"I apologize if you've already covered this topic, but I would love to know how you manage your reading schedule... Do you dedicate time each day to reading? When do you read most often? How do you decide which book to read over another? Do you put review books over books you want to read personally? And... on the review side... do you take notes while you're reading, do you keep a word document open while you're reading and write your feelings at different intervals during reading? Or are your reviews written all at once?"
Thanks! - Sallie Mazzur
As bloggers, I'm sure we all struggle with this issue, having an overabundance of books to read with not enough time in the day. I, myself, am finally getting through my review books in a timely manner and I've been able to get to a few of my personal books which is amazing. I haven't been requesting as many books as I usually do, and I've been refusing a lot of requests, becoming more picky with what I do agree to review. However, when I finish a book I still need to decide what to read next, right?
Too many books, not enough time!
Looking at my review shelf (not counting ebooks) I have probably over 20 books that I've received from publishers and need to get through. Most of them are finished copies, or older ARCs, but I still have the obligation to read them! I try to dedicate at least an hour a day to reading, sometimes more if I'm on a deadline. It's hard to juggle blogging with reading, between trying to comment daily and get a good amount of reading done, the entire thing takes up a lot of my time. Now that I'm on summer vacation, I have a lot more time to read, since I'm pretty much just working, so finding time to dedicate to reading is a lot easier. I usually get in bed around 8 and spend about 4 hours reading :)
Which book to read next?
My review pile is my first priority when it comes to what to read next. I have the release date written on a post-it and placed on the cover of each book so I know around what time I'll need to review it, and I try to have it read and reviewed about a week before that date. I like to have about a months worth of review books read before I pick up anything from my personal stack, so most of my reading time is occupied with review books. After that, I sort of just grab whatever looks good off my shelf :) According to my review policy, this is a rough order in which I'll read books:
- ARCs: 1-4 weeks before release
- Finished copies: In the order I receive them (hopefully)
- Ebooks: Whenever I have time
- Personal books: Last priority, whenever I have time HA!
How will I remember what I read and liked?!
I don't take notes as much as I used to. What I like to do is right after I finish a book I write up a review on Goodreads. So my reviews are always posted on Goodreads first, and then when it's time for my review to go up on my blog I just copy and paste it, and do a bit of editing. Sometimes I'll add ideas that I forgot about the first time, but I've found it easier to just start writing while my emotions and feelings are still fresh. If I find a quote or passage that I particularly enjoy I'll mark it with a post-it so I can come back and use it for a teaser or something of that sort. Sometimes I put them off and then I get that anxious feeling where I've forgotten something important or I don't remember how I felt about a certain character, etc. That's probably the worst feeling I can have as a blogger, because then I feel like my reviews are doing the book it's due justice. Because of this, it's gotten more important for me to just sit down and write my reviews right away so I don't leave anything out.
*****
I would love to hear how you manage your reading piles! Do you read in a specific order, or just pick up what you want, when you want?
Oh dear ... organizing my reading piles *chuckles*. When it comes to books for review I really have everything under control. No, seriously, I do! While my "normal" TBR mountain range (we're talking about 400 unread books *gasp*) will keep me happy for years and years and yeeeears to come, my review pile is always under ten books. Yes, you read that correctly, under ten books! I only request books (from Netgalley and publishers) when I finish reviewing those books I had already lined up. This way there's a whole lot less pressure. Currently I've got three books from NetGalley and three physical copies. Not too bad, right?
ReplyDeleteYou go girl!! My review pile is pretty gnarly, but I'm sure it's better than bigger bloggers who get tons of books a week haha! I don't know how I would manage that. When I first started getting review requests I accepted way too many and now I'm paying for it! Netgalley is another story... I think I go a little crazy on netgalley >_<
DeleteI don't read many review books at all, since I am new, but I was wondering about posting on goodreads first. I saw Giselle at Xpresso Reads mention that she will post to goodreads right away too. Not that this affects me much right now but I did read an ARC I won that isn't out until Fall, so maybe now I will go ahead and post the review I have already written on goodreads.
ReplyDeleteI love these discussion posts, as a new blogger. :)
I'm glad I could help in some way! Don't hesitate to ask questions :) I definitely think posting reviews on Goodreads first helps keep me on track, because then I don't need to worry about getting a post written up the night before or something. It's really helped me stay organized, as well as keep my reviews honest and fresh :D
DeleteSince I started book blogging (Nov. 2011), I've only read maybe one or two review books. The rest are all books I've purchased for myself. If the book I've purchased is something I want to tell others about, I write a review for it. Otherwise, I just consider the book to be a personal pleasure and just read it to escape for a while. And I don't have a particular order of what book to read next. I just read whatever I feel like at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI, unfortunately, don't really have the time I feel I would need to dedicate to reviewing books. So, I don't request books for review. Maybe someday my life will slow down enough for me to start doing that. But for now, it's strictly books I've purchased or won from other book blogs that I may review.
This is definitely a great discussion topic! Thanks for sharing how you handle review books vs personal books. You've presented some realistic solutions to some of the problems book reviewers may face. :)
Wendy @ Escape Into Fiction
When I first started blogging I didn't even realize I could request books for review, or that I'd even get requests for it. Honestly, I love being able to review books for publishers and I love being able to help support authors by reviewing their books and hopefully boosting their sales. Right now, I have a lot of time (and even when I'm in school I make time,) so time isn't really an issue for me. I just had a 12 hour readathon a few days ago and I sat down and read 3 books! It was so much fun :)
DeleteYay another discussion post! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have a really good system. I like the idea of post its on review pile books. Review books are always first priority for me too.
I'm constantly changing up my system on how to get through my tbr pile. A few months ago I got a planner just for my reviews. Every book I have is given a select date to read it by and a date that my review will be posted on. So far it has worked pretty well for me and has kept me really organized. I'm such a huge note taker while I'm reading though. I have tons of notebooks all over the place filled with notes on books and my phone is even filled with notes too. I definitely spend at least 3 hours each night reading but like you said sometimes it is hard to fit in reading time when there is blogger stuff but summer vacation definitely helps. Great post Anna!
I have an iCal calendar for blogging that has my reviews, blog tours, interviews, etc, all scheduled so I know what I have to get to next :) I like the idea of having a planner just for reading though! Great idea!!!
DeleteHaha wow you're so organized compared to me. :P
ReplyDeleteI don't get a lot of review books because I haven't really contacted any publishers (I should probably do that...) so I don't really have a problem with a huge needing to review pile. However I do have a huge just reading in general pile. It's kinda scary... O.O
I try to read a couple hours a day but with school and internet distractions that can be hard. Most of the time I read before bed too! As for which book to read next normally I just pick whatever book I really feel like reading or of course a review book first if I have it. I also have to factor in when I have to return books to the Library because that's my main resource for new releases.
AH, I am HORRIBLE about managing this stuff. I don't get that many review requests, but when I do I usually try to push the book to the top of my list. The only problem with this is e-books. I ALWAYS prefer to read hard copies instead of e-books. So the e-books have a sad tendency to just sit there until the date super close to when I'm supposed to review them, so then I sit down one night and read until whatever ungodly time I finish reading them. And then I pass out and write the review the next day. I think I'm going to just stop accepting review requests for e-books unless it's for a blog tour from now on. But that still leaves me with a bunch of e-books I have to review now. Honestly, I don't like my e-book situation at the moment. Luckily, as you said, it is summer so I can spend a huge amount of time reading compared to when I was going to school. As far as personal books go, I read those ALL THE TIME. I don't have enough hard copy review books to monopolize my schedule, so I read personal picks whenever I can't sit down to read e-books. Because I always--always always always--read e-books at home. As for writing reviews, I post those on my blog first and then take the time to copy and paste to GR whenever I get around to it. Depending on when I'm going to post the reivew, WHEN I write the review varies. Sometimes I'll read two books before writing a review for either of them. Not exactly the nest method on my part, but I have a little brother who is a computer hog, so I do what I gots ta do. For the most part, though, I finish reading books during the late hours of the night (I have no clue why it almost always works out that way--it just does) so I'll write the review the next day. And I don't take notes. I DO mark quotes I really liked, though. They always DO make for great teasers.
ReplyDeleteI REALLY like this discussion topic, by the way, because I honestly have no clue what I'm doing when it comes to reviewing and stuff. I like to see other people's perspectives of it. I'm just kind of rolling with the punches right now, you know?
And totally random question: Do you have another readathon? Because I am TOTALLY participating this time! (Well, most likely. Because who knows what the future will bring, right?)
Have a fantastic Friday, Anna!
♥Jessica(:
I really try to schedule which books to read. I don't stick to it directly, but I write down what books I need to read in the next few weeks and try to stick to it. I haven't had the chance to read many personal books lately, but I have been taking on less review books too so I can get to some of my own. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI love this discussion post, because I've started to get more organized about my reading now. I have a whole bunch of NetGalley books that I need to get to. I want to be more organized about these, so I'm thinking about creating a spreadsheet or something with everything, because I've gotten seriously behind. I created a TBR for this month, in hopes that I'll get everything read that I need to. I don't get physical review copies, since I'm a pretty new blogger, so I don't need to worry about those. =) Anyways, great discussion post! I always look forward to these!!
ReplyDelete-Aneeqah @ My Not So Real Life
It's definitely tough to find a balance that works for you with the review copies vs. bought ones! Lately I haven't read too many bought ones, but I did take a month for them last fall and when it's calm, I always squeeze them in. Now though, I got sick and messed up my schedule, so that became a priority to catch up! I always feel bad when I'm late with a review copy.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely more picky now too! If I'm not at least 97% sure the book sounds like it's for me, I might feature it instead, but I won't commit to reviewing it. Some of them even goes up on the to-buy lists if I'm curious, but it's the commitment that can be too much as the list grows!
As for reading, I'm definitely a weird one and can go a few days without reading, while I can read a book per day the rest of them. For some reason, I always fail at the "smaller" reading periods! They only work when I'm in school etc. and have time to kill. Or I'm hooked and can't put it down! I decide how I read them depending on date published (for review copies) and then always which one I'm in the mood for! I'm a complete mood reader all the way. :)
Great topic!
Love this discussion :) My schedule is a mess, lol. I just recently got back to book blogging so not many authors send books to me (I've only received 2 in the mail!), but I did request about 4 books on Netgalley at once (big mistake!). I also check out books from the library, so basically I alternate them so I can finish the library books in time while also working on review books (Ex: my whole week would be one review book and one library book, and if I have time another review book).
ReplyDeleteAs for writing reviews, if I feel like it I will take half an index card and use it for a bookmark and write down little key stuff like "pretty writing" or "shallow characters". So I know what to touch on in my review. Most of the time though I get lazy and just try to remember everything I want to say lol.
Well, I've had to cut way back on books I accept to review from Indie authors. Those are usually the ones I'm not too terribly excited about reading. So, what I've done is I've told the Indie authors I'll leave it to their discretion if they want to send me a review copy or not since I always give priority to my NG books.
ReplyDeleteI read all my review books on my kindle or iPad. I decide what book I will be reading next based on the published date. That's the review order I use. I try not to request more than 4 books due in the same month from NG, unless they are short easy reads.
The other books I read are usually to satisfy reading challenges. I have the challenges tracked on my blog under a "challenges" tab. I have an reading order list for each challenge so I know which book is up next.
As for writing reviews, I use a template on my blog for each review post. Its the same template for every review. As I read I fill it in. I also take notes in a spiral notebook or highlight passages and make notes on my kindle or iPad. When I finish the book I go to goodreads and I post a preliminary review with my initial thoughts of the book. That way I have something to go on if I'm unable to write the complete review right away. Any review I write I schedule on my blog. I like to keep at least 2-3 reviews ahead of schedule so I at a bare minimum have content to post.
I really try to schedule which books to read. I don't stick to it perfectly, but I write down what books I need to read in the next few weeks and try to stick to it. I hope, I will do it.
ReplyDeleteManagement Questionnaire