The other day I said that I wasn't going to make any New Year's Resolutions seeing as I made such a poor job of keeping the last lot that I made. Then I thought, 'Where's the fun in that...?' :o)
These resolutions are going to be strictly for the blog. I mean, you don't want to hear about my endless battle to lose weight in 2010... do you? (I may have to start another blog for that!) I think these will be enough to be going on with here, lets see how I've done by the end of the year...
1) To finally finish reading 'Viriconium'.
I came so unstuck with my plans to read this book last year but I still want to finish it off. If (and when) I do finish 'Viriconium', this resolution will change to reflect books that I've gone out and bought rather than been sent and we'll see how many of those I get through (I'm looking at 'The Anubis Gates' and 'Bone Song' as I'm writing this).
2) To interview more authors for the blog.
This is a tricky one as coming up with interview questions is all about inspiration with me, if I don't get it then it ain't happening! I do enjoy interviews though so we'll have to see if that inspiration strikes...
3) Read thicker books as well as the slimmer ones.
A lot of good books went unread last year thanks to my doing most of my reading on the train to work. If I can be sure of getting a seat a little more often then you might just see reviews for books like 'The Gathering Storm' and 'Dust of Dreams'...
4) Get more involved in the 'Blogosphere'
There is so much good discussion out there and I really want to be more of a part of it this year (life got in the way last year...) I was gutted to miss out on posting for 'Smugglivus', for the Book Smugglers, over Christmas as well and don't want to miss out again! 2010 is going to be a busy one in other ways but the plan is hopefully to get more involved in places online other than this one.
5) Vary my reading.
I'm not sure what this one means at the moment; I suspect it will be a case of whatever catches my eye at any particular time. I want the blog to be about what I enjoy in the genre but also about trying stuff that I wouldn't normally look at. Do I sense another 'Paranormal Romance Week' coming on? Maybe...
6)The Resolution with no catchy sentence...
Every year is an important one for the blog; not only is it about subject matter that I love but it's also been about creating something that I can look at and be proud of (even though I can see the faults all too clearly!)This year is going to be another big one on that particular score; it's a hard one to pin down with specifics but it's certainly something that I'm always keeping an eye on...
That's enough of my rambling though! What are your New Year's resolutions in terms of reading (and blogging if that's your thing)? Is there a series that you've been meaning to finish for some years now? Is there an author that you've been meaning to try out but never got round to? Are you one of those brave souls who has promised not to buy any more books until the reading pile goes down significantly? Leave a comment to let me know and... good luck!
I posted my resolutions Bona Fide: Welcome to 2010. Let me quote myself:
ReplyDelete"- READ MORE BOOKS
- WRITE MORE POSTS
- WATCH MORE MOVIES
and go out for a walk and do some gymnastic exercises."
To be more precise: I want to read six books per month and review four of them.
You wrote about reading thicker books. I try to mix. There is a simple calculation. To read thicker books means I need more time for reading. More time for reading means less books.
I posted my January reading list as part of Bona Fide: Weekly Roundup #01.
This is the short version:
Drood by Dan Simmons - 816 p.
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson - 516 p.
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams - 912 p.
A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham - 384 p.
The Belly of the Bow by K. J. Parker - 521 p.
The Bookman by Lavie Tidhar - 416 p.
In sum 3520 pages to read in 31 days.
Around 114 pages per day.
We missed you for Smugglivus too!! Next year, for sure, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd Graeme, if you DO go ahead and read Paranormal Romance, please do not proceed without talking to me. *g* I shall pick the BEST out there for you so you don't have to suffer again. *grin*
One of my resolutions is to finally get off my duff and read Dune. I promise myself every year that it is one of the SF classics I will get to, and I never do. I also have a long list of SF/F classics and newer works that I would love to get read during the course of the next year.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely plan on using the library more, buying less, and only buying when I plan to take it home and start reading it. I did pretty well with this during the last half of 09, so hopefully that trend will continue.
Hell, I just want to finish a book here and there! Really, I joined 6 (SIX!) book challenges for 2010. Thank goodness they all interact/interweave, crossover, match each other....whatever the term is.
ReplyDeletere 1) Just the title sounds like I don't want to read it, no wonder you havent' been able to finish it so far.
re 2) I have a hard enough time thinking up questions to enter contests with. I can't imagine coming up with anything coherent to ask an author. ("duh, do you like writing?) Therefore, I'm always impressed when a blogger hosts an interview. And always thing "how did they think of that question? - God these people are so smart!)
3.) I used to read extremely thick books; Hawaii when I was 12, Of Captains and Kings when I was 11 or 12, and so on. The last really thick book I read was a Robert Jordan book, no. 10 or 11 and when the whole book ended with nothing much progressing I gave up on the series- and long books. I like them at around 500 or so pages.
I love your blog, and wouldn't mind hearing about weight struggles once in a while! :) I have some of my own struggles and it's good to have company in misery!
Happy New Year!
Well... I had the same problem with Viriconium - it's a wonderfull book (or so I think), but it needs slow reading.
ReplyDeleteRegards
My Resolution is very simple. Start book blog. Maintain book blog. Meet blogosphere :)
ReplyDelete*waves to blogosphere*
I second the "Start blog, etc" resolution. Technically I already did, but I haven't been maintaining it too well, so now 2010 is its launch year :)
ReplyDelete