Literary in the City

Am I the only person who loves putting together a TBR?

There’s this quiet joy in crafting a list of books. I love the anticipation that bubbles up inside you, the whimsical eagerness knowing that you’ll get to devour all these titles sometime down the line. I think it’s one of those hobbies that is niche enough to not have a proper name, but it’s also popular enough that most bookworms do it. I’ve entitled it “TBR-crafting.”

I’ve crafted TBRs on the Notes app, on paper, on Google Docs, and even on whiteboards. I’ve organized them into categories and just done a free-for-all dump of books. I’ve made notes of what books I’d like to buy on my Kindle, what books are in the local library, and what books I can probably find a grainy PDF of online. And after years of experience honing the craft, here are some of my top tips and suggestions to try out when making a TBR:

1. Go Digital: As much as I love the feel of paper, going digital helps you erase books you don’t want and helps you shift around your list. Trust me, you’re going to do a lot of moving around. 

2. Sort Into Categories: This is an especially fun one if you’re looking to expand your horizons and explore new genres. After sorting my TBR into categories (such as fiction, mystery, sci-fi, memoirs, etc.), I’ve found myself reading a greater variety of books that I normally wouldn’t have. It’s also very satisfying to tick off a book in each category!

3. Make it a Fun Activity: Put on a fun TV show in the background (recently, I’ve been watching Modern Family), open up Goodreads, play some music, pop some buttery popcorn–make it a fun experience! Relax and savor the art of reading. You can even do this activity with friends!

4. Decorate: Whether its emojis, stickers and doodles, or little images of the books you want to read, make your TBR look gorgeous so that you get excited about it!

5. Embrace Imperfection: This one kind of relates to the very first tip all the way up at the top, but I firmly believe that as we grow and change, so do our TBRs. The list of books you have down may not be what you end up reading a few months down the line, and that’s okay! Reading is meant to be about fulfilling you, not about checking off a box or forcing yourself to finish reading something that isn’t feeding your soul. Your TBR will always be evolving, and learning to embrace that spirit is critical.

I hope you enjoy these tips and tricks, and maybe spend some of this spring weather putting together a TBR of your own. I’m off travelling for a bit, but when I get back, it’s time for Book Bingo Boards!

XOXO,

H.