TBR
I found a way to keep my TBR (To Be Read) pile manageable about a year ago, and I have to say it's working out pretty good for me. (Insert small pause to pat myself on the back, and refill my coffee to keep that inner glow.)
Part 1 is the hardest. I stopped buying books. Not cold-turkey stopped, but if-I-buy-it-read-it-now stopped. That means that every now and then I give in to a moment of weakness, but the book has to be really, really good, or have real purpose to the purchase.
Purpose to the purchase. Ohhh, I like the sound of that. (Insert pause to drink more coffee while I let that roll around in my head a few minutes.)
So I was saying. Ok, I buy a few books, but they're for specific reasons - either one of less that half a dozen authors I actively "keeper", or a book that came so highly recommended by someone whom I know and trust that I feel I have to buy it.
Part 2 is the fun part. Jacksonville has a decent public library
system, including computerized holds. I can log in from home, browse the catalog, and request any book from any of the branches be sent to my local branch
for pick up. I've found some great books just surfing through the catalog, and some pretty big duds too. But the great thing is that I feel absolutely no guilt at not finishing the duds. All I've spent to get to page 20 is about 10 minutes to run into the library and pick up the books, and another 10 minutes or so to get to page 20. If the book hasn't pulled me in by then, back to the library it goes.
It's also made me realize how important the start to any story is. I'm picky. Entertain me from the start, or I'm gone. Too many books, too little time. I used to be compulsive about finishing books. If I started one, no matter how bad, I had to finish it. Now I'm a bit easier on myself. If I've got to know how a really bad book ends, I'll just skip ahead and read the end before I give up on the book. But read all the pages in the middle? Not unless they're really worth the time it takes to read them.
How many books are in your TBR pile right now? And do you finish every book you start, or do you let the bad ones go?
Part 1 is the hardest. I stopped buying books. Not cold-turkey stopped, but if-I-buy-it-read-it-now stopped. That means that every now and then I give in to a moment of weakness, but the book has to be really, really good, or have real purpose to the purchase.
Purpose to the purchase. Ohhh, I like the sound of that. (Insert pause to drink more coffee while I let that roll around in my head a few minutes.)
So I was saying. Ok, I buy a few books, but they're for specific reasons - either one of less that half a dozen authors I actively "keeper", or a book that came so highly recommended by someone whom I know and trust that I feel I have to buy it.
Part 2 is the fun part. Jacksonville has a decent public library
system, including computerized holds. I can log in from home, browse the catalog, and request any book from any of the branches be sent to my local branch
for pick up. I've found some great books just surfing through the catalog, and some pretty big duds too. But the great thing is that I feel absolutely no guilt at not finishing the duds. All I've spent to get to page 20 is about 10 minutes to run into the library and pick up the books, and another 10 minutes or so to get to page 20. If the book hasn't pulled me in by then, back to the library it goes.
It's also made me realize how important the start to any story is. I'm picky. Entertain me from the start, or I'm gone. Too many books, too little time. I used to be compulsive about finishing books. If I started one, no matter how bad, I had to finish it. Now I'm a bit easier on myself. If I've got to know how a really bad book ends, I'll just skip ahead and read the end before I give up on the book. But read all the pages in the middle? Not unless they're really worth the time it takes to read them.
How many books are in your TBR pile right now? And do you finish every book you start, or do you let the bad ones go?
Posted by K.A.S. at 7:18 AM::
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5 Comments:
I made my TBR pile one of my guilty pleasures. I haven't counted, but I have a cupboard full of books. I have them piled in stacks here and tehre. I have bags and boxes. I probably have them stashed in more places than some people have books total. :)
*LOL* About 3 months ago I didn't have anything to read, now I've got too many books on TBR pile. So I've had to stop buying books. But it's hard when I keep getting discount coupons from Borders. This weekend is 30% off!
At any given time, I have at least a hundred books in my TBR pile. At the moment, the total is probably a lot higher.
I finish every book I start, but with the ones I don't like I skim to get to the end faster. I can't not know what happens at the end of the story.
I have a towering TBR pile - but in my defense, I have to say that 90% are books people give me. I have a whole pile of books people have given me saying 'Read this, you'll love it!'
My favorite thing are library books - guilt-free reads that let me try out new authors. I used to by a lot of e-books, but the prices are now practically on par with paperbacks and so I've cut back because of my budget.
I think I have about ten books in my TBR pile. I'm realy picky. If I don't like it after the first chapter I skip to the end to see if it's interesting, and if it's not, I just give it away or toss it if it's a cheap paperback.
My TBR pile is out of control. I think it's come to life and is about to consume my entire house.
In my defense, I definitely don't finish every book I start. I used to, but at times, it just became too painful. Now I give books until chapter 3. If I'm not sufficiently pulled in by then, it's tossed to the wayside.
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