It’s no secret that the once quiet, private life of setting reading goals has gone viral. Thanks to BookTok/bookstagram/Goodreads, we’re all aware that there are people out there devouring a book a day in an almost gladiator-like competition. Even for the more moderate reader, the TBR pile pressure is always growing, but we also have lives to live, bills to pay and human interactions (whether desired or forced) to confront.

So while the reading space has changed and in a lot of ways been commodified, my hope for you is that 2024 is going to be the year everyone gets in tune with their best bookish self. Whether you are a colossal book influencer or a casual, seasonal reader, here are some ways to set reading goals that will excite you and (re)invigorate your love of the written word.

Enjoyment over Numbers

First, let’s all let go of the numbers game. While some may delight in setting a lofty number they hope to hit by year’s end, it’s most certainly not required. If at any point you’ve felt bad for “not reading enough” or missing your previous goals, let 2024 be the year you release yourself from that burden. Instead of saying “I want to read a book a week.” Settle for, “I want to feel swept off my feet by the next book I read” or “I want find a page-turner so juicy I can’t put it down.”

Create reading goals that are centered around pleasure, not numbers. You may even find yourself reading more if you aim for an emotion rather than checking a box. Think about the way you want to feel. Happy? Heartbroken? Motivated?

Recreate a Great Entertainment Experience

Often the best reading experiences are the ones that recreate a feeling we’ve enjoyed before. Did you binge Beef in one sitting? Or do you find yourself constantly rewatching Yellowstone? Are you on a total Fourth Wing kick, but don’t want to do another re-read? Do you miss that first-time feel of reading The Midnight Library? As you craft your reading goals, think about the most engaged you’ve been with entertainment in the past and see if you can curate a reading list around your exact tastes.

Learn Something

We all start off the year with the best of intentions, so if you’re going to set a goal, challenge your book list to teach you something. Whether you want to better understand a culture, get a better grasp on your mental health, or develop a new skill, craft a reading challenge that will help you level up your life outside of the reading sphere.

Listen

If you’re dead set on reading a certain number of books or tackling a handful of classics, make listening a part of your journey. Not only is it an obviously great way to multi-task, but you’ll absorb the material in a different way. It can also be helpful if you’re trying to read multiple books at once to keep them on different mediums.

Here’s the twist though, don’t pick audiobooks just based on what you want to read next. Choose audiobooks based on the experience of listening. Find a narrator your love, and read the books they’ve done. Discover some of the more produced projects that have multiple narrators or sound effects. Or, seek out the books that are narrated by the authors, which can really deepen and enrich the experience, especially when it’s a celebrity memoir or a nonfiction book by a familiar public figure.

Plan Ahead

We’re are all victim of the impulse book buy. Every reader needs to budget time for that book they just couldn’t pass by. However, a little pre-planning for what you want to read can help you avoid the overwhelm and make sure the books you’re most excited about make the cut.

Check out some Most Anticipated lists and perhaps, place a monthly preorder so you can have the excitement of a new book arriving often and know that the very best is on its way.

Stop When it Becomes a Chore

Having a great reading year is going to be just as much about what you don’t do as it is about what you do. You DON’T have to read the buzziest book. You DON’T have to read books that came out this year. You DON’T have to post about every (or any) book you read. You DON’T have to comment on the latest book drama. It’s become too easy to lose sight of what reading is. It’s a joy. It’s for relaxation and expansion. If you’re dreading the next book you “have” to read or you’re feeling obligated to post excitedly about a novel that was only “meh,” then DON’T.

This year is sure to be filled with all kinds of unpleasant and difficult national news, geopolitical happenings and cultural upheaval as we’ve sort of gotten used to over the recent years. It’s time to hold more sacred the things that liberate us from screens, scrolling and doom. While I’m not advocating for a halt in sharing about books online (or ignoring reality), I am cheering for a more voluntarist participation rather than an obligatory one. Use it as the escape it can be.

Don’t Get Dragged Down

Like all things online, it’s hard to participate in the good without catching wind of the bad. There will always be book drama (we just seem to be more exposed to it now). As readers, we get to choose our level of involvement. If you enjoy sharing the news of the latest author behaving badly or the ick factors in a bestseller, then be our guest, but admittedly, this has become some pretty unpleasant ground for readers who just want to enjoy reading.

Again, there is some value in patrolling the space for bad actors, however, if the goal is to stack up “gotcha’s” then there is a real good chance that this activity will get in the way of your reading goals and enjoyment. It may be book adjacent, but getting lost in the book baddies can definitely keep us from showing love to those who are crushing it.

Which leads me to my next reading goal…

Show an Author Some Love

Reading goals don’t have to be exclusively tied to how many books you read or what kind of books you seek out. In a year of one-star review bomb mania, how many of us took the time to reach out directly to a wonderful author and show them some love?

Yes, there were some seriously bad book drama moments, but there are also a lot of hardworking, incredibly talented authors who exist in a quiet author vacuum while (for lack of a better term) a-holes become household names overnight.

Make it a goal this year to DM or email an author whose work meant a lot to you. Not for likes or views or an unboxing video, but just a person-to-person communication that is likely to make someone’s day!

Attend a Live Event

Though most of our book interactions happen online these days, there’s nothing better than meeting an author in person. Not only is it difficult for even bestselling authors to pack the house at a bookstore, but being out among other readers is a rare joy that will get you pumped to pick up your next book.

Read the Book Before the TV Show/Movie

Take a look at some of the upcoming adaptations. We all know the book is better, so take the opportunity to read the work that inspired screenplay before you stream it! Not only will it narrow down your options of what to read, but there’s a gentle ticking clock to finishing up the story before its release date.

Book Club it Up

Finally, as we discuss the reading goals for 2024, try to make your experience as engaging and interactive as possible. Whether you follow along with Reese’s or Jenna’s selections, join the Book of the Month club or create a collection of book lovers in your personal sphere, try to find that sense of community and accountability all of us need to sustain any goal.

In 2023, my sisters and a couple of my friends and I decided to read the same book together. We didn’t meet up in person or even stay on track reading at the same pace, but it was a good excuse to chat and check in on each other. You don’t have to belong to a formal club or break the bank hosting a dozen friends, you can just decide on a book to read with the people you like most and get after it.

As someone whose career and personal life revolves constantly around books, I know how easy it is to forget that this thing we do is one of the most delightful experiences there is… as long as we allow it to be. And often in order to get back to the pure bliss of reading we have to strip away a lot of the trend-driven pieces that rob us of fun. If you still enjoy setting a lofty numbers goal or ranting on BookTok, don’t stop! However, if reading has become a drag, make 2024 the year you set goals aimed at a little shelf-love.