It is the first day of 2012. I’ve spent some quiet time thinking and praying and scribbling down thoughts and hopes for this new year, and I’ll be sharing some of those later on.
For now, I’m excited to announce the beginning of Reading Challenge 2012! This is the fifth year that we’ll be doing the challenge, and I’m looking forward to another great year of sharing the love of good books with so many of you here on the blog.
So what can you expect in the 2012 Reading Challenge? Well, I’m keeping it simple this year and instead of changing it up a lot, I’m just going to strive for more excellence and timeliness in sharing the monthly checkpoints and in sharing book reviews.
Someone had a wonderful suggestion: instead of a monstrous, repetitious post, I’ve made a special page this year for all the important information about our Reading Challenge. If you are interested in joining us this year, and want to know more about it, you can read all the important stuff about the challenge on this page.
I cannot believe how quickly 2011 sped by, and how full of unexpected interruptions it was. My original goal was to read just 12 books, but half way through the year, I decided to up that to 24 books in 2011. Well, life happened and reading didn’t happen quite as much as I hoped, but I did manage to squeeze in 18 books last year, and I feel pretty content with that.
I think that I’m going to be realistic about the upcoming year and set my personal reading goal for 2012 at 18-20 books. I already have a little list of books I want to read this year, and I’m planning on reading at least one book about writing this year. Since becoming a better writer is one of my goals for this new year I figure reading a couple books about it is a great place to start. I also have inspirational books, gardening books and a few old fashioned story books on my to-read list. I’m also hoping to read my Bible again in 2012. I can’t wait to get started!
What are your reading goals for 2012? If you think you’d like to join us in the reading challenge this year, leave me a comment or drop me an email and let me know! Just like last year, I’m making a little list of all our participants so that we can keep in touch and encourage each other in reading well again in 2012.
Just remember that you don’t have to be a blogger to join, and you don’t have to set big goals to be a part of this challenge. It is about enriching our lives with good words, and not a competition to read the most books in a year.
Some Fun Extras
- Spread the word! If you’d like to share this reading challenge with your friends or family, feel free! You can share a link on Facebook, write something on your blog, use the graphic on the bottom of the guidelines page (copy and paste the code into the html view of your post. It should show up automatically) in your post or on your site. You can use the #ReadingChallenge2012 hash on twitter to tag your tweets about this reading challenge!
- Keep on Track! I discovered a really neat little widget on Good Reads last year that helped me track my progress on my personal reading goal. It was a lot of fun, and I’m excited because they have one for 2012 up. If you are on goodreads, you should get one, too!
Looking forward to Reading Challenge 2012 and sharing it with you all yet again.
Yay! wow, 5 years already, that is neat! I really like Goodreads, I just need to utilize it more! :)
Wow, 5 years!! I definitely want to do it again in 2012. I’m sending you my completed list as of December 31st for 2011. I didn’t make my goal but that’s ok. Life was crazy in 2011. I really like the GoodReads app!
2011 was a crazy year for sure! :) Goals are good because they are goals and have a tad bit of flexibility, right? ;) I’m going to be pretty happy if I manage 18 again this year…and okay if I only do 12. :)
So I made a goal of 15. Seems like a happy medium :) Now to make my list…
Got it! :) And I do think 15 sounds like a great number!
I am going to join again! Even though I didn’t manage to reach my goal by a long shot, I want to give myself the same challenge of reading 12 books next year because I need to spend more time reading. It will be interesting while being in nursing school, but I do get breaks here and there so it may be do-able. :)
I wish my blog wasn’t opposed to javascript because I really like that tracker! *rolls eyes*
I think 12 books is very reasonable! I’m glad you’re joining again. :D
I really like your 2012 buttont! :)
Chantel,
I like your goal this year of praying more. Prayer is so vital but it’s way too easy to overlook.
I was really bad about following through with reading challenges last year so I’m still trying to decide if I want to join any this year. I do want to be more deliberate with my reading, reading less overall but higher quality books. With that vague goal in mind, I think I’d be happy with 25 great books this year.
I’m planning to join again this year too! :)
O, count me in! I love reading!
Too bad I’m no longer on Goodreads, but that’s ok.. I’ll keep track the old-fashioned way!
P.S. Did you get my email, Chantel? I haven’t wanted to ‘bug’ you about it, but so long as I know you got it, that will make me feel better. :)
Well I created a list of books that I’m hoping to read, but it’s not completed yet! :) I’ll add the graphic as well.
I would like to join again! I made a list of the books (and goals met or unmet) on Livejournal. (Do you still get on there?) My goal for this year is about 30 books, but also more nonfiction/deep books, and to finish The Treasury of David, volume 1.
Yay! I think I’m going to join this reading challenge too :D I’ll try for 12 books. Guess I’d better hurry cause January is half gone! :/ Does anyone have some ideas of a good book/books for me to read?
That’s wonderful! Have you read C.S Lewis’ Screwtape letters? It is a great book! :)
Thanks Chantel, thats one of the books I’ve been meaning to read :) I started it a few years ago, but for some reason just never finished it. Are we suppose to email you with our list of book titles that we are going to read?
My sister did this last year and I decided to join her this year! Looks great! I’m trying for twelve books. I already finished January’s! Thank you so much for doing this. It’s going to be so much fun!
-Jessica