I love checking out book recommendations and adding to my TBR. They’re practically everywhere. Goodreads, Evernote, Instagram, Twitter, audiobook wishlists. Unfortunately, there is a downside to it. Too many books, too little time. TBR anxiety is real. The overwhelming feeling when you stare at the books and can’t decide which one to pick next.
How do I decide what books to prioritize? Which book to pick next? I am a mood reader but there is a method to the madness. If you, like me, have an overflowing TBR, read on as I share how I tackle it.
Assessing the TBR
At the start of the year and every quarter or so, I take stock of my TBR. Using my favorite spreadsheet from Kal (I cannot recommend it enough), I consolidate all the recommendations into a formal TBR pile.
Sometimes I cannot decide if I want to remove a book from my TBR. Off it goes to the “maybe” or “I do want to get to it at some point in time” folder that I return to later. It might not work now, but it might work six months down the line.
Creating a priority TBR
There are TBR lists and then there is a priority TBR list. Once done assessing my TBR, I set up a TBR list of books I need to get to on a priority. Review copies, ARCs, book club picks, in that order. Although I am a mood reader, I also set up a TBR from this list for the upcoming month to ensure I don’t miss anything.
Creating a smaller list is less overwhelming. I also prefer mixing things up. Adding a few palate cleansers when I have some heavy books on the list. I don’t necessarily stick to it but it is one I turn to when I cannot decide my next pick.
Participating in reading challenges
Reading challenges are an excellent way to tackle your TBR. I participate in quite a few prompt-based challenges and enjoy matching my owned TBR books to the prompts. It does end up with hauling some new books. No complaints there.
More often than not, reading challenges have monthly themes. This too helps in prioritizing the next read.
Clearing up the TBR pile
Every few months, I clear up my TBR on Goodreads. It is my favorite place to add recommendations when I am blog hopping. I have some there from as far back as 2016. Interests and priorities change over time. There is no guilt in removing the books that I know I would not enjoy anymore. As is, I cannot possibly read those 700+ books listed there.
The same method applies to my priority TBR too. If I wasn’t able to get to the book in the last six months, it goes back into the TBR pool. I know I will not be picking it up anytime soon.
Just something that catches my eye
As I mentioned before, I am a mood reader. If a book piques my interest or is available on any of my subscription apps, I just go for it. It does include new titles that drop at Storytel which were previously bookmarked.
Inky pinky ponky
You probably guessed it. Sometimes I just cannot make up my mind and go inky pinky ponky on my priority TBR or my bookshelf. Did you think I was too prim and proper? Hah! Got you!
Let’s be honest. There are millions of books out there that we need several lifetimes to read. Reading for pleasure is all about enjoying the process. It is not a race or a competition. There is no point in skimming or speed-reading the book. Beats the purpose according to me. Reading 20 books in a year that I enjoy and remember is better than reading over a 100 and not being able to recall most of them. I would much rather have 1000+ books on my TBR than race to finish reading them all.
Hope you found the process I shared useful and had some takeaways too. How do you pick your next read? Do share in the comments below.
Tackling The TBR: How I Pick My Next Read #BlogaberryDazzle Click To Tweet
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mads’ Cookhouse.
Photo credit: Canva.com
March 30, 2024 @ 6:54 pm
Great post! Last one made me smile 😃 I used to be good at managing TBR but that’s in the past, now I’m mood reader.
March 31, 2024 @ 9:18 am
You are so organised with your #TBR list as well. I have a whole pile, haven’t even counted and I look at it and keep thinking which one to begin with. This year, I have also decided to read what I like, rather than have random stuff for reviews. A few good books and quality reads, that’s what I did in my younger days. In this mature phase of life, I want to go back to my good habits. I have new book anxiety, but I controlled it. Books take time to absorb and I must enjoy the experience.
April 2, 2024 @ 12:02 am
Sometimes, you just gotta go with your gut, right? Mood reading is where it’s at. If a book catches your eye or you’re just feeling a certain vibe, why not dive in? Life’s too short to stress about picking the “perfect” book every time. And hey, there’s no shame in a little inky pinky ponky to help make the decision either! We all do it!
April 3, 2024 @ 9:27 am
This year has been very bad as far as books are concerned. But I’m determined to finish my unread pile, at least clear the long pending ones. Must get a spreadsheet, I guess. Thanks for letting us know your way of tackling the TBR; it’s quite helpful.
April 3, 2024 @ 5:49 pm
I can totally relate to the struggle of managing a massive TBR pile. There was a time when I never maintained a TBR list; I would simply pick up any book at the bookstore that piqued my interest. Then, I became quite particular about maintaining my TBR list. However, after a while, I realized that it’s a difficult task. Now, I’m in a zone where I have a TBR list, but I’m not particularly strict about picking a book from it. I read whatever I feel like reading.
April 3, 2024 @ 8:04 pm
I get my TBR ideas from blog chatter prompts and when I come across a highly recommended read on Bookish League. Sometimes Goodreads too but that’s rare. Then again there are some books that I get to read only because of book reviews to be done.
April 3, 2024 @ 9:47 pm
Ritu in my case I dont love much book to pile up and I also dont buy books in huge lots or take for reviews in large numbers at a time. I prefer to buy when I really OK to have time to read them. By pressurizing me which generally authors do to review, is not going to help them. I will read them when I want and wish to review. I buy books which really interests me and after checking reviews of fellow reviewer friends as at my house I really dont have a full room to dedicate for book library at this moment to pile up, perhaps I may have one day. So I am sorted person in regards to TBR management. Right now I have 4 books in hand to read and review which I will cover in April.
April 6, 2024 @ 12:07 pm
Oh Boy Ritu… your discipline is commendable. For a person like me this is a thing I’ll probably carry out in my agle janam. As of now I am totally a mood reader but I do pick up a few of your recommendations.
Inky pinky ponky… Hahaha. I visualised u doing that.
April 4, 2024 @ 10:46 pm
You are very well organised on TBR. When we love to read every time we are on mode which one should start? I am slowly getting back to my reading and I want to enjoy the book. I wonder how book blogger finish 7 books in one week.
May be..
There could be many reasons and I don’t want to judge anyone. I like the way you tackle your TBR list. Post is helpful.
April 6, 2024 @ 12:03 pm
Whenever I visit India, I love picking up books that you all recommend. Unfortunately, my busy schedule leaves me with little time to focus on reading like I used to, which is something I really miss.
April 7, 2024 @ 9:51 am
Even though Im a mood reader but my moods are fleeting. There will be days when Im so charged up that I would finish the book and then there are days when I cant get past the first few pages.
April 7, 2024 @ 10:16 pm
That is 200 percent true. It is not about racing
but reading the process should be a happy and that is a big gift to read a lot of books with patience.
April 8, 2024 @ 4:38 am
I’ve compartmentalized my reading into priority/project based reading and leisure reading. Sometimes the two overlap when a priority/project read is so good that it ends up being a leisure read too and then I either push the next on my leisure read to next month. This was purely to make my own life easier, especially the latter part where I learned to push leisure reading to ‘later’. I loved your method/suggestion of adding a few palate cleansers. Will try that one now.
April 8, 2024 @ 10:16 am
Hahaha..I still use the inky pinky wonky method but for dresses or accessories. What childhood memories have you made me conjure up? All the best for your TBR..you are a pro now and you will ace it every time.
April 8, 2024 @ 11:08 am
These are great advises. I always have a lull period after I finish a book because I can’t figure out the next steps. I’ll use this framework in future.
April 9, 2024 @ 3:19 pm
I tried so hard to keep up with the TBR list but have a hard time dealing with.
April 10, 2024 @ 8:00 pm
Your are a very organized and deciplined reader probably that’s the reason you are so consistence in your reading. Well on one hand I feel being a book reviewer helps me to be consistent but on other hand it doesn’t allow me to pick what I really want to read. As you said Reading is all about enjoying the process and I want to feel that everytime I read a book.
April 11, 2024 @ 12:36 am
I absolutely loved the detailed way of how you pick from the TBR. This was very insightful and a great wày to pick. I’m sure I will be referring this sooner
April 12, 2024 @ 4:23 pm
I love the ‘Inky pinky ponky’ way!! what a fun way and you’d always end up with anything and it could be such an adventure! I love your different methods, i too have different ways to pick books on different days, not to mention i am usually reading 2-3 books at the same time!
choosing our new read is a legit hobby on its own, I say!
April 29, 2024 @ 10:00 am
I enjoyed reading about your method to picking books! Mine is pretty straightforward – two books a month are pre-fixed: the first is my book club pick and the second is one for my ongoing Project Poirot series. Other than that, I give precedence to my physical TBR list (books I have bought or been gifted) which is also quite significant. I try and read one non-fiction work between every three-four fiction works and sometimes I just pick on the basis of my mood.