The 2018 Annual Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

[pdurrant]

2018 Reading Challenge Discussion Thread

Welcome to our 9th Annual Reading Challenge!

Maybe you would like to read a certain number of pages this year, finish a certain number of books, concentrate on a specific genre or deplete your ever-growing TBR list. Maybe you're looking for ideas or you just want to see how far you can go…

This is the thread where we can share our personal goals and strategies or ask for suggestions and support. New ideas are encouraged and always welcomed.

The Annual Reading Challenge is neither a race, contest, nor an "exclusive club", anyone can join! This is just a fun activity that some of us have enjoyed doing in the past. Many of us have found reading challenges to be an entertaining way to set goals for ourselves, get ideas for books, and see what others are reading.

You are welcome to keep track of the books you have read (or another goal) in the "List Thread", here:

2018 Annual Reading Challenge List Thread

Plus, if you would like to discuss a particular book, please participate in the Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? thread and share your thoughts about the book with others.

[Dngrsone]

So, I'm bumping up my goal for next year: now that I am listening to audiobooks during my commutes, I think I will get that extra 25 or so in.

[Dazrin]

I'm bumping my goal up as well, not because I will have more time but because I have been reading more every year it feels like, although I really doubt 2018 will be as high as 2017, it's been a good reading year.

I have made an updated copy of my reading spreadsheet that I use to post the graphs in my list post (see 2017 in my signature) if anyone is interested.

[pdurrant]

I'm following the lead of another member, and just putting "Reduce TBR" as my main goal for 2018.

[astrangerhere]

Length Goals:

• Total Books: 50 (stretch goal of 75)
• Total Pages: 25,000
• TBR Reduction: Reduce by at least 25

Substantive Goals:

• Read at least 51% non-American authors
• Read more female/gender-fluid authors than male
• Read at least 52 short stories
• Read at least 10 of the Mobile Read Book Club selections

[Tarana]

My goal is similar. Reduce the TBR of purchased books. I really, really, really need to stop buying so many books so that I can catch up.

[jbcohen]

I will set my goals where I leave off in 2017, which is far shy of where I wanted to.

Anyone care to compare statistics: Average of 27 novels read per moth with a standard deviation of 11 books. In other words, a lot of variation in the number read per month. Spent $120 for the year on Kindle Unlimited, which bought me approximately $4,000 worth of books for the entire year.

[Dazrin]

By the way, now would be a good time to review your signature especially if you don't keep signatures visible.

I have been paying attention because of another thread and have seen several signature lines that haven't been updated in a couple years and are pointing to an old thread.

[Nyssa]

There are a few series that I would like to either catch up on or complete. I am not, however, limiting myself to series already started. I just want to see how this year goes.

[issybird]

Several of my goals in the past two years fizzled out for various reasons, so one of my challenges will be to revisit them and see how it goes. I think I'll put a six-month limit on that, though, and either re-up or move on in July.

I'm also going to add a Great War challenge. I've done one before, but since next year will be the centenary of the end of the war to end all wars, it seems appropriate.

Finally, I'll start a longer-term challenge, to read all of Shakespeare's plays in chronological order. My plan is to read one per month, so essentially a three-year challenge. It joins another long-term challenge, to read all of Wodehouse in chronological order, but I don't have a time limit on that one.

Other than the Shakespeare, I'm not adding a numerical component to my category challenges this year. While I tend to like them as I think it helps keep me from falling behind, I'll be juggling too many categories for that to be truly productive.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm also going to add a Great War challenge. I've done one before, but since next year will be the centenary of the end of the war to end all wars, it seems appropriate.

What is this challenge? I read a fair number of WWI books at the centenary of the start of the war, but without any sort of organization. Is there a list?

[CRussel]

The goal this year is similar to last year's, 120 books read (or abandoned), with a stretch goal of 160 books. This includes audio books. Individual short stories will be recorded, but not counted towards that goal until I've got several I can combine. Longer "short" works (~100 pages or so) will be counted as a full book, though if I have two of them back to back, I'll tend to count them as a single book.

Secondary goal is to update this list no less often than once a week. I managed that until the summer last year, but then that completely fell apart for a bit, before I got it back on track. It's really easy to lose track or get so far behind that one abandons the attempt. One trick is to update my "Reason for Editing" each time to show the last book(s) purchased and recorded. This helps me keep track even if it's been a few days since the last edit.

This year I'm adding a new goal -- to read at least 10 of the 12 books in the New Leaf Book Club and actively participate in the discussion.

[pdurrant]

Welcome all the early birds to the challenge! I hope that 2018 is an enjoyable reading year for you all!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Welcome all the early birds to the challenge! I hope that 2018 is an enjoyable reading year for you all!

I'm hoping 2018 will be a better reading year for me than 2017.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Welcome all the early birds to the challenge! I hope that 2018 is an enjoyable reading year for you all!

Thank you. I hope the same for you.