2016 Bookish Resolutions

Reading Resolutions

1. I will purchase books from bookstores instead of online. There are so many cute independently owned bookstores out there that I’d love to support!
2. I will read the books that I own before purchasing new ones. There are so many books lying around my room that I bought and never read, since I got distracted by other new releases.
3. I will continue to support my local library. Libraries are one of the best resources for both readers and bloggers, so I want to prioritize borrowing books over purchasing them for myself.
4. I will read more backlist titles. I’ve been focusing a lot on the new, shiny titles, but older books need some love too!
5. If I’m not enjoying a book, I will put it down for a bit or DNF it. My to-read list is ridiculously long, so there’s no point in forcing myself to finish a book that just isn’t working for me.
6. I will not be ashamed of my reading choices (whether it’s a classic, a new release, a middle grade novel, etc.) and will read what I want when I want.

Blogging Resolutions

1. I will try to be a more consistent blogger, both in terms of posting and replying to comments in a timely fashion. School is ridiculously busy, so I’ll hopefully take advantage of WordPress’ ability to schedule posts and/or use study breaks for commenting.
2. However, I will not feel guilty about taking breaks from blogging. (Or, at least, I’ll try not to feel too bad about it). Blogging is a hobby that I love, but it’s very hard to find time for it during the semester and I do need to prioritize my grades.
3. I will not compare myself to other bloggers, whether that’s in terms of ARCs, stats, or number of followers. I’m so thankful for all of my readers, and I’ll do my best to consistently show that. As long as I’m having fun and sharing my love for reading with others, I consider that to be a “success.”
4. After I finish reading a book, I will start drafting its review. Even if it’s just making a small pros/cons list, this will definitely make the process easier – especially since I have some books in my to review pile that I read weeks ago!
5. That being said, I will never allow blogging to become a chore. I started this blog as a fun way to interact with other people who love books as much as I do, and I don’t want it to turn into a burden or something that I dread doing.
6. I will not participate in or perpetuate any drama or negativity, which I’ve thankfully stayed clear of thus far.
7. I will visit more blogs and leave more thoughtful comments on others’ posts. There are a lot of blogs that I genuinely adore, and I need to do a better job of showing my appreciation for them.
8. I will try to generate more discussion posts and personal posts – I want to get to know you guys better and let more of my personality shine through!
9. I will be more available, whether it’s on this blog, Twitter, Goodreads, or via email, since I want to be able to interact with you guys more frequently.

Here’s hoping that I can stick with these!

Do you have any blogging or bookish resolutions for this year?

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2014 Bookish Resolutions

These past few months, I’ve been an awful blogger. Managing both a university course load and a book blog was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, which is why I ended up taking an extended break from posting for a while. So what better way to determine what changes I want to make in terms of my blogging and reading life and to hold myself accountable for them than some new year’s bookish resolutions?

Reading Resolutions

1. I will purchase books from bookstores instead of online. There are so many cute, independently owned bookshops out there, and I’d love to get a chance to see (and support) them.

2. I will request less books from Netgalley. I feel bad that my request:review ratio is under the recommended 80%, so I really need to catch up on that. And after that, I’m probably just going to read books that I own or books from the library — that way, there’s no pressure to have a review up in time and no guilt when I inevitably don’t.

3. I will finish reading all of the books that I’ve agreed to review. Whether they’re from Netgalley, publishers, or the authors themselves, I have a huge pile of books that I really need to get through.

4. I will not be afraid to put a book down for the meantime or to mark a book as ‘dnf.’ Life’s too short to spend it reading books that you don’t enjoy, after all!

5. Whether I want to read a classic novel, a new release, or a children’s picture book, I will read what I want when I want, and I won’t be ashamed of my reading choices.

Blogging Resolutions

1. I will try to be a more consistent blogger, both in terms of posting and replying to comments in a timely fashion.

2. I’ll continue to be myself. If that means weird, crazy posts or snarky reviews, so be it. My blog is a reflection of who I am in my real life, and I’m going to do my best to keep it that way.

3. I will not participate or perpetuate any drama or negativity, which I’ve thankfully stayed clear of thus far.

4. I will not compare myself to other bloggers to measure how “successful” I am, whether it’s in terms of followers or ARCs or anything else like that. I’m so thankful for all of my readers, and I’ll do my best to consistently show that.

5. I will never allow blogging to be a burden. I started this blog as a fun way to interact with other people who love books as much as I do, and I don’t want it to turn into a chore or something that I dread doing.

6. I will visit more blogs and leave more thoughtful comments on others’ posts. There are a lot of blogs that I genuinely adore, and I need to do a better job of showing my appreciation for them.

7. I will be more available outside of this blog. Whether it’s on Twitter, Goodreads, or via email, I want to be more available to interact with you guys.

Do you have any blogging or bookish resolutions for this year?