Prioritizing your TBR List or Pile

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If you’re a reader, you have one or perhaps two to-be-read piles—one pile of books and/or a Kindle, Nook or other E-reader full. So how do you organize all those books?

I googled this topic and found a couple of useful articles and a few crazy/funny ones.

Bottom line is, every reader is different and will organize (or not) his or her TBR pile/lists his or her own way. But here are a few ideas . . .

• Did you get a free book in return for a review? These should always come first! Even if the book ends up on the bottom of your pile, dig it out and do what you promised to do. Not a very good story? Poor writing? Miserable plot? Skim through enough of the story to form an honest opinion, write your review, and be done with it. Please be kind, though. Authors put their heart and soul into a book. At least one or two positive things can be found in even the most awful story.
• Oldest to newest (or vise versa).  I know, we’re always ready to read the latest and greatest authors/books, but sometimes you’ll find a gem in that stack of old books or at the bottom of the library list on your E-reader.
• Favorite authors first! When reading time is limited, I almost always reach for my favorite author because, at the end of the day (or book) I know I’ll be satisfied. Some choose to keep their favorite authors to savor last like a decadent dessert. That’s fine too, or better yet, sprinkle them amongst the others in your pile or on your list.
• Organize according to genre. This can be done on your E-reader by creating collections or shelves.
• Create a separate pile or collection for books in series and read in order. Most authors work hard to ensure any book in a series can be read as a standalone, but for me, I want to read them in order, especially if the same characters can be found in subsequent books. Books with the same setting or an item as the identifying character in a series can usually be read in any order.
• Books to movies. If you know a movie is being produced of a certain book, read the book first if possible! There is so much detail and description that can’t be squeezed into 90 to 120 minutes. With the exception of a couple of non-fiction titles, I always find the book so much more entertaining. Sometimes, however, you’ll find that a book was written after the movie premiered (think Hallmark). Again, if you love detail and description, read the book.

Reading is subjective, and each reader as different as the books they choose, so there is no right or wrong way to prioritize your TBR list/pile. The most important thing about having a TBR list or pile is to make time for reading! After which, please consider donating the books you enjoy but don’t deem true keepers.

Happy reading!