I explained earlier this month that I decided to read more this year. I used to read extensively. Sometimes I would have three books in progress, but one or two was ideal. A few years after moving back to Georgia that habit fell away. I would try to read, but I often had difficulty finding the drive to keep going. Maybe the hard time I was having with work was a factor.

Whatever the cause, this bothered me. I am a thinker, and my independent reading has been vital to forming how I view the world. I knew I needed to get back into reading, and so this year I decided to try a Goodreads reading challenge.

I set a goal of ten books in my Goodreads reading challenge. I am getting back into the habit, and so I posted an easily attainable goal . . ., but I plan to exceed it. As I write this I have finished two books (well, actually closer to one and a half books because I started one late last year), and so I am ahead of schedule. What if I reach ten books by the end of June (which is possible at this rate)? Well, I might try to go for twenty by the end of the year.

I have noticed that trying the reading challenge has helped me regain momentum and drive to read. I now look forward to spending time just reading. That is great. I needed that. It feels good to make more productive use of my free time.

I post my “Currently Reading” and “To Read” lists on the right-hand panel of this blog. The “To Read” list is subject to change, but it currently consists of fiction, books on writing, church history, and theology. I want to add a Goodreads Reading Challenge progress meter widget, but WordPress will not accept JavaScript. If you know a way to work around this, then please leave a comment.

What is your reading goal this year? What kinds of books do you plan to read? If you use Goodreads, then feel free to send me a friend request.