I think a lot of my reading funk lately is down to having to read books for challenges or for bookrings, I never just go grab a book off the shelf anymore or pick up something completely random from the library.
I have already said that from next year I'm only participating in 6 challenges, 1 will be the 1010 challenge on librarything, I have an idea which ones I would like to participate in again but I'm not sure if they will be running next year. Doing this will let me concentrate on tackling my tbr stacks, reading more 1001 books and varying things a bit. I'm planning on reading a more diverse range of books from different counries and periods, and also more non-fiction. The current plan is one non-fiction and one classic for every four contemporary books I read. See I'm already putting myself in a situation which limits my freedom of choice!
As for now I've gone through my sidebar and taken off all the challenges I'll never finish this year - some of which hadn't even been started! That leaves me with just 5 challenges left to complete this year, as the rest are completed.
I keep meaning to get started on Carl's RIP III challenge, but it barely feels like autumn here as we are experiencing an Indian summer, with the weather better than it was for a lot of the summer.
Do you ever feel trapped by your commitment to challenges? Do you set yourself a limit of how many you can participate in?
7 comments:
I love challenges, because they give me lists of options whenever I'm not sure what to read. But, I don't feel a huge obligation to finish challenges, and I've stopped feeling guilty when I abandon a challenge book. And I still read random books as well! For me, it's all about balance.
I only take part in three challenges. The ones I know I will finish. And if I don't, I don't feel any kindd of pressure. I read for myself, not for anything/anyone!
TSS: The past week in retrospect and on to the next one...
TSS: The Locked Room by Paul Auster
I am going to try and be a bit more picky too next year when it comes to challenges. I should actually finish my challenges if I can read the 30 books I have left to read. I feel guilty too if I don't finish.
I've committed to more challenges than I can finish this year. I've dropped the ones that I know I won't finish.
This is my first year as a blogger and I figure there is a learning curve. What will hold my attention? What will I actually read? I do know which challenges I want to repeat in 2010.
I like challenges that push me out of my comfort zoned-I began blogging in July and I noticed several challenges whose requirements I had already completed or nearly so I joined them-but it did not, of course challenge me as it is what I would read any way-of course challenges are also about community building and sharing thoughts-I plan now not to join any new challenges until next year.
I signed up for way too many challenges this year, but to stop things from being too restricted I have tried not to pre-set my reading for them. It means I am limited to whatever the challenge theme is eg RIP or Manga, but I haven't pre-set exactly which books to read. It means I can still grab a book off my shelves at random if it fits the spec. Make sense? It seems to be working quite well for me personally but I will be reducing the amount I join next year as my work life has become a but more crazy and I have less reading time.
I don't necessarily feel guilty but I like to wrap things up nicely. I will pick challenges which make me read things I wouldn't necessarily pick up. Also have a promotion which starts in the new year - even though it hasn't started yet I already have way more work than normal because of it
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