How do you work on the challenge?

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I don't drive and take public transportation so I read on the bus and while I am waiting for my bus.

[Heather(Gibby)]

I must admit that since I started doing the SRC challenges, I have been avoiding really big chunky books-I try to read at least one book over 600 pages per challenge.

[Marie (UK)]

Like Dee I do audio books as well as read. This means that even if i am out i can be doing some reading toward the challenge - I listen in the car or when walking or when filling in stuff on GR. I find only certain books fit my style of listening.

I think there are several tricks to completing - one is being able to get hold of books - so pick ones you actually have or can get from the library.

Most tasks give you a really wide range of options for tasks so pick books that you really want to read.

Don't be tied into the books you have picked - I do other challenges and say i need to read a romance for another challenge and i have nothing on the SRC i pick something that i can swop into one of the tasks.

This year i have decided to build up some books read and post into the tasks a few at a time - i have swopped loads around from my initial plans and so far it seems to be working.

I have a pad of index cards that I use to write out all tasks and possible books to fill them

[Marie (UK)]

Plus even if you cant complete try and earn one of the 20 point tasks
makes sure you complete all the 5 and 10 point tasks - to be in with a chance of nickels and dimes
count golden oldies (agatha Christie books fit lots of tasks and are usually oldies) choose at least one big book - then in with chance for those tasks
Be careful about your completions to win moderators pet
Do a review of one of your read books
A new member with best score / or most improved task is possible

[Jackie]

I appreciate all the ideas listed.

[Shanna_redwind]

This is my third challenge, and I'm starting to put my plan together for tackling them.

First I place any of the books on my TBR list that are under 150 pages wherever they fit.

Then I start working the challenge from the bottom up finding a book for each challenge. At the same time, if I have books that have been on hold arrive, I place them wherever they fit from the top down.

I try to save the open task and the one doing last seasons tasks for last, and I'll fit an 80-99 page book in there if I have one on my TBR

[Bea]

Shanna_redwind wrote: "First I place any of the books on my TBR list that are under 150 pages wherever they fit.

Then I start working the challenge from the bottom up finding a book for each challenge. At the same time, if I have books that have been on hold arrive, I place them wherever they fit from the top down.

I try to save the open task and the one doing last seasons tasks for last, and I'll fit an 80-99 page book in there if I have one on my TBR"

Shanna, I like your plan for me...for now. I find that, since my husband died this summer, my concentration is not as good. Perhaps focusing on shorter books on my TBR would help me feel more accomplished when it comes to SRC.

[Shanna_redwind]

I'm sorry for your loss.

I like the quick boost that the short books give me. I don't only read short books for the challenge (though I have to admit that all other things being equal, I'll pick the shorter book) but I find this gives me the satisfaction of eliminating a bunch of tasks within the first week or so.

[Heather(Gibby)]

So After quite a few SRC challenges, I have read through pretty much every book under 200 pages that I own, and have let my longer books build up. So this challenge I have decided I am going to read as many Big Books as I can, and not worry about the overall points so much as getting as many Big Book Tickets as I can get.

[Marie (UK)]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "So After quite a few SRC challenges, I have read through pretty much every book under 200 pages that I own, and have let my longer books build up. So this challenge I have decided I am going to rea..."

I am going to read the ones i want to read first and then the ones i found in library or KU that fit tasks and then everything else

[Laure]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "So After quite a few SRC challenges, I have read through pretty much every book under 200 pages that I own, and have let my longer books build up. So this challenge I have decided I am going to rea..."

That's a great idea. I might do that next year!

[Lost Planet Airman]

Winter 2017 is the first Challenge that I have been taking "seriously" -- and even so, I am not that serious about it. My engineering job is not the sort that has reading opportunities in the work day, and then my single-parenting second career fills up most of the rest of the week. So I don't see myself completing a challenge until my retirement comes along.

When I do have time to read, my first goals are science fiction related: to catch up/keep up with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club monthly reads, and to try to read any SF&F that has won an award.

So, to play the Seasonal Reading Challenge, I start in the high-point tasks, and try to find a book on the SF&F bookshelf that will meet a goal. Once I've scheduled a few of those books, I poke around on my other TBR lists or reading games to fill in some more blanks, and shuffle stuff around when the library won't produce a book in a timely fashion for me.

When I dig in, I try to find audio books first, since I can spend about 5 times more time reading with my ears -- during chores and commute -- than with my eyes.

[Tammie]

I am staying with audio books and my tbr

[Katrina]

I love reading through people's tips and tricks to gaining points.

I've worked on this challenge before but have been away for almost a year. I've been making my challenge list as the challenges have been posted - I'm eager for the rest of the challenges to be posted - and haven't had any thoughts about reading books to get a certain amount of points or for speed. Before I started I went through my tbr and made a shelf of books I really wanted included and they've been my priority after that it's anything that fits. I don't try and fill in all of the tasks as some I'm not interested in and I don't want to buy books just to fit tasks. I'm also trying to include the Man Booker Longlist where possible as I have those out from the library.

The only thing I did find from previous experience is that I like to get a book read and on the scoreboard in the first few days so I'll look through my list and look for a fast read. When I tried to started with a high scoring 2 book challenge before I found it disheartening.

I'm itching to get started on Saturday.

[Celeste]

I like manga and graphic novels so I incessantly go through availability on tasks. Y'all task creators are killing me XD. Purr-leazz! Let us use graphic Novels. Huff and besides that, I always be messing up and getting myself close to the top of the Problems board.

Like right now (Fall 2018), I'm at the TOP? (Imagine me wringing someone's neck, yelling "Why!?!")
But I shall still try for that moderator's pet award post.

[Marie (UK)]

Celeste wrote: "I like manga and graphic novels so I incessantly go through availability on tasks. Y'all task creators are killing me XD. Purr-leazz! Let us use graphic Novels. Huff and besides that, I always be m..."

its funny i cannot get my head round mantas or graphic novels at all.

[Sheila]

Diane Whitney wrote: "Does anyone know if there is a way to "compare" books with Listopia lists, like you can compare books with other members?
This season has several list tasks and scrolling through entire lists looki..."

On each particular books page it shows what lists the book is part of. That is as close as I know. Unfortunately even if you know a book is on a particular list for this challenge you have to know which page of the list the book is on so you would still have to page through the lists.

[Dee]

what Sheila said - if you scroll down between friends review of books and community reviews - there is often a section of lists this book is featured on

[Joanne]

Thank you Sheila and Dee, I did not know that either-very helpful!

[Dee]

its definately saved me a few times beacuse i just scroll down the listopia until i find a book that a) i have shelved or in the rare instance I have nothing b) that looks intriguing

[steph (librarianish)]

This season, I'm doing more of my list-management on GR and using the spreadsheet more for points, and thought I'd share.

First, I created an SRC_queue shelf that's exclusive, and I move books from my to-be-read shelf to the SRC shelf once I decide which task it's going to fit. I load up my to-be-read shelf periodically as I read book reviews or notice that a friend has read a book that looks interesting.

I display the "Notes" column in my to-be-read and SRC shelves, and use it to track two things: 1) availability from my library, and in which formats (hardcover, paperback, Overdrive kindle, Overdrive audio) (or owned), and 2) task number that it's planned for.

On my SRC shelf, I order the list by the task number. That way, I can work on lining up copies of things to read next (usually from the library, especially audio w/ my long commute), without having to open the spreadsheet at all.

My spreadsheet has a sheet for the challenge, which adds up total possible books/points and currently-submitted books/points, listed by post number, with a bright color signal to indicate posts above where the readerboard has been updated (I enter that updated post # manually). I have a second sheet that contains a running total of all books, with a count of books for the year.

I should note, I also keep a column in my spreadsheet (both sheets) for the GR number of the edition of the book that I'm reading (and have planned to read), as well as pages (if I know which format I'm going to read; I read so much audio that I often just record the mmpb/top pb number). The GR number is really helpful for posting; I use the "add book/author", enter the first one that comes up, and then just replace the GR number with the one I recorded. No need to hunt through the pop-up list for the correct format!

eta: here's my Google sheet link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[Sheila]

Stephanie (Librarianish) wrote: "This season, I'm doing more of my list-management on GR and using the spreadsheet more for points, and thought I'd share.

First, I created an SRC_queue shelf that's exclusive, and I move books fr..."

Impressive. You are well organized, that is for sure. Thanks for posting.

[Joanne]

Stephanie (Librarianish) wrote: "This season, I'm doing more of my list-management on GR and using the spreadsheet more for points, and thought I'd share.

First, I created an SRC_queue shelf that's exclusive, and I move books fr..."

I have a similar spread sheet-but I love your color coding-thanks for the tip!

[steph (librarianish)]

Thanks! I also finally moved it to Google Sheets, so that I didn't have to worry about versions syncing from various computers. I think it's the spreadsheet I access more often than anything else.... which is maybe a little embarrassing!!

[Joanne]

Stephanie (Librarianish) wrote: "Thanks! I also finally moved it to Google Sheets, so that I didn't have to worry about versions syncing from various computers. I think it's the spreadsheet I access more often than anything else....."

No, don't be embarrassed-mine is on Google also, and is one of the first to be opened each day😁

[Rayne]

I'm a newbie in the group (just joined last month) and this is my first time go. It's so fun to find books to fit the tasks. Mainly I try to stick with stuff already on my TBR. If not, then I can usually find something that's available at the library or from KU. I also have an audible account and the romance package. So lots of options without having to purchase individual books.

I wouldn't be able to do it without the help of my Google spreadsheet. I swiped someone's from the many links in this thread and tweaked it for my own use. And it has been super helpful.

[*Dawn]

Stephanie (Librarianish) wrote: "...and thought I'd share.
"

Thanks, Stephanie!

[Marie (UK)]

Brooklyn wrote: "I'm a newbie in the group (just joined last month) and this is my first time go. It's so fun to find books to fit the tasks. Mainly I try to stick with stuff already on my TBR. If not, then I can u..."

I think next seasons challenge could be very big - there are a lot of finishers already and certainly I am hoping to do so too. I consider myself quite a fast reader but i am way behind the front runners in the finishing stakes this year. I think a lot of people try to use both the books they have and also the shortest ones of those that fit the criteria to give themselves the best chance

[Marie (UK)]

this is my spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

[Rhonda]

Stephanie (Librarianish) wrote: "This season, I'm doing more of my list-management on GR and using the spreadsheet more for points, and thought I'd share.

First, I created an SRC_queue shelf that's exclusive, and I move books fr..."

Thanks for sharing your spreadsheet! It was very helpful as I set up mine.

Where do you find the goodreads number for the book? I know you can get it from "add book/author", but is there a simpler way to match them up to specific editions?

[Florence]

The winter '19 challenge will be my second, and this time I want to try and get the most 'value' for my books as possible, points wise!
I've figured out the average points available per task in order to start with the best value tasks and work down from there. I divide the task points by the number of books, and then plan to tackle each group of tasks by best value to worst, starting with the one book tasks as it can be trickier to complete sets of 2 or 3 books needed. I then slot in any books on my physical to read pile and see where the gaps are!
I need to update my list as more 20 and 25 point tasks are added but here's what I have so far:

16.6 points 3 books

50.1

25 point 1 book?

20 point one book?

15 point one book
15.3. 100 artists manifestos - verify on help thread
15.4 lives of girls and women verify blouse in help thread
15.5
15.6 truly madly guilty
15.7 nine perfect strangers
15.8
15.9
15.10 hinch yourself happy

15 point 2 book
30.8
30.7 op 3 the Zanzibar wife - Deborah rodriguez? Or persuasion - Jane Austen (op 1 anything between 1969 and 2019)
30.6
30.5 op 2 the book of dust secret commonwealth Philip pullman
30.4 book 1 the communist manifesto
30.3 op 5 agnes’s jacket and op 3 a tree of night and other stories
30.2 op 4 donna tartt the little friend and op 2 burning bright
30.1 om 3 island - alders Huxley or transcription - Kate Atkinson and op 1 burning bright - tracy chevalier

12.5 point 2 book
25.5 op 2 book of dust secret commonwealth
25.4 op 3 the communist manifesto and op 1 the life changing magic of not giving a f*ck - Sarah knight or op 2 aralia gospel of witches
25.3 op 3 the listener - Tove Janson
25.2
25.1 book 1 carol - Patricia high smith , book 2
Women beware women - Thomas Middleton

10 point one book
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
10.7
10.8
10.9
10.10 the communist manifesto (verify)

10 point 2 book?

7.5 point 2 book
15.2
15.1

5 point one book
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10


I hope that's useful to someone!

[Joanne]

Florence wrote: "The winter '19 challenge will be my second, and this time I want to try and get the most 'value' for my books as possible, points wise!
I've figured out the average points available per task in ord..."

I love this! I will have to dissect it a little more tomorrow when I have more time!

[Katrina]

Florence wrote: "The winter '19 challenge will be my second, and this time I want to try and get the most 'value' for my books as possible, points wise!
I've figured out the average points available per task in ord..."

I usually try to do this, the frustrating thing is that your best bets are the 20 book tasks and they are released later. This year I am completing a different book challenge task so have slotted my 5 books I need to read in where they will fit, I'm hoping some of the may then move to the 20 point category.

[Florence]

Katrina wrote: "Florence wrote: "The winter '19 challenge will be my second, and this time I want to try and get the most 'value' for my books as possible, points wise!
I've figured out the average points availabl..."

agreed! I'll try and work through as many of the 15'ers as I can before the 20s are released, and then work through those next, and I'll hold off claiming my points til then just in case any of the books iv'e read already will fit the 20s!

[Heather(Gibby)]

I have been unsuccessful in trying to finish this challenge for the last few years, so this time round I am not going to try to finish and instead am going to concentrate on getting through some of the really big books that have been on my TBR for years.

[♞ Pat]

Florence wrote: I'll try and work through as many of the 15'ers as I can before the 20s are released, and then work through those next, and I'll hold off claiming my points til then just in case any of the books iv'e read already will fit the 20..."

I do this too, usually. I decide what I want to read when the 30 point tasks start going up and slot my 15 point reads in first, then the 30's, then the 10s.

I put books I really WANT to read into the five point tasks so that as things get close to the end and if it looks like I might finish, I'll be motivated to read those in spite of their miniscule point status.

I also don't worry too much about the point values. I prefer to think of it as "books to complete" for the season and work at it that way. This season there will probably be a LOT of books since there were so many finishers from the fall challenge.

[Katrina]

Normally if I read a book for a challenge where two books are needed I immediately read the second book, not this time! I now have 6 tasks where I've read one of two books. I've only completed 3 tasks so far and have this 6 in progress. I need to start planning better. Having said that I have read some great books and that's more important than any points, and several of those have been from my existing TBR which I'm trying to shrink.

[Dee]

Heather(Gibby) wrote: "I have been unsuccessful in trying to finish this challenge for the last few years, so this time round I am not going to try to finish and instead am going to concentrate on getting through some of..."

i used to finis this challenge all the time - but i was finding that reading wasn't fun any more...so i started picking books that i wanted to read and fit them in where i could - and just having fun

[Jessica]

Holy cow. This has been my first challenge and I want to know how people can read so many books??? I work, so maybe that's it... and I'm not using audible yet, I read everything with my eyes. I thought reading one book a week, which is about what I'm doing right now, was good... Hopefully I will get faster as I go along. I haven't read much since college. I don't expect to ever get through a challenge at this rate, but I'm setting small goals for myself. I guess people might pick short books too, but I'm trying to pick a variety, including books that I've wanted to read forever.

[Sandy, Moderator Emeritus]

When I worked full time and had 3 kids at home, I didn't read nearly as much, LOL! But, I'm retired now, the kids are grown, and although I spend a fair amount of time with my grandchildren, that's not the same thing.

One thing, though, is that I'm not a tv watcher, except on rare occasions - so, in the evenings, I'm sitting and reading, not watching. I do use audio books quite a bit - I do a lot of sewing, so audio books go well with that. And, when I'm doing boring stuff around the house - folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher, etc. - I generally have an audio book going.

The important thing isn't how many books you read, though, but that you're enjoying your reading. Life isn't a race! I initially joined the SRC because I was in a reading rut - my work involved lots of reading/writing, and when I'd get home, I often didn't have the energy to pick out stuff to read - so I'd just re-read some old favorite. I thought (correctly, as it turned out) that the SRC tasks would push me out of that rut.

My goal wasn't to finish, but to broaden my reading.

[Jessica]

Sandy wrote: "When I worked full time and had 3 kids at home, I didn't read nearly as much, LOL! But, I'm retired now, the kids are grown, and although I spend a fair amount of time with my grandchildren, that's..."

Thank you for responding :) I joined because I haven't read much in years, and I really wanted to get back in to it. I always have a hard time picking out what to read, so this definitely helps with that!

[Marie (UK)]

Jessica wrote: "Sandy wrote: "When I worked full time and had 3 kids at home, I didn't read nearly as much, LOL! But, I'm retired now, the kids are grown, and although I spend a fair amount of time with my grandch..."

Like Jessica my reading increased after i retired. This seasons challenge is big and that means that next season should be much more manageable there won't be as many finishers

[Book Concierge]

Jessica wrote: "Holy cow. This has been my first challenge and I want to know how people can read so many books??? I work, so maybe that's it... and I'm not using audible yet, I read everything with my eyes. I tho..."

Don't stress, Jessica. One book a week is a very good pace. If you start audios that might increase your reading. I like to listen when I'm exercising (as if...), driving in my car, doing chores around the house. I've been spotted in the grocery store with my earbuds in place, staring aimlessly at the cereal selections while I listen to "just one more chapter" .... LOL

SRC will definitely help you "choose the next book" but don't expect your TBR list to shrink. It's much more likely to explode as you see more title you want to add!


Enjoy!

[Joanne]

Jessica wrote: "Holy cow. This has been my first challenge and I want to know how people can read so many books??? I work, so maybe that's it... and I'm not using audible yet, I read everything with my eyes. I tho..."

Jessica, as Book Concierge said-don't stress. I have been here for about 8 or 9 seasons and I have reconciled that I will probably never be among the finishers. My goal the last 2 seasons has been to top my score from the prior season. A good lesson I have learned: If it is a 2 book task-read the 2 books together or one after the other...too many seasons I had orphaned books sitting there because I never read the 2nd book

[Marie (UK)]

Jessica wrote: "Holy cow. This has been my first challenge and I want to know how people can read so many books??? I work, so maybe that's it... and I'm not using audible yet, I read everything with my eyes. I tho..."

I am retired Jessica. I finish because i have loads of time for reading and I use physical, e books and audio so wherever I am I can read. I am constitutionally incapable of spending more than half an hour without a book. I think a good challenge is to try to read all the 5 and 10 point tasks OR to get 5 entries i Golden oldies or big books. Write a review of one of your books - al these things can get you a task for next season. BUT just trying to better your last season works too

[Esther]

I’m new to SRC and am loving the winter (summer for me) challenge. I’ve also found it led me to genres and authors I probably wouldn’t have tried on my own.

Thank you for your question Jessica (mind-blowing how quickly some people read) and thanks to everyone for the great answers. I was going a bit plotty trying to force feed myself physical, e-book and audio books to notch up as many challenges as possible. I think I’ll take your advice, finish up on a task and just enjoy.

[Dee]

i've participated in SRC for going on 9 years now (my first season was the season the our current mods saved the group when the original mod when MIA) - i used to really try to finish the challenge and i found myself forcing to read books that didn't appeal to now - now i just try to have fun and if i finish, i finish

[Tammie]

i am doing audio books and books and kindle i want to read 130 before dec 31st

[Sarah Ruth]

I am also blown away by how anyone can actually finish this challenge!!! That is so many books!!! I don't ever expect to be able to actually finish.

I generally read what I want and then figure out where it fits with the highest point value possible.

I have created a shelf for "uncategorized" that I use for this challenge only. If I finish a book and haven't had time to figure out where it fits in, it goes on that shelf. Also, if it qualifies for ONLY 5 or 10 point tasks (which are only 1 book tasks), but it also qualifies for some 2 book tasks, I will just leave it on that shelf in case I find a good match for it. If I don't find a good match by combining it with another book, I will just take whatever I can get for it when I run out of time.

This is only my second challenge, and this one seemed much more difficult to me than the last. However, I have already beat my total points for last season, so yay!

[Heather(Gibby)]

I originally thought that this challenge was short enough that I might actually finally finish one, but now with the library being closed I have a challenge getting some of the books I need.