How do you keep track of your challenges?

[Trish]

Just what the title says, How do you keep track of your challenges? Who knows, you might get a good idea or two.

For me, each challenge gets written neatly on a piece of paper out of one of those mini yellow pads. Some do have to go onto 2 sheets. On the top goes the group name, then under that goes the challenge name and the duration dates. Then in the body goes as many or little rules as I can get by with followed by the catagories and my book picks for each one. Everything is written in pen except the book selections that I haven't read yet, just incase it changes. When I read a book I re-write it in pen and put the date I finished it to one side. Up above the group name I write if I need to update original post, add a tally, or if re-reads are accepted. In the top left hand corner I write the # of my first post. I also have a list of challenge books (all the books in any of my challenges), then a list of the challenges themselves. Every month I go in and tally how many challenges each book is in and I go off that when I go to the library. I also have my own forum on Challenge Overload that I list each challenge.

If you're thinking it's a bit much, it is. I didn't really look at my system until I started to write about it. I'm not obsessive or anything, I just like to stay organized and informed on a few things in my life. Nothing else is like this, I promise.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

"a bit much"? Never! I think most of us, definitely many of us, have a system to the madness that is our challenge addiction.

I have mine scattered all over the place, fitting for my OCD + ADD. (I am obsessive.) But, I keep a master list going in my own secret (GR's wording, not like it's a shhhhh, don't tell, secret) group. I also have my list here @ SOS + my "Challenge Addicts R Us" list. I also tag my books chosen for challenges within my Bookpedia computer library software, so I can easily see what's "borrowed" for which challenge(s). Helps with cross-challenging too. Somehow between those I tend to keep them straight. :D

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Trish, I do a combo of your and Steph's OCD madness.

I have a display folder in which pieces of paper list group name, dates and the book names, which get crossed off when read. I never bother writing the rules, if I want to change a book it's just as easy to go look up the rules.

I also have a secret group here on gr, master lists, split into group names and lists of challenges that I can cut and paste to relevant threads when updating. No need to worry about previous post numbers (I got sick of doing it that way).

Also in the members threads here in SOS I have lists that I keep updated - currently reading & completed madness. Also the List of Lists at Challenge Addicts R Us. That keeps me on track pretty well.

[[deleted user]]

I have a book journal where i keep lists of all my books I've read for each month, with dates read and cute little star stickers to rate each one, I also keep track of each of my challenges in my journal as well. I write each one down and pretty much do the same thing as Trish does with keeping track. I also have a secret group here on GR where I keep all my challenges and lists of books, basicly it's a eletronic copy of my book journal. I like to have a back up In case something should happen to my paper journal :)

[Lala]

i keep a journal as well with the list of books i read every month and the challenges i participate...and i use different colors to mark different months. So my journal is quite colorful :)

[Trish]

Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention my book book as I call it. It's kinda like your journals, but I write down the authors name at the top (each author has their own page or two) then the name of the series, then I list the books. When I get done with a book I write the date I finished to the left of the book name and put little astericks to the right for my rating. I also put an L to the left of each series that my library has and what genre the series is (PNR, UF, YA).

Laura, sounds like your book is very colorful. I like it.

Kat, I like the sticker idea, too. Probably looks so much better than some of my lopsided astericks.

[Roberta]

I keep a notebook that I have a different page for every challenge and I write what group what the challenge is my books when I finish reading and what number my list is in the group and what my rating was.
I also have a page where I write down books and authors that I see people talking about a lot so I can add them to my collection of books.

[Christina (AKA Babbling)]

Circa notebooks from Levenger.com Levenger is owned by the man who wrote

My main reading journal is the Circa-style, "Bookography" journal, based on that book. The company no longer stocks the "Bookography" inserts sheets, just regular lined sheets. That's okay because I stocked up on the packs when they put them on sale during the phase-out. Maybe in a year or two I'll finally run out of them.

Just before I start reading a book, I fill in the blanks for title and author. I note which challenges the book will count against, note the copyright date and pages (the last page of the story, not counting excerpts and such). Romances -- list the hero and heroine for sure, titles if they have them, and/or occupational/supernatural identifier. There are blanks for Start and End dates. That's just the front. The back is lined for notes, thoughts, doodles (rough family trees), reminders, etc.

After the book is read, I can move the book sheet to another tab or into another journal (the "2011" Circa notebook). The pages can be alphabetized by author's last name or I can keep the sheets in the order I read the book.

Most challenges get their own sheet (the plain, lined variety). Name of challenge, group name, time frame/limit, number of books needed, and some pertinent notes (ie, the Bingo page has the shelf name and the "call letter/number" --I9 "vampires" -- and my book pick). Sometimes a list of potentials for the challenge.

Up until this year, the main journal contained "open" challenges and the "book" sheets (currently reading, needs review, blank sheets), scratch pages, and some monthly statistic-type things. But with the number and variety of challenges this year, plus the number of books I've read, I had to move all the challenge lists to the 2011 journal. This allows me to have both journals open, side-by-side, and I can flip through the challenge pages to determine if the book will fit into that particular challenge. I can annotate both sheets at once before moving on.

I try to keep the monthly sheets at the front of the journal and move them to the completed/closed section as soon as the month ends. To further simplify it, I've started using one sheet per month for the monthlies. The seasonal/quarterly, other-than-yearly are right behind the monthlies, and the yearlies are in (mostly) alphabetical order behind them.

The sheets -- both the individual book sheets and the challenge sheets -- makes it easier to update on-line things like my blog and my member thread here at SOS. I also use it to update my book database without having to go on-line for "read" dates, ratings, etc. Well, in theory. Sometimes I forget to mark the rating or the date I posted the review on my blog. :-)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Wow! You girls are making me wanna get better organized! I love to hear about your journals and such. Reassures me - I'm not crazy when I insist to my hubby that "Yes! I do need that notebook.... Yes, honey, I know I have a dozen others, but ...." ;)

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

I think I am the less organized of the group! I keep a Excell spreadsheet with cross references for all my reading challenges, color coded for what I am currently reading, what I own and what has yet to come out. I keep it simple.

I am content with what GR gives me in terms of books read and use fictfact for upcoming books. i know it is silly but I just hit 1000 books! Ok, it includes short, comic books and novels....but I find it awesome that I read that much in my life.

[Elle]

I'm glad someone made this thread pop up. I never thought about doing a book journal before but I really like the idea. Definitely going to start it.

[Jenny]

Like Valerie, I have set up and Excel spreadsheet.
I have columns set up as follows, name of the book, name of the series (if it is part of one,) number in the series, author, then the challenge name, under the challenge name I have listed the group name, my post #, the start and finish dates, and the date that I finished reading.
When I have finished reading a book I check to see which challenge it's part of, that way I can post it and I cross it off my list. I try and have one book for more than one challenge. This way I can focus on the ones that are month long challenges compared to year long challenges. I can change what I want to read as the years goes along and new books are released, plus try and clean up some of my TBR pile.
This is my first year is my first years of doing challenges so we will see how this goes.
When it comes to books that I haven't read but want, I store them on my wish list. If I go into a store and see a book that interest me and it isn't something that I really want I keep a list on my phone and then I check it out on Goodreads and see what price I can get when I order online. I get a better deal with that then if I just buy at the book store also my book store doesn't carry all the books that I want so I can only get them online.

[FlibBityFLooB]

I finally broke down and made my own personal group to keep track of my challenges and reading lists. Makes it a lot easier to find and update my challenges. That used to be a big struggle for me because they were scattered across so many groups.

Here's a link to my group if you want an example of what I mean...

I also do use some goodreads shelves as count-down placeholders for some of my challenges where I've decided in advance what I will be reading...

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Flib, that is very similar to my own group, I've got a spot for totals & reading lists with ratings & dates, as well as the pretty covers :)

Plus all the rest of the challenges & groups, pretty much the same.

I've also got lists of various tbr & read series of books using the covers ie vamps, dragons etc

Plus my paper lists but I know I'd go nuts if I had to do a spreadsheet as well - just too time consuming for me. It'd be fine for 6 mths then I'd get bored. LOL

[FlibBityFLooB]

Sandra wrote: "I've also got lists of various tbr & read series of books using the covers ie vamps, dragons etc ..."

That's a good idea, Sandra! I might have to borrow that idea :)

[Barbara ★]

FlibBityFLooB wrote: "I finally broke down and made my own personal group to keep track of my challenges and reading lists. Makes it a lot easier to find and update my challenges. That used to be a big struggle for me..."

Holy crap I've been here on GRs for 2+ years and never knew you could create your own group. I just keep making posts listing challenges all over the place. I currently have challenge posts in 5 different groups and yearly reading lists as well as all kinds of trackers and whatnot. No wonder it takes so darn long to keep it all updated. Man I'm going to check out the group idea and hopefully get it all in one place. So much for all the reading I thought I was going to get done this weekend. lol

Thanks for posting the link to your group as that really brought it home how easy it could be to get it all organized together instead of all over the darn place.

In addition to the online posts, I also keep manual notebooks with a separate page for each challenge and different notebooks for each group. As I finish a book, I flip through all the notebooks and note the date finished then I go online and update all the challenges on my personal listings, then I click the link that takes me directly to my post on each individual challenge so I don't have to search through all the posts to find mine. Then when a challenge is complete, I tear the page out of the notebook and throw it away. I find it much easier to have the visual since I can update this daily and then update each individual challenge at my leisure.

[Lisa Kay]

Barbara, you can also make your group private and still make the hyperlink to the screen showing your bookcovers/ratings in the challenge viewable to others. Example: My Fall Colors Challenge

[Lisa Kay]

BTW, it works if you are in a blog challenge also and need a hyperlink to your books; your group will still remain private.

[D.G.]

I never thought of having a private group either! I'll think about it. :)

[Wan]

I'm an analyst so, my nerdy self, I keep track by a complicated excel spreadsheet. I do pivot table and such with it. It is a work to keep track but working pretty good for me.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

FlibBityFLooB wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I've also got lists of various tbr & read series of books using the covers ie vamps, dragons etc ..."

That's a good idea, Sandra! I might have to borrow that idea :)"

;)

Barbara wrote: "FlibBityFLooB wrote: "I finally broke down and made my own personal group to keep track of my challenges and reading lists. Makes it a lot easier to find and update my challenges. That used to be..."

Barbara, apart from the private group ideas, why don't you use a display folder? It's much easier than using separate notebooks & ripping out pages.

I just put each challenge on a separate bit of paper, except for monthlies which are together, and when finished that bit of paper hits the recycle bin. They are all together & easy to slip into the plastic sleeves and easy to get rid of.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

FlibBityFLooB wrote: "I finally broke down and made my own personal group to keep track of my challenges and reading lists. Makes it a lot easier to find and update my challenges. That used to be a big struggle for me..."

So pretty! That is truly the most convenient way (at least for me!) Have fun!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOVE my private group! It's been a life-saver for me over the past year. It's great knowing that everything is finally in one place because like Barbara I had lists all over GR. Since I don't have my group open to all GR eyes, I do still share certain lists here on SOS.

Love your group layout, Flib. Mine is similar is well. Enjoy!

[Dawn (Kat N Hat)]

Wow I didn't know you could make your own group either. I have one thread that I use. It is almost as organized as Flibs group layout. The top posts are my monthly challenges then seasonal and yearly below, I edit them all as I read. Then copy and paste them into the actual challenge thread. Each month I clear them out and start with the new challenges. I really like that with the group you could just start a new thread and not loose what you did the month before.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

I used to do that too Dawn, before Private Groupness. The group thing is much better :D

[Lina]

Mine is a thread for myself here where I can keep track of everything. I'm intrigued by the idea of a personal group for this though. What would be the advantages over just the one page, do you think?

[Steph, Serious series addict]

The advantage to a group is that you can organize your shit reads and challenges more than you can with a single page. I have some serious OCD, so the group works well for me. Some do both (uh-hem, like me) and some do one or the other. It's all personal choice.

I do like being able to scope out what others are reading and where they're heading for cool challenges. So, threads are cool for sharing.

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

I finally broke down and made myself a group too to keep track of my reading challenges.

[Kerstin]

So did I. It'll probably take me a few days to get my new, little group up to date.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

That's half the fun ladies, deciding just how you want it.

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

I believe it will save me time in updating my challenges in the end.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

For sure! And you can be certain they are up-to-date as well with one quick look.

[Judithe, Soap Operas never end....]

"Congrats" on joining the groupies! LOL! Have fun organizing, Val and Kerstin!

[Joyce]

How do you start your own group? I love that idea. I currently keep a thread and comment for each challenge and update it as necessary and then copy and paste it into the appropriate group. I usually need two or three windows to do this. As well as use a program with computer stickies to keep the info handy on my desktop. This makes it easier to paste the comments into each list. I have not been totally happy with this method but it works for me. I think the group idea is even better.

[Joyce]

okay I figured out how to make a secret group. Now how do I hyperlink like Lisa Kay and Carol B. Like I needed a new project with my books. My husband already thinks I'm weird.

Him :"Now if you could put the same effort into cleaning the house"
Me: "Now why would I want to do that? It's no fun"

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

LOL

That sounds suspiciously like my hubby & me :)

To hyperlink

- go to (some html is ok) above the comment box
- copy the first link (without the *): <*a href="http://www.goodreads.com">my link text
- where it says my link text is where you write your link message
- to connect this link to whereever you want to link, you need to copy the url or the location link and paste it after the .goodreads.com and before the "
- a url is used for a thread or a group; a link location is used for a particular message post
- a url is the total web address listed at the top beside the G sign
- a link location is obtained when you right click on the link date/time above the message required on the right-hand-side

Hope that helps Joyce, if its not clear enough post back :)

[Lauren]

Thanks for the private group idea everyone. I've started my own to keep track of everything.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Yay! Lauren, I'm sure you'll like it.

[Lina]

Joyce wrote: "okay I figured out how to make a secret group. Now how do I hyperlink like Lisa Kay and Carol B. Like I needed a new project with my books. My husband already thinks I'm weird.

Him :"Now if you c..."

Joyce, you made me laugh so hard with this! I'm constantly thinking the same. Housework is overrated :-)

[Valerie ~ Val Hall ~]

Housework with a good audiobook makes it bearable.

[Joyce]

Valerie ~ Val Hall ~ wrote: "Housework with a good audiobook makes it bearable."

True it is the only way I do it now.

@Sandra thank you for the instructions. I'm going to try that.

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! Absolutely, Val! Glad everyone's havin' fun w/their super secret groups. :D

[Michelle]

I used to have notebooks but baby ,girl got a hold of them and let's just say, they're no longer useable. I may have to spend some time tomorrow making my own little group as I could really do with a place to keep my randomness organised :)

I do have a list on SOS but I get the urge to rearrange everything constantly!

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Your own group with all the lists you could want, arranged just how you want them, is a godsend!!

[Steph, Serious series addict]

LOL! Enjoy creating and adding to your groups, Lady Cate and Michelle! I am the same way with my individual threads, Michelle. I always want to reorganize and cannot. Like Sandra said (but a little differently), it's heaven baby. ;)

I really like using Evernote, Dean. I've had the app on my Mac and my iPad for quite a while and just recently starting using it. LOVE it and now I can't stop saving everything there. I love how it syncs between both, so I never have to worry about adding something while on either. :)

"I refuse to work any harder than I have to." My hubby's always saying to his Marines, "Work smarter, not harder." I'm sure someone famous said it first, but your comment made me think of it.

[Michelle]

I'm sure I'll have lots of fun but if you don't hear from me in a while you know why :)

[Steph, Serious series addict]

Michelle wrote: "I'm sure I'll have lots of fun but if you don't hear from me in a while you know why :)"

LOL! No, no, no. You still hafta hang out here. ;)

Dean wrote: "I know the Navy was good at it. I mean come on. We held entire subs together with duct tape and super glue. [grin]

It is a great program. I love the fact it saves to the net also so I won't los..."

LOL! True!

Yeah, I agree. I have been an avid user of Google Docs for years, but their delay in creating an iPad/Phone app for creating docs has forced me to look for alternatives that allow for cross syncing and accessing while away from my laptop. Evernote definitely offers it. Too bad they don't offer spreadsheets instead of only blank pages. :) I do like the tag option though.

[Michelle]

Steph wrote: "LOL! No, no, no. You still hafta hang out here. ;)"

I was only thinking a few hours, a day tops! I'd get lonely otherwise :)

[Debbie's Spurts (D.A.)]

I have just starting into the challenges too much to easily keep track of (was tentative until they led me to finish some really good books I had been putting off).

Initially in my browser I just made a folder of bookmarks and was sufficient. Now it is out of hand and I either need to make sure I have bookmarks on all devices (the current irritation) or am thinking I will take this threads private group suggestion.

[Sandra, Kindle Operator Licence Required]

Deborah, you can also create your own thread here in the members section, to keep track of challenges. I do both :)