Goodreads has made me a better reader.
Maybe it’s my inherent need for a pat on the head, or my competitive nature, but tracking the books I read, my progress through them, my yearly goals, seeing what other people read (and think about what they read) all compels me to read more.
Not so long ago, I was wasting entirely too much time playing mindless games or watching mindless TV. And I realized I wasn’t reading like I used to. It was a habit that was just fading. I was still reading first thing in the morning (nonfiction and memoir) and right before bed (fiction), but in between the only books I read were ones on the craft of writing or books I needed to blurb.
I wasn’t reading to learn or to expand my thinking or to escape to different worlds or fall in love with characters or discover new writers.
When I was first out of college and broke, living in a house trailer, teaching riding, and ‘living my dream’ instead of using my degree, I didn’t have a TV or even a VCR (remember those?), let alone cable. The internet was not a ‘thing’ for the average person.
So during my downtime, I read. Lots. Library books, mostly, because they were free. Or books handed down to me from my mom or friends. I copied out words, sentences, and entire sections that I loved in notebooks that I have dragged around now for thirty years.
I loved books. I still do, obviously. But it wasn’t the same. Too much of my reading felt like obligation.
Here’s how Goodreads turned my obligatory reading back into fun:
Set a Yearly Goal
I set a goal to read 100 books last year, and I met it. That meant reading (and listening to audiobooks) in all my spare time. I could easily open the app and see whether I was on track, behind, or ahead. Seeing that each day motivated me.
I met that goal, so this year I set a goal of 120 books (I’m four books ahead of schedule!)
I can also see how all my friends are doing on their goals. It’s fun to see how many goals people are striving to read. One friend had a goal of one book, obviously trying to keep expectations minimal, but she’s already blown that goal out of the water with 12. My cousin Dan set a goal of 400 books! (He does read nearly that each year, which blows me away). Pretty much everyone is doing great (except a couple of you…I won’t name names).
Track Progress for each book
I’m currently reading eight books (this is normal for me, I think I’ve explained that before), and I try to make a little progress on each of them. I can record that progress each day, watching the little bar graph fill up, and seeing what percentage I have left to read. That’s very helpful when you read on kindle and can’t visibly see how far along in a book you are.
Maybe it’s my little grade-grubbing mind, but I get a tiny thrill when I see that progress bar move each day.
If you’re an author, maybe you know that it’s helpful if people reading your book record their progress because it shows up in their feed, giving your book a little free advertising every time they update their progress.
I’m currently re-reading my book, Live Intentionally : 65 Habits for a Healthier, Happier Life, because it’s the tenth anniversary of its publication and I’m curious to see how well it’s held up. So far, I’m surprisingly proud of it – I honestly expected it would seem dated and irrelevant, but it’s got lots of great advice and it’s been fun remembering the stories of our family’s adventures.
Deciding on which books to read (or listen to)
When I’m debating about purchasing a book, I can look to see how friends have rated or reviewed it. That’s super helpful, since I’m often aware of that person’s reading tastes in relation to mine. I also love reading friends reviews and sometimes scroll through the feed looking for ideas for new books.
Want to Read List
When I hear of a book I might want to read and don’t want to forget that I want to read it, I add it to my goodreads app and mark it ‘want to read’. This list does get a little watered down, thanks to GR’s policy of adding any book whose giveaway you’ve entered. Although it makes me more frugal about which giveaways to enter.
And, just in case you think no one wins those giveaways – I’ve won two in the last six months! (but none for the previous year).
There you go – a few reasons to join me on Goodreads and read more!
If you’re already on Goodreads, I’d love to hear about your experience.
Hey, thanks for reading. I know you’ve got lots of options, so thanks for sharing a few of your minutes with me.
Honored,
Cara
If you’re a writer (or you wanna be) and you’d like some guidance, editing, accountability, or some good old fashioned encouragement in meeting your writing goals, reach out. I offer one-on-one coaching. Learn more here.
My latest novel, Blind Turn is a mother-daughter story of forgiveness in the aftermath of a fatal texting and driving accident. It won the Womens Fiction category of the American Writing Awards in 2022. Learn more about it and find out how to get your copy here.
If you’re curious about what else I’m up to, check out my website, CaraWrites.com.
If you’d like to subscribe to my twice monthly emails, click here.
If you’re a dog lover, check out my other blog, Another Good Dog. And if you want to know what is really happening in the animal shelters in this country, visit, Who Will Let the Dogs Out, and subscribe to the blog I write there.
I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, twitter, or Instagram, and I’m thrilled to get email from readers (and writers), you can reach me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.
My book, 100 Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues is available anywhere books are sold, but if you’d like some help finding it (or want to read some lovely reviews), click here.
My Life in Paragraphs 