Happy 2014! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are now settling nicely into this new year.
Every year around this time I reflect upon what I'd like to accomplish over the next twelve months from both a reading and blogging perspective. I had a busy reading and blogging year in 2013. I hit the 100 books read milestone for the first time ever, and managed to write a record 142 blog posts (I only posted 102 in 2012). My resolutions and goals for 2014 have been shaped in large part by my experiences in 2013.
Focus on Quality Not Quantity. I admit, I'm really proud of the fact that I managed to read 100 books in a single year during 2013, but when I thought about the goal to set for myself this year I decided that the number of books I read in a given year shouldn't really matter. I deliberately choose not to read some of the longer novels I have sitting on my shelves last year because reading them required a significant time investment, one that could impact on the overall number of books I read. I put off some great books because of this choice. I won't be doing that in 2014. Bring on The Luminaries, A Place of Greater Safety and Fall of Giants! My goal for 2014, therefore, is simply to read good books no matter the number.
Focus on my TBR pile. I agreed to review a lot of books last year. As a result, I often looked at my enormous TBR pile and wondered when I would ever get back to my own books. While I'm definitely appreciative of review opportunities, I have decided to significantly limit the number of books I agree to review in 2014, including cutting way back on the number of books I request for review via Netgalley. This year my focus will be on reducing the size of my own TBR pile.
No Challenges. Since starting this blog in late 2010, I've taken part in annual reading challenges. But I've deemed 2014 as the year of no challenges. I'm going to let my reading moods determine where to take me in my reading selections this year, rather than be guided by challenge requirements.
Blog More. Ideally, I would like to blog more in 2014, whether in the form of review posts, general bookish discussion posts, meme participation, or commenting on other blogs. I'm not, however, going to put any pressure on myself when it comes to posting. If I go a week or two (or more) without any new posts I'm okay with that. Blogging is an activity I undertake because I love to discuss books and book-related topics with fellow readers.
What about you? Do you have any reading or blogging resolutions or goals for 2014? I'd love to hear about them if you do.
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