This discussion topic came to me while I was drafting my October wrap up. I’m doing pathetically on my TBR challenge for 2013, in fact I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t even care about it anymore. And then something happened… I got found the link up for the 2014 TBR Challenge and what was the first thought that crossed my mind? Oh, I better sign up!! That’s ridiculous right? I just barely, BARELY made a dent in my pile for this year and I want to attempt it again?
It’s not the fact of entering the challenges, it’s that once I do I am filled will this incredible anxiety to read ALL THE BOOKS for that challenge, and then I fall behind in others and then I get more stressed out … and it’s a constant battle of self-imposed book challenge anxiety.
But I can’t help it, challenges just look so enticing to me. It’s not even the giveaways or the added fun things that go with them, I think it more boils down to the challenge counter. I love looking on Goodreads and seeing the counter getting closer and closer to completion.
Unfortunately it doesn’t even stop at specific reading challenges, like the TBR Challenge and the Debut Author challenge, it also is Bout of Books, Bloggiesta, Review challenges… I love them all. Bloggiesta & Bout of Books are less stressful because it’s a specific timeframe of completion and I do normally get a lot done but even with those I usually set unrealistic goals and end up feeling defeated if I don’t get them all met.
I guess what I am trying to say here is that I need a series case of challenge rehabilitation. I’m trying to not join them all, but Jeez… the bookish community makes them look so good! For 2014 I’m going to try to take it down a notch and not join as many challenges, but I’m also going to plan for the inevitable… I will definitely be participating in a few.
I’m really interested… are you like this with challenges? Do you love participating and joining? What’s your favorite part of challenges? Or are you on the other side of the join and totally dislike challenges? What’s the turn off for them?
Chat with me, please!
—my reaction when I read the first lines of your post—
“WHAT?! THE 2014 TBR CHALLENGE IS OPEN FOR SIGN-UPS?”
*opens new tab*
*Googles for the challenge*
*SIGN UP!*
Haha so I guess that confirms your post! I love joining in challenge, and having a special “goal” to work towards, even though I never completed a single challenge before but oh well! =P Not sure if it’s a bad thing but I do feel slighting pressurized to read books that complete the challenge, kind of like review books that I impose upon myself. Nevertheless, I think I’ll still love joining in challenges because they’re so fun and a great way to find out new books for the new year!
See you in the 2014 TBR pile challenge 😉 Awesome post!
Alicia @ Summer Next Top Story
HAHAHA, i love it 🙂 I do agree, they are an awesome way to find out about new books! I especially loved the DAC because I wouldn’t have tried half of those books if not for that!!!
I’m not a huge challenge person, mostly because I’m scared that I won’t finish them… I know. Fail. And I’m pretty new to the blogging world (started in February 2013), but I think I’m going to sign up for the 2014 Goodreads challenge. I don’t want to participate in too many though. I feel like that will just stress me out.
Agreed Rebecca… it can be a stresser 😛 The Goodreads challenge is a good one though because there aren’t rules except to READ!!! I had no idea you only started blogging in February, I actually thought you were blogging longer than me!!!
Yes, that’s what I love about the Goodreads challenges. I’ll take that as a compliment that you thought I was blogging longer. 🙂 Nope. Newbie over here! When did you start your blog?
Yes! I’m right there with you! I haven’t done hardly anything for the 2013 TBR Challenge. I don’t know if I’m going to sign up for next year yet. But probably. I do it to challenge myself. Most of the time I forget about the prizes and giveaways. lol “Hi, my name is Katrina, and I’m a challenge addict.” 😛
Lol, I could definitely do with repeating that line myself Katrina!! I am not yet entirely sure about the TBR challenge but I will definitely be signing up for the Debut Author’s challenge. I read a ton of books for it last year but the TBR was a STRUGGLE for me. I do have a lot more options to choose from this year though 😛 I do agree… I completely forget about the prizes as well!!
This is the first year that I participated in any challenges, and I’m behind on them (although I have hopes that I will be able to finish the DAC at least. We’ll see.). I didn’t choose to participate in many this year (just DAC and SARC, actually), but I did those because I saw them heavily advertised and so they struck my interest.
But I’m not even close to finishing the SARC, and I’ve come to the realization that I’m just not interested in reading most of the qualifying books for it.
I do think there are a great many benefits to participating in challenges – what better way to gain accountability and read more, after all? But if you’re not all that into it, it becomes a problem. I want to try more challenges next year, but I will choose them carefully and make sure I’m actually invested in their requirements.
I love the DAC 🙂 What is the SARC challenge? hmmm… lol. One of the defeating things about challenges is when the qualifying books become not interesting 🙁
I completely agree about the accountability as well as choosing challenges more carefully. I won’t be as willy nilly in 2014 and hopefully I will struggle less.
My name is Chrystal and I have a problem… signing up for too many challenges and never completing any of them. *sigh*
I even gave myself a personal reading challenge this year, sounded like a great idea – but I have barely made a dent in it.
Next year, I’m just reading to read – no challenges, except maybe my normal Goodreads 100 book challenge (which I am behind on yet again – maybe I need to lower my total?).
You are not alone!
Oh Chrystal… at least we are not alone!! 😛
I said I wasn’t going to participate in any, and I’ve already started to detail which ones I want to. Oh the cycle of it all 😛
I signed up for two challenges already. And I am sure that I will sign up for more. Guess I really want to READ ALL THE BOOKS. 🙂
YES! ALL THE BOOKS 😀 Actually, as I write this I’m going through all the challenges up so far trying to narrow it down haha. Glad to know that you also have already signed up for some 😀
I’ve started out the past two years joining ALL THE CHALLENGES. Then I get overwhelmed not with my goals but just the sheer amount of things to keep track of and update hahaha. I don’t think I’ll really be picking up any yearly challenges next year but I do like doing things that are quick and much shorter like Bloggiesta! 🙂
Agreed Brittany!! I love the shorter, quick ones because the smaller timeframe means it’s easier to focus and keep track. I had a really hard time keeping track of the TBR challenge the most, especially since they had to be prior to 2013.
Omigoodness — this is ME. I signed up for three my first year of blogging, or four (?) then dropped it to one last year — but still didn’t actually finish any of them. I get all excited when I first sign up (especially the TBR challenge) but lose my motivation as the year goes on. But with that being said, I’m co- hosting one next year … So, hopefully things are about to change 😉
OMG 🙂 Melissa, you’re cohosting a challenge next year??! What one?!?! I want to sign up!! (BAHAHA, how is THAT for an addiction, I don’t even know what it is!! lol). I totally agree with you though, I definitely lose my motivation as the year goes on but I am SO excited when they first start!!!
I really like challenges that are set during December or the summer (June-August) because I’m more pumped up to it and have more time! My favorite challenge would have to be the Read a Thons b/c I love just being able to read a bunch of books and being able to lessen my tbr pile.
I agree Leigh! I also enjoy the readathons 🙂 I really love things that take place in December as well, although I’m much more busy in December I just seem to have more motivation.
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I don’t think I’m obsessed with reading challenges, but I do like the participate in a few. I’ve been doing great this year and I’ve completed them all so far. I’m definitely going to participate in a few next year. I think it’s important to find a balance between having fun and making yourself feel stressed.
I absolutely agree Mel! It should definitely be a balance. I always do have fun participating but then I tend to get burned out, especially if I focus on one more than the other. I have to work on that more in the new year 😛
My main challenge every year is the Goodreads challenge, because it’s easy to keep track of how many books I’ve read. Next month I’m preparing for a different kind of challenge, though — my first hosted read-along. It’s the first challenge I’ve ever done that I can’t drop out of, because the buck stops with me. It’s definitely nerve-wracking, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.
Oh hosting a read-along, that’s so fun 😀 I have only hosted one, but the ones I have participated in have been a ton of fun. Good luck with hosting!!
I was definitely addicted to challenges this year – participated in 14! But next year, I’m only doing 1.
Oh my… wow. I’m speechless, 14!! That’s amazing 🙂
For the past several years I’ve done a “75 Books” challenge, just for a yearly reading total. My favorite kind of challenge is the kind that doesn’t specify what to read… so usually I just stick with that one and then the occasional read-a-thon as an extra push.
I can totally see why challenges that do not have specifics would be the best, I fluctuate between wanting to participate in those and wanting to participate in ones that have exact guidelines. I need to pick a side and stick to it 😛 I love read-a-thons though. A ton!!
Yeah, I do start getting the itch to join up this time of year, when everyone’s wrapping up their challenges and getting excited about new ones… but I just know most of them aren’t ones I’d stick with, so I resist.
I am absolutely addicted to reading challenges! I always bite off more than I can chew when it comes to sign up time. LOL
Glad to know I’m not the only one Brianna 😀 I am already setting up for the same type situation this year… what, 2 weeks after I wrote this post?! lol