Twenty years ago, in 1996, I started keeping track of how many and which books I’d read. It was the year my first novel was published, and I had quite an impressive list of books I’d read—55 books over the course of twelve months. In 1997 I was working on writing my second and third novels, but I still managed to read forty books, recording each one in a pretty spiral journal. In the years between 1996 and 2000, I averaged reading 45 books each year—and writing one of my own.
During the following four years, my average dropped to a still-respectable 26 books a year. But from that point, and for the next ten years (2005-2014) my average plummeted to less than 14 books per year! Barely a book a month. I’m honestly not even sure what happened. It certainly wasn’t that I lost my love for reading.
Maybe it was that we bought our first home in 2005, and with it came a new hobby of gardening, along with all the other responsibilities of homeownership. We also became grandparents for the first time that year. Our grandkids all live hours away from us, so to see them, we travel. I began teaching at more and more writers conferences that same year. So I suppose that “perfect storm” of unrelated events understandably cut into my reading time. Along with the fact that being a writer came with ever more responsibility to my publisher to self-promote.
It’s not that I don’t HAVE anything to read. My nightstand is overflowing with great books lined up waiting for me!
A favorite reading spot in our bedroom.
Last year I made a New Years resolution that I was going to make time and effort to read more books. It’s something I’m passionate about, something I feel is worth my time and energy, and something I feel a good writer must do to continue to improve her craft and keep up with the industry.
The year is half over and I’m happy to report that I already have 13 books on my list for 2015. (Granted, a few of the books were read because I edited them, or endorsed them, but hey, I still read them!) If I keep up this pace, I just might hit the 30 books I’ve challenged myself to read. I’d love to be able to tally even more come December 31. But my resolution is off to a great start. Now, if I could only lose that 10 (okay, 20!) pounds that have been at the top of my New Years resolution list for the past 20 years!
P.S. If you click on the photos, you’ll get a large version so you can see the titles on my lists and read the book spines on my nightstand. Heh heh… I know I’m always curious about those spines in other authors’ posts!
Do you keep track of the books you read? How? What are your reading goals for the coming year? What’s waiting at the top of your to-be-read pile right now?
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I have tried to keep track of books but I am not consistent enough. I need to though. They have books now to keep track of them.
I’m sure there are some I’ve forgotten to record over the years, but it’s such a momentous occasion when I finally get to write one down that I rarely forget any more.
I actually had to sit down one day (or maybe it was over several days, I have A LOT of books), and make a spreadsheet of all of the fiction books I have to read. I found that I was buying too many duplicates because I didn’t remember that I already had them at home. I highlight the ones I’ve read as I finish reading them. It has really helped me.
That’s a great idea, Loraine. And something you could carry with you to the bookstore. I know sometimes I see a book cover online so often in so many different places that I start to think I OWN the book, when I really don’t!
I use Shelfari.com. What a great thing for me as I read lots of books. I can’t always remember what I’ve read or a new cover comes out and I don’t recognize the book. It makes it easier to keep track of series, too.
You know, I have a Shelfari account and haven’t done anything with it in years! I think Goodreads kind of took its place for me. But when Shelfari first came out I really liked the look of it with the bookshelves. Made it easy to see at a glance what you had read, wanted to buy, etc.
I use the Goodreads tracker and read an average of 200 books a year. As of today I have read 110 off my TBR list. But I am not a writer like yourself; instead I am a caregiver for my disabled husband which allows me a lot of reading time. On top of that, I don’t sleep well; so get a lot of reading done when I am awake int he middle of the night. Be proud of yourself that you do read!
Wow, 200! That’s incredible, Loraine. And I’m so glad that you have books to read with everything else on your plate! (But I’m praying for sweet dreams tonight!)
Goodreads is pretty good for keeping track of books I’ve read, though I’ve found if I reread a book, it only records it as having been read the first time. Unless I change the date it was read, at which point it deletes it off the previous year’s list and adds it to the new one (assuming I read it twice over two different years). I also keep a master spreadsheet of all the books we own, since I won’t necessarily read all my husband’s favorite books.
I’m always fascinated by people who read books more than once. There have been a few I’ve re-read, but not many. There are just too many NEW ones I want to read to go back and re-read an old one.
I use a daily planner for my life happenings so write number and write the title and author of books as I read them. I’m at 88 so far this year. I do not watch tv so that frees up time. My computer steals time though! Widows probably have more reading time too. (Not wishing bad luck to Ken!)
I’ve thought many times that giving up TV and even Facebook (I can’t believe I said that!) would give me more hours to read. But no, not ready to give Ken up yet!
I see the The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on the list of books you’ve read. Wasn’t that wonderful? I love a story told through letters every now and then.
I share your struggle to read as much as I used to, Deb. Since I turned in my manuscript a month and a half ago, I’ve been reading much more than I did while on deadline and it’s been a JOY! Not only is reading a treat, but it restores my own creativity and inspiration.
“The Potato Peel Book” as I’ve dubbed it because I can never remember the whole title correctly (not to mention it’s too long to type out!) is the book I just finished. I’d heard so many great things about it, and was excited to find it at a local museum fundraiser! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve always loved epistolary novels and would love to write one myself some day! (Do they still call them “epistolary” if they have e-mails and text messages in them??)
I wish I had kept better track of the books I’ve read over the years. I have improved, though, thanks to Goodreads and Pinterest.
They been an easy and fun way to keep track of what I’ve read for myself and to my kids for homeschool. (So far this year I have read 22 books out of my goal of 45).
That’s wonderful that you’re right on track to meet your goal! I hope someday I get back to reading closer to one book a week!
I used to read between 60 and 70 books a year. I love to read and often would do reviews on Amazon. I kept track of books for a while but then just read because I like it. Then I joined Facebook with the intention of getting to know the authors better. I was successful at that but unfortunately I no longer have time to read. So I guess it’s either Facebook book or reading. It’s a choice I need to make very soon.
Oh, I hope you can reach some kind of compromise, Shirley! I love Facebook almost as much as I love reading. :}
When I first started writing my novel, I was reading and cataloging each book I read with my own descriptions and if I liked the author. That died down fast. But it is definetly a blessing to give up TV. I have much more time in my favorite book–the Bible. And yes, Facebook is a real time eater. I need to back off that for sure. I need to be writing and still reading.
Becoming a writer definitely cut into my reading time. Or at least changed it drastically. One thing I didn’t mention is that Im reading a lot of partial books as research. And I don’t write those down on my list because unless I read a book cover to cover, it doesn’t count! But I agree: writers need to KEEP being readers!
i used to try to keep up with my books i read but it got where i was forgetting to put them down and just lost track of my number so i stopped
I’ve always been a list person. LOVE checking things off lists. So I think that’s why it’s so gratifying to me to keep lists of the books I’ve read. Makes it feel like a real accomplishment (which I believe it is!)
I’ve been listing the books I’ve read since 1968! That is a bit longer than I thought I had. I just write the books on notebook paper and keep them in one of those folders with prongs. Someday there will be too many pages and I’ll have to go to a binder. I have a heading with the year, then besides the title and author, I include the month and who the book belonged to (is it mine, did I check it out from the library, borrow from a friend, is it on my Kindle). Several years ago I also started an author binder. Each author has a page. That helps me keep track of which books I’ve read from a particular favorite author. It’s especially helpful to keep a series straight. I do use Goodreads some but haven’t found it to be as helpful as my paper method. It’s nice to have the photo of the book cover and I do use it to write some reviews. I read a lot so have to have a method to help me remember what I’ve read. Which reminds me, I need to go look up our book club book since we meet tomorrow night. I read it a few weeks ago (and many books since then), so I can’t even remember what it was about!
Pam, you just might be able to publish that Author binder for your reading friends! 🙂 What a great idea. I used to get on author kicks and read everything they wrote. I used to own an entire (up to that point) hardcover collection of Jan Karon’s novels, which I LOVE! I sold it to a friend cheap years ago when I was downsizing and needed the money worse than the books, but I probably spent most of a year reading her entire repertoire!
I am an avid reader of Christian fiction…..86 so far this year. I am retired so have lots of time to read. I keep an author file and write down the title/date of books I read. I read print form and Kindle. Am up-to-date on your books, Deb, and looking forward to reading more and more from you.
Thank you, Jackie! And that’s definitely on my list of things to do if I ever retire! MORE reading!
I use Goodreads to keep track of what I’m reading. Before that, I would read a book and really enjoy it, but have no recollection of the title or author when I wanted to tell someone about it a week later! It is also a good reference for me to use as a librarian. I can go back and see titles of books I think patrons would enjoy.
My goal for this year is 100 books, and I’m keeping pace with that, especially because I count the picture books I read for work.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who can’t remember what I read 2 days after I finish it! I can always remember if I liked it or not, but couldn’t tell you the characters names if my life depended on it! :}
I taught a library story hour for 9 years when our kids were young. If I could have counted the picture books I read there alone (and probably 5 times that many to our kids!) I wouldn’t have had enough room in my notebook for them all! But I still love picture books to this day! 🙂
I keep track of the books I have read in a Word document. In order to know how many I complete each year, I restart the counter at the first of the year. I list the title (and subtitle if there is one), the author’s name, and the date I completed the book. I also have a couple of symbols I use to identify if a book was borrowed or read electronically. If there’s not symbol after the date, I own the book. I started this practice in 1993. My wife got back into reading in 2012 and I helped her start her own list.
I love the way you and your wife read together, Edward. Thanks for sharing your system for keeping track!
This is delightful. I love your reading corner and your stash of books! About 1989 I began keeping a card file with a card for each fiction book I read. I do keep trilogies and series on one card each. This helps me keep track of authors I have enjoyed and a brief synopsis of the story line. Obviously they are in a long file box now, but I still refer to them often to make sure I don’t miss a new book by a favorite author. I don’t keep a card on non-fiction books so I wouldn’t be able to actually count how many books I read a month, but I would guess about 10 to 12. I have several bookcases of favorites, but little by little I’m getting a library built up on my Kindle and Nook too. Don’t laugh, but if I really love a book I read on an ereader I buy it in paper so it can be in my bookcases of favorites. As a book lover I admit my quirks but I’m happy!!
Are you kidding, Mary? We authors LOVE readers who by BOTH the Kindle and the print edition! Makes us happy too! 🙂
Loved this post, Deb (and enjoyed your photos too!).
Last year I started keeping a list of books I’d read…and somehow got off track and didn’t keep recording them. Okay, and to be completely honest, I misplaced my list (which is why I *must* continue with my ongoing DE-cluttering of all the paper in my office room). 🙁
But since I am a “list-person” too (as long as I don’t misplace the list, LOL) you’ve inspired me to once again start writing down the titles as I finish reading a book – – and this time I’ll put it in a notebook! 😉
Hugs, Patti Jo
LOL! You sound about as organized as I am, Patti Jo. 😉
I keep up with the books I’ve read on Pinterest. I’ve had a board for the past two years, Books I’ve Read in 2014 and Books I’ve Read in 2015. I pin the cover of the book after I’ve finished it and reviewed it. So far this year I’ve read and reviewed 30 books.
Right now I’m reading Five Brides.
Gail, I have a couple of Pinterest boards for book stuff, but I never thought about using one to actually keep track of each book I’ve read. Could do a different board for each year? Good idea!
In high school, I started recording what I read during the school year on my calendar and then transferred it to a Microsoft word document. Then I switched to an Excel spreadsheet. I still record on my calendar first though. I also use goodreads, but I update twice a year or quarterly if I’m lucky. That reminds me I should get my 2015 books onto goodreads to see if I need to reevaluate my reading goal this year, haha … =)
Oh, my! If I had to use a spreadsheet to keep track of books, I’d have to quit reading! Spreadsheets are too much like mathematics to me and I’m terrible terrible terrible at math. 🙁
I use Goodreads, but I should have a “to read” shelf and a “seriously going to read” shelf! I set a goal of 50 books for the year, and I’m only 2 behind, so I think I can do it! I get to read almost every evening when the little ones go to bed, as long as hubby and/or the older kids don’t want to watch a movie. I have started 3 books, oops! Playing Saint by Zachary Bartels, Flight of Shadows by Sigmund Brouwer and an ARC of Billy Coffey’ newest The Curse of Crow Hollow. I think I’ll need a nice contemporary or historical romance after those 🙂
50 books is a grand goal, Danielle! If I ever retire (not sure I even want to, but if I should) reading will be the #1 thing on my list of things to do in retirement! Good for you!