This means, of course, I'm continually overwhelmed by my book stack. Continually! Being overwhelmed means I honestly get less reading done than I could do. I've been trying to figure out a way to be more intentional and take away that overwhelming feeling. I think #readabration and Carrie Gelson's #MustReadin2017 have come together to help me create a plan to improve my reading life struggles.
Making a Plan: #Readabration (A Little History)
Right before winter break the literacy coaches began talking about starting their #readabration lists. Readabration was an event started a few years ago in which teachers, principals, literacy coaches, and students took the time to plan their reading over break. As a listened to them talk I knew this was just what I needed. A plan to read over break would help me begin to tackle my ever growing, and increasingly overwhelming, "to be read" stack.
I opened my Goodreads and began to make an intentional plan. Knowing I really need to grow my bookstack of middle grade books I've read, I put my concentration there. There are so many professional books in my stack, that I knew I needed to choose one of those as well. Of course, it was winter break so, I also wanted to read an adult book. I wanted to keep my list manageable as the break was only two weeks and our house is quite busy for much of the time. I came up with this list:
— Cathy Mere (@CathyMere) December 24, 2016
Of course, break came and some unexpected digital books became available to me from my library hold stack so I had to adjust. This new availability required that I rethink my stack. At the end of the two weeks, I had moved several books into the completed stack. I had read several middle-grade books, a new adult book, and nearly completed the professional book.
How to keep this momentum going?
This #readabration experience reminded me, once again, of the power of a plan. I decided that I would continue to plan monthly what I wanted to read in hopes of moving more books from my "to be read pile" to my "I read it pile."
#MustReadin2017
Then, I head about Carrie Gelson's #MustReadin2017 post. First I read Tara Smith's list as it came across my feed, then Margaret Simon's, then the many friends I found linked on Carrie's post.....and I knew this was just the push I needed to keep me on track.
Here's how it works (I think):
- Have a TBR (to be read) list
- Keep it growing
- Check back in 4/6, 9/7, 12/28 (optional)
- Use #MustReadin2017 on Twitter
My Plan
I'm in! I'm going to consider my "to read" list on Goodreads to be my #MustReadin2017 stack. However, I want to keep this manageable and accomplish my reading goals for 2017. Each month I will be creating a "plan to read" stack for the month. I'm trying to keep the stack reasonable enough that I can accomplish it, flexible enough that I can adjust it (digital library holds can shake things up a bit), and open enough that I can throw new books in every now and then. There also has to be room to pepper in picture books (I like a lot of pepper). I hope to try to follow my #readabration plan: a middle-grade book per week, an adult (or maybe YA) book for enjoyment, and an informational text (likely professional or "better life-ish).
Here's January's Plan:
Thanks, Carrie and #MustReadin2017 for the timely push.
