by Bethany Jett, @BetJett

If we want to write well, we need to read. A lot. But since reading is often viewed as a hobby or indulgence, it can seem like we’re wasting our time when we open our Kindle app or a paperback. To give myself a break, this year, I decided to incorporate reading as part of my author job description. Pouring through a great book is now mandatory.

Bring on the guilt free novels.

For the last couple of years, I participated unofficially in NYT Bestseller Jon Acuff’s Empty Shelf Challenge. While adding book covers to Pinterest was a good idea, I kept forgetting to actually pin them. So this year, I switched gears and signed up for the Goodreads “My Reading Challenge.

Goodreads.com made it so much easier to track my books. Most of the time, if you read a book using the Kindle app, a pop-up screen lets you add the book directly to your Goodreads shelf.

If you’re unfamiliar with Goodreads, it’s an awesome site that lets you track your books, rate, review, find groups of fellow book lovers, and vote in the Goodreads Awards. As an author, you can claim your books and people can follow your Goodreads page, which includes a place for discussion.

Back to reading.

If reading more books is on your goal list for 2017, I encourage you to join the 2017 Reading Challenge. You can find the challenge when you log in to your Goodreads account. Click on your image icon in the top right hand corner to pull down the menu. Scroll down and click on the My Reading Challenge link.

Now, I’m not sure what will pop up if it’s your first time joining the challenge. My screen shows my progress for this year. I think on January 1, that link will reset for a new challenge.

It’s often said that you’re more likely to reach a goal if you write it down. I consider joining the Goodreads Challenge an even more awesome accountability method. Stretch yourself.

Read fiction.

Read nonfiction.

Read poetry.

Read the classics.

Read the Bible.

If you aren’t sure where to start, Google “books to read in 2017,” and you’ll see a number of posts with great recommendations.

As you can see, I have a goal of reading 50 books this year and I’m on number thirty-nine. I need to peruse my Kindle app to make sure I’ve actually added all the ones I’ve read, and I need to think super hard about which paperbacks I’ve finished.

Officially, I have eleven books left to read before 12:01 AM on January 1, 2017 and with several great books “un-started” on my bookshelf and a few abandoned halfway on my nightstand, I will meet my goal. I encourage you to try to read even one more book in the next few days, or complete your own reading challenge.

We’ll be better writers for it.

And on a totally unrelated note, if you’re as slightly obsessed with the National Day celebrations like I’ve become, today is National Post-Christmas Day, Chocolate Candy Day, Card Playing Day, Holy Innocents Day, and Pledge of Allegiance Day. God Bless America. And chocolate. And Euchre.

[reminder]I’d love to know how many books you’d like to read in 2017, how many books you read in 2016, and your favorite book this year. [/reminder]

Bethany Jett is an award-winning author of The Cinderella Rule, speaker, ghostwriter, and founder of JETTsetter Ink, a consulting and editing company. She has written for numerous publications, created the My Moments Planner, Serious Writer Companion, and is the founder of Serious Writer Academy and the Build Your Brand Program. Her newest work, Through the Eyes of Hope releases January 2017.

Bethany is a military wife and all-boys-mama who is addicted to suspense novels and all things girly. She writes on living a brilliant life at BethanyJett.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest,  Instagram (new profile), and Twitter.