Happy New Year’s Eve!
You may not know this about me but I secretly love to make lists, set goals, and flip the calendar. I don’t always follow the lists, meet the goals, or pay attention to the calendar but it is fun to plan.
The Blog
The blog just turned 8 a couple of weeks ago. A lot of things have changed over the years. This year the big change was the move to WordPress and the new look. I am glad that I made the move and wish that I had done it a lot sooner. The only thing that I know that I want to change in 2022 is doing a better job of returning comments and blog hopping. I am also considering combining multiple reviews in a single post more often and including more discussion-based posts.
Books and Reading
I actually do think that these goals do help me stay focused during the year. A lot of these goals are going to look like the same goals from previous years but that is okay since I am making progress, even if it is slower than I would like.
- Increase my NetGalley ratio by at least 6% by the end of the year – This goal is a repeat from last year. I ended up increasing my ratio by 2% so I didn’t hit the goal but I ended the year in a better spot. I am currently at 90% and would love to be at 96% by the end of 2022.
- Stay current with 2022 ARCs – I actually only have 3 books on NetGalley that were published in 2021 that I haven’t reviewed yet. I have not done such a good job with the plysical books that I have been sent so I really need to focus on those books just as much this year. I am really going to try to limit requests so I don’t find myself in a position where I can’t get to everything quite so often.
- Catch up with ARCs on Edelweiss – I did a great job with this goal last year and have just one book left to read from Edelweiss. ONE! This one is happening this year!
- Read from my own shelves – I have so many books on my shelves that I want to read but I end up reading books from NetGalley or sent by the publishers instead. Those books are great but I want to read the books that I bought too. I would love to get to a point where it is at a 50/50 split.
2022 Challenges
Once again I am going to be a big party pooper and excuse myself from signing up for any challenges. In the past, I only signed up for things that I did anyway so they weren’t really challenges. And I am horrible at posting links and keeping track of where I am at with a challenge. I will participate in the Goodreads Challenge though. I will be setting my goal for 100 again in 2022. I should pass that goal with months to spare but I just like seeing where I end up without causing any extra stress.
Bookstagram
I have put a lot of effort into Bookstagram this past year. I have discovered that I really like taking pictures and I enjoy scrolling through and seeing everyone else’s photos. I sit down at a computer to blog and to post blog comments but with Bookstagram, I can do it on the run on my phone. (I actually do a lot of it while I am at work.) I post a lot of the same reviews that I post on my blog but sometimes I do something completely different. I am just having fun with it.
I would love to increase my follower count on the platform but I have limited control over that. I also want to post more of myself. I am pretty self-conscious and it is hard to post photos that I am in but this is something I need to get over.
Books I cannot wait to read in 2022!
I am actually really excited about a lot of 2022 releases but I decided to only include books that I have not been able to get my hands on just yet!
What are some of your blogging or reading goals for 2022?
Omg yes! Briggs, Reid, Bishop and McLean!!!!!!
I don’t participate in challenges either, for exactly the same reason you mentioned 🙂
I do participate in Goodreads as well, and my goal is going to be 60, I think 🙂
Just found out that I didn’t follow you on Insta yet, I just hit that FOLLOW button!
Have a great 2022 🙂
Good luck! I’m not making any goals for 2022 because I never achieve them. I’m just hoping to survive another year!
Nice! I usually participate in the challenges so I can actually see how many TBR books I’m reading vs new releases. Most new releases are the ARCs I get, but last year I was focusing more on my TBR so hopefully this year I can do that too! Good luck with your goals!
very ambitious and I love your goals Happy New Year
I like your goals. I try to only request 3 books from NetGalley at a time and write the reviews before requesting more. I don’t make a lot of goals for myself each year. Happy New Year.
You have some great goals and did amazing this year. I keep up pretty well but have a few leftovers to finish reviews. I’m glad you liked the WordPress move. I also try to read more of the books I own but the ones I read are mostly Thrifty Thursday; I want to read more of the ones I bought because I am excited about them.
Happy New Year!
Good luck on meeting your 2022 goals.
Congratulations on 8 years of blogging! It looks like you did a great job with your reading goals, Carole. Many of mine are a work in progress too. I am changing it up a bit this year, but the end result is similar to in the past. Like you, I am not going to take on any new challenges this year other than Goodreads. I was thinking of upping my goal to 12 books instead of the 10 I did this year, but I haven’t quite decided yet. I am excited about Crow Bones, but still need to catch up to it. So many great sounding books coming! I hope you have a great 2022 in books and blogging!
I stopped doing challenges for the reasons you mentioned. I didn’t even do the Goodreads challenge this year. I think I lowered my number three times for 2020, so decided not to any for 2021. I really enjoyed it. I, too, need to do more visiting other blogs. I’m trying to be better, Have a wonderful new year.
Congrats on 8 years! I’ve enjoyed reading your reviews here and getting to see a different side of you on bookstagram. Hope you have a happy new year!
I actually think making lists and planning is so much fun. It’s probably why Trello is my catnip. I can make so many lists haha
I just love seeing all of your goals here. As someone that spent this past year getting my ratio up to 100%, it’s so worth it. And yes going self-hosted is so worth the change. Happy to see that its been working so well for you.
You see, I don’t sign up for most of the challenges, I just do them. No pressure! But I love challenges. Wow! Eight years. That’s awesome! Yes to reading our own books, and good luck with that NG ration. To get a 6% increase is 48 books, if I don’t request any more. So, I have learned to live with being at 92%.
You had a fab year for getting caught up on your NetGalley and Edelweiss. Cheering you on to getting to your print ARCs and your personal pile. I like what you’ve been doing with your Bookstagram. I need to do more on that page, too.
I’m looking forward to many of the same books.
you are so far ahead of me. i haven’t done a wrapup post, other than tackingling the tbr and i haven’t set any goals for this year.
sherry @ fundinmental
I definitely want to read more of the books on my own shelves. I also want to catch up on Netgalley books and not take on too many this year. I definitely fell behind on those books more than I normally do.
Lauren @ http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
I started making a concerted effort 2-3 years ago and it has been a game changer for me. Finally reading all the books I was truly excited about that I had set aside in favor of new releases and arcs has been such a joy. I rarely request arcs anymore and instead focus of backlist titles.
I only do the Goodreads challenge officially but I have a few of my own going every year. I found I didn’t do well with linkups. I would really like to use Instagram more this year though I just never quite remember to actually post there. Have a wonderful 2022!