When we think about new year’s resolutions, we often think about changing our habits or new setting goals around food, exercise and work. But why not take our reading seriously too?
Social media reading platforms often ask us to set annual reading goals based on the number of books we plan to read. But there are all kinds of reading resolutions worth making. They might be diving deep into one author, books instead of phones before bed, or finding ways to support local writing culture through what you read.
These are just some of the ideas six of our experts came up with when we asked them to share their new year’s reading resolutions.
More reading, less phone
My reading resolution is to finally leave my phone at the front door. My phone is the one thing thwarting my reading goals. I’ve gone to great lengths to neuter its effect on me. I’ve deleted my Facebook account. I’ve installed content blockers. I’ve turned on “sleep focus”. But, I’m astounded how my tired brain can outsmart my best intentions.
Swipe, tap, dopamine. The little pile of books on my bedside goes untouched, like Miss Havisham’s wedding cake.
So, I’ve removed the chargers from the bedroom, bought a $5 reading light, and for accountability, professed my intentions to my wife and the internet. No more phones in bed.
Michael Noetel is an associate professor in the school of psychology at the University of Queensland.
More music memoirs
In 2026, I’ll be reading a lot of music memoirs and relevant books on writing craft to support my next project: unpacking my life as a rock journalist in London during the 1990s.
Top of my list are Melissa Auf Der Maur’s Even the Good Girls Will Cry, on her days with Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, The Royal We by queer icon Roddy Bottum (ex Faith No More), and A Screaming Life by Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil.
I interviewed all of these musicians and their bands back in the day, and I can’t wait to read their perspectives on that incredible era. Roddy was one of the few openly bisexual musicians I knew in that world, and Kim was probably the only rock star I met who had a philosophy degree!
I’m also looking forward to Lily Dunn’s Into Being: The Radical Craft of Memoir and its Power to Transform, which explores the complex work of writing memoir and Lauren Elkin’s forthcoming memoir and feminist manifesto about the female singing voice, Vocal Break.
Liz Evans is adjunct researcher, English and Writing, University of Tasmania.
More NZ fiction, more audiobooks (fewer podcasts)
More New Zealand fiction has been my regular, yearly reading resolution for the past decade or so, but in 2025 I’ve managed to read exactly one novel by a New Zealand author. (It was a good one,