The Challenge Factory discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
♦Factory Archives♦
>
What would you like to see in 2017?
⚜Foreman Trea's Challenges
Yearly
Inspired By Toys
Semi-Annual (6 Months)
TV Series Showcase (Runs January to June and July to December)
VampAmber's The Dewey Decimal System Is My Friend Challenge (3-6 month challenge, can be done at any time)
A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far, Far Away…May The Fourth Be With You! Challenge (6 month challenge, can be done at any time)
Monthly
Foreman Challenge (Theme is usually random thoughts)
What's So Great About...{Insert Month Here}? (Now merged into the TCF Monthly Challenge!)
Opposites Attract (Ended in October 2016)
Employee of the Month (Ended in December 2016)
By The Numbers (Upcoming for 2017)
The Hobby Corner (Upcoming for 2017)
E-Book Challenge (Upcoming for 2017)
Occasional Host
Dusty Bookshelf-Main Hosted by Ezi
Finish What You Started-Main Hosted by Ezi
Mod Paris' Challenges
Monthly
TCF Monthly Challenge
Odds and Ends
TCF Seasonal Challenges (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer)
The Incredible Scavenger Hunt
Bonus Scavenger Hunts
Yearly Challenge (January-December)
Ready, Set, Cover Challenge
The Really, Really, Really, Really Hard Challenge
Yearly Challenge (can be done at any time)
Gilmore Girls Reading Challenge
TCF Book Genre Spell Out
TCF Around the World Spell Out
Misc.
TCF Monopoly
Mod
Monthly
a Foreman assignment
First Impressions
BOOK it to the Finish Line!
Cities of the World
Odds and Ends
TCF Hangman
And the Winner is...
TCF Summer Camp (June - August)
Yearly (Jan - Dec)
Character A - Z Spellout
It's Called What? (American version) planning a French version for next year
2016 is Sweet Sixteen planning a 2017 version, probably based on highway I-17
Mod
Monthly
Buddy Reads
Yearly (Jan-Dec)
Alphabet Challenge
100 Book Genre Challenge
Yearly (can be done at any time)
Whatever the Weather
A Voyage Through History
Misc.
Summer Olympics Mini-Challenge considering other "special occasion" mini challenges, suggestions appreciated!
Yearly in general since I just so not have time for the monthly ones. The yearly ones at least give me times to hopefully read enough books to complete the challenge or most of it. I enjoy cover challenges (i.e. color, finding objects on the cover etc)
I love the team challenges and loved the Grimm challenge that was done awhile back - any thoughts on doing something like this again?
I like the monthly minis and the themed. However, i'm not wild about "read a book where XX happened" because that assumes before I read the book I'm going to know what happens in it and be able to plan to read it that month. Hard to plan a timed challenge around a task like that. An untimed challenge, that's different -- sooner or later you'll run into that event.
Jennifer wrote: "I like the monthly minis and the themed. However, i'm not wild about "read a book where XX happened" because that assumes before I read the book I'm going to know what happens in it and be able to plan to read it that month. Hard to plan..."When I plan my challenges, at least, I try to think of a couple of different ways to have the task be fulfilled, so that it is easier to fit books to the task, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.
I think half the fun of the monthly timed challenges is looking at the tasks after I've finished a book I planned to read that month and seeing where it might fit into the challenge. For me, it's like a puzzle and the books are the puzzle pieces, but we can't see the picture at all. Yeah, the puzzle might be missing a few pieces at the end of it, but I find it fun to see how many books I can make fit into the puzzle! Maybe looking at it through that lens might make it more enjoyable for you?
Mod
Monthly
*DB/FWYS Challenge
*Horoscope (each month pertaining to horoscopes)
*Audiobook challenge
*All in the Family (reading as many from an author or in a series)
Quarterly
*Super Series WITH CHANGES*
*BINGO (New Releases, Freebies)
ThatEzi wrote: "Ezinwanyi's Challenges Monthly
*DB/FWYS Challenge
*Horoscope (each month pertaining to horoscopes)
*Audiobook challenge
*All in the Family (reading as many from an author or in a series)"
Question I forgot to ask you: Would your Audiobook challenge be different from Elena's I ♥ Audio books! challenge, where you just pick a level and listen to the corresponding amount of audiobooks?
I can't wait to see your All in the Family Challenge!
I participated in more challenges this year than I thought I did :)I loved the SS/SSS challenges for the round I participated. It was great to learn more about books other people are reading and I added some to my to read list. Plus it was fun trying to figure out what books I'd be reading next.
Finish What You Started forced me to have a look at all of the series I've started and then abandoned. I went back and finished up several and was able to catch up on a lot. This challenge is great.
Scavenger Hunts drive my husband nuts :) But I love 'em. I've participated in 3 scavenger hunts and 2 seasonal scavengar hunts.
I did not get to participate in the Really, Really, Really, Really hard challenge this year but I'm hoping to next year if it continues.
I also did not participate in Book Genre Spellout or Around the World Spellout but likely would next year. I like spellouts.
I loved And the Winner is... It didn't really change what I read but it was fun to try to find books to score points. And apparently cheer for the underdog.
I participated in both It's Called What??? challenges and really liked it. Those are some long names and I managed to dig back through some books I added a long time ago to complete these.
I've just started participating in Buddy Reads and it's been fun, but I don't have a lot of feedback on this.
I particpated in the 100 Book Genre Challenge and found that after the first couple of months, I just stopped updating my lists. I probably would not do it again because I don't have the attention span for it. Squirrel!
Opposites Attract was fun for a couple of months and I would likely participate a few times if it continued next year, but I would not be a monthly participant, if that makes sense. :)
Thanks for all of the work you guys do on these challenges.
Mod
Lanelle wrote: "Thank you for taking the time to talk about the different challenges, Erin. I think this is the type of information Paris is looking for."It's definitely the kind of information I was looking for, Erin, so thank you very much for letting me know!
Re: Opposites Attract- I don't think it will stay in the new year, as there are just too few people participating. September had only 7 actual participants with 9 sign ups, and this month has 3 signed up and 1 actual participant. My plan is to keep it going until December, but then it will be archived.
Trea wrote: "ThatEzi wrote: "Ezinwanyi's Challenges Monthly
*DB/FWYS Challenge
*Horoscope (each month pertaining to horoscopes)
*Audiobook challenge
*All in the Family (reading as many from an author or in a..."
If we're going to do an Audiobooks challenge, how about also having an e-reader challenge and a hard copy challenge for those who like either/both of those formats or for those who need to be challenged to read out of their comfort zones?
Also, what about a Read the Classics Challenge where one is challenged to read some of the great classics of all time; not just Agatha Christie and Sir Doyle, but also Dante, Cervantes and Milton, to just name a few? I can see several different ways to do this one, so if you want/need help on it, I might be interested...
Kay (Brigidsmomma) wrote: "If we're going to do an Audiobooks challenge, how about also having an e-reader challenge and a hard copy challenge for those who like either/both of those formats or for those who need to be challenged to read out of their comfort zones?"I love reading books in Kindle/e-book format, in fact I prefer it more than any other format! I'd be willing to helm a monthly e-reader challenge in 2017! Perhaps one of the other mods would like to helm the Hard Copy challenge? Thanks for the idea, Kay!
I'd have to dig out my e-reader and actually charge the battery on it! But then I'd get to some of the many books I've downloaded and never got around to reading. I like that idea.
This is some really great feedback everyone. Thank you so much. I'm also loving the suggestions. We want to make sure we are providing all of you with enjoyable challenges and this will definitely help!
I like a mix of the shorter challenges and the longer ones. This way I see some progress quickly (monthly) and can also search for books to fulfill the longer ones. I particularly like the Employee of the Month challenge since it allows me to "know" some of the group members as well as complete the challenge.
I like a few of the monthly challenges like What's So Great About...{Insert Month Here}? and Cities of the World again because they actually teach you something.
I love the scavenger challenges (The Incredible Scavenger Hunt and Bonus Scavenger Hunts) since they can be completed without adding new books to my monthly read list.
I like the spell-it outs too. Such as It's Called What? especially since it really limits what you can read (author or title only) which provides a greater challenge.
I do not like challenges where someone else picks books for you to read. This is mostly because I have already decided what I'll be reading in 2017 and these types of challenges screw up my planning and screw up challenges I've already committed to. I don't like to read a series back-to-back-to-back so challenges like DB/FWYS Challenge aren't for me. I usually spread a series out over months, reading one a month so I don't get burned out. Also this keeps me from realizing that challenges books tend to follow a formula and be rather similar.
I also do not particularly like cover challenges since I don't usually read the types of books that have various items on the covers. My chosen books usually have half-naked people on them (romance/paranormal) or weapons (murder mysteries) so cover challenges are frustrating.
I think the Mods do a terrific job creating challenges. Some of the ideas are simply brilliant and very entertaining and rather challenging. I look forward to some new ideas and new challenges in 2017.
Barbara ★ wrote: "I like a mix of the shorter challenges and the longer ones. This way I see some progress quickly (monthly) and can also search for books to fulfill the longer ones. I particularly like the Employ..."
Thanks for the great feedback, Barbara!
Right now, my "What's So Great About...{Insert Month Here}?" challenge is set to end in May of 2017. What I'm wondering specifically is if members would like me to run it again through the end of 2017, or even into May of 2018 (Yeah, I'm THAT much of a planner!). Are you having enough fun with it to continue the challenge for that long?
Mod
Kay,
I'm not sure how my audio challenge will work with e-readers/hard covers since i was focusing on narrators but I could just make a separate hard cover challenge!
Any ideas on what you'd like to see on hardcover/paperback challenge?
Trea,
I'm focusing on "narrators" more than the audiobook it's self but
ThatEzi wrote: "Trea,I'm focusing on "narrators" more than the audiobook it's self but"
Derailed train of thought! What were you going to say, Ezi?
And you gave me an idea for the e-reader challenge I'll helm!
ThatEzi wrote: "I love the feedback as well.Kay,
I'm not sure how my audio challenge will work with e-readers/hard covers since i was focusing on narrators but I could just make a separate hard cover challenge!
A..."
I'm not sure. I do most of my reading via Kindle these days as I am finding it more and more difficult to work with hardcopy books and magazines with my ever increasing disabilities, but I also realize that e-readers and audiobooks aren't for everyone. Perhaps there is a member who is more geared to the current state of hardcopy books who could assist on this one? I'd still be interested in working (or hosting) on a Classics challenge that crosses all media types...
I am a big fan of the Dusty Bookshelf and FWYS challenges and would not like to see any changes. I especially like the timing. I prefer to plan ahead and the timing of these challenges allow for that.I gave feedback in the SS thread.
Speaking about individual challenges in general (not games), one of the main things that will prevent me from signing up for a monthly, quarterly or annual challenge is a page minimum. I do not like to be boxed in by a page requirement. (I do not think that there is a page minimum in most of this group's challenges)
In general, I like spell outs, challenges that offer more than one option (Example: Read a self help book or read a book with the letters SELF in the title ...I loathe self-help books and without an alternate task, I wouldn't join), and challenges that focus on completing series or reading from your TBR.
Thank you to the moderators for volunteering your time. I know from experience that however much time you think a moderator spends on this, in reality, it is a whole lot more. I truly appreciate it.
Mod
Also, I am interested in having a Diversity Challenge. The idea came to me sort of as an antidote to all the toxic blaming and negativity in the current disgusting political contest. I worked the idea up a bit and messaged ThatEzi about it some months back. The idea of the challenge is to have people push their boundaries a bit. It would probably be a 3-month or 6-month challenge. Not sure.
My favorite challenge to participate in is the Buddy Read Challenge. I look forward to it every month though sometimes I'm the worst buddy to read with as real life happens.I'm not sure if this challenge already exists on here, so if it does, I'd love to be pointed in that general direction, but to go off this though, I think it would be really fun if we had a challenge where we were paired with a buddy and had like five challenges to compete with that buddy. This challenge is something that exists on booktube, but I don't make videos so I don't participate on there (and I'm unsure who the original creator is).
It would be something like 1. Read a book with an orange cover. Then the buddies would go to the other's TBR and pick a book for them. And then one of the 5 challenges they would pick the same book and read it.
It's just a way to get to know someone and to discuss even more.
Mod
Thank you for the comments
Mod
That's no problem at all! I usually only archive threads that haven't seen any activity for at least several weeks, and to be sure the thread remains open you can just drop me a line in the next month's sign up thread like Trea does.
Some people post in the discussion thread if they want to read a book during a particular time of the month, similarly you could put in your post that you'd like to read a book over several months. The "official" BR timeframes are more like guidelines than actual rules, so no reason why you can't have a longer time to read. :)
I just wanted to comment that I love the What's So Great About...Challenges because you get to do spell it outs for something other than the first word of the title. It gives the spell it outs a little change of pace to be looking for the last word instead of the first word for a change.
Sam wrote: "I just wanted to comment that I love the What's So Great About...Challenges because you get to do spell it outs for something other than the first word of the title. It gives the spell it outs a li..."*grins* Thanks, Sam! I'm glad you're enjoying that!
BTW I really like the cities challenges!
I like a variety of challenges but one of my current favourites is the Really, Really, Really Hard Challenge. I have such a large TBR list and each month it was that challenge that I stared with. In almost every month I could find books from my TBR list. I like anything that helps me with my TBR.
The more I'm doing challenges, the more I'm liking the ones longer than a month. Quarterly is probably my favorite.
I am a big fan of the seasonal challenges. There's enough time in these quarterly challenges to really see what I can read. The length works for me and I can do tasks in each category.I also enjoyed the Summer Camp challenge this year. Liked that there was a mini-camp option.
I'm a big mystery reader so the Reporter's Challenge is a favorite. So was the Right to Remain Silent that preceded it. Both are annual.
Another annual challenge that I enjoyed this year is the Sweet Sixteen challenge. It's unique and I don't see how another year would work but this one was fun.
I frequently participate in the Foreperson Challenges. They are creative and fun. I often wish they ran for longer than a month. There are usually 12 or more tasks and a month isn't enough time to really participate. That's the challenge(:/) I have with the monthly ones. Though I realize that there are some members who have much more time for recreational reading than I do.
I don't like spell out challenges so I don't do the challenges for the specific month.
I miss the Themes, Settings and Plots challenge (not sure it was on the list). I think that one was annual. I also like the Around the World Challenge because it encourages me to broaden my reading. The Dewey Decimal Challenge did also. I'm enjoying the Snakes and Ladders challenge for the second time around
I like the variety of challenges in this group and the mix of lengths. There's something for everyone. I also like that there are different levels for challenge participants. My biggest problem is having too many challenges going at the same time.
Thanks to the moderators for all the time and thought you put in to come up with this great variety. It's a fun way to read my TBR mountain.
ETA - One more thing, I like the quarterly and 6 month challenges best because it gives me enough time to do most of the tasks.
Nell wrote: "I don't like spell out challenges so I don't do the challenges for the specific month."There's more to the "What's so Great about ...?" challenges than just spell outs! It's a blend of my wacky holiday foreman challenges, the old history challenge, and spell outs, so that it has something for everyone to participate in. You're welcome to skip the spell out options and just go for the Wacky Holiday/History tasks!
Trea wrote: "Nell wrote: "I don't like spell out challenges so I don't do the challenges for the specific month."There's more to the "What's so Great about ...?" challenges than just spell outs! It's a blend ..."
I'll check out the What's so Great challenges. I don't think I've done one of those.
I was referring to the specific monthly challenges like the October challenge where you spell out words related to the month. It's not my personal preference. I prefer the ones where you look for books that fit other features or story themes like set in fall or character is a ghost.
Nell wrote: "I'll check out the What's so Great challenges. I don't think I've done one of those.I was referring to the specific monthly challenges like the October challenge where you spell out words related to the month. It's not my personal preference. I prefer the ones where you look for books that fit other features like set in fall or character is a ghost."
Ah, ok, I misunderstood you! I know which challenges you are referring to, though! That's one challenge I haven't participated much in, but I may just go check it out, since I am not familiar with it.
I'd really like to see a return of the WORDS WITH GR FRIENDS challenge. That team challenge really required that the teams work together and was a lot of fun.
Book Concierge wrote: "I'd really like to see a return of the WORDS WITH GR FRIENDS challenge. That team challenge really required that the teams work together and was a lot of fun."We'll take your suggestion under advisement, BC. Team challenges take a while to both plan out and play through, and we've already had a request to bring back the Grimm Challenge next year, as well as keeping the SS/SSS game going.
Mod
Donna wrote: "I prefer the monthly challenges. I tend to get bored if a challenge goes on for too long. I like to change it up each month and try something new."Thanks for the feedback, Donna, but we're looking for more specific than that, as the newsletter did mention we're not looking for feedback on length of challenges. Did you check out our listed challenges near the top of the page? Are there any of those challenges that we mods run that you prefer over others?
If i forgot to mention it earlier, i love gimme 5!!!
Mod
Thanks for the feedback, Donna, bu..."
I always like the DB/FWYS challenges. Spell it outs, Book it, Cities of the world, cover challenges. I like the lists where you have to find books that have something happening in them. I love the challenge of reading lots of books and hoping they fit something on the list.
Trea wrote: "Donna wrote: "I prefer the monthly challenges. I tend to get bored if a challenge goes on for too long. I like to change it up each month and try something new."Thanks for the feedback, Donna, but we're looking for more specific than that, as the newsletter did mention we're not looking for feedback on length of challenges. ..."
This line in msg 1 makes it seem like you are looking for feedback on length:
"Are there challenge types you'd like to see more of? (ie: length: monthly challenges, yearly challenges or something in between..)"
First of all, you mods do a great job in coming up with great ideas and keeping things moving in this group!My current favorites are Dusty Bookshelf and Finish What You Started, both of which I just tried a couple of months ago and love because they allow me to interact with other members as well as encourage me to get to some books that have been languishing on my shelves.
I've participated in The Really, Really, Really, Really Hard Challenge and TCF Seasonal Challenges and enjoyed them both. Spell-outs are my favorite, so I enjoy anything that encourages or allows a spell-out option. I love the creative concept of First Impressions, but I could never remember to check for it in the middle of the month and when I did, I had a hard time coming up with something that worked--but the idea is clever and appreciated.
Keep up the good work! This is the very first challenge group that I joined on GR, and I love the variety you offer.
You guys do a great job with this group!I enjoy the seasonal challenges that give me enough time to finish the task.
I've really liked And the Winner Is... trying to come up with books to help a certain team win. TCF Hangman is fun.
I had too many other challenges going on this year to join the Really, Really, etc Hard Challenge, but I did it in '15 and thought it was fun. I'd be interested in joining next year.
I did the Rory Gilmore Challenge, but I'm running out of books on the list that I really want to read, so I probably wouldn't do that one again.
If I don't join too many yearly challenges, some of the monthly challenges look fun, but I never feel like I can finish all the tasks in a month.
A quarterly series challenge sounds fun! I HAVE TO read my series in order even if they still make sense out of order... OCD! So if I don't have the next one in the series, sometimes it takes awhile for the library to get it for me, making it hard to fit within a month.
Sorry for the rambling response. Hope this helps.
Mod
I didn't answer the question that was asked the first time around, so I'll try again :)What would I like to see come back next year?
FWYS
Dusty
And the Winner is ...
Summer Camp (or some similar version)
SSS/SSS team challenges
It's Called What?
these are the challenges I enjoyed and I'd like to see next year:What's So Great About...{Insert Month Here}?
TCF Seasonal Challenges (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer)
The Incredible Scavenger Hunt
Bonus Scavenger Hunts
Ready, Set, Cover Challenge
First Impressions
And the Winner is...
Alphabet Challenge
Nell wrote: "This line in msg 1 makes it seem like you are looking for feedback on length:"Are there challenge types you'd like to see more of? (ie: length: monthly challenges, yearly challenges or something in between..)""
Yes, but this time in the newsletter I specifically stated "We're looking for feedback on the specific challenges currently running in this thread, NOT comments about which length of challenge you enjoy or suggestions for new challenges to run next year..." simply because we're getting too many of the "I like ____ length challenges" and not enough feedback on the challenges that are specifically listed above. I appreciate your attempt to correct what seemed like a mistake on my part, but there was not a mistake made.
I like Team Challenges. Missed the last Grimm and am looking forward to trying that one.Other than that I do a variety of varying length challenges, so I pick a new one when I finish one and I like to mix them up. I have maybe 20 challenges across a variety of groups going at any particular time. So I guess for me this site provides me options, so as long as there is variety I'll find something to join.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
I don't know where this year has gone, but we've got a little over three months until the new year. The mods at The Challenge Factory want to hear from you regarding the challenges that we host here.
Are there challenge types you'd like to see more of? (ie: length: monthly challenges, yearly challenges or something in between or type: spell out, scavenger hunts, etc)
Are there challenges that we currently host that you could live without?
Each mod is going to list the challenges that they run just to give you an idea of what we currently have in progress. We want to keep TCF a fun place to be, with the best reading challenges on Goodreads.
Thank you for your feedback in advance. We really appreciate it.