2023 Reading Goals: A Guide to Help You Read More Books This Year

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Have you ever wanted to read more books? Are you looking for a new challenge this year? Setting reading goals is the perfect way to increase your reading habits and discover new books that you’ll love. This guide will help you set achievable reading goals for 2023 and get the most out of your reading journey. From choosing the right books, to setting a schedule and tracking your progress, you will learn everything you need to read more books this year. So, let’s get started!

Why set reading goals?

Reading is a wonderful pastime that can improve your health and wellbeing in many different ways. For example, it can boost your creativity, increase your empathy and compassion, shift your perspective and help you connect with other people. It can lower stress and improve your sleep, increase your productivity and help you develop new skills. Setting reading goals is the first step towards discovering all of the health benefits that reading can bring into your life. However, reading goals aren’t just about the benefits—they’re also about the books! Reading gives you the chance to discover new worlds and characters, expand your horizons and learn about new cultures and perspectives. Reading goals can help you discover more books that you’ll love and become a more well-rounded person.

How to choose the right books for your reading goals

When you’re setting reading goals, the first step is to take some time to think about the types of books you want to read. There are some considerations that can help you choose the right books for your reading goals, such as: - The kind of books you like to read: Are you more of a fiction or non-fiction person? Do you usually read romance novels or sci-fi books? Or do you prefer biographies and autobiographies? Whatever kind of books you usually read, you can keep reading them while also adding new types of books to your reading list. - The topics you want to learn more about: What topics or subjects are you interested in? If you want to become a more well-rounded person, then reading books on a variety of topics can help. Whether you want to learn more about your own culture or another culture entirely or learn more about history, science, or psychology, you can find books on almost any topic. - The authors you want to read: Are there any authors you love to read? Many readers set reading goals based on the authors that they love to read. It’s also a great way to discover new books and new authors that you might not have discovered otherwise. - The reading challenges you’d like to try: There are plenty of reading challenges out there, such as the 100 Book Challenge, where you try to read 100 books in one year. There are also challenges that focus on one particular genre, such as romance novels or sci-fi books. - The topics you want to learn more about

Setting a realistic reading schedule

Once you’ve chosen the right books for your reading goals, it’s time to set a realistic reading schedule. You don’t want to set such high reading goals that you get discouraged and give up after a couple of weeks. Instead, set a realistic reading schedule that you know you can stick to, such as reading a few chapters a day or reading a specific number of books each month. A good rule of thumb is to set reading goals that require you to read one book per week. If you want to read more than one book per week, you can set additional reading goals for yourself that are less ambitious. If you’re having trouble deciding on the right reading schedule, you can ask yourself a few questions to help you choose the perfect schedule for your reading goals. For example, ask yourself: What other activities do you have planned for the year? Do you have any vacations planned? Are you taking any courses? Do you have children or pets that might require extra attention?

Tracking your progress

Now that you’ve set a realistic reading schedule and chosen the right books for your reading goals, it’s time to track your progress. There are many different ways to track your progress and keep yourself accountable, such as: - Using reading apps: There are many reading apps that can help you track your progress and keep track of the books that you’ve read and want to read. - Keep a reading log: Perhaps the simplest way to track your progress and keep yourself accountable is to keep a reading log. You can keep a reading log on paper, in a digital journal or in an online journal like Goodreads. - Make a reading bucket list: Or, you can keep track of the books you want to read by making a reading bucket list. You can make a reading bucket list on paper or in an online journal, such as Reading Journal. - Set reading goals with friends: You can also set reading goals with friends and track your progress with your reading buddies. You can set reading goals with friends by creating a group on social media, in an online forum or in a reading app.

Strategies for staying motivated

Once you’ve set reading goals and started tracking your progress, you might start to get discouraged. Reading more often can be a challenge, especially when you don’t have any motivation. To stay motivated and keep reading, try these three strategies: - Read what you love: The best way to stay motivated is to read what you love. If you love sci-fi books, don’t force yourself to read romance novels just because you set reading goals to read romance novels. Reading what you love will keep you motivated to keep reading. - Create a reading checklist: If you’re reading a variety of books rather than just one genre, you might want to create a reading checklist. For example, if you’re trying to read romance novels, a good reading checklist would be to read romance novels set in various time periods and genres. This can help you stay accountable to your reading goals and prevent you from reading the same book over and over again. - Find a reading buddy: You can also set reading goals with friends and find a reading buddy. You can set reading goals with friends in an online forum, on social media or in an online journal, such as Reading Journal.

Benefits of setting reading goals

Now that you’ve set reading goals, you’re probably wondering what the benefits of reading more are. The truth is that there are so many benefits to reading, and you might discover even more benefits as you progress throughout the year. Here are some of the most common benefits that come from setting reading goals and reading more: - Improved reading and comprehension skills: Reading more often can help you improve your reading and comprehension skills. This can help you in many different areas of your life, such as improving your grades in school, doing better at work and improving your communication skills. - Improved vocabulary: Reading more often can also help you expand your vocabulary and learn new words. This is especially helpful if you’re studying a language or just want to talk to people with different backgrounds. - Developed attention span: Another benefit of reading more often is that it can help you develop an attention span. This can help you pay attention longer and do better in just about every aspect of your life. - Reduced stress and anxiety: Reading is also known to reduce stress and anxiety. This can help you relax and unwind after a long day of work or school. It can also help you sleep better at night. - New knowledge and perspectives: Reading can also help you learn new things and develop new perspectives. This can help you become more empathetic and see the world in a new light. - New hobbies: Finally, reading more can help you discover new hobbies and interests. It can also help you discover new authors and books that you love to read.

Challenges of setting reading goals

While setting reading goals can help you read more often, you may also face some challenges along the way. Reading more often can be a challenge for many different reasons, such as: - Not knowing what to read: If you don’t know what to read, you may avoid reading more often. To overcome this challenge, you can set reading goals and choose the right books for your reading goals. - Lack of time: If you don’t have enough time to read more often, you can try to set realistic reading goals. - No motivation: If you don’t have any motivation to read more often, you can try some of the strategies listed above to stay motivated to read more.

Winners of the Paperback - We Fly Beneath the Stars by Suzanne Kelman

We Fly Beneath the Stars. An utterly heartbreaking and powerful WW2 nove...

We’re excited to share the news that we have signed new contracts 

with historical fiction author Suzanne Kelman

             Associate Publisher Isobel Akenhead has signed a deal direct with author Suzanne Kelman for World All Language rights in a six-book-deal, starting with THE PARIS SISTERS (2023).

Isobel says,

‘From the moment that Suzanne came to me with the idea of these five amazing sisters’ interlinked stories set in wartime Paris, I was completely hooked. I feel completely confident that every book in the Sisters of the Resistance series will be a huge bestseller. Suzanne is the most incredible storyteller, and I know that the drama and emotion in every single novel in this WW2 series will be – quite simply – second to none.’

Suzanne says,

‘I am so thrilled to be writing my first WW2 series and I am over-the-moon to once again be publishing through Bookouture. I can’t wait to bring these Sisters of the Resistance to my readers, whose incredible stories are inspired by true heroines of the war. It has been such a joy to work with Isobel my amazing editor and her team for six previous books, and I feel indeed privileged to have benefited from their incredible vision and unwavering encouragement for me and my work as I move forward.’

Garden of Secrets

Under a Sky on Fire: A gripping and utterly heartbreaking WW2 historical...

When We Were Brave - Available Now

Suzanne Kelman : Bookouture Re-signs Women's Fiction authors Kelman...

Suzanne Kelman : Bookouture Re-signs Women's Fiction authors Kelman...: We are delighted to announce that  Associate Publisher Isobel Akenhead  has acquired world rights in two new WW2 historical fiction nov...

Bookouture Re-signs Women's Fiction authors Kelman and Robinson

We are delighted to announce that Associate Publisher Isobel Akenhead has acquired world rights in two new WW2 historical fiction novels from Suzanne Kelman, author of A View Across the Rooftops and When We Were Brave.

Isobel says:

‘Suzanne is a remarkable storyteller with a powerful voice, and an incredible ability to get into the hearts and minds of her characters. I am so excited to continue to work with her and know her new novels will be every bit as heartbreaking, inspiring and gripping as her first two novels.’

Suzanne says:

‘I’m thrilled to have signed a further two-book deal with Bookouture. It’s been an amazing experience working with my fantastic editor Isobel and the whole team over the past year. I’m so looking forward to continuing to work with this powerhouse of a publisher who inspire me daily by their dedication and commitment to the success of my books and getting them into the hands of readers all over the world.’

We are also thrilled to announce that Isobel has acquired world rights in two further emotional women’s fiction novels from Emma Robinson, author of My Silent Daughter and the forthcoming The Forgotten Wife.

Isobel says:

‘I am so proud to be Emma’s publisher. She writes incredibly beautifully and captures real people’s experiences in such a truthful and powerful way. Her new novel – about a woman coming to terms with an unexpected stepchild – promises to be her most captivating, heart-wrenching and gripping story yet, and I am overjoyed to be working with Emma on it.’

Emma says:

‘I am beyond excited to continue working with Isobel. Her intelligent and incisive editing make my books the best they could possibly be. I’m also thrilled to stay part of the Bookouture family, whose attention to detail, creativity and support make the whole publishing process a joy. I can’t wait to publish two new books with them in 2020.’ 

December Book Giveaway - Books From Around the World

Enter to Win 1 Grand Prize of These Five Star

Dramatic Books from Around the World

Plus 6 additional winners of each book from Suzanne Kelman, Seumas Gallacher, Gloria Casale, 

KJ Waters, David P. Perlmutter, and Thomas J. Nichols.

Click on the link to enter: https://gleam.io/G3ZQ0/christmas-around-the-world-giveaway

The giveaway and accompanying blog tour start on December 2, 2019 and will continue until December 16.

Join us for an incredible journey around the world through the eyes of our authors and their protagonists starting in WWII Holland and continuing from to the Middle East over to Hong Kong, through the hills of Pennsylvania and deserts of Mexico, ending back in time in eighteenth century London. We are excited to share with you our own holiday traditions and what life was like for the characters featured in our books. 

On Monday December 2 we will begin our journey in 1941, Nazi-occupied Amsterdam with Suzanne Kelman in her international best-seller A View Across the Rooftops. Suzanne is a British author who lives in Seattle and delights in her English Christmas traditions every year. Please visit Suzanne’s video and blog post here: https://suzannekelmanauthor.blogspot.com.

Then we pop over to Seumas Gallacher’s blog on Tuesday, December 3 featuring is international crime novel The Violin Man’s Legacy. Seumas was born in Scotland and lives in Abu Dhabi. His main character, Jack Calder, investigates a murderous diamond heist in Holland that leads him to Hong Kong and South America. You can visit his video and blog here: https://seumasgallacher.com/2019/10/18/seumas-gallacher-writing-my-autobiography-the-best-therapy-ever/.

David P. Perlmutter takes over on Wednesday, December 4 sharing his Jewish upbringing in London, and will detail the true life and nearly deadly adventure in the hills of Pennsylvania where he spends Christmas with his boss in his book Five Weeks. David spends a decent amount of time in the #1 spot on Amazon with his soon to be movie, Wrong Place Wrong Time. You can visit his blog and video here: http://thewrongplaceatthewrongtime.blogspot.com/.

Thursday, Gloria Casale shares her holiday memories from her youth in New Jersey in a strong catholic family where they celebrated the tradition of St. Nicklaus on December 5^th every year. Her book, Bioterror: The Essential Threat,while fiction, covers an all too real situation of bioterrorism and brings us on a harrowing journey beginning in Washington, DC and carries us around the world from Russia and Eastern Europe, to Indonesia, England, Syria, and the White House, as we chase the outbreak of a mysterious small pox-like illness. You can find Gloria’s blog here: https://www.gloriacasalewrites.com/blog-1.

Chief Thomas J. Nichols is featured on Friday, December 6, where he will talk about his poor upbringing in Missouri, some of which was spent in an orphanage. As a former police chief, he writes crime fiction with teeth and will detail what Christmas is like for his characters in the dry dusty backdrop of Mexico. His book, Color of the Prism, follows an undercover agent who spearheads an investigation into a violent Mexican drug cartel. You can find Tom’s blog and video here: https://thomasjnichols.blogspot.com/.

Finally, on Monday, December 2, we end the blog tour back in time with KJ Waters and her time travel novel to 1752 London, Stealing Time. What was lifelike in England in the year they skipped 9 days to jive with Europe’s Gregorian calendar? KJ grew up in Maryland and will talk about her Christmas family traditions in the south based on her Grandmother’s love of the holiday and overabundance of gifts and family fun in a split family. You can see KJ’s blog post here: https://kjwatersauthor.blogspot.com/

An Exciting New Book Deal - For Author Suzanne Kelman

Bookouture - Are delighted to announce that historical fiction author Suzanne Kelman is joining Bookouture for a two-book deal.

Associate Publisher Isobel Akenhead acquired world rights from Andrea Hurst at Andrea Hurst & Associates, with a view to publishing A View Across the Rooftops in October 2019.

A View Across the Rooftops tells the story of an ordinary man who finds himself forced to make an extraordinary decision – one that will change his life forever. It opens in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam in 1941, where a man called Josef Held has a secret that he must keep from the people he cares about, and even the woman he is falling in love with. Because his secret is that he is not alone in his house. Since the night that the Nazis came for the Jews, and he opened his door…

Isobel Akenhead said:

“This novel hooked me from the very first page. It is a powerful story, but a personal and emotionally devastating one – that will grip readers and leave them heartbroken but ultimately uplifted. I am so thrilled Suzanne will be joining us at Bookouture and am incredibly excited to be publishing A View Across the Rooftops.” 

Suzanne Kelman said: 

"I am thrilled to be joining the Bookouture team and working with them to bring, A View Across the Rooftops, to the world. This story was a labor of love for me, and I was overjoyed that Isobel Akenhead understood and connected with the heart of the story from the very beginning. I look forward to this new publishing adventure."

 It would be lovely if you were able to join us on Facebook and Twitter to celebrate. 

Linda Brody - Episode 89 - A True Texas Pantser

Linda Brody - Episode 89 - A True Texas Pantser 

Listen Here-> -> -> https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-9b2hw-9553c1

Listen Here-> -> -> https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-9b2hw-9553c1

You will really enjoy our guest this month on Blondie and the Brit. We have Linda Broday on the show and she is a sheer delight. Linda shares her writer’s journey from humble beginnings to award-winning, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author. 

Her delightful Texas cowboy stories set in a different time are not only charming, but she also explores a time of challenge and determination. This is reflected in Linda’s desire to write better endings for her friends who have difficulties in their own lives. She shares her journey from competitions to publication and her experiences of indie vs. traditionally published. Pull up a chair and be drawn back to a time gone by in the Wild West.   

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Have a Lovely Day!

Make 'Em Laff - Writing Comedy

I actually didn’t set out to write comedy; I kind of fell into it one day as I was writing something serious and I’ve been trying to find my way out of the canyon of craziness ever since. What I’ve learned since traversing the humor terrain is that writing funny stuff is no laughing matter.

Here are some tips if you are thinking of falling into funny yourself.

Don’t read books on writing funny stuff. What I’ve noticed is people who write comedy don’t tend to write books about writing comedy very well. It’s like trying to explain a joke after the moment has passed; it kind of gets there but the spontaneity is lost along the way. There are many books out there that claim to help people write hilarious stuff but, I have to tell you, the ones I’ve read, have been as entertaining as re-mortgaging a house. So. trust your gut rather than another writer’s process, even mine.

Don’t force it. Forcing is like forcing someone to love you. Before you know it you’re boiling their bunny. The more obsessive you become over the comedy, the harder it becomes to work. This is not good. I once met a very straight-laced, old school teacher-type who looked me dead in the eye over her half-rimmed glasses as she handed me her manuscript and said in one long monotone, “I can write funny.” After reading it, I hadn’t the heart to tell her SHE was funny; her saying it that way WAS funny but, alas, her writing wasn’t.

You see, she approached it in a very rigid and controlled way. She read a bunch of books, commanded all her words to sit up straight in their chairs and line up quietly in very grammatically correct order. Then she slaved over the perfectly crafted punchline, but it fell flat.

Comedy for me isn’t like that. It’s just not rigid; it’s more like a form of free-falling. I jump in naked. I run with the wild bulls of the adjectives. I dance with my hair on fire. My first drafts are a mess.

It’s just a raucous can-can with the dancing red squiggly lines and me.

I just have fun with words. We hang out together like two old friends laughing at the bar. I type something funny and then I answer myself in a kind of schizophrenic double act. So try free-falling, and don’t edit that first draft.

Think I do is look for visual extremes to take along on my word journey, such as “run naked,” or “hair on fire.” The funnier you can make the visual for the reader, the more fun they’re going to have reading it. You can always pull back if your editors rolls their grammatical eyes. You can tell they are doing that when they send you back little bubbles in the “Track-Change” function accompanied by the tut-tut-tut of the three-question-mark disapproval—“???” This is editor talk for: “What the heck was that?

(because I can’t think of any more tips), I allow my mind to go on a constant party or Mardi Gras. Enjoy everything around me, especially characters that I meet. I’m always eavesdropping other people’s conversations too. Firstly, because it’s fun but mostly because I often hear nuggets that will take my mind into a million comical directions. Like the result of someone shouting “FIRE!” at a clown convention. Did I tell you I like writing in extreme visuals?

So, there you are—my process—read from the back of a postage stamp. If you want to make them laugh, I encourage you to find your own voice in it. Because, at the end of the day, you should enjoy it; after all, it’s comedy. And if you meet the tut-tut-tut of the bubble of doom, at least you had a blast of a time while you were free-falling