one minute, you are tracking - next thing you know, you're anxious because you haven`t got the time to read what you'd settled as your goals, so tracking becomes an obligation, meaning: total loss of fun. you're damn right, ariel.
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
Exactly! It can become a really depressing cycle!
@dizzymisscarol8 жыл бұрын
my favourite booktubers talking to each other, that's so cool!
@bex32788 жыл бұрын
'Goodreads review or it didn't happen' was possibly my favourite line in this video - you absolutely nailed it, Ariel!
@lulu_frances8 жыл бұрын
preeeeach! so true
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
Hahaha It felt so right when it popped into my head!
@RachelCerys8 жыл бұрын
i got so stressed with tracking my reading because this year I've been focusing on rereading my favs and goodreads don't count rereads so I just stopped using it and I've enjoyed reading so much more since not tracking it on goodreads, just my personal opinion
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
Rachel Butcher
@TwilightPotterLuver8 жыл бұрын
I've been having the same problem. Why won't they track re-reads, I would like to know like what dates I've read this one book. And how many times.
@girllittlemorbid8 жыл бұрын
this annoys me too!! I change the date so it counts towards my reading challenge but then I lose the info that Oh hey- I've read this book like every year.. >.> lol I've started tracking my reading in my journal again (which is what I did before Goodreads) But I think a lot of readers re-read their favourite books, so it's a feature they should incorporate it.
@Maria-tt2wh7 жыл бұрын
They have recently added the feature of tracking your retreads so that's pretty amazing! 😁
@RachelLouiseAtkin8 жыл бұрын
OMG THIS IS SO TRUE. My friend finished her own novel which I said I'd read but it totally gives me anxiety because I can't track it or add it to my goodreads. And I'm always thinking of ways I can squeeze an extra book in instead of alternatives like rereading my faves. It's helpful but don't think it helps people like me with obsessive tendencies. GREAT VIDEO THOUGH.
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
So glad you agree!!
@caraamethyst69568 жыл бұрын
I feel like you would be a very good professor
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
Professor Bissett 😎
@thethriftyfawn3 жыл бұрын
@@ArielBissett LOVES IT!!!
@eckat58 жыл бұрын
I've recently gotten into fanfiction (let me live a little!) and I've experienced the same thing you did with zines. I constantly think that I need to get back into reading, then realize I am, its just that what I am reading isn't valid. And, yeah, they're "unofficial" unpublished works, but what about poetry or short stories? The Raven is literature just as much (in my opinion, more so) than 50 Shades of Grey, so why is that the more trackable of the two?
@mrgreenleafx8 жыл бұрын
Nordic Llama Yes! That is exactly what I was thinking as well! I've read many fanfictions that are as long as an actual book and some of them are definitely better than books I've read! I have to keep reminding myself that I am in fact reading just because I can't track it
@JuliiaHart8 жыл бұрын
same and some fanfictions are REALLY great. i think fanfiction in general has a bad reputation but i think there's a lot of fanfic writers that are wonderful (and sometimes better than ""actual"" writers)
@TheCVK018 жыл бұрын
Yes! My favourite fanfiction was 908,136 words, and it's !!Absolutely!! the best "book" i have ever read. And i go onto Goodreads for it to show i'm way off my target.
@mrgreenleafx8 жыл бұрын
CVK What fanfiction was that if I may ask? :)
@TheCVK018 жыл бұрын
to be honest, I've never really mentioned it (especially not around the booktube community 🙈) because it would be met with what I assume would be immediate repulsion and disdain, but it's called "Slow and Steady" and is based off of Fifty Shades of Grey. Without getting into it, I will say it took the characters and fundamental story (which is what I loved), and made something amazing out of it, added something to it that it wouldn't have had otherwise. It's definitely not perfect, and maybe not for everyone, but it's my favourite one!
@hayleighm31248 жыл бұрын
I love how eloquent you are! Your points always make me think and that's wonderful ^^
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
@jordanpearson98838 жыл бұрын
I freaking love this video. I recently started college (which is intense!) and I have only been able to finish one book within the past two months, and I was starting to worry about my yearly goal, but then I realized it was affecting my enjoyment, which is NOT what I want. I love Goodreads and will continue to use it, but it's not ALL about Goodreads. Awesome video Ariel!
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
So glad that you agree with me!
@penguininabluebox8 жыл бұрын
Wonderful video, Ariel, I love that you keep bringing thinks like this up. I track books mostly for myself. I don't care what other people think about the books I read, about the numbers, I don't even care about the numbers. I just know that I often regret that I never wrote down all the books I actually read in my childhood, and that's why I like tracking my reading. But if I read a book that - for example - isn't on goodreads, that doesn't keep me from reading it. And it has happened quite a bit, because being from Germany, not all German books are on goodreads, so technically I have quite a bunch of non-trackable reading I did in my life. While for me personally tracking my reading is a wonderful thing, it can be a bad thing, too, because people tend to compare their own reading to others, which technically doesn't even really make sense because everyone is different, living in different circumstances, prioritizes different things and has a different reading pace.
@kiya123098 жыл бұрын
It would be so amazing to have a list of all the books you read as a child in order. I read so much more when I was a kid, probably 100's of books a year, and I remember some of the phases I went through, but it would be so fascinating to see step by step how I progressed.
@EvenStarRute8 жыл бұрын
I completely agree, but I just wanted to let you know that you can add books on Goodreads or at least ask a GR librarian to do it for you. One of the good things about Goodreads is that users can contribute to expand its database -- which may lead to more people discovering those books.
@penguininabluebox8 жыл бұрын
I know, I'm a goodreads librarian myself, but that doesn't change the fact I will never be able to remember every single book I read :)
@EvenStarRute8 жыл бұрын
That's true for me as well. I know a lot people have been using reading journals for much longer than Goodreads exists, but tbh I hadn't even thought of tracking my reading before finding GR. Kid!me would think it impossible to forget all those books :)
@penguininabluebox8 жыл бұрын
Haha, I agree! Kid!me would be furious I forgot about many!
@emilyemilyyyyyy8 жыл бұрын
I completely agree! I became way too obsessed with how many books I was reading and logging it on goodreads (mainly due to the Goodreads reading challenge) therefore I read short books just to finish the challenge quicker and I wouldn't re-read books! That's why when I finish my challenge this year I will not be setting myself another one for 2017. i've also stopped using goodreads to log my books, i've decided to keep a small moleskine and i've put all of my books i've read since i've started logging them there and it's much more fun for me because i now care less about the amount of books i've read! I still do use goodreads to see what others are reading and get book recommendations! It's a great little system for me 😊 Loved this video! Very thought provoking!
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
I think it's awesome that you figured out a balanced system that works for you! For years I've been marking my challenge as 1 book because of the same reason - I don't want that pressure!
@medhavi168 жыл бұрын
i really needed a video like this one. thank you ariel.
@anneflin99088 жыл бұрын
OMG, you just said what I was feeling but I didn't know I was. Thank you for taking this of my back
@natalieprice22018 жыл бұрын
I officially love this video. This is such an important message to me! I sometimes feel self conscious about how many books I read each month compared to others, and I too question my "worthiness" of being a reader. Any time I feel like that, I'll just come straight to this video, and I'll realize what reading is all about and love it like I always do :)
@Atalinay8 жыл бұрын
I actually started reading a whole lot more this year because my school was having a competition where tracking number of books was the main goal. It got me into reading a lot more and it's why I'm constantly on goodreads and booktube. So it was extremely motivating for me, but I'm finding that lately it drives me away from reading big books. It's kind of cool that this video is coming around the Tome Topple readathon :)
@mythologiefan8 жыл бұрын
The TBR compiling is what keeps me of of booktube (and also the whole goodreads). I would like to start, but here you nail exactly one of the biggest issues which keeps me of it, because it overwhelms me and stresses me out. Reading should be for fun, not about the amount of books you read. I have a tendency to pick up huge fantasy novels in not my native language, so it takes me weeks to read them. I still have fun with it though :D
@hannaho94718 жыл бұрын
Goodreads or it don't happen!! Haha! This came at the perfect time, being at school again means I'm reading constantly, but it's mostly 30 page articles and while that eats up most of my reading time I can't track. I think I need someone to remind me to watch this video every few months so I don't get discouraged that my goodreads count isn't going up
@LampSunnies8 жыл бұрын
Loved the points you brought up! I think a part of this whole tracking mentality is also related to creating content, especially for Booktube and blogs (although I'm not too familiar with those). Monthly wrap ups or just wrap ups in general are obviously a huge part of many people's channels and in order to do them, you've gotta read books. I think thats why I lot of people have also started moving away from monthly wrap ups to videos about the last five books they read. For me personally, I always base my Goodreads goals on the average time it takes me to read a book, so its not so much a goal for me but rather I guess... extra encouragement.
@gaildoughty67997 жыл бұрын
I’m almost old enough to be your grandmother. But let me tell ya, Ariel, you make a hell of a lot of sense. Every Ariel video I watch helps me feel a bit better about the future. Thanks!
@emfxrrester8 жыл бұрын
I truly agree and it's so nice to see someone agree too. Like for school we HAVE to track our reading for a grade and I feel so down because I don't read as much as I feel I should. It doesn't make much sense but like it becomes an obsessive thing
@booksfortea8 жыл бұрын
I get way too obsessed with tracking my reading so thank you for this reminder that it's not that important, really ❤️
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
books for tea 💙💙🎃
@booksfortea8 жыл бұрын
Ariel Bissett 💜💜👻
@KittenCece8 жыл бұрын
I don't even use my Goodreads.. And that really really gets to me sometimes. Because how do I know what I've read? How do you know what I've read? But then, I find myself in a place of - Why does it matter if other people know what I'm reading! And now I just do my thing - and watch everyone else doing their things. :D Yaay for Trackers and Nontrackers and everyone in between
@kellymoore20798 жыл бұрын
Oh my goodness this spoke to me on such a deep level. Goodreads has been such a great thing for me and my reading but I do get obsessed with tracking and I noticed it does effect what I read. I loved this video because it showed me I was not struggling alone and I need to let go of my obsession of quantity. I think this will help me enjoy my reading more. Thank you so sooooo much for this video!!!
@TheelmmaaCano8 жыл бұрын
Yaaaaas! Totally agree with everything you said. These past two years I haven't even cared about the amount of books that I read because reading is enjoying the words on the pages doesn't matter what it is whether it is articles, zines, comics, all of it encompasses the art of reading. My only use of tracking is to see what I've read not the quantity of it.
@BasicallyBrittx8 жыл бұрын
Totally agree with everything you just said and you actually inspired me to not set a goodreads goal for 2017! It just makes me feel stressed about how much I 'have' to read in order to reach it. Thanks so much for this great video!
@liquidmantle8 жыл бұрын
Goodreads goals can be good motivators to rekindle your love of reading or discover great new books when one is inclined to get lazy and fall back on tv instead. It's kind of absurd to get stressed out over something so insignificant...
@BasicallyBrittx8 жыл бұрын
I use Booktube instead of Goodreads to rekindle my love for reading. For me, Booktube has always been a bigger motivator. I always tend to 'stress out' about the fact that my Goodreads goal hasn't been achieved yet by the end of the year and I feel that this could be a good thing to get rid of the stress. I definitely do not think this is absurd...
@liquidmantle8 жыл бұрын
Britt Reads How do you think your Goodreads goals have reached the impossible heights that could result in anxiety? Your imagination? Nope, it's Booktube.
@BasicallyBrittx8 жыл бұрын
S R first of all, I didn't talk about anxiety. I talked about feeling stressed about not reaching your goodreads goal, which is not the same as anxiety to me. Secondly, I don't like letting myself down, and when I set a goal for myself and eventually not reach it, it's letting myself down. And finally, I'd discovered Goodreads way before the time I discovered Booktube and I've always felt the need to reach my goals. This video has now made me think more about the fact that reading isn't only about reaching goals.
@devildriverrule1118 жыл бұрын
I agree mostly, numbers should not dictate your reading. I hate when people say "I only read 7 books this month" and I think "but i am reading war and peace, this will take me months on end to finish". I am also a fairly slow reader, which doesn't help. That said I do use goodread page count to challenge or trick myself in to reading on work days, the page counter helps me actually go "read 10 pages today" or "read 30 pages today" I use it to challenge myself, because otherwise I would literally just lay on the floor and stare at the roof listening to some 2 hour prog metal album and contemplating why I work hours so long that I have no energy left to actually do anything after the job I actually despise is finished.
@viennabooks7418 жыл бұрын
Loved this video! This counting thing is a major reason I haven't started a Book Tube channel yet. I would have a lot to share about my bookish feelings and many books to recommend but I can't stand the thought of checking how many books I read every month or showing how many books I buy (I have a problem). I just counted the books I read this year and I am at 46 but until now I had no idea. I never stress about numbers and I prefer long books to short ones. Also I don't have a reading goal number -my goal is to just keep reading :)
@Charlie-me1kw8 жыл бұрын
I RELATE SO HARD. I use tracking sites for my video games, movies and tv shows too so it effects everything for me. I have to just tell myself to constantly stop those anxious thoughts I have that I'm not reading enough, watching enough, playing enough, and the 'right' thing. While part of me feels bad when I watch all these wrap ups and I've only read 6 books this year so far, I know that pushing myself into it isn't going to be an enjoyable experience for me and I'd rather enjoy things as the actual urge comes along. It's hard to always think that as this is almost a school environment where you want to be the 'best' with your numbers, but lately I've started to relax and stop being so hard on myself. As you're right, it should be about the experience and content of reading that matters to us rather than either social standing across the bookish online subculture or matching a irrelevant number. I don't have a lot to add other than I absolutely loved this video (like always) and it has a great message! :) You always cover topics and ideas that I've already thought about so much in my head and had no idea someone else felt the same way, haha. Just love your channel and hope you're having a great day.
@SofiaZavoli8 жыл бұрын
Charlie / where do you track movies?? i want that lol
@FloralFidelity8 жыл бұрын
Letterboxd is a good one for tracking movies!
@cloudslikethis8 жыл бұрын
Sofia Zavoli I use GoodFilms (it has an app called Gyde)
@mrgreenleafx8 жыл бұрын
and where do you track your tv shows? I'd love to do that too :D
@SofiaZavoli8 жыл бұрын
Ben Greenleaf I use Tv Showtime. It's cool :)
@LeighannesLit8 жыл бұрын
I 100% agree with you in this. I have caught myself choosing the book I was going to read next based on the length so I could get closer to making my goal. At the end of the day, its not about how many books or pages you read, but that you are enjoying what you're reading. Although like you mentioned, I do like going back on my shelves to see what I read in years past and what may have been happening in my life at that time.
@osebka218 жыл бұрын
Perfect video for my feelings! I had been giving myself a hard time for picking up a 500+ page book when I still have so many to finish for my challenge. It's so true but I just accept that it's a number and quality is better than quantity it's the enjoyment and the growth you get from reading! Perfect video! 🙌🏻
@hellosweetieee8 жыл бұрын
Ariel, you are so well spoken and brilliant. I love this video so much and it brings to light such an important issue within the reading/reviewing community. I personally track my reads because my Grandmother used to actually track my sister and I's reading when we were little and the habit has just stuck. I definitely think that people do need to remember that it's not about the numbers, but it's about doing something you enjoy!
@NeighborhoodMoon8 жыл бұрын
This was such a great video! I'm so glad to see so many people agree with the idea that tracking can put us in these really stressful and discouraging boxes. As much as I love using Goodreads and tracking my reading, sometimes it does feel like an obligation :/ xxx
@WoeisMoReads8 жыл бұрын
I love that you made a video about this! I've really felt this whenever I read webcomics. It's hard to track your progress with reading a webcomic when it's still being uploaded and you don't exactly know how much is left. Love the video!
@ItsBritt29678 жыл бұрын
I have noticed the awareness of how many books one reads on booktube. Also, it seems to be a subculture that pressures one another to read more and read faster. It seems as if there is quantity over quality that booktube values.
@TheIrisMessenger8 жыл бұрын
I think Marlin made a video quite similar to this where she was frustrated by the limits of goodreads and booktube on what we classify as a book. Quantifiable reading has definitely changed this year for me, possibly because I have spent less time on booktube. I have read way less, but I am enjoying the books that I read so much more. Not to mention the amount of reading that I do for college now, I am drowning in amazing articles and chapters that are in no way countable on goodreads. Great video!
@BeatriceMPinayBookaholic8 жыл бұрын
I may have reading goals but I set it according to my reading pace and not setting a high number because it's stressful and it makes me conscious. Surprisingly, I went beyond my challenge. You have great points in this video! :)
@barbarKC2788 жыл бұрын
I've made my own zine and they are truly amazing!!!!!
@LaurenceRoberge8 жыл бұрын
This is so true! I've thought about it a few times. Last year, I was reading so many books that I raised my reading challenge in November and it made me soooooo anxious when I started reading at a slower pace because I knew that I wouldn't reach that number of books. In the end, I lowered it, but I still read a lot of books, so I was really happy about that. I think that as long as you're enjoying what you're reading and you're happy with the amount of books you've read, whether it's hundreds of them because they were really small or 10 because they were huge books, you shouldn't care about what other people think or how many books other people have read. Goodreads makes reading a public experience, in a way, which is amazing in some aspects, but it can also change the way you read in a bad way. Great video, I think most readers should watch it! :)
@JuliaSapphire8 жыл бұрын
Definitely agree with you! I need to stop focusing on the number to much :)
@okim2cool4u8 жыл бұрын
I feel the same because I recently have started to love to read fan fic and web comics so I've had to change my mindset from seeing it as "wasting time" to just doing something I really enjoy. We should care more about what we read rather than how much. Thanks for making this
@carlybrown61398 жыл бұрын
Absolutely agree! Zines are great and so are self-published poetry pamphlets/chapbooks, small literary journals, online articles and a whole host of other awesome things which (as you so rightfully put!) we can't 'track' via something like Goodreads. Thanks for this insightful video!
@FirelordOzai0078 жыл бұрын
You are wonderful. This video is a gem. It's such an honor to be subscribed to you. I just realized that I have been putting off reading quite a number of big books for the same reason. And I haven't re-read any book for at least 2 years now. I really needed to hear this. I am so close to my goal of 100 books this year (a lot of them were graphic novels), but no, I'm picking up one of the big books that have forever been on my list. Thank you so much, Ariel.
@MaiaSaggers8 жыл бұрын
I'm so glad you made this video, in so terrible at keeping track of the books I read just because rather than update my Goodreads when I finish a book I tend to just start a new book 😂 I always felt as though I was less valued as a reader due to not constantly tracking my reading so thank you for this
@alltherightbookfeels2488 жыл бұрын
I LOVE reading manga but, I slowed down because I couldn't track all of them and it bothered me. But, this video encouraged me to read what I want even if it isn't trackable. I can't wait to enjoy reading much more again! Thank you so much! I'll defiantly be checking zines out!
@cheys_rebrand8 жыл бұрын
THIS VIDEO!!!!! Everything you've said has been in my head for the past few months! Ugh love it!
@yellowtreezy8 жыл бұрын
Marlinelina posted a discussion video a few days ago similar to this titled "I've stopped reading books" or something like that. Very interesting discussion as well.
@HobbyJoe8 жыл бұрын
What I love about tracking my books on goodreads is not how many I read but the joy of seeing all the books I read, enjoyed reading and most importantly EXPERIENCED! I pay no attention to comparing to others read, that is unintelligent way too read. In that sense Goodreads tracking has made reading SOOO much more fun!
@94Riddle8 жыл бұрын
I love this video! I've been binge watching your videos and I regularly switch between fanfiction/ online articles and books. That being said it's interesting to see that I've "read less" on goodreads, but in reality I've actually probably read more, because I wasn't worried about trying to read a certain amount.
@halolimoma8 жыл бұрын
I work as an editor so reading articles for work or fun is basically my life yet I found myself l lamenting my low book count on goodreads for this year because I felt that it suggested I didn't read?! Like, that's crazy!!! Excellent and important video as always :) x
@sassiqueen12008 жыл бұрын
This is so completely me. Whenever I'm reading I'm always conscious of how many pages I've read or when I last updated my count on goodreads and I hate it so much but it's almost compulsive and I can't stop myself. Also, I see your Harry Potter hardbacks and I've never seen a yellow topped goblet of fire
@LiRuAnMo8 жыл бұрын
I completely agree with you! I think it's a sign of growing up. I have realized that I am not pushing through a book just to be done with it. Taking the time and enjoying the book! P.S. I love love love your photos display behind you!
@LorenaPiliado8 жыл бұрын
I get really competitive with myself and my Goodreads Challenge. I normally finish it early in the year, and then I give myself the chance to re-read a favorite or to enjoy the football season or binge watch a series. I know it is wrong and I cant help it. The first months of the year are really hard for me because im always trying to read a lot to keep up with my past-year-self and and and **hugs herself**
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
**BIG HUG**
@cuppabooks8 жыл бұрын
Ariel, I LOVE this video. I have a video coming out on Saturday about peer pressure with reading and I think this is a HUGE thing within booktube. I mention in the video how there is pressure to read a certain amount within a month and this video ties in nicely with it. Thank you! I'm not the only one who thinks this :p
@bubba126267 жыл бұрын
I appreciate you sharing this! I agree with you on that reading is getting very competitive with BookTube and such. By rushing, I think it can most definitely take away the greatness of the book you are reading.
@aliceadams11078 жыл бұрын
I loved this video!!! It really made me think about how I decide which books to read and why I always choose smaller books so I will be able to read more within a month!
@-Crissi_7 жыл бұрын
I don't use good reads at all, because always needing to update it, stresses me about. But, I do track my reading. I have a page for this dedicated in my personal notebook, where I write down all the books I read, sometimes the month in brackets or if it was for school..and I do enjoy this kind of tracking, because I can look back on the books I've read but it doesn't stress me out
@adriana4108 жыл бұрын
I gotta say, I'm loving the content you've been putting up lately. There's like a maturity to it but it's still you. keep it up!
@kattenmoos8 жыл бұрын
I think you make a great point that I needed to hear. I am definitely guilty of not picking up larger books in favour of something smaller, that will take less time. Enjoying tracking and the whole community of goodreads, I think I will continue tracking the books I read, but to end the mentality that more books equal more validity as a reader, I will try not to set myself a goal for how many books I'll read in 2017 :)
@loricanales57598 жыл бұрын
I feel ya! This semester I've been reading more articles than ever for my grad program, but there's no way to track them on Goodreads! It's taken a big chunk out of the time I regularly dedicated each month to recreational reading. I might start talking about the articles I really liked in my monthly wrap ups...
@marllonvalenca16618 жыл бұрын
When you read, the most important thing is the pleasure you feel doing it!
@nevetSLehmann8 жыл бұрын
i really relate to this, reading the shorter books so you can say that you've hit your reading goal for the year, or reading less magazines and articles so you can fit more books in. i dont even tell any one about my goodreads so its not so i can go "look how great i am, i read X books this year" its really a personal thing of "i set my self a target and im going to hit it. Thanks for pointing it out though, now i can work on just reading what i want to read!
@janey80258 жыл бұрын
My new years resolution this year was actually to not stress about how many books I was reading as it was stressing me out so much. I do love tracking my reading but I also really like being able to tackle bigger books or things that aren't counted on goodreads. I am finding that now I have completed my goal for the year I feel so much more free in my reading which maybe leads to the conclusion that maybe I shouldn't have a goal next year...
@TransylvaniaGirl8 жыл бұрын
Hi! I am from Romania and loved your video. I did not know anything about zines! How interesting!!
@angiefayed8 жыл бұрын
I always love your discussions :)
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
I always love making them! Happy you liked it!
@whatever101s8 жыл бұрын
This is very very relateable and true. I'm pretty sure the part of my brain associated with rewards fires up every time I click read on Goodreads. And I do feel a little off when I see people reading 70 books a year and finishing their challenges (I won't complete my challenge this year and I am trying to make peace with that). You gave me the idea of not tracking my reading on Goodreads for 6 or 12 months and just see where that takes my reading habits.
@rachelc91078 жыл бұрын
This video is me!! I have read less the 20 books this year because for half of the year I was in and out of hospital unable to read. And because of that I was out of school for 6 months so I was trying to catch up then and I'm still trying to now. And I feel so guilty that I'm not caught up to my Goodreads goal, when I don't have the time to or I've had a long day at school and I'm to tired to read. But I really shouldn't care because at least I am reading and having a great time doing it! Thank you so much Ariel for making this video❤️️
@thepowerofcheesecake8 жыл бұрын
Now I'm trying to decide whether or not to just delete my reading challenge. On the one hand it's a good incentive to read, but on the other it definitely dissuades me from reading some of the bigger books in my collection for "wasted time". I'll try and see through my reading challenge this year, but next year I don't think I'll do one.
@myrmidryad8 жыл бұрын
This is one of the reasons I'm reluctant to get a Goodreads, tbh. I track my reading in little notebooks, giving reviews just for myself, but I often think I'd like to join in the community aspect of Goodreads and see what my friends are reading. I think I'd end up getting a bit competitive though, and therefore enjoying the books I'm reading less.
@MrsFrappucchino8 жыл бұрын
FINALLY someone who speaks out loud what I was thinking :) I personally don't use Goodreads anymore; the updating was too stressful for me and the annual reading challenge, which was fun for me at first too, started annoying me because, as Ariel mentioned in this video, it often (not everytime and with everyone, of course) tends to become some kind of competition, either with others or with yourself. Who reads the most books, most pages - but in the end, it doesn 't matter at all, for me at least. I do in fact read loads of books in a year, but I'd rather read ten fantastic ones than a hundred that were okay, just to have read a lot.
@isabelbrown29078 жыл бұрын
Ariel, thanks for always making unique and relevant videos...it's a refreshing approach to BookTube. You're great!
@Freya33778 жыл бұрын
I so know what you are talking about. The stats have been getting to me. I've been in a slump lately and just realised one of the reasons is stats. So glad you brought this up!
@helenatieck79118 жыл бұрын
This is so true! A few weeks ago I really got back into wattpad and reading stories there (fanfiction as well as original ones) and I read only one other book that month and I had a mini crisis about that :D But I figured, just like you, that while it is really fun and sometimes also very encouraging to track how many books you read this week/month/year etc it shouldn't mean that I can't read stories that aren't trackable. Really great video! The zines look so cool, I definitely have to check a few out :)
@evelynslibrary57128 жыл бұрын
okay now I don't feel that bad about reading 1-2 books each month 😜 And yes you're right that we give too much attention at HOW MUCH we read and not WHAT we read 💖
@kristalaanemets44478 жыл бұрын
love the sneaky Bloom book in the background! And it's so lovely to see you in Esteé Lalonde videos :)
@kiya123098 жыл бұрын
I've had an emotionally rough year, and reading has not been on my radar as much. I feel ashamed to say that so far I've only read 20 books in 10 months. I don't usually read a ton in a year compared to many people, but I usually read at least twice that in year. It helps to remember that most of the population might read only a few books in a year, if that, so it's important to avoid comparing myself to people who read hundreds of book in a year as if reading "only" twenty is some kind of failure.
@caraamethyst69568 жыл бұрын
kiya12309 very true! I like to aim for 4 books a month (a book a week) and sometimes I can only get through 1 or 2 and I'm disappointed. But I'll tell that to someone and they'll always say something like "I don't even know if I've read 2 books in the past year...." So I definitely think comparing ourselves to those that read 100s of books a year is a good motivation but it also imprisons us
@sk8tie8 жыл бұрын
kiya12309 my brother has never started and finished a book. ever. in his entire life. including elementary school chapter books. so every time i think I'm failing at my reading goal i try to remind myself that as long as im reading and learning Im doing great
@bookmistress71428 жыл бұрын
Reading is exercise for the brain. It needs to take place daily like exercise. However, short periods of time can do wonders. In as little as 12 mins stress levels go down significantly. Maybe instead of a drink go for a book. Lol We need to read to improve our memory, to fight age\disease, to remember how to spell! Lol. A book to two books a month is great. Never think u r doing too little for it to matter.
@aflowerthatcannotbebloomed8 жыл бұрын
kiya12309 20 books is still really good and hope everything is going well
@AliTheFlightlessBird8 жыл бұрын
yessss thank you, I've been thinking about the same topic a lot lately so it's nice to hear someone else agree :)
@jessreadscards8 жыл бұрын
wow, you just pulled the thoughts right out of my head. perfectly stated!! and zines sound awwwwwesome
@rafaelalima88778 жыл бұрын
YES! Thank you! I had this epifany last year and since then im way more selective about the books i buy to read. Im reading less, but better ;)
@debzie458 жыл бұрын
I am obsessed with achieving my goodreads goal and sometimes it does detract my overall enjoyment, I'm always planning what to read next, to use my time as effectively as possible. I've read a few big books this year and I'm now behind and stressing out because of it. And I'm like, why? Maybe I'll just make my goal 1 next year and see what I achieve with no pressure.
@osteoknits8 жыл бұрын
I agree 100%. I feel like this focus on numbers leads people to focus on quantity versus quality. Sometimes you can't help but to devour a book in a day or two, but some books need to be savored slowly. This is why I like reading challenges that are centered around reading a variety of books instead of X number of books.
@FloralFidelity8 жыл бұрын
I definitely feel this! I set a loftier (but still manageable) Goodreads challenge this year just because I thought it would give me just a lil push..... Instead, seeing that "3 books behind schedule" bullshit is stressing me out and i hate it lol. Never again.
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
You should join my club of always putting "1 book" as may reading challenge!
@lildarienttv8 жыл бұрын
You bring up a really interesting point with this tracking business. It's not just books either, for pretty much every type of media there is a way to track various metrics (last.fm for music, myanimelist for anime etc etc) and they'll give you heaps of data on your habits. Obviously it hooks into some psychological process we humans have, perhaps the same one that gives us a little boost when we tick an item off our to-do list!
@IqraArshadBeauty8 жыл бұрын
I love this video! I do like tracking my reading for all the reasons you said. Also I feel like I read a lot more when I was younger so by tracking my reading, I can see if and why I read a certain amount of books each year. But I do find it hard when I'm reading short stories etc on sites like wattpad which I love but can't necessarily track them which at times stresses me out. I've never really thought about how much it stresses me out until I watched your video. I've been considering starting a more traditional written journal to track my reading and just using Goodreads to gather books I really want to read.
@Micahlee_198 жыл бұрын
Such a fascinating concept!!! I started a booktuber channel but honestly I've decided to incorporate some other things as well because I just don't enjoy tracking my books THAT MUCH. I'm more more interested in the stories than the numbers of books, articles, etc read.
@Micahlee_198 жыл бұрын
Also, I wrote my very first novel and published it this year! That means I haven't had time to read as much but you know what? I PUBLISHED A BOOK! Priorities.
@liquidmantle8 жыл бұрын
Good video, Ariel. I'm glad to see a that booktuber who isn't completely obsessed with appearances actually exists. You are a great role model and refreshing in this shallow, vapid community.
@oldfarmshow8 жыл бұрын
Thank you for all your videos
@ArielBissett8 жыл бұрын
@pauulinhahh8 жыл бұрын
I know how bad this tracking thing can be. I feel I'm addicted to making lists and thinking about how many books I read because of the pressure with the numbers. Sometimes I wake up and decide to only read books and not to log in on Goodreads. But it doesn't work when I get nervous about the numbers of books I read this year. I agree with you. It is sad and annoying. I love your videos and the way you speak. ❤
@Nezzle8 жыл бұрын
lol I really enjoyed this video. You made some really great points. I agree wholeheartedly.
@dreaminginbooks6 жыл бұрын
this is such an interesting and important video and I always think about this because I went to an art school and I've made zines, my friend who is getting her mfa in comics makes zines. In general there are SO MANY intricate and honest ideas in zines and it's almost a part of their magic that they untrackable. At the same time, I am totally guilty of not reading a zine because of the "goodreads or it didn't happen idea" I just never consciously thought about it in that way--so thank you for bringing it up!
@Midnightsclover8 жыл бұрын
I have been feeling this a lot this year. I'm learning Dutch so I'm reading comics and children books in Dutch and a lot of them never were translated into English so they aren't on goodreads. There was a time this year when I didn't want to read Dutch books because of that. But I have decided that is silly and now I'm behind on my reading challenge, but I've read more Dutch books then I ever thought I could.
@kaevinday15788 жыл бұрын
I don't really relate to your reading tastes, Ariel, but you always make such good points. Keep asking booktube's controversial questions because we need it!
@haileyscrochet8 жыл бұрын
I have a spreadsheet that I use that I got from Book Riot. I do it more so I can see where/what I read more of. However even I can feel the pressure with just something I'm doing for fun or for my own benefit of how many pages or books I'm reading.
@casablanca50818 жыл бұрын
I used to track my reading until I started my freshman year at college. At that time, it used to take me a month or so to finish one book. My reading track was awful compared to previous years, and by the end of my freshman year, I got really depressed because I felt like I let down the reader in me, but it was also an eye opener because I stopped tracking my books since then, and I stopped devaluing myself as a reader as well.
@troubadourin8 жыл бұрын
oh man i completely agree! i hate that i consider reading something depending on its length because of my time constraints - thinking reading anything is a waste of time is such a terrible feeling
@sprinkledwithwords28358 жыл бұрын
Great video! I track my reading via Goodreads, but I don't see it as "IF I CAN'T TRACK I CAN'T READ!" I like to look back and see what books I've read, but I'll know that I read X amount of magazines and blog posts this year too and that's a really cool little thing that makes me happy as well.
@Goldeninkheart8 жыл бұрын
Hey Ariel, good to see you. I have always been a reader and there are hundred of books , bunch of digests and local magazines which I am a weekly/monthly subscriber to. So , I read for my personal pleasure not to report on Goodreads. (That's y the read list on my Goodreads is a small one in comparison to what I read).But yes I do enjoy addition of books if there is a presence of such option. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
@brunnaanselm08 жыл бұрын
The way you speak is SO good and amazing because im brazilian and i can understand everything you're saying! Sorry for bad english. Thank you ❤.
@JeremiahTatola8 жыл бұрын
I LOVE to track my books, poetry AND magazines! I kind of have a designated time for reading them too! I usually read Zines and magazines in the morning, then throughout the day and at night i read poetry and novels. It's a pretty cool system lol
@haleyschmitz43428 жыл бұрын
Illuminating video, love the way your mind works
@bellathebookworm65938 жыл бұрын
can you make a zeen book collection video please?
@muffinfilms8 жыл бұрын
Great video, I've thought about this a lot over the years. I try to never set an ambitious goodreads goal because that will mess with the way I choose books, there are so many why's involved already I don' t need one more (that would limit rather than expand, because I'd shy away from books that would take a lot of time for one reason or another). I do like having the pressure of a goal though, because sometimes I need a reason to sit down and read, so I try to strike a balance. So far it's worked out.