Saw this on a blog post recently and thought I’d share …….
As bookworms, we come into contact with lots of problems that other ‘normal’ people think are strange. Suddenly we are asked by our unknowing work colleague, what is a TBR? A relative comments that we have plenty of unread books at home without buying another. We start to loose the natural light in our houses because our walls are pilled high with books. We notice our bank balance doesn’t read what it used to and books have suddenly become more vital than food.
We’ve all been there, we’ve all had a worry about whether we will ever read every book we own. Or perhaps if forming an emotional connection to a fictional character is healthy (yes, yes it is). Well, let’s see if this post can help address some of your worrying concerns.
We all have it, the crippling TBR stack, the one that is spilling from your bookshelf as you read this blog post. Maybe it started off life as being one or two books high, maybe it stayed that way for a while, nice and manageable. But then you reached a time where you could buy books for yourself, you were seeing recommendations and new series and you couldn’t help yourself. Your TBR started to grow.
- Firstly asses your TBR, do you actually want to read every book that’s on it? (It’s okay to say no)
- Okay next remove a couple of those books that you just looked at questioningly.
- Now we’re not going to do anything too crazy here. I want you to put those books in a box, maybe in your garage, loft or under your bed.
- Forget about the books you took off the shelf.
- Now allow some time to pass, try not to buy too many new books though or we’re back to square one.
- Okay it’s been a while, a few weeks maybe, are you thinking about those books you took off your shelf? Have you at any point since they have been put in the box thought about reading them?
- If the answer is no then it may be time to give those books a new home. If it’s yes, then you may be beyond my help.
A guide to buying less books…..
Okay I am not saying I condone less book buying, but sometimes we need to cut down a little. Books can get expensive, but they’re so good, so should we really stop buying so many? I think I’m talking myself out of this point…
- When you’re next near a bookshop try and walk the other way.
- That didn’t work? Okay, once in the bookshop just try to lightly browse, don’t pick anything up.
- Oh, you picked up a book? Okay well maybe just glance at it and put it back.
- Ah you quite like the plot and want to buy it? You could just take a photo of the cover and ask for it for a Birthday or Christmas gift?
- I see you’re taking to the till, buying the book?
- Well I tried.
Okay so we’ve tried to reduce your TBR, we’ve also tried to buy less books, but what about reading so many books that your TBR never has a chance to get out of control? I think it could be possible! This is definitely going to be the method that will work for you!
- Only pick up a book that really excites you, to avoid an accidental reading slump.
- Try and read for at least 30 minutes a day if you can. You could always get the audiobook for your current read too so you can listen to it in the car, or whilst you’re doing chores.
- Basically read everywhere you go!
- Read before bed, this is the best time of day to read in my opinion. It’s when you have the chance to be the least distracted!
- Speaking of distraction, put your phone away. Your iPad, your laptop, your TV. Avoid technology, it is the sucker of time and productivity.
- Read a series that you own all of the books to, so you can knock off a few books on your TBR at once… providing the series is so good that you want to read one after the other that is…
- Start with smaller books to ease you into the mad reading frenzy you shall need to enter to CRUSH YOUR TBR!
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