Its that time of year again. Its that time to challenge myself to be more nerdy and bookish than I already was before.

By the way, Happy Almost New Year everyone ;)

Last year I challenged myself to ten different things. I succeeded in a decent amount of them but honestly, I know I could have done better. This year was rough, price not just in nerd life, but just life in general. I dropped out of school to 100% pursue a career in writing. I broke up with my boyfriend of nearly 7 years. I was disappointed when I figured out that I just couldn’t move out on my own yet. Its been a seriously rough year for me. So a lot of my nerd stuff has taken a hit on that. I’ve read about a total of 20 books since September, when Jon and I broke up. For me, that’s terrible. I average about 15-20 books a month, let alone in four full months.

So I’m ready to get back to me. I’m ready to focus on my novel, my writing, my reading, my blog and my fangirl life. These are the things in my life that make me happy and I’m so ready for it. Here are my goals for the year!

10. Read More!

Seriously. I’m so disappointed in myself this year. I think I got so distracted by dropping out of school and writing a novel and breaking up with a boyfriend and getting a new job that I just stopped reading. Seriously. My goal for the year on GoodReads was 150 books, 50 less than what I had accomplished in 2013. I thought I had it in the bag but I’m at about 123 with two days left. Its not going to happen. I’m ready to get back to reading and my GINORMOUS pile of books is telling me I’m ready too.

9. Publish More Nerd Things on the Blog!

This was something that I had challenged myself to do last year and I didn’t accomplish that very much. I am very focused books, and rightly so as I write and read them and I’ve been gaining more and more momentum as a book blogger. But I want to bring back more nerdiness to the blog besides books because that’s what the whole point of the blog was. I need to get back to covering movies and TV shows and all those fun things again. I’m a nerd girl all around and I miss talking about all of that.

8. Hold More Giveaways

I haven’t had a giveaway since September and I feel TOTALLY awful. I usually do one ONCE a month and I haven’t had one and I’m just awful. I know its not that big of a deal but I truly love doing giveaways and I’m sure you guys love being apart of them (especially if you win) so I resolve to get back to doing one once a month!

7. Read More Adult Books

This was another goal part of the list last year, and I didn’t succeed at all. 2% of the books I read in the last year were what you would consider adult, and that’s only with me fitting all the new adult books in that category haha. I want to read more adult books just because I want to broaden what I read. I still prefer YA over anything else but I don’t know what I could be missing out on and I want to make sure I’m experiencing all there is out there.

6. Get to More Conventions

YES! Last year I went to Gallifrey One and WonderCon and that’s it. I felt like I was failing. Oh, I went to the ALA Conference as well so that might count. But I missed out on a LOT of other conventions and I don’t want to do that again. I know that its harder this year, what with working at Disneyland and not being able to have as many weekends off but I’m determined to experience more nerd. I also hope to cosplay more but I know better than to actually make that a goal haha

5. Stop Buying Books Before You Read the Ones You Already Own 

Yes. I need to stop doing this. I currently have about 100 books in my to be read pile and yet I keep buying books. I keep doing that. Its terrible. I want to only buy books that are brand new releases from authors that I know or sequels to books I’ve already read, until I start making more progress on my ginormous to be read pile.

4. Write the Sequel to The Awakened

Everyone keeps asking the title for The Awakened but I can’t say the title without kind of ruining the entire first book. But I’ve let The Awakened sit and stew and while I work on trying to get it published, in some way or the other, I need to start working on its sequel. For NaNo last month, I attempted to write my contemporary romance baseball novel and I honestly just couldn’t handle it. I didn’t care enough and the sad part is…I really want to. I care about Evie and Austin and their stories but I just couldn’t make it work. So its time to get back to Zoey and Ash, and finish their story.

3. Get to 350,000 views on the Blog

I am blown away at where I have reached on my blog. 260K views. I never expected to hit that much this year. My goal was 150, and I surpassed that by more than 100K views. That’s incredible. I’m so proud of this little blog. It may not be this huge name or anything and I may not be changing the world but I love each and every single one of you out there, rooting me on and reading each post and just showing a ton of support. I love it.

2. Read 200 Books!

I know. I’m pushing it this year. I did it in 2013 and I’m determined to do it again in 2015. I know I only read 123 books in 2014 but I’m ready to get back to reading again. I’m determined that I’ll get through the ginormous pile of books that I need to read, and all the new books that will make their way into my life in the new year. I believe that I can do it again. What do you think?

1. The Awakened

I want to make this novel into something. Whether I complete my goal of finding an agent or signing with an indie publishing company or self-publishing it, I want to figure it out, I want to make it happen. I spent 2014 writing it and editing it and living and breathing it and now its time to make it a reality. 2015 is the year of making this dream come true already. I’m sacrificing SO much on this and I’m ready for it to happen. So a huge focus of this coming year will be The Awakened, making it bigger and better and finding a way to get into the hands of readers that I know will love it just as much as I do :)

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What are some of your nerdy and bookish goals for the year? Share them in the comments!