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ladybusiness2018-01-26 07:00 pm
spindizzy) wrote in ladybusiness2018-01-26 07:00 pm
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Eight Book Minimum: Goals for 2018!
It's that time of year again: time to tally up my progress for last year and choose reading goals for the new year!
Reading 150 books, of which 50 must be prose: 197/150 Prose: 103/50
SMASHED it! I know at least some of the excess was shorter fiction, but I'm still genuinely excited about this. I read! So much! And actually talked about most of it! I didn't manage to do it consistently, which has disappointed me a little, but I know why that didn't happen – I hit a bunch of reviews that were difficult (in part because I took extremely unhelpful notes for them, thanks past me), and I just... Wandered off and did something else? And then when I came back and decided to just start at the other end and yell about things regardless of order and grouping series titles instead of talking about each one individually, it worked A LOT BETTER. This is something to take into the new year, I think, and try to plan for.
... Also, I genuinely wasn't expecting how well I did with my prose goal. Again, some of it is short fiction, but – I thought finding the time for prose would make it too hard for me? And it was certainly more difficult than the previous year, where I hit my reading goal in August because I was reading a bunch of graphic novel trades by dudes just for the numbers, but I think my reading was more satisfying this year. Hm.
New-to-me female authors: 51/50
I may have cut this fine, but I did it! It was interesting seeing how much of my reading was female authors, but either rereads or finding an author and reading everything they'd ever written. Like, my extremely rough maths says that of the 197 books I read this year, only thirty of them were by cis dudes? So I feel like I've done pretty well in the spirit of the challenge.
#getouttamydamnhouse: 58/80
I failed it, but honestly that's not surprising. Did better than I expected, mind you, but definitely need to work on this goal in 2018.
#unofficialqueerasfuckbookclub: 72/197
This is, according to my wonky maths andowlmoose's better maths at about 36%, so yes! I have achieved my goal of having more than 25% of my reading be queer stories! \o/ I was honestly worried that this was going to be really difficult? But I'm actually quite happy with how many queer stories I managed to find and talk about!
Read 180 books and short stories, of which 90 have to be prose
I have consistently hit 180 books for the last couple of years, so I am formally upping my difficulty tier and making that the goal, and trying for 50% prose instead of a third. We'll see how it goes!
Read twelve non-fiction books that aren't craft books about writing
Hi, my name is Susan, and I am tired of being sad about all of the things that I don't know! I know this is a low bar, but I feel like this is almost prep-work? If I can read a little now, it might point me in the direction of other non-fiction titles!
#getouttamydamnhouse: Return fifty books to their rightful owners!
In theory this is gonna be MUCH easier this year because I've got a new job in a science and engineering library, so there's not the same risk of "Oh, that looks interesting, I'll grab it," because I literally don't understand any of it, but that's not a guarantee. I'm also planning on doing #killyourtbr as part of this (probably setting my target number as eight to better fit in with Eight Book Minimum), but I'm honestly not sure if or how I'd track it on here.
#unofficialqueerafbookclub: Have one-third or more of my reading focus on queer stories.
Last year my goal was 25%, but I think that aiming specifically for a higher ratio will be good for me!
And now the important bit –
Goals for 2017:
Reading 150 books, of which 50 must be prose: 197/150 Prose: 103/50
SMASHED it! I know at least some of the excess was shorter fiction, but I'm still genuinely excited about this. I read! So much! And actually talked about most of it! I didn't manage to do it consistently, which has disappointed me a little, but I know why that didn't happen – I hit a bunch of reviews that were difficult (in part because I took extremely unhelpful notes for them, thanks past me), and I just... Wandered off and did something else? And then when I came back and decided to just start at the other end and yell about things regardless of order and grouping series titles instead of talking about each one individually, it worked A LOT BETTER. This is something to take into the new year, I think, and try to plan for.
... Also, I genuinely wasn't expecting how well I did with my prose goal. Again, some of it is short fiction, but – I thought finding the time for prose would make it too hard for me? And it was certainly more difficult than the previous year, where I hit my reading goal in August because I was reading a bunch of graphic novel trades by dudes just for the numbers, but I think my reading was more satisfying this year. Hm.
New-to-me female authors: 51/50
I may have cut this fine, but I did it! It was interesting seeing how much of my reading was female authors, but either rereads or finding an author and reading everything they'd ever written. Like, my extremely rough maths says that of the 197 books I read this year, only thirty of them were by cis dudes? So I feel like I've done pretty well in the spirit of the challenge.
#getouttamydamnhouse: 58/80
I failed it, but honestly that's not surprising. Did better than I expected, mind you, but definitely need to work on this goal in 2018.
#unofficialqueerasfuckbookclub: 72/197
This is, according to my wonky maths and
owlmoose's better maths at about 36%, so yes! I have achieved my goal of having more than 25% of my reading be queer stories! \o/ I was honestly worried that this was going to be really difficult? But I'm actually quite happy with how many queer stories I managed to find and talk about!Goals for 2018:
Read 180 books and short stories, of which 90 have to be prose
I have consistently hit 180 books for the last couple of years, so I am formally upping my difficulty tier and making that the goal, and trying for 50% prose instead of a third. We'll see how it goes!
Read twelve non-fiction books that aren't craft books about writing
Hi, my name is Susan, and I am tired of being sad about all of the things that I don't know! I know this is a low bar, but I feel like this is almost prep-work? If I can read a little now, it might point me in the direction of other non-fiction titles!
#getouttamydamnhouse: Return fifty books to their rightful owners!
In theory this is gonna be MUCH easier this year because I've got a new job in a science and engineering library, so there's not the same risk of "Oh, that looks interesting, I'll grab it," because I literally don't understand any of it, but that's not a guarantee. I'm also planning on doing #killyourtbr as part of this (probably setting my target number as eight to better fit in with Eight Book Minimum), but I'm honestly not sure if or how I'd track it on here.
#unofficialqueerafbookclub: Have one-third or more of my reading focus on queer stories.
Last year my goal was 25%, but I think that aiming specifically for a higher ratio will be good for me!
And now the important bit –
Five books I missed in 2017
- Company Town by Madeleine Ashby — Okay, this one was a Christmas present so maybe not getting to it before the new year was understandable, but also it's got (potentially) serial killers and bodyguards, and I've been meaning to pick it up since I read vN.
- 2. Provenance by Ann Leckie — My spousal unit got me this for birthday back in October, and I just haven't gotten round to it yet! Despite being really hyped for it! SIGH.
- 3. Raven Stratagem by Yoon Ha Lee — The hell of it is, I actually pre-ordered Raven Stratagem because I was so excited, I just never found the time to reread Ninefox Gambit and thus never found the time read Raven Stratagem! I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.
- 4. The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin — I know this is going to be good, but also it's 100% guaranteed to be harrowing, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that in 2017, to be honest!
- 5. Clockwork Boys by T. Kingfisher — My impression of this one is that it has Ursula Vernon's take on paladins and criminal accountants, which sounds great. Especially because renay specifically messaged me to make sure I knew about it because it is Relevant to my interest!