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Win Some, Lose Some
December 13, 2023
With the novella I finished last night, I met my 2023 reading goal of 61 books. Go me! I had mere seconds to bask in that achievement, as just below showing that achievement on my stats page, The StoryGraph informed me I’m only 73% complete with my pages goal of 25,000. “5,592 pages more until you’re caught up! You’ve got this!” it says below that. No, StoryGraph, I don’t have this. No way I’m going to read over five thousand more pages in the two weeks left in the year.
I failed my pages goal last year, too. It was 25K as well, and I came closer than I will this year, finishing 2022 with 22,019 pages read. I’m capable of reading that many pages in a year; I did it most recently in 2020, though granted that was a weird year what with all the staying home and avoiding COVID. I’m not sure what I’ll set as my goal for 2024. It doesn’t really bother me when I don’t hit it, so maybe I’ll just keep it at 25,000.
Non-fiction, and romance novels within that category, dominated my choices once again this year. I crave the comfort inherent in a romance novel, knowing everything is going to work out in the end even if things look bleak for a while. That said, I’d like to get back to reading more non-fiction, as that helps me learn things about myself and the world in ways fiction does not. As far as I know, StoryGraph doesn’t have a feature that lets you set goals for that, but it does track the actual breakdown, so it’s easy enough to see where I’m at. For 2023 so far, I’m at 7% non-fiction. I looked back several years and that’s the lowest it’s been in a while. I’m thinking 15% for 2024 would be reasonable.
Would I read without setting goals? Sure. Would I read as much? Quite possibly not. And I like to read, so goals it is.
On this date in 2022: Getting a Bit Festive
2021: Disney Dishing
2020: So Many Words
2019: Huckleberry Crisp
2018: Fortunate
2017: Government Overreach is in the Eye of the Beholder
2016: Pizzas I Have Known and Loved
2015: End of the Road
2014: Social Butterfly I Am Not and Irrevocable
2013: No entry
2012: Cranky
2011: Emerging from Dormancy
2010: Without Mountains, What’s the Point?
2009: An Apology to My Government
2008: S.O.G. with P.I.P.
2007: WDW Episode IV: A New Hope
2006: What a Difference a Day Makes
2005: 10 Things
2004: Will My Skis Fit in the Overhead Bin?
2003: No entry
2002: Weight Wait
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One Comment
December 13th, 2023 at 4:40 pm
61 books is a decent chunk! I think I’ve probably exceeded that just because I listen to a *lot* of audiobooks — with access to the digital catalog of five libraries, I can usually find something to listen to.
You’ve definitely got me beat on non-fiction, though. I only read one this year, and that was because I was giving feedback for a critique partner.