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Happy New Year! The older I get, the faster time flies, and I suspect it’s the same for most everyone else. I can’t say 2017 was my favorite year ever, but it was the first full year for Novel Visits and in that way filled with wonder and new experiences. In the new year, I’ll continue my blogging journey making tweaks and improvements along the way, and best of all connecting with so many other book lovers!.
Looking Back at 2017 Goals
- Improving Book Selection – I did great on the part of this goal that included listening to readers I trust, but not so well with some of the books I selected myself. This is an ongoing process for sure!
- Goodreads Goal of 75 Books – I crushed this with my personal best of 99 books. I could easily have squeezed in one more, but decided to save that magical 100 mark for 2018.
- Read More Nonfiction – Considering I only read 1 in 2016, this wasn’t a hard goal to achieve. I read an even dozen nonfiction books this year, but more importantly, I came to love the genre.
- Listen to More Audiobooks – In 2016 I listened to only two audiobooks, but in 2017 I listened to 23! Those books almost exclusively accounted for the 24 books I went over on my Goodreads goal. I had never realized how much pleasure could be derived from listening to a story or having someone tell you about their life. I’m totally hooked!
- Blogging Goals – I had an array of goals associated with blogging: be more organized, plan further in advance, don’t get hung up on the numbers, avoid over-committing, connect more with other bloggers. My success in these areas has ebbed and flowed. I’ve found that as I reach one blogging goal, another is waiting to take its place. What I’ve most learned over this year is that Novel Visits will always be a work in progress!
2017 Reading Statistics
Goals for 2018
- Goodreads – My goal for 2018 is 100 books. Considering I read 99 in 2017, that doesn’t sound like much of a stretch, but I don’t know how I read so many last year! I work full time and don’t see myself as a fast reader. 100 feels right.
- Nonfiction – I really want to continue my exploration of nonfiction, though novels will always be my first love. This year I’m going to be participating in Doing Dewey’s Nonfiction Reading Challenge 2018. This is a fun, relaxed challenge, that lets you set your own goals and join up when it feels right. My nonfiction goal for 2018 is 18 books.
- The Library – As you may have noticed on my sources slide, I’m not a library user. For many years I was, but when I got my first Kindle I got out of the habit. I’d like to change that this year.
- Did Not Finish – I feel like I’m pretty good about quitting on books that I’m not enjoying, and yet, I read several this last year that just didn’t work for me. ARC or not, I plan to stop reading books that I’m not getting pleasure from.
- Pinterest – I need to really, truly figure Pinterest out and use it more efficiently. This goal has loomed in the back of my mind for the last year and hopefully I’ll actually make progress in 2018, though probably not before summer.
- Organization – I always want to be more organized and this year that mainly means tracking books more efficiently. I have a great new tool to help in this endeavor: The Rock Your Reading Tracker developed by Sarah @sarahsbookshelves. All those pretty statistics above I had to calculate by hand, but in 2018 her tracker is going to do it for me! Check out Sarah’s blog on January 11th for more details. Streamlining reviews and grouping more into mini-reviews round out my organization goals for this year.
- Wrapping It Up! – I want to change the format of my Novel Visits month-end recaps to include less about my blog and more about others. I’m still toying with ideas, but definitely need to get on it as the end of January is just around the corner!
Nonfiction November made me realize I need more nonfiction in my life too! Thanks for mentioning the challenge and including link, I hope to join!
Also, Audiobooks have changed my reading life for the better too! I LOVE being read to in the car or while doing dishes! Your blog is one of my reliable resources for new books. Thank you!! Here’s to a great 2018 for all!
Sounds like you and I are on the exact same page with both nonfiction and audio. They really changed my reading in 2017. Thanks so much for your kind words.
Thanks for the shout-out and love this! I’m toying with changing my Monthly Recap format too. They take too long to put together and don’t get a ton of pageviews.
And I recently started checking e-books out from the library and I love it! It also forces me to read something that’s not an ARC or that’s backlist. And it’s risk free reading…I’m more willing to try something I may not like if the library has it.
I can’t even find my library card/log in info for the library. Looks like I need to go in and get it all figured out. Looking forward to that tracker!
I’m interested in seeing how you change your monthly wrap ups, I think I managed to do 2 this year but I wasn’t organized and I’d like to do something a little more interesting than recap what I’ve already read and blogged about. Looking forward to reading and chatting with you in 2018!
Thanks, Renee. So far I have a lot more desire to change my monthly wrap ups than I have actual ideas. Hopefully inspiration is just around the corner!
I totally agree that no matter what blogging goals we have, the blog will always be a work in progress! I want to read more nonfiction in 2018 and I’ll probably join that reading challenge, too. I use Pinterest a lot, but I don’t know how well I use it. I actually use it to keep track of my TBR, and that part works well for me. For everything else, though – I seem to have a lot of recipes I will probably never try!
Isn’t that how recipes always are! I have so many filed away that I never get to.
I always enjoy visiting your blog, Susie, and have come to value your reviews and opinions. You’ve had a great reading year! I like the way you broke down authors into three categories. I’ve always looked at repeat vs new-to-me, but think it’s much more interesting to add in the debut category. Good luck with your 2018 goals and Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, JoAnn. Hope your 2018 is wonderful!
Interesting post! I went back to check my DNF rate — less than 7%. I should be more willing to kick the can down the road when I’m not enjoying a book.
I started downloading ebooks from the library a couple of years ago and love it! They get new books within a day or so of release.
Thank you for the great review of “The Power.” I just finished it and had to add it to my “Best of 2017” list. It’s not perfect but a very thought provoking read.
Happy New Year!
I’m so happy to hear The Power worked so well for you. I think it’s one of those books I’ll never forget.
Wow, Susie! First, I had no idea that Novel Visits is just over a year old; you’re such a pro! Second, nearly 100 books?! You are my hero! I finished 83, which is an all-time high for me; I do think that my increase in audiobook listening has helped, like you said. Thank you for sharing Katie’s nonfiction reading challenge; what a great idea! I’m going to plan to participate!
Hi, Tara. Novel Visits is about a year and a half now. I started it in early July 2016. As you know well, a blog is almost a living thing…always changing.
Happy new year Susie <3 I hope you manage to read 100, I'm sure you will!!! I'm thinking of what number I should set this year…
It sounds like you have some great goals for the new year – good luck with meeting them & a happy new year to you; bookish & otherwise.
Thanks, Jade. I hope your 2018 is great in all regards!
Love the tracking charts you used. Very easy to read and comprehend. I’ve got to add more NF in 2018, I only tracked one book. I think I used the library more this year than in years past. My book budget thanks me. LOL. Happy New Year.
Yes, the library would be very good for my book budget, too! Have a wonderful year.
Congratulations on 99 books, Susie! That’s outstanding! My goal was 50 last year and I read almost 100. This year my goal was 100 and I only read 75. Apparently, I am terrible at predicting my own reading habits. Ha!
Good luck with your blogging goals in 2018 and don’t hesitate to give me a holler if you need help with your Pinterest strategy. Pinterest is my baby!
Have a wonderful New Year!
Thanks so much, Kate. I’ve looked at your Pinterest article on your Ultimate Guide to Book Blogging, but just haven’t acted on it. I definitely may hit you up for advice when I have more time. (Probably summer after school gets out for the year.) I’m excited for you in your new venture.
Thanks, Susie! Stay warm!
Fantastic post, really enjoyed it and impressed by all the graphs. I enjoy a good audiobook too, and they sure help to add to our statistics by years end. I too am going to endeavour to look to my library this year before I buy, so I am with you on that goal. All the best for 2018 reading and living!
Thanks, Kathryn. The graphics were actually kind of fun to do and a little eye opening for me. Happy New Year to you, too!
No library books?! You know I was a librarian, right? Even better news- you can get e-books for Kindle at the library. It is fabulous- no late fees, easy to download, and you can put new releases on hold even before they come out. It is easy peasy.
I’m so impressed you did a yearly recap. I have my stats in Excel but have not done a darn thing with them. Maybe this month…
We definitely had the same kind of year- for you it was mostly grade C which for me is 2-3 stars. We really need 2018 to be better!
I did know you were a librarian and it’s truly ridiculous that I stopped using the library. When I first got a Kindle you couldn’t get ebooks from the library and I so quickly became enamored with electronic reading that I just started to consider it my little vice! I’m definitely going to start requesting books again. My wallet will be happy.
Yes, please…2018 has to be better. (In more ways than one!)
Like your graphs! You seem to have a lot of good ideas about blogging in the new year. Congrats on all the books you finished. I too am hooked on audios! — as well as print books from the library. Best to you in 2018.
I am a big audiobook lover. Didn’t used to be as much, but these days, audiobooks are my friends. I use them all the time and probably close to half of my reading is done that way. Good goals, love the charts, have a great 2018!
Ooh, I love your graphs from the reading tracker! Good stuff. And I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed reading more nonfiction enough to do it again 🙂