January 1, 2024, is only one month away, and it got me thinking about my reading goals for the coming year. Even if you are still working on your 2023 reading list, you can still look ahead and create a basic game plan about tackling next year’s reading goal.
Let’s talk about it!
Why Have a Plan?
I used to read whatever I wanted and as many or as few books as I felt like each year. But when I started setting a yearly reading goal, reading became a goal-oriented activity. It was a great way to turn off the TV and open a book since I had a set number of books I wanted to read in a year.
A reading plan can also help you stay focused and create a basic schedule to help you reach your chosen reading goal.
How Many Books?
If you’ve never set a reading goal, start with 12 books for the year. That’s one a month, which should be reasonably manageable. If you’re an avid reader like myself, you can double that.
I’ve seen people posting their completed 2023 reading goals on social media. One woman reached her annual reading of 100 books on November 3, and she’s still going!
Start with a basic number, and if you find yourself burning through books faster than you anticipated, you can always change your goal.
In 2022, my goal was 25 books. In 2023, it’s 30. In 2024, I might bump it up to 35 or 40.
Pick an amount you feel comfortable with and know you can reach by the end of the year.
What Books?
Simple answer: Read what you like.
More complex answer: Vary what you read so you don’t get into a monotonous cycle that makes you dread picking up a book.
I like to alternate between fiction and non-fiction, and I also pick a theme for my non-fiction and stick to it throughout the year.
For example, in 2020, I read several non-fiction books about pandemics and plagues throughout history. In 2021, I read about world history. In 2022, I’ve been focused on biographies about actors and actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood. This year, there have been many motivational books about goal-setting and planning.
And in between, I read fiction.
Now, you can spin the wheel and choose what books to read and in what order at random, or you can plan out what you’ll read and when you plan to read it.
Another thing you can do is plan to read a book series. I read the five Game of Thrones books in 2022 and 2023, and I plan to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy again in 2024.
What About Page Count?
After I read a 900-page biography, I’m not ready to dive into another entry in the Game of Thrones series. I’ll usually grab a shorter book from my shelf or on my Kindle and burn through that before I start another long book.
Variety is a crucial factor in keeping your reading momentum going. If you read one of your kid’s books, count it. Reading is reading; any book you read can count toward your goal total. This includes reading plays, screenplays, comic books, and graphic novels.
Where Can I Keep Track?
You can use several sites and apps to track and record your progress. I use Goodreads.com, but apps like StoryGraph or Bookly also work.
Find a site or app that you like and stick with it. Then, work toward your 2024 reading goal, knowing that you now have the power to keep yourself accountable throughout the year.
Final Thoughts
It’s never too early to start thinking about your goals for 2024. By setting a target reading goal and mapping out what you want to read, you can set yourself up for reading success in 2024 and be even more prepared for 2025!
Happy Planning and Reading, and I’ll see you next time!
