As I mentioned in my post on the purpose of reading challenges, I want to be more purposeful in how I use them. To that end, I’ve changed how I pick my reading challenges. Instead of going through the many great round-ups of reading challenges (including those from GirlXOXO, Feed Your Fiction Addiction, and A Novel Challenge) and picking all the challenges that excite me most, I first picked reading goals and then picked some challenges to help me meet them. Every challenge on my list matches a reading goal and most are either hosted by a blogger I know or encourage interaction with new bloggers at least once a month. I’m also hoping having a shorter, more intentional list of challenges will make it more feasible for me to check in on my progress every month. So, with that in mind, here are my goals and challenges for the coming year.
Read books that will help me understand the world – I debated about this one because it’s a bit commitment, but I’ve decided to join Rachel at Hibernator’s Library in reading around the world in 80 books. She’s using a suggested reading list from BookRiot and plans to finish in 5 years. For now, I’ll shoot for the same pace, which means I’ll want to read about 16 books this year (a little less, since I’ve already read a few on the list).
Read books that help me understand politics in the US – As it turns out, my goals are pretty similar to Rachel’s this year, so I’ll also be joining her read-alongs for the 6 books the NYT recommends for understanding Trump’s win.
Read books by and about individuals who belong to marginalized groups – I’m a firm believer in the power of books to build empathy and understanding. For that reason, I think it’s incredibly important that people read books that share the experiences of members of marginalized groups. I was looking for a challenge that would let me do this in a broad way, so Platypire’s Diversity Challenge was a great fit. Each month, there’s a different category and I’m going to plan on reading 1 or 2 books each month.
Write more discussion posts, creative features and recommendations lists – I’d like to write more discussion posts because they generate such great conversation. I feel like I have to work at coming up with topics more than I used to though! I must have talked about most of the questions that are obvious to me. This past year, I enjoyed participating in the Discussion Challenge hosted by Nicole at Feed Your Fiction Addiction, so I’ll be doing it again in 2017. I’ve also been wanting to do more non-review posts for some time, so I thought Sarah of Sarah’s Bookshelves phrased this goal well last year, so I’m borrowing her wording on wanting creative features and recommendations lists. I’ll probably get some ideas for these features from these great lists from Pages Unbound and Bookmark Lit. I might be being overly ambitious, but I’m going to aim for one non-review post per week, in addition to my Nonfiction Friday feature. Wish me luck!
What are your blogging goals for the new year? And how will you be tracking your progress, if at all?
Amanda @ A Bookshelf Monstrosity
I like the idea of a long-term or perpetual challenge. I don’t really do challenges much anymore, but I could see myself signing up for a 5 year one like reading around the world. Great goals for 2017! I look forward to discussing with you and other bloggers 🙂
DoingDewey
I think it will be a lot of fun! I just have to continue to remember I’m working on it 🙂
Andi
While I haven’t set many official goals because I still feel like my reading is fragile after a long slump, I definitely want to dig into more empathy-building books. I have big plans to recommend lots of those to people in my everyday life in 2017.
DoingDewey
Sounds like a you know what you need 🙂 I hope you’re able to stay out of the slump.
Sarah's Book Shelves
Awh – thanks for linking to my post! And I love how you set goals first, then picked challenges…means everything you read for the challenges will be purposeful! I’m going to check out the Discussion Challenge you mentioned…I hadn’t heard of that.
Happy New Year!
DoingDewey
Thanks Sarah! Hopefully it will work for me 🙂 A happy and very belated new year to you too!
Briana @ Pages Unbound
These all look like such great goals! Sadly, I’m really bad at keeping up with challenges and recording books for them, so I’ve basically stopped signing up. :p
DoingDewey
I’m hoping that signing up for fewer helps me, but I’m not great at it either! This year may be my last stab at it.
DoingDewey
I’m hoping that signing up for fewer helps me, but I’m not great at it either! This year may be my last stab at it.
Lory @ Emerald City Book Review
I just jumped into a similar read-around-the-world project (they don’t want to call it a challenge) — I really want to read more books from more countries of the world but I’m going to do it in a more spontaneous way. That list of 80 books is really helpful though. Happy New Year and good luck with all your goals!
DoingDewey
Ooh, sounds like fun! Happy belated new year and good luck with all your goals too 😀
KatieMcD @ Bookish Tendencies
Loving the way you outlined this… goal setting first, and then actionable challenges to meet said goals. Very smart. I also REALLY love your goals, and might have to steal one or two for myself! 🙂
DoingDewey
Thanks Katie! Steal away 🙂
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I’m so glad that my list of challenges was helpful for you. I have lots of fun creating it! AND I’m very excited that you’ll be back for the Discussion Challenge—it’s seriously my favorite part of blogging!
DoingDewey
It really was! Thanks for putting together the list and the challenge, Nicole!
Karen Blue
These are great goals for 2017! I clicked almost all those links, thanks for sharing those posts. Good luck on all you goals!
DoingDewey
Thanks Karen! I thought other bloggers had a lot of really helpful resources for planning the year ahead.
Shay
Great choices! Looking forward to your new non-review posts.
DoingDewey
Thanks Shay!
Toady
I dig that reading around the world deal that Rachel is doing. It is a big commitment, but it’s a great goal. I am planning on reading the six books from the NYT list too.
Best of luck with all of your goals. I am particularly looking forward to your discussion posts. Happy New Year.
DoingDewey
Yes, Rachel had such great goals this year! Like you, I couldn’t get through the first of the 6 NYT books, but I’ll try to join in for the next one. Happy belated new year to you too!
Jane @ Raincity Librarian
I can’t commit to formal challenges, being a mood reader who instinctively rebels at even the hint of a required read, I do appreciate the idea of being more intentional and thoughtful about my reading choices. I’ve also set myself the goal of being more active in discussion posts – I may not be able to write many discussions posts myself, but I can support bloggers who do by commenting and participating in the conversation!
DoingDewey
It sounds like you’re doing a good job setting the sort of goals that you’ll enjoy doing! Even though I love the idea of challenges, this is the first year that I’d say they’ve really helped me read more thoughtfully even though that’s always my goal. Hopefully I can keep it up!
Stacy @ The Novel Life
What great goals! I’m being more deliberate in my reading this year as well. I want to check out that challenge you mention about understanding how Trump was elected. I’m so disgusted after watching his news conference yesterday. And then when I commented on CNN’s post on FB about Jim Acosta’s conflict with Trump, I had my first troll comments. I’m sick. I don’t understand AT ALL how people still support him. Sorry – didn’t mean to ramble on. Oh I did order the book: WHAT WE DO NOW: Standing Up for Your Values in Trump’s America. Hoping it will give me some encouragement and ideas! Ok, off to check out these challenges you’re joining 🙂
DoingDewey
I’m so with you there! I can’t believe this has happened and I’ve also had my encounters with trollish Trump supporters online. I’m trying to just use it as motivation to get and stay more involved in politics. We just have to make it through and see.