Reading and blogging goals for 2020

Every year, I like to set myself some reading and blogging goals so I can have a few things to aim for throughout the year.

I usually seem to hit about 80% of them, with one or two falling by the wayside. But 8/10 isn’t bad.

So, although we’re already into February (whoops), I’m sharing my goals for 2020.

---

Reading Goals

Read 100 books

This is a BIG jump from my goal of 80 last year. It’s a bit of a stretch for me, since I’ve never actually read 100 books in a year before *nervous laughter* But I do love a challenge.

And, funnily enough, it’s actually been motivating me to read more since January, and to read at times when I wouldn’t normally (just after dinner for example). I’m currently two books ahead of my challenge, so let’s see if I can keep this pace up.

Read Lore Olympus

This is a web comic that I’ve been recommended by so many friends and wanted to start in 2019.

But I didn’t end up getting to it, so I’m hoping to read it in 2020 instead.

Actually finish some of the manga I said I’d finish in 2019

Last year, one of my goals was to finish reading three manga series (Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, and Blue Exorcist) I’ve got ongoing. And do you know how many I finished?

None.

Zero.

Nil.

I didn’t finish any of the series, mainly because I didn’t sit down and make time for them. So this year, I’m going to set myself a more gentle goal of reading one of them.

Create a TBR jar and use it to get to books on my backlist

I’m pleased to say that I’ve already done this! Well, part of it.

I’ve created my TBR mug (no jars were available, OK?), and have filled it with books I need to read that were released in or before 2019.

I’ve also picked out my first book, Everything Leads to You, and I just finished it over the weekend. So all I need to do now is keep this up for the rest of the year.

Please yell at me to make sure I do this.

Blogging goals

Read and review ARCs before they release

I say this every year. And every year I don’t quite manage it. In fact, this is definitely one of the goals I didn’t achieve last year. But once again, I’m going to try my best to pick up advanced copies before they release and review them on or just after the release date.

Only request ARCs I’m really excited for

You know what it’s like you get an email relating to a book you’ve heard about and you just get really excited and respond ‘YES PLEASE.’? Well, that. I need to stop doing that. Or at least not do it as much.

OK, I’ve never actually responded to an email with ‘YES PLEASE’, but I’ve definitely accepted books that I wasn’t 10/10 invested in. Then I end up not having time to read/review them and feel really guilty. Wash, rinse, repeat.

In 2019, I got better at not doing this, but in 2020 I want to be even more selective with the books I ask for/accept. This will also help me with my goal of reading + reviewing books before their release date, because I’ll have fewer to pick up.

Write more features

I really enjoy writing features, but they’re pretty time consuming and I don’t always have a lot of time to commit to them. So I end up doing lists and tags, because they’re faster and (let’s be honest) easier.

But I have quite a few new ideas for features that I want to write in 2020, so I’m making it my goal to write some of them. Let’s say five of them. That’s a nice small number. Totally achievable. Right?

Start doing mini-reviews?

I made this goal last year and I didn’t really come through on it. But I review pretty much every book on Goodreads so this year I’m going to make more of an effort to take those reviews from GR and turn them into mini-reviews on my blog.

*whispers* Hit 1500 followers?

I currently have just over 1200 followers and I’m so grateful for each and every one of you. *sends love hearts* This year I’d absolutely love to get to 1500 followers, but I’m setting this as a tentative goal, because I don’t know whether it’s possible to gain 300 new followers in a year? We shall see!

---

Two challenges I’m not going to set myself this year are:

1. Continue reading diversely
2. Continue taking part in reading challenges and readathons

The reason I’m not setting these are ‘official’ goals is because I do them anyway. They’ve become an ingrained part of my reading life, so I don’t feel the need to set them as specific challenges.

---

What reading goals are you setting yourself this year? Do you set yourself blogging or vlogging goals too?