Novel Ink: Discussion | Reading Schedules

Discussion | Reading Schedules

Posted on Thursday, March 6, 2014 4:30 AM

I know that as bloggers and reviewers a lot of us feel the pressure to read a certain review book that we requested and is coming out soon instead of picking up a book that we really want to read. At least I know that I used to feel this way when I first started out blogging and getting review books.

However, I've come to learn that doing it that way and trying to stick to a reading schedule doesn't work for me...at all. In fact I think it was one of the reasons that I got burned out on blogging back at the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013. Even when I started back blogging in May of last year, I still felt guilty if I choose a book that I was DYING to read over a review book. I even wrote a post about how I was going to try out a new 'reading schedule'.

But, I quickly learned that sticking to a schedule and making myself read something wasn't for me. The main reason I feel like reading schedules and I don't get along is because I'm SUCH a mood reader. I can pick up a book to read only to put it back down within the first 10 pages because I'm not in the mood for that certain type and then pick it up weeks later and fall in love with it.

I've also learned that if I make myself read a book that I'm really not in the mood for, it will affect my overall feeling of the book which will most likely result in a lower rating and for me personally, I didn't feel like that would be fair to the author or the book.

So, I decided that if I'm not feeling a certain genre or book then I won't pick it up, no matter if it's a review book or not because in my experience and for me personally it does more harm than good.

TALK TO ME

Do you stick to a reading schedule? If so, how do you make it work? Are you a mood reader like me?

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nadiareads1 34p · 582 weeks ago

I don't have that problem with review copies, since I don't have any, but I kind of feel the pressure to read a book that I've had for a long time on my shelves before buying new ones! It ends up ruining the book though, if you're not in the mood to read it!
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1 reply · active 582 weeks ago

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Christy @ Novel Ink 76p · 582 weeks ago

I agree! If I'm not in the mood for a certain genre then I won't even pick it up! Thanks for stopping by :)

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choijeneul 28p · 582 weeks ago

I've also been more of a mood reader lately, but I don't really have a problem with review copies because I see them on my reading calendar every time I check it so when I do need to read them, I'm always somehow in the mood. That's for physical ARCs, though, because I haven't been in the mood for eARCs and ebooks for more than a month now >_<
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1 reply · active 582 weeks ago

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Christy @ Novel Ink 76p · 582 weeks ago

I've been more on a eARC binge lately, haha. Thanks for stopping by!
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caitdrews 124p · 582 weeks ago

I'm kind of half and half, I guess. I don't really read because of my moods, but I do break it up a bit for myself. Too much fantasy? Have some contemporary fluff. That sort of thing. I usually read by release date, so I'm not behind. ;)
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1 reply · active 582 weeks ago

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Christy @ Novel Ink 76p · 582 weeks ago

Yes! Too much of one genre can burn me out big time! Thanks for stopping by :)
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kirstymstudio 102p · 582 weeks ago

I do stick to a schedule, I mean, I feel guilty if I don't (so I guess I'm still in that stage for now), though I do make a deal with myself, if I read at least two out of my schedule first, then I'll read one I'm dying to read. Or, if It's an e-Arc, I'll read a physical "me" book, vice versa. But, I do hate forcing myself to read something I don't like, if I don't like it, I will DNF it, and maybe go back to it before the release date or something, but I know I'm not going to like a book if I have to force myself to read it, so what's the point? I'm not much of a mood reader, I do get my moments,(but I do have to be in the mood for a light contemporary). Great discussion post! :)
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1 reply · active 582 weeks ago

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Christy @ Novel Ink 76p · 582 weeks ago

That's a good system you have going on, I might be more inclined to stick to a reading schedule if I rewarded myself with books that I'm dying to read :) Thanks for stopping by!

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Pam@YA Escape · 582 weeks ago

I don't have a reading schedule because I want to read for fun and if it starts to feel like work, that is not a good thing. I'm definitely a mood reader too. Sometimes I want to read a dystopian, sometimes I want to read a light and fluffy contemporary, sometimes I'm in the mood for a sweeping fantasy. So yeah, no reading schedule for me!
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delicateeternity 69p · 582 weeks ago

I've tried to stick to a reading schedule, but they haven't really worked out for me. I'm not entirely sure why, but I am pretty sure it's because I am a mood reader, like you. Sometimes it's so bad that even if I WANT to read book 'a', book 'b' will be calling to me, and I'll have to end up reading book 'b'. It's a problem, haha.
I definitely feel the pressure to read review books, and I must admit I'm not all that great at reading them on time, either.
I also go through phases. Over the Christmas period, I read about 10 review books in a row because I wanted to. I was sick of feeling guilty about them waiting to be read, so i just got it over with and then read them. It actually felt pretty good to get ahead again, at least for a little while.
I've also tried alternating between 'me' books and review books, but that has never really worked, and I never followed it (even if I wanted to).
I think the best thing to do is to read what you want. Yes, there are review books, but letting them stress you out is not a good thing. Letting reading feel like a chore would be the worst thing to happen. So I think reading at your own pace is the best thing to do. :)
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tonyaleeh 50p · 581 weeks ago

I have a reading schedule, but lately, I have made so many changes to it LOL

I usually schedule all review books for that month (or previous month) and depending on my mood, I switch them up. It doesn't always work out, because there are review books from last Summer I haven't read haha

But I don't think this way is for everyone. There are a lot of people that are mood readers. :)
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