by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’ve made a point to more than double the amount of reading this year than the year before. As with my consumption of film, music, and TV, I’ve tried to expand into new genres as a reader, hoping to better-inform my writing.
This has been made easier, once again, by keeping up with a TBR list (to be read) and by tracking what I’m reading.
Finding books to read:
I get a good number of suggestions from friends (both online and in person). But I’ve also found these things useful:
Goodreads. It’s not nearly as scary as a reader as it is for a writer. Here I track what I read, make private notes on the stories, and rate them to remind myself how I enjoyed them. I also follow reviewers whose tastes overlap with my own. Or sometimes I end up in a sort of rabbit hole of recommendations there.
Book challenges. This has been a useful way to branch into other genres. This year I’ve used Book Riot’s Read Harder challenge and I’ve taken some of the suggestions in this post of from Katie McLain.
Newsletters. I have found good recommendations for (mostly) nonfiction from Austin Kleon‘s newsletter and the Farnum Street newsletter.
Website: I’ve discovered lots of good books through Largehearted Boy’s year-end compilation of best books lists.
Tracking Reading
I’m doing my tracking through Goodreads (not my author profile there). This way I can make private notes on various books, remind myself how I liked it, and find out from Goodreads when authors I enjoy have new or upcoming releases.
How do you find what you read? Do you keep track of it?
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So many of my blogging buddies are writers and they supply a great list. I need to keep better track of my reading though. It’s been a while since I updated Goodreads.
I get a lot of my reads that way, too!
Tracking it didn’t come naturally to me, but I’m glad that I’m making it a habit now. Plus the fact that so many people I know ask me for reading recommendations (and I’d never be able to remember the titles or authors!)
I’ve used Goodreads for quite a while now. Except I don’t list that I’m reading a book until I’m sure I’m going to finish it anymore. (I don’t review books I don’t finish.) I also keep a list on my blog. And this year, I’ve started doing a reading wrap-up on the blog every Saturday with books I’ve read and DNF books (without identifying information).
I find the majority of new books through the numerous newsletters I’ve subscribed to and use for advertising. Ereader News Today is awesome for both selling books and finding books. Then there’s word of mouth. I also read a lot of used paperbacks that I pick up from the thrift stores. It’s a cheap way to try new-to-me books and it allows me to read widely without investing a huge chunk of change.
I’ll have to follow your links and try those, too. Never hurts to have loads of places for finding new reading material. Thanks!
I was doing that too, but then I found that you can *delete* the book from your list if it ends up that you didn’t like/didn’t finish it. There’s also a cool private notes section where I jot down random thoughts on the story (mostly so that I can remember what I’ve read and what I thought of it). I like the idea of your Saturday wrap-up. And good point about those newsletters! I forgot about those.
One of the first things I tell people who ask me for writing advice is: read. Read a lot. Read in your genre. Read out of your genre. Read out of your comfort zone, too. As I writer, I try to remind myself that reading isn’t taking time away from my writing; it’s improving it. And I always find new ideas.
It helps so much. Reading helps with ideas, helps with style and voice and vocabulary, and helps me just generally be more creative.
Reading out of my comfort zone is…well, it’s uncomfortable, ha! But I’m starting to really stretch myself.
I used to keep a list and read 100 books a year. Now I don’t read as much but I am reading a lot again. Much more adult fiction too. So happy to be reading again. I don’t keep track except for my check out history on my library account.
Glad you’re picking it back up again! And you’re right–the history on the library account is a good way of tracking. It’s also a good place to keep a wish-list for future reading (ours has a ‘save for future’ feature on the digital catalog when we’re signed in).
I want to read more, too. When writer recommend books, I tend to take the recommendation. Thus far I’ve not been disappointed.
I’ve found some great books that way!
My best strategy has been befriending a cool librarian :) She’s turned me onto some great titles, including to the Dave Brandstetter mysteries, that I wouldn’t have found otherwise. Second best is looking at the new releases they feature, which is how I found the Guido Brunetti mystery series. My library system also has a personalized suggestion service and uses NoveList. Not perfect, buy a better jumping off point than swirling through online lists.
A cool librarian sounds like a terrific resource! And now you’ve just extended my TBR list…a good thing! Thanks for the recommendations. :)
Oh good! But you might not thank me once you get hooked, especially on the Donna Leon/Brunetti series :-) Is there anything worse for a reader than getting through an entire back list and then having to wait a whole year for a new installment?!
That’s way too long to wait!
Hi Elizabeth – I’ve read more this year because of the book club and its recommendations … I hope to keep that up. I’ve made a note of this post …and will bear it in mind. Some of my books end up as historical posts to enlighten other aspects of life here in Canada … and I agree re getting inspiration from books, films, tv (some) and art … so much around – cheers Hilary
That’s great that your reading also informs your posts! Book clubs are a great way to read books we wouldn’t ordinarily choose.
I’ve been reading more, too, and in different genres. It’s brought a whole new level of joy to my life! Our library recently added “Staff Picks,” and I’ve found a few goodies through that!
Thanks, Jill! I’ll have to check and see if my library has those (on the website or in the library itself). :)