What Are You Reading?
By Tricia Drammeh
Ever since I was a child, I've been one of those people who always had a book in my hands. I have always loved reading. My idea of an emergency was running out of reading material. In fact, I usually keep an "emergency book" in my car just in case I break down and have to wait for a tow truck. I might be temporarily stranded, but I won't be bored. I've been known to re-read favorite books several times when I've run out of fresh material. To me, there's nothing better than the feeling of starting a new book.
For years, I never really kept track of how many books I read per year, but it was at least a book or two per week. Maybe more! When I began writing, some of my free time was taken up by writing instead of reading. Still, I easily exceeded my annual Goodreads challenge of reading 50 books per year.
Until last year. Last year I didn't keep track of my reading at all, so this year, I decided to keep better track. There are several ways to accomplish this, but here are a few popular options you might want to try if you're interested in keeping track of your own reading:
- Goodreads will appeal to those who like apps and online tracking. It's easy to keep track of what you've read (or what you plan to read) and even share your thoughts with others. On Goodreads, you can set yearly challenges, share reviews, rate books according to "star" rankings, and even keep track of what your friends are reading. There are even books clubs, fan groups, and author discussions.
- LibraryThing is somewhat similar to Goodreads, but the community (from what I can tell) is smaller. Some members say they find this site less overwhelming than Goodreads, as the emphasis seems to be on cataloging books rather than social interaction.
- A Spreadsheet is a good option if you don't want to share your reading list with others. If you like to keep things organized on your computer, a nice Excel spreadsheet might work for you.
- A Reading Journal is something I've thought about trying this year. A simple notebook would probably suffice, but if you're a creative type, you could invest in scrapbooking materials to really make your journal unique. Although I do try to leave online reviews of the books I read, I love the idea of jotting down random, for-my-eyes-only notes in a journal.
If you have any ideas you'd like to share about tracking your reading or setting reading goals, please let me know in the comment section. I'm always looking for new bookish ideas to share!
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Be sure to check out Our Author Gang Official Facebook Page for articles, book promos, and more! There's something for everyone!
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