2021 Resolutions

Let me preface this post by saying I’m hesitant to make any resolutions this year. While I did a pretty good job of obtaining my 2020 goals, hindsight also warns me to saunter into the year rather than dive in head first. Last year taught me to take it easy and not put too much pressure on myself. But I’m also one for self-improvement, so I can’t help but make a few resolutions in this year, which will certainly be better than last … right? RIGHT??

Although I don’t have any crazy projects on the horizon like I did in 2020 or literary goals just spewing out of me, there are a few things I’d like to accomplish this year. Let’s take a look.

New books that I’ve yet to read!

#OwnVoices

In the past few years, I’ve vowed every year to add more diversity to my library. While on this journey of reading experiences that differ from my own, I’ve discovered the #OwnVoices movement, which encourages the reading and writing of books about marginalized people by those same people. While it first caught on in the young adult genre, it’s certainly applicable in adult fiction.

I’ve tried to find these types of novels in the past few years without realizing it had a name. And I didn’t realize how tone-deaf and disrespectful it can be to write about other people’s experiences until I read The Book of Lost Friends, the first one-flame book on Big Little Literature — partially for that reason. Not only do I not want to repeat that mistake again, but I also want 50% of the books I read to be part of the #OwnVoices movement and part of a marginalized group that I cannot relate to (i.e., white, cisgender, heterosexual, and female).

Science Fiction

I’ve written before about how my boyfriend is a sci-fi nerd. I say that I’ve given the genre a try, but that effort has been minimal. Now, I have also been pressured and challenged by my good friend Sabrina (who is a friend of BLL as well) to give sci-fi another try this year.

You all can bear witness to this resolution, which I have made before, that I will read at least TWO science fiction novels. I’m probably the most nervous about this resolution, but I’m willing to give the genre another try. I may even let Kyle and Sabrina each choose these books.

Audio Books

I’ve been curious about audio books for a while. The only problem is that I gave them a try during marathon training more than three years ago, and they epically failed me. I had also tried Harry Potter. If Harry Potter could fail me, how could any audio book ever succeed?

Well, let’s just say that 2020 may have changed my opinion and grew my curiosity surrounding these “books.” I admit that a part of me still feels like audio books are cheating. Can you really say you’ve read a book if you listened to it? It’s all very confusing. But in 2020, Kyle became very interested in listening to The Expanse, the first book of which he read and loved. He and I also took a lot of road trips last year, and so I knitted in the car while that series played through the speakers. The reader’s voices were phenomenal, and I found myself curious about the series, which made me more curious about audio books as a whole.

Rather than assuming that “listening” is cheating on “reading,” I will give audio books a try this year. Let me see what all the hype is about before casting judgment. Who knows, maybe they’ll become a favorite past time.

New Hobby

I’ve been open about going to therapy this year, and one thing my therapist urged me to do was to find a new hobby. Kyle — always the supportive partner — kept thinking of new things for me to try. And as a gamer, he came up with one idea that he insisted I would love, given my passion for books: narrative video games.

Narrative video games are exactly what they sound like. It’s a game that requires player action but tells a story along with it. Remember those “choose your own adventure” books? They’re kind of like that. Kyle is so convinced I will find a new-found passion in narrative video games, so I promised I would play one. I’ve played one chapter of one game, and so far, I’ve enjoyed the experience. I’m aiming to finish this narrative video game along with at least one other and to share that experience with all of you on BLL. We could all use some new hobbies now and then!

Do you have any literary resolutions? Is there anything new you think I should try or a goal you think I should set this year? Leave a comment and let me know!

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