Reading Streaks, and Trackers: the Other Side of the TBR

As we’re nearing the last 3rd of the year (yep, it is September, my friends) I’m seeing a lot of posts about reading streaks and reading goals. And it got me to wondering….

 How many of us set reading goals for the year? And how do we track them? Or why don’t we?

I never did until last year. That’s when I finally discovered those reading insights that Kindle has in the app. And when I started logging books in Goodreads. I forget to check these numbers in Kindle for a while, then someone will post about how their numbers got wiped out because they were traveling, or reading a paperback, or their Kindle glitched, and I hop over to see if my counter has reset. I don't know why my heart rate elevates so much at the thought of it resetting, but as I was putting together a post about it, it felt like something I wanted to chat about with my bookwyrm community.

 So here we are Bookwyrms, talking numbers and stats and reading streaks.

Why are these streaks so important to us as readers?  And why do we get so frustrated and upset when something derails the streak? For me, it’s a visual reminder of how I’m spending my time. It encourages me to do something every day that requires I sit down and focus on something that’s just for me. It’s a habit tracker for a habit I gave up for several years and rediscovered when my time opened up at the start of the pandemic. Seeing that number reminds me that I’ve kept that promise to myself to never neglect my joy and love of reading again.

Several of my bookish friends commented and messaged me that they stopped focusing on these types of trackers because they felt like reading was becoming an obligation rather than a hobby. It went from something they loved for the simple sake of enjoyment to something they felt they had to compete in, and it was ruining their joy of reading. And I hear that, too. Trust me. Because it’s not just the number of days read, it’s the number of books read. And, yeah, I’ve seen some very uncomfortable on-line discussions about how many books someone reads each year. No joke- one reader called another reader “lazy” because the “lazy” reader had only read 36 books the prior year in comparison to the “dedicated” (their word, not mine) reader’s nearly 200 books in the same time frame. No, I did not screenshot the post and discussion. But it stuck with me. Because, ummmm… what? When did reading become this kind of competition? I can see wanting to eliminate that kind of ish from your life and ditching the reading insights. 100%

Beyond whether you follow the numbers or not, I’m also curious to know if you keep a list of books you've read?  We talk a lot about our overflowing TBRs, but what about our already reads? Not the numbers, but the actual books, titles, etc. I know there are a bunch of methods to use, and I do use several: Kindle insights, Bookbub, Goodreads, and my bullet journal.

I think my bullet journal is the one that takes the longest, but to be honest, it’s my favorite. It gives me a chance to play with washi tape, stickers, and again, forces me to sit down and do something creative. I’m not a very artistic person. I try to make the spreads look fun and colorful, but in the end they are what they are. Some are more elaborate than others. But what they all do is get me away from a screen for a little while. And that is a huge benefit for me since I spend so much time behind my Kindle, phone, and computer screen every day.

I like Goodreads and Bookbub because they’re chronological and provide someplace I can upload and store reviews. I tend not to spend a lot of time there beyond just checking off the book and entering the review, though. They’re quick and easy. One or two minutes, and done.

The Kindle insights one is good, but it doesn’t really store my ARC reads. They used to show the book’s cover with no details under. Now it’s just a blank space and it frustrates me because I feel like Kindle is telling me my ARCs don’t count. And I have no way to tell exactly which book it was. I’ve kind of gotten around that by downloading the book in KU and marking it “read” once it’s published, but then they’re not in order of when I read them anymore, and that drives my methodical, list writing brain squirrels a little bonkers.

And of course, that realization lead me down the rabbit hole (or up the squirrel tree) of what counts?

Do ARCs count?

They do in my book. If I’m going to sit down and read a book one step away from publication, I am absolutely going to count it in my reading list.

What about rereads?

Yep, I count them too. And so does Goodreads and my bullet journal. So, I guess that’s a good thing. Ultimately, I count rereads because every time I read a book I find new things to love about it. I get a deeper understanding of the characters, catch an Easter egg from other books I hadn’t read yet, and honestly just get to immerse myself in a world I love again. And that 100% counts to me.

How about novellas?

A fellow bookwyrm recently mentioned she tends to read novellas at the end of the year when she's trying to tie up those last few reads to get to her annual goal. And she got some really negative blowback about it. Another commentor accused her of “cheating,” Again, ummm, wtf people? Can we please stop with the judginess about what people read? I’ve found that the right novella hits all the right points of a novel and brings you all the same feels as a novel. But it's on a bit of a smaller scale and it has a different relevance. And you’re still reading, which is what the whole point is- to read and support the authors who bring us so much joy through their writing. So, I’m gonna count it.

I know there will be some novellas that will leave me hanging, and some novels that could have been novellas, but in the long run, I’m always there for the story. If it grips my attention, gives me a book hangover, makes me want to read more, the length doesn’t really matter.  Sounds like a good spot to end with a “that’s what she said.”

 So is what you're reading, how long it is, or how much you read what really counts?  And is that reading streak is important to you? Again, there is absolutely zero judgment from me either way, but I am really curious about what you think. And how you record what you read. So, please, just into the comments on my Facebook and Instagram pages, and pop into the Brayzen Bookwyrm discord server to join the conversation.

And as always,

Happy Reading, Bookwyrms!