• Home
  • BOOKS
  • Coming Soon
    • About Roni
    • Press Kit
    • FAQ
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Blog
  • Classes & Coaching
  • Events
  • Contact
Menu

Roni Loren

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author

Your Custom Text Here

Roni Loren

  • Home
  • BOOKS
  • Coming Soon
  • About
    • About Roni
    • Press Kit
    • FAQ
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Blog
  • Classes & Coaching
  • Events
  • Contact

What-to-Read Decision Fatigue & Why I Love Reading Challenges

January 26, 2021 Roni Loren
decision fatigue.png

A few weeks ago, I launched the TBR Backlog Reading Challenge here on the blog and talked about how I was taking a break from my normal reading challenge, the Read Wide Challenge. I had a number of reasons for this (wanted to do something new, didn’t want to feel stress at the end of the year, etc.) but one of the other reasons was because I wanted to be less restricted in picking what to read.

Well, it sounded like a good idea at the time…

But last night as I sat down with my book journal to record something I’d read, I realized I missed my Read Wide Challenge. The TBR Backlog Challenge is going well (though it’s showing me how my tastes have changed over the years because I’m getting a good number of DNFs), but I felt myself getting overwhelmed by the thought of picking what I was going to read next. My TBR list is currently 832 books long. And even narrowing down to year of purchase (the metric for my TBR Backlog challenge), it was still a lot to choose from.

That’s when it hit me—why I was missing the Read Wide challenge. I missed the guidance it offered on what to read next. Not having that more focused lens was creating decision fatigue.

What’s decision fatigue?

“Coined by social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, decision fatigue is the emotional and mental strain resulting from a burden of choices.” —Healthline

Too many choices = stress. Too few would also create stress, I imagine. For instance, I wouldn’t want a list of “these are the five books you must read next” because then I’d feel like it was homework and wouldn’t want to do it. But somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot. It’s why I prefer grocery shopping at a store like Sprouts instead of a big box grocery store. I only have three types of ketchup to pick from instead of twenty.

I realized that’s what my reading challenges do for me. They give me light guidance. “Oh look, I haven’t checked off the box for contemporary romance yet, maybe I should go look at what I have on my shelf in that category.” They allow flexibility but reduce decision fatigue.

Which means, I'm adding the Read Wide Challenge to my goals for 2021 (and keeping the TBR Backlog challenge as well.) :) I definitely am looking forward to less decision fatigue and hopefully some great reading!

So, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed on what to read next (which can lead to reading nothing at all and turning to your phone or TV), consider giving yourself a smaller slate to pick from through a reading challenge. There are a ton out there. The ones I’ve created are here: The TBR Backlog Challenge and The Read Wide Challenge. Both are customizable.

And here are the pages I did in my journal last night for the Read Wide 2021 challenge. I changed up my categories this year to freshen it up. (Also, for those who nerd out about these things like I do, yes, I am allowing books to count for both the TBR Backlog Challenge and the Read Wide challenge.)

7009B9D3-B3D1-4D16-8665-E2486C266C85.jpeg
6F29B6A0-F0F0-4C1F-8A45-4A1B2B726C2B.jpeg

So have you ever felt decision fatigue over what to read next? Do you find reading challenges helpful? Which reading challenges are you doing this year?

In Books, Life Lessons, Read Wide Challenge, Reading, Reading Journal, TBR Backlog Challenge, What To Read Tags reading challenge, reading challenges, TBR Backlog challenge, Read Wide Challenge 2021, Read Wide challenge, reading, writers, books, book journal, reading journal, bullet journal, how to read more books
Comment

The Read Wide Challenge 2020 (+ Free Printable!)

December 13, 2019 Roni Loren
Read Wide Challenge 2019-3.png

This time of the year is one of my most favorite times of the year. No, not because of the holidays, though I do love the holidays, but because it’s new planner time and…

READING CHALLENGE TIME!

If you’re anything like me, you’re currently scrambling to finish whatever 2019 reading challenges you signed up for. I hit my Goodreads challenge a while back. I set a goal for 60 books, and right now I’m sitting at 73, so I’m good there. But on my Read Wide challenge (a challenge I’ve created and done for the last few years), I’m ONE book away. So I plan to take care of that category this week.

I’ve really enjoyed doing the Read Wide challenge this year, and it definitely challenged me to try some things I normally wouldn’t pick up. Like as much as love non-fiction audiobooks, I had yet to listen to a fiction audiobook all the way through, so I had added that to my challenge this year. I ended up listening to Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes on audio, and the narration was great. It’s the second book in the YOU series, and I had watched the show, so the narrator (Joe) sounded very similar to the actor playing that part. So it felt familiar and easy to listen to. However, I think I’m just not a fiction audiobook listener. I read much faster than I can listen. I love non-fiction on audio, but I think that’s because it feels like a really long podcast.

But this challenge definitely makes me pick up things I normally wouldn’t naturally gravitate toward, and I discover great reads I would’ve missed. It also helps keep me creatively fresh. There’s nothing wrong with liking what you like, and reading what you want to read, but I do think we can get into reading ruts—when everything starts to sound the same. So, I’ll be doing this challenge again this year.

What I like about this challenge is that you can make it your own. What my chart looks like doesn’t have to be what your chart looks like. If you hate horror, swap it out for something else. If you only want to read widely in romance, make a bunch of romance subgenre categories. Play around with it. I’ll have a blank, downloadable chart below that you can use to make your list.

So, why should you join this challenge and what does it entail?

IMG_6101.jpeg
 

Why Read Widely?

So first, before we get into the nitty gritty of the challenge, why should you give it a try?

  1. You will discover new genres to love or re-discover old favorites you used to love.

    For instance, I loved reading horror when I was a teenager. I drifted away from it sometime in college—though I did take an awesome Vampires in Literature course my sophomore year. This year I had both horror and YA horror on my chart, and I rediscovered how much I love a good scary book.

  2. You will read things that will confirm that a genre or format is not for you, and you can stop worrying about missing out on those books.

    This doesn’t sound like a positive thing, but it really is. I had mystery on my list this year. This is a popular genre, and often the blurbs sound good to me, but I’ve discovered that in a “whodunit”, I really don’t care much who did it. If a mystery is part of a true crime read or part of a suspense read with a lot of tension, I’m into it. But if it’s a straight-up mystery novel, it doesn’t hold my interest. Now I know to pass those by.

  3. You will give new authors a chance.

    It’s easy to stick with the authors we know (and as an author, I highly encourage that! lol) but there are a lot of authors out there that we can add to our list. We’re never going to discover them if we don’t step outside our normal reading zone. This year I discovered Taylor Adams (Horror/suspense), H.K. Choi (YA), Casey McQuiston (romance), Leigh Bardugo (paranormal), along with others.

  4. You will diversify your reading.

    I always strive to read more diversely, but that focus can slip through the cracks if I’m not paying attention. So my column focused on diversity has helped me be more deliberate about seeking out POC authors and books that feature main characters who are POC, LGTBQ+, and/or neurodiverse.

  5. If you’re a writer, it will feed your creativity.

    Reading widely is important for my writing. It puts fresh fuel in the engine. The reason why my books are often a little outside the norm in the romance genre like The Ones Who Got Away series is because I read from all different areas. I pull ideas and inspiration from all these different genres, which I think keeps things fresh (for me and hopefully also for my readers.) If I’m only reading in my own genre, my books will start to sound like everyone else’s.

  6. It’s fun

    If you’re a person who loves to check off a to do list or complete a challenge, this is just straight up fun. It feels like a game, and there’s so much satisfaction when you get to color in those boxes. : )

 
My 2020 Challenge

My 2020 Challenge

How to Set Up Your Challenge

  1. Pick your comfort zone columns

    First, you need to know that this is a personalized challenge. What my version of reading widely is may be very different from yours. So first, make sure you’re giving yourself your favorites. For instance, romance is my primary reading genre, and I also read a lot of YA and non-fiction, so I have three entire columns dedicated to those things and their subgenres. If you’re a big mystery reader, you may dedicate a column to that and beneath list: cozy mystery, noir, historical mystery, etc. This is about reading widely but not to the exclusion of reading the things you love most.

  2. Pick your more challenging columns

    Even under your comfort columns, there may be some challenging subcategories, but pick at least a column or two that are going to make you stretch. For me, that’s the non-romance genre fiction column. Usually, I also have a column labeled “General Fiction”, but this year I’m changing it up and have included a “Format” column instead, where instead of the genre, I’m using a variety of formats/lengths. You can get creative with the subcategories (lots of suggestions below). They don’t have to be “official” subgenres that the library would list. Like in my Genre Fiction column, you’ll see “classic of its genre”—whatever genre that may be.

  3. Don’t put things in it the chart that you know you hate

    This is not about torturing yourself. If you already know you don’t like epic historical fiction, it’s okay not to put it on there. This shouldn’t feel like homework. I encourage you to put things that you may not normally try but that you’re open to liking.

  4. Make a bonus column for fun/silly categories

    I have suggestions below but get creative. You want some easy wins and categories that many different types of books could fit into so that it’s not too restrictive.

  5. Add a diversity column

    I keep this simple. I list “Author” and “Main character” to mark books that were written by an author in an underrepresented category or that feature a main character who is. But I list categories below if you want to get more detailed with this column.

  6. Print out your list or draw your own into your reading journal like I do.

    You can use my template or you can just make your own with a simple square stencil, some colorful pens/pencils, and a notebook. If you want a printable reading journal, I have a free one with my newsletter sign up. I also have a post on how to make your own journal if that’s your jam.

  7. Choose your own rules.

    Will you let one book count for more than one category? That’s up to you. It’s your challenge!

  8. You don’t need as many categories under each column I have.

    If you’re someone who reads 20 books a year, this chart is going to be too much. Choose fewer boxes under each column or less columns. I read around 70-75 books a year, so this chart having 42 still leaves me room for reading whatever outside of the challenge. Give yourself flexibility.

 

Category Ideas

Here are some ideas for what to put in the columns. You can select subgenres, formats, fun made-up categories. Don’t limit yourself. This is your challenge and needs to be personal to your tastes. Have a good time with it!

Genres/Subgenres:

Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Erotic

·      Dark

·      Romantic suspense

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Gothic

·      Old School/Retro (Romance from 70s-90s)

 

Young Adult

·      Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Suspense/Thriller

·      Horror

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (YA from the 70s-90s)

 

Genre Fiction:

 

Contemporary

Women’s Fiction

Suspense

Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Hard-Boiled Detective/Noir

Horror

Gothic

Paranormal

Urban Fantasy

High Fantasy

Dystopian

Sci-Fi/Speculative

Graphic Novel/Comic

Steampunk

Historical fiction

Action/Adventure

Erotica

Time Travel

Middle Grade (and all its subgenres)

Picture Book

Inspirational/Religious  

 

Non-Fiction:

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Humor

Travel

Self-Improvement

Business

Productivity

Home

Health

Cookbook/Food

On Writing (or whatever your field is)

Entertainment (about music, movies, tv, celebrity memoirs, etc.)

Science

History

Politics

Essay Collection

Parenting

Social Issues

 

General Fiction: 

Literary Fiction

Classics

Book Club Fiction

Short Stories

Contemporary

Historical

Family Saga

 

Diverse Reads:

Book by POC Author

POC Main Character

Book by LGTBQ Author

LGTBQ Main Character

Book with characters whose religion is different from yours

Book in translation

Book by an author from another country

Book with a neurodiverse character

 

Format: 

Short Story

Anthology

Doorstop (500+ pages)

Novella

Serial

Audiobook

Translated

Trilogy

Ebook

Hardcover

Paperback

Library Book

Indie Published

Small Press

Traditionally Published

 

Creative Categories:

Made Into A Movie or TV Show

Award-Winning

Banned Book

Re-read From Childhood

Debut Author

First in Series 

Book From Your Birth Year

Loved By Others

Second Chance on a DNF (did not finish)

Road Trip Story

Set Outside of the U.S./UK/Canada 

Book That Intimidates You

Written By the Opposite Sex

Retro Read (published before a certain year)

Three in a Row of a Series

Book You Should’ve Read in School

Favorite Author You Haven’t Read Lately

Legendary Author I’ve Never Read

Book I’ve Owned for 3+ Years

Book Club Pick/Book of the Month Club selection

Podcast Recommendation

Recommendation from a Friend

Recommendation from a Book Blogger/

Bookstagrammer/BookTube

Recommendation from Another Author

Book I Bought for the Cover

Airport Book

Huge Bestseller

Book about Books

Book about Food

Book about TV or Movies

Beach Read

Book That Made Me Cry

Book that Made Me Laugh

Classic of a genre

Found at the Used Bookstore

Book I Received as a Gift

Holiday-themed

Book by a Local Author

 

Download Your Chart and Get Started!

Blank Read Wide grid (word format)

Blank Read Wide grid (PDF)

My Read Wide Challenge if you don’t want to do your own categories (PDF)

Also, as I mentioned above, if you need a printable reading journal, I offer one for free when you sign up for my newsletter. You can easily add the chart as a page. 

Let me know if you decide to join in. Happy reading!

In Books, Planners, Reading, Reading Journal, What To Read, Read Wide Challenge Tags read wide challenge, read wide 2019, roni loren, reading challenge, bullet journal ideas, bujo, reading across genres, fun reading challenge, reading journal, reading ideas, books, 2019 challenges, download reading journal, new year's resolutions, 2020 reading challenge, read more in 2020
6 Comments

My 2019 Planner and Journal Lineup

December 29, 2018 Roni Loren
planner lineup.png

First, before we get into the nitty gritty of all the planner goodness this year, I just want to remind everyone that The One You Fight For, book 3 in The Ones Who Got Away series, is out New Year’s Day! You don’t have to have read the first two to understand this one, though that will enrich the experience. I’m so excited to share this book with y’all. This one was a tough one to write because Taryn lost her sister in the school shooting fourteen years ago and Shaw, the hero, is the older brother of one of the shooters. This may be the most emotional romance I’ve ever written, but I promise you there’s a happy ending. ;)

So if you want to grab your copy now to have it on your doorstep this week, here are all the links. And right now the paperback is cheaper than the ebook, so you can get a copy for your shelf on the cheap!

Loren_KirkusReview_Social Graphic.jpg

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | Google Play


The 2019 Planner and Journal Lineup

Now, on to the planners!

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know that I’m obsessed with planners and journals. In a lot of ways, it’s my hobby, but they have the added bonus of actually being functional and making me more productive as well.

I’ve shown some pictures on Instagram of a few of my planners and journals for the year, but I had a number of people ask to explain what each one is and how I use it. So, ask and you shall receive! Let’s dive in.

My Every Day Hub - The Day Designer

+P2XisPQRAyhM%G57gRAig.jpg

This will be my third year using the Day Designer. Sometimes I stray, but this is the planner I keep coming back to for the day to day To Dos and scheduling. Beyond the pretty cover, this is not a colorful planner, which is a plus for me. I find that when I buy planners with color schemes, I get tired of the schemes pretty quickly. Day Designer’s white pages with gray print are perfect. I can keep them clean or I can decorate the hell out of them.

I also like that it’s one day per page. I find this helps me focus on just that day and not get distracted by the things coming up in the week.

Sometimes I use the time side to track my time. Other times I just use it to mark down if I have an appointment. But I use the To Do side daily. I also mark my daily word count in the “dollars” box. It’s a flexible system that I can change around as needed.

 

A clean page vs. decorated page:

6jCCAgEzQZ+97lz8iT4BQw.jpg
UAoMhygXTSiZM4%c00hFRg.jpg
 

My Done Planner

wC3REu+9S9OsuR6IxDrLjA.jpg

I went into the details of what a “done” planner is in this post, but basically, this is where I record what I’ve actually done in a week separated out by area of my life or business. I use a Happy Planner Teacher Planner and label the different areas of my life where teachers would label the different classes that they teach.

When I do something in the day, I mark down what I did in this planner. Is this necessary? Of course not. But I’ve found that it gives me a sense of accomplishment AND it also shows me how evenly (or not) I’ve distributed my time in a week. Have I ignored health stuff? Did I let my interaction with readers slip? It’s a good overview of where my time is actually going.

fullsizeoutput_327b.jpeg
 

Goal Setting Planner: Powersheets & The HB90 Method

The Powersheets are not a traditional planner. There is no calendar in it. This is strictly a goal setting planner that guides you through a process to pick up to 10 goals for the year. You have the opportunity to update them quarterly. Then it also gives you a process each month to go through to set monthly, weekly, and daily goals. I have used this planner for two years and have one ready to go for this year. I tend to keep the tending sheet open on my desk so I can always see what goals I set for the month.

1X4soM6hQWGVTjzDTvlQIQ.jpg
Uzt9lbWaTwOI8D8TfyfiKg.jpg
 

This year I also added author Sarra Cannon’s HB90 method of quarterly planning for authors and entrepreneurs. The Powersheets contain both work and personal goals. The HB90 system is strictly focused on three main work/business goals for the quarter. I have used this method for the last 5 months of this year (including the kanban board that she teaches you about in her class) and it’s been ridiculously effective for me. Sarra has a quarterly planner you can buy from Etsy and print out yourself. Her system walks you through everything to get you started. I keep these pages in my Done planner pictured above.

wJTC9rSSSAKnOXQgRhDt8Q.jpg
SzpN1kiuQeWp6kf7cAGNTw.jpg

Honestly, I’m going to see how it goes this year, but Sarra’s system may make my Powersheets less necessary. I like that it gives me such a laser focus. However, I’ve already bought the Powersheets and still need a place to have personal/home goals, so we’ll see. I’ll report back later in the year if I’m keeping up with both of them.

 

Reading Journal

I have done a full post on the layout of my reading journal here. I also have a free downloadable reading journal if you want one you can print out. But I’ve kept my reading journal for three years and I LOVE IT SO HARD. Three years filled up one book, so I’m starting with a fresh Leuchtterm journal this year. The sticker on the front is a Happy Planner sticker.

And if you’re looking for something fun to add to your reading journal, check out my 2019 Read Wide Challenge!

fullsizeoutput_327d.jpeg
IMG_3540.JPG
 

My Movie, TV Series, and Concert Journal

WZZTL%pTQvmcTimUCxv7DA.jpg

This is a new addition for me. I have kept a list of movies I’ve watched and TV series I’ve completed in my reading journal for the past two years. But the simple list doesn’t tell me much. So this year, I’m dedicating a separate journal to record movie reviews, TV show reviews, and to mark down memories of the concerts I attend (because we attend a lot!) I haven’t worked out all the details of how I want to do this yet. I like the idea of writing down the names of my favorite episodes of a TV series for example. Or maybe writing down quotes. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll report back once I have a fully working system. :) But for now, I’ll be using this pretty dot grid journal that I received as a Christmas gift.


 

My Daily Memory Journal

This will also be a new addition this year. And y’all keep your fingers crossed for me. I’ve tried this before and haven’t been able to stick with it, so we’ll see. But I would like to keep a Hobonichi style journal, where I jot down memories or thoughts from the day and then either draw or put stickers in it. This isn’t going to be a deep contemplative journal. I already know I don’t do well with keeping up with those. This is more of a memory keeper, a simpler version of a scrapbook.

For this journal, I chose a Stalogy notebook because it’s about half the price of a Hobonichi Cousin and has similar paper. I’m keeping it in this notebook keeper since it has a soft cover.

io4oqzGwQqOxkRJqrtC0vg.jpg
cxxFwRF5Tw+iuGsfMIjzsQ.jpg
fullsizeoutput_3279.jpeg
 

The I-Bought-Them-On-Sale-and-Haven’t-Decided-Yet Planners

I’m weak in the face of 60% off. I haven’t decided what these beauties are for yet. One might become a planner for the family. The dark blue one may be pulled apart and merged with the Done planner since they are the same size. I got them so cheap that I don’t mind cannibalizing them to merge them into another. These are both from Happy Planner which you can buy online or at craft stores like Michael’s and JoAnn’s.

fullsizeoutput_327e.jpg
fullsizeoutput_327f.jpeg
fullsizeoutput_3280.jpeg
 

I would say “that’s it!” but that’s an understatement, I know. : ) I have a lot of planners. It works for me. I hope you found something in the mix that may work for you!

So what are you using for 2019? Anyone journaling?

In Life, Movies, Music, Planners, Productivity, Reading Journal, Television, What I'm Loving, Writing Tags 2019 planners, planning, planner girl, reading journal, movie journal, concert journal, tv journal, bujo, bullet journaling, hobonichi, stalogy, notebooks, journaling, goal-setting, powersheets, done planner, kanban board, hb90, sarra cannon, roni loren, authors, day designer 2019, happy planner, quarterly planning
6 Comments

The Read Wide Challenge 2019

December 18, 2018 Roni Loren
Read Wide Challenge 2019-2.png

Hi there! You know what time of the year it is?

Reading challenge time!

In reader land, this is the time of the year where those of us who set a challenge back in January are scrambling to finish up. This is when the posts like “Ten Short Novels You Can Finish in a Day” and “Short Stories Count for Your Reading Challenge” start popping up.

From what I can tell, most reading challenges are of the simple number variety. People choose the number of books they hope to read for the year (usually via Goodreads) and then work on that. I always do the Goodreads challenge. (This year I set a goal of 50 and I’m at 77 right now, so yay!) However, over the past few years, I’ve wanted to do something more detailed than just a number.

I’ve found that I can get in reading ruts, and I tend to stick to my comfort zone in book selection when I don’t pay attention. There’s nothing wrong with reading what you know you like and sticking with it. However, for me, especially as a writer, it can limit my creativity if I don’t branch out and step away from my comfort zone at times. So years ago, I created the Push Your Boundaries reading challenge to get myself reading more widely. Last year, I changed up the format a little bit and renamed the challenge the Read Wide Challenge.

I didn’t share my challenge officially last year, but I’ve been posting photos of my completed challenge all year. Isn’t it pretty all filled in? And a number of you have reached out wanting to know about the challenge. So here are some details if you want to do the Read Wide Reading Challenge for yourself in 2019!

IMG_3421.JPG
 

Why Read Wide?

So first, before we get into the nitty gritty of the challenge, why should you give it a try?

  1. You will discover new genres to love or re-discover old favorites you used to love.

    For instance, years ago I burned out on paranormal books because I read them nonstop. They were my favorite, but when you read in the same zone for too long, books start sounding the same. So for years I haven’t read paranormal. But it was on my list this year. I picked up Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, book one, and wham, I was hooked. I realized I had missed sexy paranormal romance! Love rediscovered.

  2. You will read things that will confirm that a genre is not for you, and you can stop worrying about missing out on those books.

    This doesn’t sound like a positive thing, but it really is. I buy books I think sound interesting but then never quite get to them. This challenge forced me to face a few genres that I thought I liked but…really don’t. For instance, the comedic celebrity essay collection/memoir. I have impulse bought so many of these on sale because, hey, I love that comedienne! But then I never read them. This year, I had a Humor/Essay box to mark off. So I read in that genre. I quickly realized (after reading two of them) that these just aren’t for me. I like memoirs with a lot of emotional resonance. Ones focused on humor just don’t do it for me. I can now save my money and stop buying them.

  3. You will give new authors a chance.

    It’s easy to stick with the authors we know (and as an author, I highly encourage that! lol) but there are a lot of authors out there that we can add to our list. But we’re never going to discover them if we don’t step outside our normal reading zone.

  4. You will diversify your reading.

    I always strive to read more diversely, but that focus can slip through the cracks if I’m not paying attention. So my column focused on diversity has helped me be more deliberate about seeking out POC authors and books that feature main characters who are POC, LGTBQ, and/or neurodiverse.

  5. If you’re a writer, it will feed your creativity.

    This is a big one for me. The reason why my books are often a little outside the norm in the romance genre like The Ones Who Got Away series is because I read from all different areas. I pull ideas and inspiration from all these different genres, which I think keeps things fresh (for me and hopefully also for my readers.) If I’m only reading in my own genre, my books will start to sound like everyone else’s. I got the idea for The Ones Who Got Away because I read This Is Where It Ends (YA thriller) and Columbine (true crime/non-fiction) and wondered: what happens to the people who survive a school shooting? How do they move on as adults? That was the birth of the idea.

  6. It’s fun

    If you’re a person who loves to check off a to do list or complete a challenge, this is just straight up fun. It feels like a game, and there’s so much satisfaction when you get to color in those boxes. : )

 
My 2019 Challenge

My 2019 Challenge

How to Set Up Your Challenge

  1. Pick your comfort zone columns

    First, you need to know that this is a personalized challenge. What my version of reading wide is may be different from yours. So first, make sure you’re giving yourself your favorites. For instance, romance is my primary reading genre, and I also read a lot of YA and non-fiction, so I have three entire columns dedicated to those things and their subgenres. If you’re a big mystery reader, you may dedicate a column to that and beneath list: cozy mystery, noir, historical mystery, etc. This is about reading wide but not to the exclusion of reading the things you love most.

  2. Pick your more challenging columns

    Even under your comfort columns, there may be some challenging subcategories, but pick at least two columns that are going to make you stretch. For me, that’s non-romance genre fiction and general fiction. You can get creative with the subcategories (suggestions below). They don’t have to be “official” subgenres that the library would list. Like in my General Fiction column, you’ll find book club fiction, magical elements, etc.

  3. Don’t put things you know you hate

    This is not about torturing yourself. If you already know you don’t like a certain type of book, it’s okay not to put it on there. This shouldn’t feel like homework. For instance, I know classics and literary fiction are generally not my thing. It’s not to say I won’t ever try one of those again, but I don’t obligate myself to it on this challenge.

  4. Make a bonus column for fun/silly categories

    I have suggestions below but get creative. You want some easy wins and categories that many different types of books could fit into so that it’s not too restrictive.

  5. Add a diversity column

    I keep this simple. I list “Author” and “Main character” to mark books that were written by an author in an underrepresented category or that feature a main character who is.

  6. Print out your list or draw your own into your reading journal like I do.

    You can use my template or you can just make your own with a simple square stencil, some colorful pens/pencils, and a notebook. If you want a printable reading journal, I have a free one with my newsletter sign up. I also have a post on how to make your own journal if that’s your jam.

  7. Choose your own rules.

    Will you let one book count for more than one category? That’s up to you. I don’t but feel free. It’s your challenge!

 

Category Ideas

Here are some ideas for what to put in the columns. You can select subgenres, formats, fun made-up categories. Don’t limit yourself. This is your challenge and needs to be personal to your tastes. Have a good time with it!

Genres/Subgenres:

Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Erotic

·      Dark

·      Romantic suspense

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (Romance from 70s-90s)

 

Young Adult

·      Romance

·      Contemporary

·      Suspense/Thriller

·      Horror

·      Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

·      Historical

·      Romantic Comedy

·      Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Speculative

·      Dystopian

·      Mystery

·      Inspirational/Christian

·      LGBTQ

·      Old School/Retro (YA from the 70s-90s)

 

Other Genre Fiction:

Contemporary

Women’s Fiction

Suspense

Mystery

Cozy Mystery

Hard-Boiled Detective/Noir

Horror

Gothic

Paranormal

Urban Fantasy

High Fantasy

Dystopian

Sci-Fi/Speculative

Graphic Novel/Comic

Steampunk

Historical fiction

Action/Adventure

Erotica

Time Travel

Middle Grade (and all its subgenres)

Picture Book

Inspirational/Religious

  

Non-Fiction: 

Memoir/Biography

True Crime

Humor

Travel

Self-Improvement

Business

Home

Health

Cookbook/Food

On Writing (or whatever your field is)

Entertainment (about music, movies, tv, celebrity memoirs, etc.)

Science

History

Politics

Essay Collections

Parenting

 

General Fiction: 

Literary Fiction

Classics

Book Club Fiction

Short Stories

 

Diversity: 

Book by POC Author

POC Main Character

Book by LGTBQ Author

LGTBQ Main Character

Book with characters whose religion is different from yours

Book in translation

Book by an author from another country

Book with a neurodiverse character

 

Format:

Short Story

Anthology

Doorstop (500+ pages)

Novella

Serial

Audiobook

Translated

Trilogy

 

Creative Categories: 

Made Into A Movie or TV Show

Award-Winning

Banned Book

Re-read From Childhood

Debut Author

First in Series 

Book From Your Birth Year

Loved By Others

Second Chance on a DNF (did not finish)

Road Trip Story

Set Outside of the U.S./UK/Canada 

Book That Intimidates You

Written By the Opposite Sex

Retro Read

Three in a Row of a Series

Book you should’ve read in school

Favorite Author You Haven’t Read Lately

Legendary Author I’ve Never Read

Book I’ve Owned for 3+ Years

Book Club Pick/Book of the Month Club selection

Podcast Recommendation

Recommendation from a Friend

Book I Bought for the Cover

Huge Bestseller

Book about Books

Book about Food

Beach Read

Book That Made Me Cry

Book That Made Me Laugh

 

Download Your Chart and Get Started!

Blank Read Wide grid (word format)

Also, as I mentioned above, if you need a printable reading journal, I offer one for free when you sign up for my newsletter. You can easily add the chart as a page. 

Let me know if you decide to join in. Happy reading!

 

In Books, Planners, Reading, Reading Journal, What To Read, Read Wide Challenge Tags read wide challenge, read wide 2019, roni loren, reading challenge, bullet journal ideas, bujo, reading across genres, fun reading challenge, reading journal, reading ideas, books, 2019 challenges, download reading journal, new year's resolutions
5 Comments

The Joy of a Private Reading Journal & How to Make One

January 6, 2018 Roni Loren
reading journal.png

If you've followed me for a while, you mostly likely know that I'm a big fan of paper planners and notebooks and such. However, I haven't talked much about one of my most favorite journals I keep--my reading journal.

Now I know what many of you are going to say--why have a journal when you have Goodreads, which is so easy? I'm a huge fan of Goodreads as well and keep track of all my books there. I love doing their annual reading challenge. However, Goodreads is very public. You have to think about your reviews, craft them to be read by others, respond to comments, etc. That's can be a fun thing to do, but it's a different kind of reviewing. It's reviewing for others' benefit, which is great, but what about for your own benefit?

When I read a book, sometimes I just want to scribble down my unedited thoughts. I don't want to worry about being eloquent. And as an author myself, I don't want to have to worry about writing a negative review and then running into the author at the next conference and feeling awkward. So, that's why in 2016, I started my own private reading journal as an accompaniment to my Goodreads account. I wasn't sure I would stick with it (I'm a chronic journal dropper) but omg, it was kind of life-changing for my reading life. I could read a book and then scribble whatever I wanted to in my pretty little journal. Sometimes it could be something as simple as "omg, this was amazing. I'm not buying everything else this author has ever written." or it could be a page long rant about how much I wanted to throw a book against a wall like a long entry I had in 2017 (this book shall remain nameless but it wasn't a romance.) 

Then, at the end of the year, it's so satisfying to flip through the pages and see all the books I've read and track the year that way. It's a great keepsake, and really, I'm already in year 3 in the same journal, so you can get a lot of mileage out of one nice journal. I also record movies I've watched, TV series I've completed, and I keep a page for DNFs (did not finish) books. You can add whatever you want.

TB6lLKUfQcuB8mENaJc6Wg.jpg

 

So, I encourage you to give one a try for 2018! Below I'm going to show you mine and tell you the products I use, but if you want an easy, pre-made printable for your reading journal, just sign up for my newsletter and you'll get a free romance reading journal download emailed straight to you!

 

Don't want to make your own? Download my free printable reading journal!

Here's what that one looks like:

1451511076061-5.jpeg
 

Or Create Your Own Reading Journal

My Supplies:

  • Medium Dot-Grid Leuchtterm hardcover journal
  • Stabilo Colored Pens
  • A small ruler or thick cardstock bookmark (If you're in Book of the Month club, their  bookmarks are the perfect size for this and are what I use.)
  • Stickers or washi tape if you want to get fancy

Steps:

1. Create a title page.

This isn't necessary but since I keep more than one year in a journal, I like to mark the start of a new year with a title page. I went simple with stickers this year.

TpW0eR9QR%Wyn%piUJSVIQ.jpg
 

 

2. Create a master list in the front because it's fun to get a quick at-a-glance overview.

OQS5x0voSFygVxfYpSILGg.jpg

Leave yourself a few blank pages if you're a heavy reader. (If you run out of space, you can always "thread" the list by writing on the bottom "continued on page 123) and then finish your list there. I usually leave two pages for this. And you can get as fancy as you want with lettering or design, but my drawing skills are limited so I keep it simple and clean.

 

3. Decide what extra pages or lists you want to keep and add those.

I like to include a list of movies I've watched, TV series I've completed, and books I DNFed (did not finish.) On the DNF list, instead of doing a full review, I just make a note of why I didn't finish it. On the movie list, I usually put a one line comment about if I liked it or not.

xeKQe%MmSieVTQqc0+bUlw.jpg
lOJFaJ%HTfSahKelM0w4Ww.jpg
3s17hR1iStyzptJXx3CB9g.jpg
cp8SnNvsTiCvAzxQiR6JdQ.jpg
 

4. Decide on a review format that works for you.

This is where you can get creative. What do you want to record about a book? What details are important to you. You can go as simple or as elaborate as you want. Just make sure that whatever you choose, it's going to be easy for you to stick with. If you're going to do all out calligraphy on every review and draw pictures and add watercolor, you're probably not going to stick with recording every book. Make it EASY for you to use.

Here's what I capture for each book:

  • Title
  • Author
  • Genre
  • Date I completed the book
  • A star rating
  • What format I read the book in (ebook, print, audio, library book, etc.)
  • What made me pick up the book in the first place (a review I saw, a sale, a friend told me to read it, whatever.)
  • Number of pages (because I like to add up at the end of the year how many pages I've read total)
  • Space for my thoughts on the book.

It's sounds like a lot, but it's not at all. It comes out looking like this and usually I can fit two reviews per page. I use the thick bookmark to make the lines and I use pretty colored pens to make it interesting.

jBJ6ETU+TGO5kYsptrMmhg.jpg
 

And that's it. That's the extent of the set up. Really easy and simple. I know it's simple because I've never stuck with any journal in my life for 3 years and I have with this one. I've capture every single book I've read since I started it. I love it.

So, I'm curious, do any of you have a private reading journal? Anyone hoping to start one?

And in case you missed it, I have a new book out! If you haven't grabbed your copy of The Ones Who Got Away yet, maybe it could be your first entry in your new 2018 reading journal? ;) 

1c59b7116b24db53cdc351e7d9cd2e1c.jpg

Have a great weekend!

 

In Books, Planners, Reading, Reading Journal, What To Read Tags books, reading journal, reading, goodreads, private journal, book journal, book journal printable, free reading journal, romance reading, the ones who got away, roni loren
18 Comments
Older Posts →

LATEST RELEASE

The new edition is here! Find out more

Now available! Find out more!

Add to Goodreads


series starters

“Intelligent, sweet, and fun, this romance succeeds on all levels.” —Publishers Weekly STARRED review Find out more

“Intelligent, sweet, and fun, this romance succeeds on all levels.” —Publishers Weekly STARRED review Find out more

An Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus, and Amazon Best Romance of the year Find out more

An Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus, and Amazon Best Romance of the year Find out more

Winner for Best Erotic Romance of the year! Find out more about the Pleasure Principle series

Winner for Best Erotic Romance of the year! Find out more about the Pleasure Principle series

The first in the long-running Loving on the Edge erotic romance series. Find out more

The first in the long-running Loving on the Edge erotic romance series. Find out more


 Subscribe

My Happy For Now Newsletter

Find me Online


free reading  journal!

A reading journal designed for romance readers!

A reading journal designed for romance readers! Free with newsletter sign-up.


Previous Posts
  • March 2025
  • November 2024
  • June 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • March 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • July 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
Return Home

Powered by Squarespace

Site and text © 2008-2025 Roni Loren - Photos are either by the author, purchased from stock sites, or (where attributed) Creative Commons. Linkbacks, pins, and shares are always appreciated, but with the exception of promotional material (book covers, official author photo, book summaries), please do not repost material in full without permission.  And though I do not accept sponsored content for this site (all my recommendations are personal recommendations), there are some affiliate links. All Amazon and iBooks links are affiliate links.