January marks the time for a new year and time where people develop goals and resolutions to accomplish them. Are you still looking for ideas to add to your resolution list? How about finishing your to be read (TBR) pile! Below, we share a few tips on how to get through your TBR pile, whether it is a physical pile or a list on your notes app.
Cut Back the Stack
Look at all your books, whether physical copies or a list. Can you recall the title and general summary? If you can’t remember, look it up and see if you still want to read it. This will be time-consuming, so remember the big picture!
Set Your Priorities
Find what you want to prioritize. Whether it’s classics, a recommendation from a friend, that book you started but never finished, or that book series you never got to.
Start a Reading Challenge
There are numerous reading challenges to tackle your TBR. Such as the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge provides 50 prompts, and you find a book that corresponds with it. The Goodreads Reading Challenge is quantity-based, and you set the goal for the year. WNPL hosts quarterly reading challenges located on Beanstack. Keep an eye on Beanstack– our spring reading challenge will start soon!
Try a Different Format
Switching up your preferred book format might seem intimidating, but it can often increase the number of books you read. Listening to an audiobook version of that lengthy book you’ve been trying to finish will go by in hours. If you have difficulty choosing which book to take along on a trip, an eBook will allow you to bring options without the clutter.
Creating Fun Ways to Choose
There are several ways to create or display your TBR to pick your next read. Try wrapping your books with wrapping paper and numbering each of the books. After numbering them, write the same numbers on a small piece of paper and place them in a cup or jar. Once everything is ready, shake up the jar, pull out a number and find the corresponding book to begin reading. Create a Bingo card with the books you want to read and reward yourself after completing each row. Use a random list generator to enter all the books and let it select your next book.
Everyone has a different size TBR pile, and everyone will finish their pile at a different pace. Don’t get discouraged- read at your own pace and take breaks from reading if necessary. Happy New Year and happy reading from your friends at WNPL!