Tuesday, January 5, 2016

2016 Reading Resolution

I'm not one for New Years resolutions.  I have goals sometimes that start at the beginning of a year.  Resolutions are typically something that just sets me up for failure.  I will do X vs. I will try to do X.  Yeah, it's all mental, I know, but it works for me.

This year, though, I had this awesome idea.  A reading resolution.  Oh, I already have a reading goal - 70 books read this year (not counting my own and anything I read that won't be published in 2016).  This resolution thing is something different.

This year I resolve to buy and read one 'new to me', indie-published author a month.  And if I enjoy the book, leave reviews for it at Amazon and Goodreads. 

Kind of a put up or shut up kind of thing.  I'd like people to give my books a whirl.  I'd like them to leave reviews when they do.  I can't really expect people to do something I don't do myself.  Voila! Reading resolution.

So, once a month, all through 2016, I will choose a book from an indie author I haven't read before, read the book, and leave a review.  I expect there'll be some kind of link thing in the sidebar once I finish the first book.  Might even post the review there or something.  All that isn't finalized yet in my head. 

This resolution is doable.  It's important. And I will find a way to squeeze it into my schedule.

Now I just need to pick a book for January.  Lucky for me, I get all sorts of book newsletters these days.  There should be something in those to hold my attention. 

What about you?  Does this sound like something you'd be interested in doing along with me?  If not, do you have any other resolutions you'd like to share?

4 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, B E. This sounds like a great idea and one I can get behind. I'm not quite sure what qualifies as an indie author, so some pointers would be great, but I'm up for giving it a go. I've also put in my reading goal for 2016 on Goodreads. I read over 300 in 2015 but I've erred on the slow side for '16 and gone for 250. Both of these seem doable.

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    1. Ack. Sorry I forgot to reply to this. To answer your question, Fran, I think of an indie author as anyone who wasn't published by the traditional big publishers. Not sure who the big dogs are over there (or even if they're different from over here), but if you don't recognize the publisher name, then they're probably an indie. Or if their publisher says Amazon Digital Services or Createspace, then they're probably self-published which makes them 'indie'. I hope that helps.

      Yay for your 300 books! You rock! Best of luck with your 250 this year. =o)

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  2. That's an awesome goal/resolution! I semi-sorta do that. I have the KU subscription and I try to pick at least one book a month by a new-to-me author and "borrow" it. If I like the author, I'll read more by her/him and sometimes buy the book. I almost always post a review on goodreads. Amazon has gotten really sticky again about reviews. :-P

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    1. And that's because you're awesome, Silver.

      I hadn't noticed Amazon getting sticky again, but that's probably because I haven't been reading much and what I have read is older stuff that doesn't need my review at Amazon. If people would stop posting fake reviews for books they haven't read, this sticky stuff wouldn't be necessary, but they won't, so here we are. On the upside, all the reviews I've posted for your books have made it through without a hitch, so yay.

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