10 Tips to Achieve Your Reading Goals

January 11, 2024

Literature

Nesha Ruther

Writer at Bond & Grace

It’s January once again, that fresh, twinkly season where we believe we can do anything. One of the most common resolutions is to replace time spent scrolling with time spent reading, but as we all know, the algorithm is designed to addict, and by February we’re usually back to helplessly staring at our phones, stack of books unread.

This year, why not take a more mindful approach to reading? Here are 10 tips to help you achieve your reading goals, and the tools to keep you on track all through 2024!

Set A Concrete Number

Far too often, we kneecap our resolutions before they have even begun by simply saying we want to do something more or less. Reading more is pretty difficult if we have no way to actually measure what more means. This year, try being specific in your goals. For example,

“In 2024 I want to read 30 books” or “In 2024 I want to read a book a week”.

Set Weekly Page or Chapter Goals

Setting a benchmark for page or chapter numbers that you want to hit every week can help keep momentum even when you just don’t feel like reading, or help you balance reading multiple books at once. Routine is a recipe for success, and setting weekly goals that you hit consistently is sure to set you up for a stellar year of reading!

Get Specific About Genre ‍

There are millions of books in the world, and sorting through that infinite world of knowledge can be overwhelming, to say the least. Grouping books by genre can help identify what kind of books you want to dedicate your time to this year. Set a goal of one non-fiction book a month, or two collections of poetry. When you’ve hit your benchmarks, you can spend the rest of your time reading all the guilty pleasure books your heart desires!

Track Your Progress & Use the Algorithm to Your Advantage

Apps like Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Likewise all not only help you keep track of the books you’re reading and give you a space to record your thoughts and feelings about them, but use that data to recommend similar books. These tools can be perfect for hitting a specific number of books you want to read, as well as reading more books that you actually enjoy!

Do an Author Deep Dive

Nothing is better for your reading habits than developing a single-minded obsession. This year, strive to read deeply rather than widely by focusing on one specific author. Think about one of your favorite books and commit to reading every single book by that author. If you’ve already exhausted their written works, seek out biographies or look up interviews in which they list their favorite authors. That way you can learn more about the writers you love, and the writers who influenced them!

Check the Praise

Nothing is worse than picking up a book, reading the blurb, and having the book turn out to be a total bust! And if you’re a neurotic reader like myself, putting down a book even if you hate it can feel sacrilegious. While the blurb can tell you what the book is about, the praise from other authors is generally a more reliable indicator of whether you will like a book. Publishing companies seek out endorsements from authors of a similar style, and most writers wouldn’t put their stamp of approval on a book they hate. Seeing a name you know, recognize, and trust on the back of a book is a great way to make reading choices that will make you happy!

Listen to Bookish Podcasts.

There are only so many hours in a day we can dedicate to reading, and while audiobooks are a great hands-free alternative, bookish podcasts are an excellent source of motivation to keep you on track to meet your reading goals. They’re also a great way to get recommendations or learn more about your favorite authors. The New York Times Book Review, Writers & Company, and BBC’s World Book Club are all great places to start!

Share Your Progress!

While reading may be a solitary activity, your love for books doesn’t have to be! Sharing your progress on social media or with friends and family can be a great way to stay accountable and get some kudos for all your hard work. Communities like booktok and bookstagram are also great places for meeting dedicated readers just like you!

Find the Perfect Reading Spot

Remember that scene in Gilmore Girls where Rory paid a guy to get out from under her perfect study tree? That’s the energy we’re bringing into 2024! Whether indoors or out, perfect reading spots are hard to come by but worth it in that they allow you to get totally immersed in the world of your book. In the words of the best reader in TV history, find a study spot that “fits my back perfectly so that I don’t get tired and the light is right it’s just far away from everything busy so that the noise level is perfect!”

Shop Used

Let’s be honest, in this economy a reading habit can really start to add up and the bigger your TBR list gets, the number in your bank account gets smaller. Sure, libraries are always an option, but some of us like to annotate! This year, strive to shop used. Wandering through your local used bookstores is a magic unlike anything else on earth, and if you’re short on time websites like ThriftBooks, Better World Books, and Half Price Books are all cost-conscious ways of meeting your reading goals (without handing your hard-earned cash to real-life literary villain Jeff Bezos!)

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Happy 2024, and here’s to a year of great reading!

P.S. For more reading tips, book recommendations, and literary motivation sign up for our newsletter, The Bookmark. When you do you will also receive our exclusive Bond & Grace reading tracker to help you meet your goals!