Every January — and honestly, every time a new season rolls around — the bookish internet collectively decides that the goal is to read more. More books, more pages, more time with a book in hand. And look, reading more is lovely. But it's also vague enough to mean nothing, which is probably why most reading goals quietly die somewhere around March.

The best reading goals aren't about volume. They're about experience. They change how you read, not just how much.

So if you've been wanting to set a reading goal that actually excites you — one that expands your world, connects you to other people, and makes your reading life feel a bit more intentional — this one's for you.

Why "Read More" Doesn't Work as a Goal

"Read more" is about as actionable as "be better." It sounds nice but gives you nothing to work with. No finish line, no direction, no reason to choose one book over another.

Meaningful reading goals are specific and experiential. They answer the question: what do I want reading to do for me? And the answers are way more interesting than a number on Goodreads.

7 Reading Goals Worth Actually Setting

1. Read more authors from diverse backgrounds

This is one of the most quietly transformative reading goals you can set. When we read the same kinds of voices over and over, we get the same kinds of stories. Expanding the pool of authors you read — across culture, country, ethnicity, lived experience — doesn't just make you a more well-read person. It makes you a more curious one.

Start small: choose one or two books this season written by an author from a background different from your own. Let the list build from there.

Good for: Readers who've noticed their shelves are a bit… samey.

2. Read a genre you'd normally skip

There's probably at least one genre you've written off without really trying it. Fantasy if you're a literary fiction reader. Romance if you lean thriller. Historical fiction if you usually reach for contemporary.

The goal here isn't to love it. It's to try it — and you might be surprised. Some of the best reads come from books you'd never have picked up on purpose.

Good for: Readers stuck in a rut, or who always reach for the same shelf.

3. Go to a bookish event

Reading can be such a solitary hobby — which is part of its charm. But there's something genuinely magic about sharing it with other people in person.

Book launches, literary festivals, author talks, library events — and yes, reading retreats 👀 — all count. A reading retreat in particular is a wonderful way to immerse yourself completely: somewhere quiet and beautiful, with time set aside for nothing but reading, conversation, and good food. (I might be a little biased on that last one.)

If an Australian or New Zealand reading retreat has been sitting on your "someday" list, consider making it a this year list item instead.

Good for: Readers who want to connect with others who get it.

4. Read a book with a friend — or join a book club

Reading alongside someone else changes the book. Suddenly, you're not just reading; you're collecting things to say, noticing moments to share, and having conversations you wouldn't have had otherwise.

This can be as informal as texting a friend "want to read this together?" or as structured as joining a monthly book club with a curated pick, a Zoom catch-up, and a community of people who love books as much as you do.

(Funny you should mention it — I know of one.)

Good for: Readers who want more connection and conversation around books.

5. Start a new series — or finally finish one

Maybe you've been meaning to start a series everyone you know has raved about. Maybe you're three books into something and never got to book four. Either way, series reading has its own particular pleasure: the accumulation of a world, the slow trust you build with characters, the feeling of finishing something long.

Pick your series. Commit to it.

Good for: Readers who want to go deeper, not wider.

6. Read a classic

Classics have a reputation for being “worthy” and “important”, which is exactly the kind of language that makes people not want to read them. But here's a reframe: classics are just books that have been loved so much, for so long, that they've become part of the cultural conversation.

Reading one — even just one — connects you to that conversation. Pick something you've always been curious about, not something you feel you should read. There's a difference.

Good for: Readers who want to feel a little more adventurous, or who keep saying "I've always wanted to read…"

7. Read the book, then watch the movie

This one is purely fun, and highly underrated as a reading goal.

Pick a book that's been adapted into a film — there are so many — and do them back-to-back. Then have opinions.

The book-versus-movie debate is one of the great pleasures of being a reader, and doing it intentionally (rather than accidentally watching the film first and then being annoyed) makes it even better.

Good for: Readers who want an excuse to also watch something, and who love a good debate.

How to Pick the Right Reading Goal for You

The best reading goal is the one that actually sounds appealing — not the one that sounds impressive. If the idea of reading a classic fills you with mild dread, skip it. If the idea of joining a book club makes you genuinely excited, start there.

Reading goals work best when they're attached to something you want, not something you feel you should want.

If you're not sure where to start, try picking just one goal from this list. One is enough. One specific intention, done well, is worth ten vague resolutions.

Want to Tick Off a Few Goals at Once?

A reading retreat is honestly the cheat code of the reading goal world. In one weekend, you can:

Read an entire book (or most of one)
Connect with other book lovers in person
Have the kind of unhurried reading time that real life rarely allows

Busy with Books runs reading retreats in Australia and New Zealand, designed for readers who want to actually read. If that sounds like your kind of thing, join the waitlist and we'll let you know when our next retreat opens.

And if a book club is more your speed, our online book club is open year-round — monthly picks, Zoom discussions, a private community, and yes, a monthly Italian recipe, because reading should always come with good food.

Reading Goals That Aren't "Read More" (And Actually Stick)