sounds so Good. I went to school for musical theater for 3 years and basically didn’t know much about musical before but the historic development is actually really interesting. I still love learning about it
I like setting reading goals just because i personally find it quite fun but Im never hard in myself if I don’t meet them. It’s just nice to look back on the year and see how I did.
Yessss a video about musicals? I would watch it in a second
I'm decreasing my number goal this year from 30 to 20 books. 15 of the (audio)books I read in 2021 were at a 3-month temp warehouse job, 5 were read in the car driving around for work, and 5 were read while training for an ultramarathon. This year I'm moving abroad to complete my dream internship so while some books will inform and inspire me (both fiction and non-fiction), I don't feel the need to escape, nor want to miss out on opportunities because I'm not being present. On top of this, I want to read more scientific papers which (especially as a dyslexic) are much harder work to read and don't fit into a number goal.
The Storygraph have on their roadmap that they’re looking into an ‘hours listened’ chart for audiobooks which should help resolve the pages discrepancy 👍 at the moment I just record the pages on the physical edition and then ‘DNF’ it at 100% and switch to the audio edition for read so I keep the pages and the correct format
Oh I thought they counted the audio listened as the equivalent in pages
@@testosteronic I think it depends on whether someone’s included the page amount while setting up the edition - I keep finding that they haven’t as they’re mainly user-added
YES I would love that video about why you shouldn't hate musicals!!! My kiddo loves musicals but can't get any friends to watch them, so it would be awesome to share on!!!
starting off the year with another bloody leena BANGER. cool vid :)
I set my reading goal lower this year because I have a couple long books I want to dive into. I’d love to do more fiction this year too, I was definitely in a non fiction vortex last year, so the change will be nice! Loved the video!
thank you for reminding me that reading should not be a chore ! my job means that i don't have much free time and the last thing i should be doing is spending that time trying to read books i don't enjoy, even if that means i'm not being 'intellectual'. on with reading whatever i want !
I would LOVE a video on why you shouldn’t hate musicals! :) Great vid x
I love listening to you because you have incredibly comforting videos and an extremely satisfying accent too
i personally love setting reading goals because it motivates me to dedicate the time to something i love, but i agree that they're definitely not for everyone! this year i have my goal of reading 50 books (which stays the same every year; i've definitely felt pressure to increase it each year but why should i? i don't want it to feel like a chore!) but also have qualitative goals of reading more poetry, and reading the books i already own rather than buying more. i think these kinds of goals are much more valuable than just number of books, and they're the ones i'm most excited about working towards!
I agree, setting a numbered reading goal only worked for me after I was back into reading regularly anyway. I like to set my goal too low, but it helps me read more, as I know I enjoy reading and it will bring me joy - but from time to time I have to make me do something nice for myself, because I forget what I derive joy from... This year, I'm trying something new. I just want to set themes for a while. In January I'm reading mystery and suspense and thrillery books. I've already realized I'm more excited to read and to save books for the future, but actually get to them (in the past I've gotten stuck in a genre instead of reading recommended good books from different genres).
Thanks for all your videos, I enjoy them very much
I read 50 books in 2020 & 2021 and I am extremely satisfied with that so that's just gonna be my goal every year now. I don't feel the need to read more than that - I really just set the goals as a way to remind myself to actually take care of myself and do my hobbies even when life gets busy, because if I forget my hobbies I will burn out really fast
YES to the musical video!!!! it was already something new for me when you said that musicals were more working class.. i never thought about this but it totally makes sense! my bf doesnt like musicals and refuses to watch them and i really dont get it, so maybe i could convince him with your video :D
The letters to the lady living upstairs sounds amazing. My mum has been wanting to read something from a classic author I'll pass this reccomendation along and also maybe read it myself
Musicals are working class and operas are upper class endeavors? I'm definitely curious about that because here in Germany it seems to be the other way around: Theaters which traditionally show plays, operas & ballet are heavily subsidized for everyone and in some situations of poverty you get tickets entirely for free. There are a few theaters that only show musicals and they are not subsidized and therefore super expensive and only in the biggest city. Traditional theaters have started showing musicals as well but I'm 27 and I learned about this distinction in school as something that could never ever change.
Obviously I'm thrilled that it's different now because otherwise I probably would have never seen a musical.
I used to do reading goals for myself and I definitely avoided longer books so it would be easier to reach that magical number... the past couple of years I've done away with the goal and it's been nice. I do have this "goal" in the back of my mind of reading more non-fiction and more diverse genres, but at the same time it's not like anyone's paying me to read any of it, I'm doing it for me. (Might do a page count goal this year, though, it might encourage me to pick up some of those bricks I've been avoiding!)
yesss love what you said about stretch and managed goals! i’m no longer interested in constantly outdoing myself! i do plenty as it is!
I’ve been keeping track of what I’m reading for 3 years and 2021 was my best year, I read 65 books! The year before I had read 56 and my aim is generally 50. (If I am not averaging 1 book a week it generally means something is profoundly thrown my life out of whack) I mentioned all this to my mum and she asked why the increase in 2021. I read a lot of picture books! My sister argued that I shouldn’t count those, but they are books and I read them, so on the list they went
Would love to still watch a video about why you should love musicals (as someone who loves musicals lol)!
reading the secret history took me a long time, but i am really glad i read it and it was so interesting to read, i felt engaged when reading it
I love setting reading goals! My goal this year is 40 books, 10 more than I read in 2021. I've also set reading prompts because I love readathons with challenges and one of my main problems is deciding what to read next! So each time I need a new book I can either go for what I'm in the mood for or pick a challenge and read a corresponding book (e.g. I'm currently doing 'read a book that focuses on a social justice issue').
YES to the musicals video! I love them and always encounter people who say they don't like them. I need clapbacks!
In 2021 I read 12 books, which was my goal. I'm very proud of myself because it made me realise that I actually love reading historical fiction and reading a genre I enjoy instead of reading what I feel I should be reading, was a game changer. I used to think I should read classics and high literature, but really, my main goal when reading is to enjoy myself. While I do still want to get to reading classics, I feel like I should first enjoy myself more and read more digestible books before I get into the more heavy stuff. Like you said: reading is a skill that needs to be trained!
This was such a good video!! I now want to read all those recommendations
I would love the musical theatre video! I adore your reading tastes. I always keep my storygraph open when you do these rec videos to save stuff!
I used to love reading, and would do it all the time. After starting a family that was one of the things that got put on the back burner. In about May of 2021 I decided I was going to attempt to find my love for reading again. I was able to read 20 books by December. That was a really big accomplishment for me since I had not read in YEARS. I don't think there is anything wrong with just saying I'm going to read for pleasure and set an obtainable goal for myself. This year I am only going to plan on reading 30 books. That is something that is obtainable for me at this stage in my life. Also if I end up reading more that will be pretty exciting to surpass that goal!
Yes make a musical video 🥰 I majored in musical theatre for a year.. musical theory was too hard for me 😅
Fully support a page goal instead of number of books! It always bothers me when booktubers say they can’t read big books or need to run through a bunch of novellas/graphic novels to hit their reading goal.. it just totally negates the whole point imo
I would love for you to do a video about musicals! I love musicals and I love bringing other people along with me to experience the joy of musicals as well
The musical video is one that would be amazing to see!!
Love your videos Leena ❤️
YESS pleaseee make that video about why you shouldn't hate musicals!! so hype for that :D
That musicals book looks great! You’ve inspired me to set up another reading goal for this year: Read 5 books about music.
My other ones are:
Read 10 books in Spanish (and I’m joining a Spanish book club to keep myself accountable), and;
Read 5 intimidating books (mainly huge fantasy or thick nonfiction).
The last two years I’ve read more than 100 books, but I’ve set my goal on Story Graph to 70 this year.
Concerning you're very wise comment about testing new formats, I've actually realised that my sight is not so good when i'm tired, so when I can, I'm happy to switch from an audiobook to the same paper book. It's the same content, same pleasure but it helps a lot.
Breaking into song sounds sooo interesting! You mentioned you got an advanced copy; is it out yet?
Yes it just came out a few weeks ago I believe :)
When you said that sometimes you avoid reading really long books, I immediatelly thought of "Secret history" (which for the LONGEST time is on my tbr list, but always manages to intimidate me with thr lenght of it) and BAM, two sentences later you mention it as well 😂
Something I've found that really works for me is reading between 5-9 books simultaneously, as I'm a super mood-based reader. I'm not someone who can pick a TBR and stick to it, and my enjoyment of a particular books largely depends on whether it's the type of book I want to read in that particular moment. So I have a large range of books to choose from (nonfiction, fantasy, YA, contemporary, graphic novel etc), rather than forcing myself to read something I'm really not in the mood for.
Also on the note of not being able to read for long stretches of time, this method really helps me on days I'm struggling to focus on one particular thing. I'll read 5 or so pages of one book, get bored and switch to another, and repeat that across multiple books. In the end, I've only read 5-10 pages per book, but have read 30-50 pages total in that sitting. It'll take me months to finish a particular book sometimes, but I'm still reading considerably more than I would if I was making myself just stick to one or two books at a time
If you made a video about why you shouldn't hate musicals, I would 100% be showing that to my boyfriend 😅
i set my reading challenge for the year to read 1 book and it was honestly such a game changer. i'm taking my time now with the books i'm actually interested in and i'm enjoying reading again.
something that helped me a lot was shifting my focus away from "reading books" to just "reading." i read tons of articles and stuff online, and i'm trying to integrate books as a part of that without the weird pressure of Book Culture.
I’m writing my Master’s thesis this spring semester which will be pressure enough, so I don’t think I’ll set a reading goal before I’m done with that. 😅 And I usually set one but never reach the goal!
YAY all the Storygraph stats!! 😍
we love you Leena! thanks for more reccs
Loved this video and would love a video on musicals, too 😊
Big YES to the musicals video!!!!
I set my goal to 15 books this year, because I'm also a masters literature student so I'll have to read a lot too, but I'll count those as well I think. Last year my goal were 10 books and I read 12 (also including a super long fanfiction lol) but I was just happy that I got back into reading and at the moment the 15 books are motivating me, but we'll see if I will raise the number even more next year. :D
And I would love a video about musicals!!
I just finished your rec The Murder’s Ape. Fun. So happy 2022, we’re off.
I want to read my unread books this year and made my goal just reading a book a week, which is the lowest in years but this is as so as to not add unnecessary stress bc I have spurts of reading a bunch and then lulls where I just watch a bunch of stuff and that's all goood. Best of luck with your reading this year!
as someone who loves both reading and putting my hands in the soil, this analogy was great. =)
Please do the theatre video! I definitely equate musicals to music and reading- you have to find the right genre. Lovely video as always 💕
I'm so glad you covered this topic! My reading goal is just 12. But that's after like... Years of reading maybe 2 a year. So 12 is just manageable for me. It gives me a month to finish each book. I'm starting with The Grapes of Wrath because I want to know more of the classics. Good luck with your goal ❤️
✨ engagement ✨ for ✨ support ✨
In 2019, I read 0 books.
I was shocked when i realised it because I have a reading record from 2014 or so where I read a 152 books. I decided I wanted to read more.
In 2020, I read 8 books. In 2021 I read 40 books. Now my goal for 2022? It's 10 books.
Why? I'm back in school, I have other hobbies, and I read 11 books in January 2021 when I was getting ready to move and wanted to read some the books before I got rid of them.
I don't care nearly as much about goals as I do about *tracking* the books I read so I remember them, and how much I liked them, and what I liked about them.
Happy 2022 people!
I’m not a reader but for read across America week I had to pick a book. I picked hunger games. Then during spring break (about 2 weeks) I read 2 books the next 2 hunger games books. I’m currently reading the ballad if songbirds and snakes. I realized how fun reading can be!
Last year I set a goal to read one book every two weeks, and it was just sooo unrealistic for me. Life can be so inconsistent and unpredictable, and your mental state and attention can also fluctuate. So this year I started just reading a little before bed whenever I struggle to fall asleep (most of the time) - and it's adding up. Now I guess it's my mini goal
Theatre theory is such a good genre! I highly recommend anything by Anne Bogart (The Viewpoints Book, and A Director Prepares are my favs)
I'm definitely trying to let go of reading goals this year! I started tracking the books I read in 2019 and didn't set out with a goal in mind but when I started approaching 100 I felt compelled to hit the target. Last year was kind of the same thing but I noticed toward the end I was opting for books I could finish quickly over books I actually wanted to read more. This year I haven't set any goals but I still want to track what I read - I just need to avoid the attraction of those round numbers!
I'd love to see the video about musicals! I added that book straight to my to read list. As an ex-MT student who's still interested in theory/musicals in general I think your takes would be really interesting
I have never been adept at keeping track of my reading habits or the number of books I read, so when I look back on it I feel as though I haven't been reading enough. In reality, I read every day between books and fanfiction, a lot of which are 100,000 word stories that I get through very quickly. I think the main thing that matters is what you get from it, not the amount. I feel stimulated and inspired by my daily reading. Fanfiction is also great because some of it can be short stories, some can be huge, and it is also really easy to read wherever because it is just on your phone!
Here for the musicals!
Rec for getting into theatre theory if you haven't read this one yet: I read chunks of (I'm 90% sure it was) "Changed For Good: A Feminist History of the Broadway Musical" for a paper in grad school and remember thinking it made some interesting points while being accessibly written.
The best thing I did in 2021 was get a library card. It massively took the pressure I was subconsciously putting on myself to read and love the books I had bought because I knew that if I didn't enjoy it, it would just be returned! Also I have been loving borrowing non-fiction audiobooks via the library and listening to then while doing chores and working in the laboratory (wireless headphones also a game changer!). I had always assumed that I would hate them and not be able to concentrate properly but I actually think I take in more than reading print non-fiction
I have successfully met my reading goal for the past 3 years. I'm a fast reader but I always start with 1 book a month, and increase it if I notice that I'm doing well. I'm busy, I have other hobbies and sometimes I just don't feel well, and realistically, no one is THAT impressed whether you read 12 books or 150.
I normally reach all my reading goals, but last year there was one I didn't reach for... reasons.
Oh, and I read for work, I'm a librarian, but have to read mostly on my spare time.
I started reading a 1,030 paged book. It's going faster than expected, I'm already 275 pages through. It's absolutely possible to sneak in a long book in a year. :)
I thought your piece about switching between fonts is quite interesting! You mentioned fonts more times than I expected, and it got me thinking.
Make the video about musicals please! :)
I hope you will involve Craig in that video about musicals. :D It would be super fun to see you actually trying to convert someone or rather confront the book and your feelings with someone who is not that much into movies/plays where people break into song.:D
If there's a choice, ALWAYS stay in velvet. (at least if it's not warm, when it becomes a liability)... 👏🏽⚡️
I like the idea of setting non numerical goals, already set a goal of 50 for this year (did 43 last year) but will consider that for the future.
Adding ‘God is not a white man’ to my tbr. I love reading fiction but I do want to dabble in in non-fiction more.
My goal this year I think is one more book then my goal last year. I actually read 12 books more last year than my goal, but I also know I'm trying to finish my masters thesis this year and know I might go through slumps
i've been doing reading challenges since 2016 when i graduated colllege and could go back to reading for pleasure more. I absolutely had moments of aiming a little too high and getting caught up in the tracking. now im treating the goal as a nice lil incentive to pick up books even thought social media is easier lol