How I Organise My Reading...

Hello readers, and welcome to another weird and wonderful blog post where I write about things you probably won't even care about.

Just kidding! But hopefully you will actually find this interesting. I love reading posts like this so my hope above all hopes is that you enjoy reading this too <3

On a side note, today is the first day of my second semester at university, and I AM FINDING IT VERY HARD TO COPE WITH SO FAR. Seriously, I'm only one lecture down and I am already sitting in the Students Union with a very large coffee and a pessimistic attitude towards all the reading I've got to do this semester.

And talking of reading, today I thought I would write about how I organise my reading. A lot of my life revolves around reading; I am a book blogger (so that involves reading, obvs), I write (so I need to read to get inspiration, also obvs) and I study English Literature and Creative Writing at university (more reading- what a surprise!) so obviously I have a lot to read. I feel like I've said reading a lot so far in this post. Sorry.

But obviously, with all this reading to do (sorry) it's really important that I prioritise and organise the books I have to get through. It may seem obvious that my university reading comes first, as I am paying £9,000 to read them, but there are also publication dates and blog tours and so many other things to take into consideration when it comes to planning what books I will read next. Recently, I have acquired a huge number of ARCS and also my semester two reading list, so I have tried to read two books at a time but it really doesn't work for me. I like to be completely invested in one book, and reading two at a time just confuses and annoys me. 


So I've written some tips below in case you are struggling to organise your reading, or are aiming to get through that TBR pile or your school or university reading list that little bit quicker. Enjoy!

1. Have a TBR shelf.

Unfortunately I don't have a picture to show you of my current TBR shelf (as I am in Manchester and not in London), but it seriously does help to create a space on your bookshelf, even if it is just one shelf, of all the books you want to get through ASAP. Limit it to around ten books so you don't get too overwhelmed. Having the books you really want to read in front of you does allow you to focus on your reading goal and doesn't overwhelm you by facing a whole bookcase of books you'll never get through.

2. Prioritise!

Sometimes it's not a smart idea to read the books you are really excited about first and then leave the ones that look a tad dull to the last minute. This applies to both school/university reading and also books on your TBR you should read but have just put off for so long. I like to read the books that I am least looking forward to/have put off for a long time first, so I zoom through them quickly and then can read the books I actually really want to read!

3. Make use of every minute.

The thing I have learned since I became a book blogger and have read a load more books than I ever did before was to make use of every minute. Instead of scrolling through Facebook or Instagram on the bus or lazy mornings in bed, I now pick up a book and I find then that I can finish reading it a lot quicker. Even if you read for an extra twenty minutes a day, you will notice a huge difference!

4. Don't be afraid to say no.

If you are reading this and you are a book blogger, you will know the struggle of receiving endless emails from publishers and publicists eager to send you books, but you just know that your TBR pile is a towering giant monster and you won't be able to get around to another new book for ten million years. The trick is to not be afraid to say no; a large majority of the time, publishers/publicists won't be offended and will still continue to offer you books when you have more space on your shelves and more time for reading!

5. Don't pressurise yourself.

Now I know this sounds a bit contradictory (considering the first few paragraphs of this blog post), but there is more to life than reading. I know right?! Odd. Anyway, it's alright to slack on your reading. Seriously, it is. Only read if you're enjoying yourself and if it's what you want to do; reading should not be stressful or unenjoyable. If you're feeling uninspired, watch some Netflix or FaceTime a friend. Tackle that TBR pile at your own pace :)

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog post! Leave me a comment down below on how you organise your reading- I would love to know.

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Until next time :)