Choice is difficult for me. This extends to my bookshelf, which means that the more books I add, the harder it is to choose what to read next. A few months ago, I decided that a random pick was the way forward. I counted along my unread books, put this number into Google’s ‘random number generator’ and whatever number came up, this was my next book. It’s worked well, so I always choose my next read this way (unless I have a library book waiting or an ARC with a short deadline). One time, I had no internet, so I used the ‘close-your-eyes-and-touch-a-book’ method instead. Here are the benefits of ‘random’ picks:
- It’s exciting to see what’ll come up, like playing the lottery, but better.
- Books you ‘keep meaning to read’ but which get pushed aside have an equal chance of being your next read.
- You find out which books you don’t actually want any more, once you’re ‘forced’ to begin reading them.
- The choice is taken out of your hands, so that’s one less thing to worry about.
- No restrictions of setting yourself a ‘monthly TBR’ pile and no pressure to read a certain number of books.
- If you want variety, you can skip the books on your shelf which are similar to your last read and still have enough left for a random surprise.
This is a neat idea! I can usually solve what I’ll read next thanks to ARCs, library holds and if there’s something I’m really in the mood for, but it’s kind of the worse when I don’t have any of those and am just not inclined towards anything in particular. I end up starting 5 different books trying to decide which one I want to finish and it somehow makes none of them appealing. May have to try this at some point!
Glad you like the idea 🙂
I rarely have ARCs lined up now and I haven’t borrowed many library books lately so I’ve been getting through the books on my shelf. Random picks have been very useful!
Great idea!
Thanks! Do you think you’d try it?!
I’m not sure as I’m a real mood reader, but you never know!
This is such a cool idea! At least now you can focus on the book you’re reading rather than wonder what book you’ll have to pick next. It also takes a lot of the pressure off which is great!
Thank you 🙂
I am actually dependent on it now and can’t choose the reads for myself! And it’s exciting to see what will be chosen.
Woww! I like that ideaaa!! 😍😍 I didn’t know about Google’s random number generator! 😍 I am gonna try it with my next read now!’ ❤️❤️ LOVELY POST, Ford! ❤️❤️💕💕👻👻⛄️⛄️
Thank you 🙂 it’s a great way of choosing your next read, kind of addictive actually 😉
Yeah! Really sounds awesome! 👻😍
Whatever works 📚😉
And it does work 😉
Great post, and interesting idea. I’d love the freedom to try this but I’m really not sure I’d want to read the book that came up in the number generator, no matter how much I willed myself. I tried the technique of touching a book randomly with my eyes closed and then didn’t want to read it, lol
Something does seem to work on me though. Somehow I seem to always want to read a book as soon as I have the cover constantly in sight so I keep out a few books from the shelves which I plan to read (or have been meaning to read for a while) and somehow just get the urge to make them my next read, lol. Still, I might try this one day…Btw I love your artistic photography of blurred bookshelves, it definitely looks like art 😀 <3
Thank you! 🙂
It’s not a technique that would work for everyone. You have to be willing to read whatever comes up 😉
If something works for you, that’s good!
I do like the blurred bookshelves thing. There is an art to blurring them the right way 😉
Thanks for your comment!