My 2023 Reading Resolutions

I write this staring down the last two weeks of 2023, knowing that I did SO MUCH reading this year, and yet not enough of what I wanted to read. 

I didn’t set MANY reading resolutions in 2022, for a few reasons. At the end of 2021, I was wrapping up my time on the 2022 Carnegie Awards. By February 2022, I was serving on the 2023 Alex Awards. I also review for two magazines—so my reading time is not really my own, and I didn’t want to OVER commit. My award committee work meant I couldn’t get a Goodreads goal or use goodreads this year, and I DNF’d several titles, so I think I read 230 books this year, but it’s hard to tell. 

My two MAIN reading goals in 2022–the things I put on my little Canva graphic–were to read 100 chapter books in 2022 and to read the Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor. 

Reader, it is December 19th as I write this, and I have not cracked open the Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor. There’s still time! But not much. 

I think my intention in reading 100 “chapter” books was to read books like JUV Fiction series and the like to get a feel for what I wanted to write, and I definitely didn’t read 100 ‘chapter’ books or even probably juvenile fiction books total, but I did kind of figure out my writing style with easy reader series reading, by reading a lot of picture books and reviewing them, etc. 

So maybe my goals went off track, but I still did good in balancing reading kid Lit with the immense amount of adult books I read for the Alex Awards. 

As of this writing, I am not yet committed to a 2024 award committee. That could change in the next weeks and months, so I’m not going to jinx it or set myself up for failure with any insane goals but here are 5 reading resolutions I am setting for myself in 2023. 

1. I will DNF a book if it takes me more than 2 days to read 50 pages
2. I will track what I’m reading more diligently—including the Kid Lit I’m reading and reviewing. 
3. I will listen to at least 2 audiobooks a month, even if I’m in the middle of a really good podcast series
4. I will not buy the sequel of a book if I haven’t read the last one already
5. I will read 1 short story collection a month 

What are you reading resolutions in 2023?