Recently I thought it would be fun and interesting to ask this question of fellow-writers on our own dedicated Facebook group, having just learned from Goodreads that I’d reviewed or rated 28 books this year.
I made a fascinating discovery. Annual reading achievement varied enormously. I thought I was doing quite well at approximately 30 – and I learned via an online search that a “voracious” reader may get through 30-50 books a year but across the general population it is a very different picture: “According to a YouGov survey, the mean number of books read for pleasure by adults in the UK is around 10 each year, and the median is around 4.”
The answers I received from fellow-writers took me by surprise: and not least, because I was humbled and impressed by how the majority of these individuals managed to fit in so much reading alongside writing their own books!
“78 – less than two books a week, which doesn’t seem very much at all to me.”
“No more than 5”.
“In 2016 I read 69 – years ago I might read up to 100 a year. One month I notched up 19 books.”
“About 36.”
“About 12.”
“49 and some other started but not finished.”
“Over 100.”
“120 last year – as at 8 January this year I’ve already read 7.”
“55 from the library alone so probably nearer 70 or 80.”
“Going back through my Kindle orders, 54 not including ones I gave up on or old books I re-read.”
“32 according to Goodreads.”
“Between 15 and 30.”
“Probably about 12-15.”
“175 last year and above 150 for each year since 2011 when I started tracking on Goodreads.”
“55.”