My OWN Reading Challenge

I have a confession: I am just as addicted to book buying as I am to book reading. I often tell myself that I have to read a certain amount of physical books in my ongoing to be read pile before I buy more but then I come across books I just HAVE to read and own.

A lot of it will come off with good intentions. I love reading books before I see the movie. Frankly a movie or TV show being based about a book I haven't read will peak my interest in the book.  (It doesn't help that I love Stephen King and Netflix) I will figure out books that I didn't have to read when I was in school. And I love literature but I took only one literature class in college beyond the required freshman course in African American literature because it counted for my sociology BA. Between the fact that one semester in college is really only enough to introduce you to a subject and the fact that I feel like I am wanting to catch up with my peers in the literary scene in Minneapolis who did my reading list gets pretty long. (And it doesn't help that many of these books are free kindle downloads because they are in the public domain) And now as there is a bigger push than ever to read and support more diverse voices in literature. (And it doesn't help that I deliberate my world through reading) I love supporting local writers who do interesting things. (And did I mention that I love taking classes and attending events at the Loft Literary Center which is close to where I work and I always walk away with lists of books to read). I am also wanting to get a pulse on the market and competition for the kinds of stories I have been writing which leads to more book buying. (And harlequin rewards do not help) Then there are times that I will find something I want to improve in my own situation and then I start to collect books that may help me. Or I will find a topic that I just want to learn more about. (And solid bibliographies in a subject I am fascinated about is a danger zone for me). Or I will find a really cool list on Book Riot or Bookbub and will notice I've read everything on the list except for one book or the list will have no books I read and I feel like I need to tip my toe in. (My love of following these blogs do not help) Or I will read about a book that sounds cool in Vogue or SciBabe. (Which are on subjects I am fascinated by)

Then the book buying justifications start. I have an emotionally stressful job and I regularly earn incentive pay. A lot of times clicking purchase on a book will make me feel more sane during a hard day. Or celebrating that I have additional money to spend on a job well done. Purchasing a book demonstrates a commitment to read it. I am not in an academic environment anymore but that never seemed to stop my love for bookish research and owning books makes me stay close to that part of myself I love. I am very strict about my budget and have rules for myself on when to buy new and when to buy used. Having some really awesome used bookstores in the Twin Cities doesn't help (my favorite is Magers and Quinn) I have a lot of coworkers who take smoke breaks so my addiction to kindle daily deals feels moderately healthy as far as addictions go.

A lot of kindle books cost even less than a candy bar if you buy them at the right times. And at only $10 that is the best price I will get that additional Book of the Month book title for another year.

The result of all of this is now having a bookshelf full of books I am dying to read. It helps that I read 2-3 books a week very easily but when I am honest with myself I sometimes buy that many used books in any given week.

In her book the Art and Magic of Tidying Up Kundo states that if you are not going to read a book right away you shouldn't buy it. I have a love/hate with this piece of advice. As someone who likes having complete collections of books in a subject or by an author it seems a little harsh. However there are certain kinds of books that if I do not read them right away they won't get read. This is particularly the case with harlequin romance series for me. But then there are the books that I KNOW I will get to at the right time particularly fantasy, Pulitzers and interesting non fiction.

I've heard a variety of types of reading challenges but the one I decided to formulate for myself is to read more of the books that I already own. I keep a reading journal where I will write about the books I read, why it was significant for me and what my impressions are. I started out by buying official reading journals to help guide me before I took up buying thick fun journals. I resolved with my most recent journal to make a list if books I wanted to make sure to read during this journal. I categorized them as physical books or kindle books and then put them into different categories: romance, horror, fantasy, Pulitzers, business, history, self help and food writing. This way when I am in the mood for something I have set lists of what to refer to. I have heard of people making Excel spreadsheets or using Zotero to help catalogue their books. That would be a good next step for me to do as a serious reader. For my current project lists in my reading journal is sufficient.

And trimming my Goodreads account to books I actually own helps me feel less overwhelmed in my reading life.

I am more obsessive with books than any other of my interests that cost money. I keep a strict budget with myself but I follow other rules as well. With theater and classical music concerts I evaluate how many other things are on my schedule. (And I am willing to make cuts to other aspects of living to afford these opportunities) With clothes I ask myself if the item is something I would want to wear all the time, have an occasion to wear it to and if I already have something similar. With food I evaluate if I will be eating and cooking it right away. With beauty products I evaluate if it is something I am almost ready to replace and if its similar to something I already have. I like to enjoy life but I don't like having stuff I don't use. For some reason some of the logic I use for everything else is not always as easily transferable to books. Can my approach to other interests inform my book buying habits?

Will I stop buying books? I seriously doubt it. However I am committed to reading books I already own by an author or on a subject before I buy more. I will browse my collections of books I already own when I want to read something on my kindle. I will enter used bookstores with authors or books I am specifically looking for. I will stop reading a book I don't like and put it in my pile to sell to Half Priced Books and note not to read that author again. I will follow Kundoro's advice when it comes to looking for a quick fun kindle read.

I will ask myself before I buy a book if its something I truly want or if its something I feel someone else has told me I should read. Don't get me wrong I've gotten awesome book reccomendations from people but more often than not the books I do not like were on someone else's must read list not my own. This is why I constructed MY OWN reading challenge to conquer the books I want to read...and already own.