This week for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted at my other blog–The Broke and the Bookish) is all about bookish resolutions. I’m totally a sucker for making a long list of resolutions and goals. This year I’d like to stick to a few of them! Here are a few of my bookish/blog related resolutions so hopefully you all will make me stick to them!
1. Relax— I want to stop freaking out if I don’t have a post scheduled or drive myself nuts if I can’t write a review for a book. When this becomes a chore or an obligation, I’m taking a break for a few days. This is supposed to be something I enjoy doing. I’m not going to become a stress basket about it. I do have a pretty active life outside of blogging and so I can’t always read..and that’s ok!
2. Figure out what to do with all my books — I have so many piles and books in boxes and random places. I need to get a new shelves or something and maybe actually get rid of some books that I didn’t love so much.
3. Fix my archive of reviews— One day I had an archive of reviews and then out of nowhere it was just GONE. Disappeared! I’ve been dreading making a new one but I NEED to.
4. Read more classics— I did a really great job in 2010 (in the beginning of the year) of reading through some classics. I’d like to continue that as I stopped reading them as frequently when I started blogging.
5. Weed out my “to-read list” on Goodreads: I have almost 800 freaking books on my to-read list. This is absurd. I have this nasty habit just adding a book to my “to-read” list when I see something that looks interesting or that someone mentions with the intention to remind me to check it out when I have more time. However, more often than not, I never end up checking them out to see whether I actually want to read them in the future. Putting them on my “to-read” list overwhelms me because I feel as though I’ve committed to something.
6. Schedule more reviews in advance: I have this nasty habit of not being productive with my free time. I should be scheduling some reviews in advance.
7. Comment more: I used to be really great with commenting back on others blogs and I’ve been a slacker with that. I truly do love visiting other blogs so I’m going to get back to that.
8. Be more organized: All of the following fall under this category — keep track of when I have review books to read, reply to emails promptly, create a list of contacts at pub houses, etc. etc. I just need to be more organized in generally with the blog…and life. lol
9. Don’t let blogging sway what I read: Sometimes it is really easy to read all the books that are really popular but I need to focus reading on what I truly want to read. I take pride in the fact that I am an eclectic blogger as I wrote about in my post about the plight of the eclectic blogger.
10. Save money for BEA: I already registered but I need some money to eat and go do things and to pay for the hotel!
Honorable mention: Read more books that I ALREADY own!
What are your bookish resolutions or goals for the year?
Ariel says
Some of mine are pretty similar. Here are mine: http://angelvelvet.blogspot.com/2011/01/resolutions.html
1girl2manybooks says
We have a couple in common – I also want to try some classics this year and comment more on blogs! Hope you keep all your resolutions 🙂
Tahleen says
Oh yes. I forgot to mention figure out what to do with all of my books, especially the ones I need to haul down to the library to donate. I've had them in a giant bin for almost a year.
Misha says
We have some in common. I need to comment more to. There are many blogs I visit regularly but I am too lazy to comment. I like your 9th resolution 🙂 I am an eclectic blogger too and I try not to be swayed by the books which are "popular" among other bloggers.
Sonette says
I actually like my more than 1000 strong to-read list on Goodreads! When I see something that I like I add it, otherwise I forget it and might never read it! And that would be terrible! I try and read the books that I added first first though. I suppose I'll never get through it all! But its nice to try!
Cheree says
I thought having 200 books on my to-read list was a lot, but I keep finding new books each day. Good luck with your resolutions.
Nicole (Linus's Blanket) says
A variation of your number 1 was definitely on my list. # 9 is a really good one as well. If I have a book, I usually avoid reading reviews fully until I finish them.
christina says
I had to go through my LT account because I had so many "want to read" books. (I list books that I own and need to read as TBR). It took FOREVER but I felt accomplished afterward. I'm now starting the year off with a mere 66 want to read. We shall see how that looks at the end of the year.
Oh and let me not even share my number of TBR books. *gasp* It is one of the reasons why I'm participating in CB's TBR Dare.
Anna says
I support all of this! Especially saving moola for BEA so we can hang!!!!! My motto for the year (in all of my life, blogging included) is: HAVE FUN!
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz says
Pretty much all my resolutions are similar to your first one…Relax!
Here's my list of Top Ten Bookish, Bloggish Resolutions.
Lu @ Regular Rumination says
I just donated 94 books to the library. I was trying to sell them, but none were really selling, so I just said forget it. Donating them felt so good, like I had gotten rid of this huge weight on my shoulders. And yet my bookshelves have already filled back up. Sigh, it never ends! 😉
brandileigh2003 says
Great resolutions! I really wish I could go to BEA
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Hilde says
Oh, I was going to add scheduling of posts to my list, but then I forgot (doesn't bode well, does it?). Relax is a great resolution! 🙂 Good luck!
Tribute Books Mama says
Here's mine http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-10-bookish.html
TwoBibliomaniacs says
Well done and I especially like number 1. My list isn’t near as comprehensive… Good luck in 2011!
literarywife says
I can tell you that scheduling reviews or posts in advance gives you such a feeling of relief. It's kind of easy for me to do with the challenge that I am working through, but I love getting up in the morning and knowing all I have to do is click Publish. Love your resolutions, Jamie.
Jenni Elyse says
I understand what you mean about weeding our your TBR list. I have over 900 books on mine. I'm sure I won't get through all them in my lifetime, but I don't want to take any off because what if I do get to them? *rolls eyes* Good luck with paring down your list.
JessiKay89 says
I love that you posted about your Goodreads TBR list. I need to do that, too. I think what I would like to do is use the Nook app on my iPod and read through some free samples of some of the ones that I'm on the fence about–that way I know whether I really want to read them or not. And I've already decided to do that from now on before just adding something to the list.
Great list of resolutions! Best of luck! 🙂
Wallace says
I also need to go through my GR To-Read list (again) and clean it out. I do the same thing that you do. But it's a great way to remember a book instead of buying it right away!
I also am trying to comment more this year. I was terrible in 2010, and it's just not okay. I enjoy receiving comments and knowing who reads my blog, so I need to extend the same curtesy to others.
I also need to be a bit more organized. I slacked a bit on blogging in general this pas Fall because of life outside the blog, but am back in the game now and wanting it to be fun and easy (and organized).
I'm hosting a read-a-long of Charlotte Bronte's Villette in Feb and March if you want to join to tackle a classic. The post with info will be up tomorrow. 🙂
Heather says
I would love to go to BEA, but it's not going to happen until I finish my master degree and get some college teaching jobs-then I can probably swing it.
Music4Betty says
Great list! I especially love #1
Megan Hoover-Swicegood says
I love your "relax" resolution. Blogging should be fun and sometimes it gets unfun when "we" stress ourselves out about posting and scheduling and contests, etc. Great list!
Ronnica says
Relax…that's a good goal!
Shanyn says
#1 is probably the best one – if you can't relax/enjoy, you lose a lot of the fun!
WulfLuva says
I gave you the Stylish Blogger Award
http://wulfluva-shellsstories.blogspot.com/2011/01/stylish-blogger-award.html
April (BooksandWine) says
Yes, girl relaxxx don't do it. Look at my piano key tie. (Sorry Zoolander is in my brain). Anyways, you can do all of these! Also readalongs are really great for getting motivated enough to read classics.
Erin says
I feel like you've articulated everything I want to do in 2011 so I don't even need to make a resolution post! 🙂 Blogging can get overwhelming (it really did for me around the holidays) and it's good to know that I'm not the only one that panics if I don't have a post in mind.
Nan says
Great list of resolutions! I need to do most of those too!
Lesa says
Relax– that is the one to stick to! I did stress at the beginning but stopped when I realised no one is pressuring me or expecting anything– it is all self-imposed. Blogging is just for fun– if I post once a week or even skip a week or two– so what?
Pamela S. says
Love your #1 resolution to relax! I need to do more of that about blogging, too. Thanks for the resolution idea.