First of all, let me say this post is just my personal opinion. I don't judge anyone for thinking differently or doing something differently, and while you are of course most welcome to share your own experience - in fact I'd love to hear it -, I ask you to return the courtesy.
Second, I'm obviously not a book blogger, just a reader and someone blogging without being very organized.
This post was inspired by a video YouTube recommended to me called "why i left goodreads for book journals".
I can't even say why I clicked on it as I'm neither on Goodreads nor keep a detailed book journal, but I got hooked because it made me think.
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| Picture via pxhere |
Short recap - I had always been an avid reader since my childhood, but when crafting came along, books went on the backburner because reading and crafting don't work at the same time (for those who are new, I can't do audiobooks). When crafting had to go on the backburner for several reasons, the books rushed back into my life like a big wave which I was very grateful for because the gap left had been big, too. In July 2025, I started posting lists of the books I had read each month (no reviews).
In November, I wrote "Again, this is not about numbers. Where do we stop if we rate reading by the number of books? Count pages? And next work out a formula which pages are "worth more" than others because some books are "only" children's books or light reading or scientific or profound ... I could keep going. Just enjoy!"
That's where the video comes in.
Vic explains how setting herself a goal for the year and checking reviews and ratings before but also after reading a book eventually made her feel like she was "losing a sense of identity and individuality with reading".
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| Have you ever felt doubts about your personal reading experience when seeing ratings and reviews after you read a book? That goes both ways. "Why does everyone love it?" or "Why doesn't everyone love it?" Then wondering what I missed. And no, of course it's never everyone. |
When she talked about reading goals, it made me wonder why I even numbered my list after saying it wasn't about numbers.
I know I didn't want to brag, but was I trying to prove something to myself? Did I feel I had to convince myself how well I had replaced crafting with reading? Did I need a number to show myself I filled the gap sufficiently and "productively"?
Or did I simply overthink this like usual and I numbered the list because that's what I do with lists?
Something else I hadn't consciously noticed before was that sometimes I felt a pang of guilt on a day without reading which is just ridiculous. Talk about self-inflicted pressure.
When I realized that, I happily binged a season of "The Great Pottery Throw Down" which always relaxes me (and my favorite potter won, too).
Recently, I have heard others say similar things - that they don't want to worry about reading what's popular or that they don't want to set themselves a number for the books they read. They want to enjoy what they read without pressure, pick what they feel like and when they feel like it.
That doesn't mean you can't read reviews anymore or have to dismiss all suggestions, but I think many people just don't want to get sucked in by the Internet and everyone's opinion as much anymore these days. Not just in regards to reading, but in general.
Vic's way to make her reading her own more again was to start a book journal.
That totally makes sense for people who enjoy that experience which can of course be so much more than just writing down titles. I'm just not the journaling type myself (and my handwriting has become so terrible) and know from experience I wouldn't keep it up for long. Who knows, though? Maybe the people I know who keep journals will inspire me eventually?
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| Picture via pxhere I chose one with old books because I love reading old books! |
So what did I take away for myself from this for now?
I'm not numbering my book lists anymore because it really isn't important.
I'll keep looking at suggestions and reviews on blogs of course and I'll happily discuss books with people I know, but I don't need to know what the whole world is thinking. I was fine without that before the Internet, I'll be fine now.
What I'm already doing is read what I want and not what I feel I should (although I sometimes feel guilty for not having read more German classics and I might try to catch up on that from time to time).
And believe it or not, I had a really hard time not numbering this last list! 😂
I can relate to the bad handwriting part, for sure. My handwriting is legible and easy to read, but not attractive at all.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts and opinion.
My handwriting has never been beautiful, but as I mostly write for myself now, I unfortunately starting ending words in scribbles or waves because I know what they mean anyhow and it's usually lists that are not meant to be kept. Of course I don't write like that if it's for others, so it's legible, but it's easy to tell that I'm not writing by hand much anymore and I hate that.
DeleteI loved this post so much, Cat! I don't journal, but I do set a goal on Goodreads. I do that more to see what I've read for the year, but they've changed the format so I have to look in a different place. I read what I want when I want. I don't usually read reviews unless it's for a book that's left me questioning what the heck did I just read! I used to do a Final Fridays post for the end of the month and list my books. It's funny...when I was teaching, I read many more books (not kids' books either) than I do now that I have more free time. But, I'm also blogging, researching paintings for tours and writing tours so I guess maybe I'm busy in a different way? One thing I always wondered about and never got an answer for from my lit professors...when we'd discuss themes and all that stuff...did the author set out with those in mind? Did the writers of fairy tales really think about Rose Red's menstrual cycle as they were jotting down that old tale? I mean, I know Grimm's fairy tales were more morality tales than what we perceive them to be today. But, I do still wonder about all that analysis we had to do in college. Wasn't it enough to say these are the main characters, here's what happened, and here's my take away? And, now you've got me thinking!
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I think you are a very busy person, Marsha, and there's only so much you can do. For me the crafting was right at one point and now it's the books again. I just started working on something, so there won't be as many books this months, but that's okay because I enjoy both, so I'm not losing anything. And if I wanted to lay on my back and stare at the ceiling for a few hours to restore energy, that would be okay, too.
DeleteAnother thing that Vic said in the video is how we rate everything these days which also made me think why everything has to be "five stars"? Life isn't five stars, but that doesn't mean it's all bad. Why can't a dish just be good for a change instead of being amazing? We all know it's the reality. I'm getting myself worked up here 😆 Seriously though, I personally feel we should relax more again about some things and enjoy instead of adding more pressure.
I so hear you about interpretations. Sometimes I wonder if authors or artists or film makers would be surprised about everything they are supposed to have had in mind while creating!
This is very interesting Cat, and thank you so much for sharing. You make a good point and it makes me stop and think about my own reading habits. I do not participate in reading challenges or TBR lists because well, I feel life is hard enough as it is, without adding anymore challenges ; ) I love reading, for the love of reading.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, Nicole! If people have fun in doing those challenges, great for them and I'm not saying I'm not enjoying reading some of the results, but they are not for me.
DeleteI think, however, it's never wrong to evaluate from time to time why we are doing something the way we do it and see if it still works for us like that. Then we can adapt if necessary or even stop it. I have known a lot of jewelry makers, for example, who over the years found that it's not what they want to do anymore and found other ways of getting creative. The decision isn't always easy, I know that myself, letting go of something you have done for a while.
I tend to just list and set goals because that's my goal setting, list making personality. In fact i checked 8 books out of the library a week or so ago and I feel so much pressure (by ME!) to finish them all before they are due back. I hate when I do this to myself and yet I do it quite often. It's so hard for me to just enjoy any hobby/passion without setting goals and pushing myself to do more... which is silly since I pursue these things to relax!
ReplyDeleteI don't check out physical books, just ebooks. I have a loan period of three weeks for those. There was a time when I would have hit the limit of 15, I think, but I very consciously don't do that now because I know there will be my random finds. I have a wishlist on OverDrive which isn't very full and I have a list on The Internet Archive, but they are both vague meaning I randomly put books on or take them off. Random really describes my reading habits very well at the moment and I love it more than I would have expected.
DeleteI hope you will find a way for you to balance your goal setting/list making personality with the relaxing!
Thank you for sharing!
Very interesting. I have always been an avid reader and yes, I do read everyday. I am also a crafter who loves to rescue, repurpose, and 'do over' all sorts of things. Retiring has helped me to balance the two. I started a list of books read after borrowing a few books from the library and discovering I'd already read them! I know what I like to read and I also read recommendations that I ordinarily wouldn't consider to see if that genre may be a fit for me. IMHO, reading should be relaxing and and escape from reality. The need to journal or reach a certain number of books read?....I'm not going to stress myself out!
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading, Cat!
That's my point. Don't stress yourself out and have fun!
DeleteNot having retired yet is one of the reasons, health the other why balancing things can be hard, but it's great you found the right measure. Happy Reading and Crafting, Ann!
This was interesting! I didn't realize until reading this post that I DON"T number the books in my book log. Lol. I am not concerned or motivated to read by trying to hit a certain number of books or anything. I just sort what I want, when I want, and how often. Sometimes there are weeks I don't read at all! Lol.
ReplyDeleteI love the Great Pottery Throw Down!!! I could watch it all the time.
I remembered yesterday had a book journal for one series of books in 1977 - with ratings!! - and I didn't number then 😂
DeleteSeriously, though, good for you. This month I haven't read as much because I'm working on my doll, but that's okay. It's just the way it should be.
Thanks Cat for you honest opinion about your personal reading experience. I read for fun, knolwedge, and relaxation. I don't keep lists, book journals, or want to be in a book challenge. To each his own.
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, Nancy. Everyone has to find their own way to enjoy something - reading or other hobbies! I think sometimes it's a problem that we get so swept up in the wave of what "everyone" does that we forgot to check what is good for ourselves. I heard from some crafters that they feel they are not good or quick enough because others churn out items. We need to find our own pace.
DeleteI like the idea of not numbering the list of books I read. The reason I list them at all is so I can remember ones I enjoyed in case I want to recommend them to others and also to remind me that if I started a series I wanted to continue it. I don't really worry if I read a certain amount like I used to so maybe it is time to ditch the listings and just list them instead.
ReplyDeleteIn my reading journal, I keep a list of books I see and want to read, a list of my favorites read, quotes from the books I am reading, a list of movies I've watched, and books I've read with my daughter. I don't care if people know I've read the books but I like to share so I can discuss them with others or see what others have also read.
Sounds absolutely valid to me. If I thought I would keep up a reading journal, I'd totally do that, too.
DeleteWhat I like about doing the posts is the thought that I will be able to search for a book and find it easily. I could also do that in a spreadsheet or document, but again, I don't think I'd keep that up, so the posts are my alternative.
Happy reading, Lisa!