I like how structured you are with your reading! When creating your annual plan, do you select all the books you will read for the year, or do you do a monthly or quarterly selection? And I’d love to read about your note taking system if you have one.
I plan out the entire year in one sitting, usually a 3-4 hour, coffee fueled session. I intend to do a full write-up on this process at some point as well as my note taking system. However, the short version is that I go into my planning session with an idea of some reading goals, i.e. big projects or themes. Once I work out that piece I build around it. As an example, for 2024, I have two big projects. First is to read all of John Steinbeck's works in chronological order. Second is to read Ulysses by James Joyce. The rest of the reading year is structured around those somewhat thematically. Appreciate the questions and having you join the conversation!
Your journey from childhood to adulthood and how you've adapted your reading habits over the years is inspiring. I particularly appreciate your perspective on reading for retention, which can vary based on the type of book and your reading goals. Sometimes 'reading less is more' and it is valuable to note quality is more important than quantity.
Thanks for the kind words Winston. It took me some time to mature into the realization of quality over quantity. At one point I was just trying to read as many books as possible. Once I figured out that reading one good book was exponentially more valuable than 100 bad ones it completely changed my outlook. Glad to have you join the conversation!
This post brought back so many wonderful memories of that house in Lamar and your dad’s love of Louis L’Amour. I can still see his bookshelf at the Osborne farm filled with his collection of those books. ❤️
I love how you acknowledge and appreciate that reading has taken different forms as you move through life, such as when children are younger. I wonder if you know the work of Cal Newport? He has a great podcast called 'Deep Questions' and several books, and often advocates for ways to schedule in more deep reading. If you haven't discovered him, I think you may share some commonalities!
I like how structured you are with your reading! When creating your annual plan, do you select all the books you will read for the year, or do you do a monthly or quarterly selection? And I’d love to read about your note taking system if you have one.
I plan out the entire year in one sitting, usually a 3-4 hour, coffee fueled session. I intend to do a full write-up on this process at some point as well as my note taking system. However, the short version is that I go into my planning session with an idea of some reading goals, i.e. big projects or themes. Once I work out that piece I build around it. As an example, for 2024, I have two big projects. First is to read all of John Steinbeck's works in chronological order. Second is to read Ulysses by James Joyce. The rest of the reading year is structured around those somewhat thematically. Appreciate the questions and having you join the conversation!
Your journey from childhood to adulthood and how you've adapted your reading habits over the years is inspiring. I particularly appreciate your perspective on reading for retention, which can vary based on the type of book and your reading goals. Sometimes 'reading less is more' and it is valuable to note quality is more important than quantity.
Thanks for the kind words Winston. It took me some time to mature into the realization of quality over quantity. At one point I was just trying to read as many books as possible. Once I figured out that reading one good book was exponentially more valuable than 100 bad ones it completely changed my outlook. Glad to have you join the conversation!
This post brought back so many wonderful memories of that house in Lamar and your dad’s love of Louis L’Amour. I can still see his bookshelf at the Osborne farm filled with his collection of those books. ❤️
Thanks Stacy. It was quite the trip down memory lane. I was blessed.
I love how you acknowledge and appreciate that reading has taken different forms as you move through life, such as when children are younger. I wonder if you know the work of Cal Newport? He has a great podcast called 'Deep Questions' and several books, and often advocates for ways to schedule in more deep reading. If you haven't discovered him, I think you may share some commonalities!
Kate, thanks for taking the time to comment and share your thoughts. It really means a lot to a fledgling writer!
I have never heard of Cal Newport before but I am going to add his podcast to my Spotify list so I can check it out! Thank you for the recommendation.
This might get you started! https://open.spotify.com/episode/5eyVIAQI0b4dmYea7Fc5mh