Hey friends of the internet!
I have a habit of creating reading challenges so intense I never finish them.
Why do I do this to myself? I'm not sure. Regardless, I wanted to give you all an update on my reading challenge progress, some of the complicating factors, and whether or not I think I'll make it to the end of the challenge before I reach the end of the year (and what I might do about that).
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So. I created this reading challenge that I'd intended on completing before the end of summer. And as always happens, life got in the way, I'd miscalculated and forgotten about Camp NaNoWriMo, and the time I meant to spend reading instead went elsewhere.
So where am I in that reading challenge?
Yeah. I'm not doing so hot on this whole reading thing.
However, there are other books that I think may fit the reading challenge.
As of right now, I'm halfway through The Restorer by Sharon Hinck.
I've read The Hidden Power of F*cking Up by the Try Guys
I read a book of poetry I'd meant to read since last year, Wild Embers by Nikita Gill.
I read Choose to Win by Tom Ziglar.
I listened to Rust and Stardust by T. Greenwood. (Read my review of that book here.)
So, if I was going for a number, I've managed to read five published books since the start of the summer. Well, four and a half.
But, if we're counting books that aren't published, I've also read Chrysa Keenon's wonderful WIP that I CANNOT wait to see published someday, and a few short stories by Ari Lemont (which I hope someday may find a suitable home).
As I finish up The Restorer, I'm preparing to read and critique Alyssa Roat's current WIP, and from what I've seen in the first few chapters it's going to be a wonderful wild ride.
But of these books, only two count for the reading challenge I created in the summer. Because I have no self control, and instead of reading all the books I said I'd read, I read a bunch of others.
So. My total since this summer is 5.5 books.
Which is quite a few books for a writer who was writing full-time until she started working part-time at a coffee shop.
But it wasn't enough for my 10 book reading challenge.
Nor is it enough to catch me up on my Goodreads reading challenge.
If you're unaware of Goodreads, it's a social network that allows you to create bookshelves and TBR lists of HUNDREDS of books. It also allows you to set a reading goal for the year. My goal this year, since I'd (wrongly) assumed I'd have time to catch up over the summer after college, was 35 books in one year.
I've read 13 books. According to Goodreads' algorithm, this puts me 13 books behind schedule.
So perhaps this year hasn't been a great reading year. But it has been a fantastic writing year, and hopefully in the coming years, we'll all be able to see some of the fruits of my labor.
I may continue my "Summer" reading challenge all the way through to next summer, or I may just give it up. We'll see. If I'm lucky I'll get into more of a mood to read as the weather continues to get colder. And maybe by some miracle I'll read those last 22 books before 2020 is among us.
How are you doing in your reading goals this year?
J. J. Hanna graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Professional Writing. She's currently working with literary agent Cyle Young, learning to be a literary agent, and working as a freelance writer and editor. To hire her for editing, writing, speaking, or consulting, see the services tab. In her free time, she can be found cuddling with a cat, reading the latest suspense novel, or filming YouTube videos about the publishing industry.
