The 2013 Annual Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread!

[DrNefario]

So far this year, I've only been counting paid books as additions to the TBR, and I'm beginning to think that's a mistake. I don't think there's a huge distinction between a freebie and a cheapie, and in some cases there have been freebies that are definitely TBR. Do I need to make a quality judgement as to whether I am acquiring something to read or just because I can? That doesn't really seem workable. And what happens when I read a free book? No, I think I need to fess up and add all my freebies to the TBR.

The downside is that that adds 12 or 13 more books to my list since the beginning of the year, putting me 15 or 16 behind schedule, rather than just the three pbooks I bought on Monday.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

So far this year, I've only been counting paid books as additions to the TBR, and I'm beginning to think that's a mistake. I don't think there's a huge distinction between a freebie and a cheapie, and in some cases there have been freebies that are definitely TBR. Do I need to make a quality judgement as to whether I am acquiring something to read or just because I can? That doesn't really seem workable. And what happens when I read a free book? No, I think I need to fess up and add all my freebies to the TBR.

The downside is that that adds 12 or 13 more books to my list since the beginning of the year, putting me 15 or 16 behind schedule, rather than just the three pbooks I bought on Monday.

I will only add a freebie to my TBR list if it's a freebie that I would have bought if it had merely been on a good offer rather than free.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I will only add a freebie to my TBR list if it's a freebie that I would have bought if it had merely been on a good offer rather than free.

That sounds like a good plan, but those are the only ones I'm downloading now, pretty much. I guess I can add them, but also need to be more ruthless about removing them if I decide they're not for me. And maybe read some of the stand-alone short stories on my TBR as a cheap way of offsetting the freebies.

[HomeInMyShoes]

12 years down, 32 to go. This is a big required reading list.

[applesauce]

We are half way though the month and I have read a whole 3 books GRRRRRRR. I had so much fun last month breezing though 21. Now with setting up a new computer taking up ever free minute in the last week, and a bug that saw my MS flair up in the other week everything ground to a stop. I hope for a bit more time in the next 2 weeks, but will think myself very very lucky if I get in another 4 or 5.

applesauce

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

So far this year, I've only been counting paid books as additions to the TBR, and I'm beginning to think that's a mistake. I don't think there's a huge distinction between a freebie and a cheapie, and in some cases there have been freebies that are definitely TBR. Do I need to make a quality judgement as to whether I am acquiring something to read or just because I can? That doesn't really seem workable. And what happens when I read a free book? No, I think I need to fess up and add all my freebies to the TBR.
.

Any book (or audiobook) that I have is fair game for my list - whether I paid for it or it was a freebie or a loan.

A book is a book is a book.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

Any book (or audiobook) that I have is fair game for my list - whether I paid for it or it was a freebie or a loan.

A book is a book is a book.

My distinction isn't whether or not I paid for it, but if I actually plan to read it as opposed to it just sounding somewhat interesting and getting it while it is free "just in case". I have REALLY cut back on the number of books that I get that I don't really intend to read though.

[DrNefario]

I have added in the freebies, now. The one I did leave out was a reference book from project Gutenberg (The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue) since I don't really read reference books like novels. There is one other that I'm very unlikely to read - it was a freebie from iTunes that I got just because it was free - but it doesn't make a huge amount of difference. I'm still way behind my TBR.

[Joy736]

I'm doing great so far. 8 out of 50 books done. According to goodreads, I'm 2 books ahead of schedule.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by Joy736

I'm doing great so far. 8 out of 50 books done. According to goodreads, I'm 2 books ahead of schedule.

Same with me (except I'm 8 of 52). I was originally going to trreat the Great Book of Amber omnibus as a single work, but changed my mind. I won't add it to my Ticker Factory tally, however, until I've completed it.

[orlok]

Although I've said I won't be setting myself a challenge this year, I have added a target of 52 books to the Goodreads widget, so a book a week. Given my current reduced capacity for reading, and the other things I want to do with my spare time, such as writing and games, this seem reasonable to me. Currently 2 books ahead of schedule.

[mbovenka]

I'm keeping score for the first time this year, and as yet the old adage 'A book a day keeps boredom away' is true. Just started book 51.

Or it was something with doctors and apples....

[HomeInMyShoes]

The day I can read a book a day is a long way off.

Fifteen years down, twenty-nine years to go. Officially a third of the way through my required reading list.

[pdurrant]

We're not even two months into 2013, and I fear I will fail my challenge this year. I've already bought 37 books this year.

I am already committed through subscriptions to 5 more Grantville Gazettes, 7 more Asimov's SFs, 7 more Analog SFFs and 5 more F&SFs. That's 24 more books.

So to meet my challenge this year, I must buy no more than 120-37-24 = 59 books for the remaining ten-and-a-bit months.

But the Baen ebooks monthly bundles are such good value that I don't think I can bear to pass any of them up. So I'll be buying ten more bundles this year.

Baen ebook bundles contain six or more books. If I do make my target it will be because I already own some of the books in the upcoming bundles. Which is possible. But since the bundles aren't announced yet, I can't tell for sure.

One thing is certain: I don't think I can buy any other ebooks at all this year.

But past experience tells me that there are almost certain to be really good offers at some point in the year on books that I'd really like to read. (John Scalzi's redshirts springs to mind.)

I must just try to remember that good offers will almost always come around again. Eventually.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^While I applaud you for keeping the economics of bookselling going on your own, someone needs to encrypt your paypal account into oblivion.