How I'm (Attempting to) Conquer my TBR

Hello fellow Story Seekers, let us be honest for a moment.

If you’re here, your TBR probably isn’t just a list — it’s a living, breathing entity that grows faster than you can possibly read it. As a fellow serial reader, mine has reached the point where it feels less like a plan and more like a personality trait.

The logical solution would be simple: stop buying books and read the ones I already own.

But if logic worked on avid readers, we wouldn’t be here.

So, in true Confessions of a Serial Reader fashion, I’ve done EXTENSIVE research (read: BookTok spirals, blog posts, and staring at my shelves like they personally wronged me) to find ways to finally tackle my TBR. I’m not claiming these will cure us — but story seeker, I’m hoping at least one helps.

I’ll be sharing my progress (and inevitable slip-ups) over on Instagram.

Have a physical pile (so you can’t ignore it)

Confession number one: if I can’t see my TBR, I will pretend it doesn’t exist.

That’s why a physical pile matters. A stack of books sitting outside your bookcase, quietly judging you every time you walk past.

For me, a messy pile of books is just irritating enough to push me into action. Eventually, I’ll grab one simply to restore order.

That said, I’ve absolutely sabotaged myself by moving the pile somewhere else or throwing a blanket over it. A very serial-reader move.

If your pile is already stressing you out — don’t worry. We’ll get to that.

Keep it close at all times

Once your TBR is physical, put it somewhere you’ll constantly see it.

• Next to the TV.

• On the sofa.

• By your bed.

  
  

The goal, story seeker, is gentle but persistent guilt. The kind that makes a book quietly linger in your thoughts until you finally pick it up. Ideally, it’s the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning.

Eventually, resistance fades.

Set realistic goals (we’re not delusional)

Another confession: I love ambitious reading goals and hate maintaining them.

So keep yours realistic. Fifty pages a day. Thirty minutes. Whatever actually fits your life.

My sweet spot is after my little boy is in bed and dinner is cooking — around 40 minutes of uninterrupted reading, depending on the meal.

Sometimes I stop when dinner’s ready. Sometimes I don’t, because:

• the plot has finally revealed something important

• enemies are becoming lovers

• or it’s time for the inevitable “fuck it” moment

My biggest mistake? Not having a book downstairs when this happens. A serial reader classic. My new rule is simple: there must always be a book within reach.

Size matters (no shame here)

Story seeker I assure you - size matters.

Too big, and it’s overwhelming.

Too small, and there’s no urgency.

You want a pile large enough to make you uncomfortable — but not so large that you immediately disassociate.

For me, that’s 7–8 books. For you, it might be 5… or if you’re a particularly speedy story seeker, maybe more.

If your pile is already out of control, split it. Categorise it however your brain prefers:

• by genre

• by author

• by season

• by vibes

One of my favourite systems is dividing into:

• Series I’ve started (and must finish)

• Standalones

• New series I impulsively bought

No judgement. This is a confessional space.

Whittle it down (be honest, story seeker)

Here’s a hard truth: not every book deserves a place on your TBR.

If it no longer interests you, remove it.If it’s been sitting there for over a year — story seeker, you’re not reading it.

Look for repetition too. Six enemies-to-lovers books? Pick the three you’re most excited about. The rest can wait — this is not their season.

Even serial readers need variety. Burnout is real.

Try ranking your pile by:

• favourite authors

• tropes

• genres

Then cut the bottom few. They’re not gone — they’re just waiting.

Make a second “holiday” pile

This is where story seekers separate now books from eventually books.

Some books are “I’ll absolutely read this”… just not today. Those belong in a second pile — the someday pile.

Your main TBR should be books you actively want to read right now, not books you feel vaguely guilty about owning.

Time-sensitive reads

If a book will feel outdated next year, move it to the top.

This also applies to seasonal and cultural reads:

• LGBTQ+ stories during Pride Month

• Christmas romances in December

• socially or politically relevant books while the conversation is happening

Story seeker, timing is everything.

Curate by season

As the days grow darker, maybe now isn’t the time for emotionally devastating reads. I save those for summer.

Try splitting your TBR by season:

• Winter

• Spring

• Summer

• Autumn

It makes the pile feel intentional — not chaotic.

Mix it up

Reading the same trope back-to-back is how a story seeker burns out.

Alternate your reads:

• romantasy → dark romance

• heavy → light

• slow burn → chaos

  
  

Switching from Xaden Riorson to Zade Meadows never hurt anyone… unless that’s exactly what they’re looking for.

You can also alternate between a book you’re less excited about and one you’re desperate to read. Finish the meh book, then reward yourself.

Stop buying books (a confession, not a promise)

Story seeker, this one hurt.

If you can stop buying books entirely, I respect you — but I cannot relate. Instead, I’m attempting to limit my purchases.

My current goal? One book a month.

Will that happen?

Absolutely not.

But we try.

Wrap them up

Wrap the books on your TBR and dedicate a shelf to them. Better yet, have someone else wrap them so you don’t know what you’re choosing.

You get the thrill of a surprise and the satisfaction of finishing another book — peak serial reader psychology.

That’s it for now, story seeker — my latest Confessions laid bare.

If you’d like a part two, let me know over on Instagram and tell me which of these tips actually worked for you (if any).

As always, happy story seeking. 📚✨ Until the next confession.