How do you work on the challenge?

[Lucy-Bookworm, Moderator]

Truitt_T wrote: "I'm curious about something, so I thought I'd ask.

This is my first season palying and I find myself reluctant to post my completed books for tasks before the remaining 20.0 and 25.0 tasks are pos..."

Its very common to overthink, and remember that the 50pt task will not be posted till half way through!
However if you find that you want to swap a book to a different task later in the season, you can do that by posting an "UNCLAIM" for your original post (most people copy the original post and add UNCLAIM at the top - remember to deduct your points & any claimed BB/G/IAF tickets from your total!) then you create a separate post for the new task

Everyone is friendly, so don't worry if you make a mistake, we're here to help!

[Marie (UK)]

I like to have all the tasks before i start posting. Undoing a post is complicated so i like to be certain of where I am going. Our moderators are new so the posting is taking a little longer at the moment as they get used to this huge challenge. When you do start to post just rememeber
1 task per post
Make sure your readerboard name is on every post
make sure you link your books through the add book/ author tab
make sure you keep a rolling tally at the bottom of each post

So if I was posting for a task like 5.1 this year my post would look like this

MAZZA1
Task 5.1
Read a book with no "L" In the title/subtitle/authors name

Seven Perfect Things Catherine Ryan Hyde

points this post= 5
points to date = 5

[Truitt_T]

Everyone has been so friendly, helpful, and encouraging - thank you!

I've only posted for one task so far, becuase I was absolutely certain it wasn't something I'd want to change. Who knew Tineye and I could disagree so strongly about what was white, lol?

At any rate, I'm haveing great fun with the challenge - I'm determined to finish it.

Thanks again!

[Lois]

Truitt_T wrote: "I'm curious about something, so I thought I'd ask.

This is my first season palying and I find myself reluctant to post my completed books for tasks before the remaining 20.0 and 25.0 tasks are pos..."

I tend to delay posting the 5 pointers until later in the season in case I need them to round out a higher-scoring task, especially if the 5 pointer is one for which it will be easy to find a replacement, such as author initials. It certainly makes sense to wait to see the 20 and 25 point tasks before posting a lesser task. That's just logistics, part of the fun of the challenge, in my opinion.

[Angela]

Speaking of working on the challenge (and also I have no idea where to direct questions or inquires), I am wondering if we are getting 20.1-20.9 tasks for this quarter.
We usually get a calendar or an announcement of the challenge officially beginning with the total tasks/ points for the quarter.

[Dee]

They are still in draft - you can see the threads but the tasks haven’t been posted yet

[Angela]

Thanks Dee for your response! I only seen two drafts so far in the help thread and no other threads created for the other seven.

[Dee]

i see the other ones, but there has only been 1 post - but they have titles and people associated

[Angela]

I don't know how I missed that as I have been obsessively looking for the past two weeks! *face palm*. Guess I did not scroll down far enough. Thanks again Dee!

[Kathy KS]

Angela wrote: "Speaking of working on the challenge (and also I have no idea where to direct questions or inquires), I am wondering if we are getting 20.1-20.9 tasks for this quarter.
We usually get a calendar o..."

You aren't alone, Angela. I have been checking regularly too. Some of us have a lot of fun planning our possible titles each season and get antsy.

I keep telling myself what my husband says his grandmother always told him, "Patience, patience, little man..." (substitue: reader!)

[Robin P]

Yes, I'm also impatient. I've been looking every day also, and even copied the titles into my spreadsheet already. I think the goal is Dec. 15, so we should see them soon. The 20-point winners can't get notified till after the last challenge ends and the mods do the drawings, then the task creators need time to create them and have them reviewed. Sometimes there is more back and forth than expected (I've run into this myself, I thought everything was clear, but the mods had great questions to clarify it.) People who get the 30 & 25 know right away that they will have a tasks but the 20-pointers may be members who have never created one before and had no idea they might be doing one.

This is the only challenge I know of where members create so many (or even any) of the tasks. It's so much fun to see what people come up with!

[Angela]

I also really enjoy planning for this challenge, which is a challenge within the challenge (finding the books for each task). Not that I ever actually stick to my '"finalized" TBR because once I step into my library, I find so many other books I would rather read, causing me to have to redo my initial plans lol!

[Marie (UK)]

We are nearly 2/3rds of the way through December My impatience level is off the charts - will we get the last tasks soon. Whilst I appreciate the amount of work moderators have to do everything feels really slow this year the readerboard is a long way behind the completed task posts which always makes me nervous as if I have something wrong there may be lot of undoing to do.

[Robin P]

I would also like to know what the total number of tasks and points is going to be. It looks like it will be less than usual, even if all the 20 point tasks get filled in.

[Dee]

looks like last season only had 9 finishers from the readerboard - 4 30 pointers and 5 25 pointers

so the only missing tasks are 3 20 pointers - as far as i can tell - everything else has been posted

[Angela]

I don't think we will be getting a 20.3 because reviews were not submitted for a best review.
Also, I believe we should be getting a thread open soon for 50 point task submissions, as it is usually the 15th of the month. There is no calendar so maybe that has changed.
I would love to continue doing this challenge as it is much beloved for me. I was there for its creation, took a bit of a break and came back in 2021. It is the lack of communication that we seem to be getting now that is concerning me.

[Marie (UK)]

Angela wrote: "I don't think we will be getting a 20.3 because reviews were not submitted for a best review.
Also, I believe we should be getting a thread open soon for 50 point task submissions, as it is usuall..."

the total this season is very low even if all 20 point tasks are filled make it 795. I don't think it has been that low in all the time I have been doing the challenge. I hadn't noticed that there was no best review poll if that is right the total would be 775.

the 50 point task is only posted at mid way point so we have some time for that yet

I agree with you Angela the lack of communication is key to whether i continue with this challenge

[Dee]

i survived the mod before Sandy/DLMRose/Kristi just disappearing mid-challenge - so zero concerns - everything will get posted eventually

it does seem like we are getting fewer and fewer reviews each season - maybe its time for a new task category (kind of how we used to have the GR author task, which became golden oldies; and the birthday task, which became nickle and dimes)

[Truitt_T]

I have to say I'm really enjoying the challenge so far! It's my first season playing, so I have no real expectations as to how things are supposed to be going, but I'll admit I'm glad all the tasks (except the 50 point task) are posted. It was almost killing me to hold back from posting, just in case a book would be better suiting to a task to come, lol.

[JennRenee, Moderator]

Truitt_T wrote: "I have to say I'm really enjoying the challenge so far! It's my first season playing, so I have no real expectations as to how things are supposed to be going, but I'll admit I'm glad all the tasks..."

We really appreciate all those players from the past and the new ones. The Mods are still new at this and we are still learning. We are diligently working behind the scenes to make this challenge what it has always been.

I know me personally love this community and this challenge and have been part of it since 2011. I think you guys are all great and love doing the challenge with you.

[Robin P]

JennRenee wrote: "Truitt_T wrote: "I have to say I'm really enjoying the challenge so far! It's my first season playing, so I have no real expectations as to how things are supposed to be going, but I'll admit I'm g..."

You guys are terrific! I don't know of any other group on or offline that requires so much attention daily and in such detail. And obviously you can only post the tasks after the various winners send them in and answer your questions about them.

[Dee]

starting to think SRC might be an addiction and SRC-anonymous should be a thing (said partially in jest)

[Tess]

Dee wrote: "starting to think SRC might be an addiction and SRC-anonymous should be a thing (said partially in jest)"

I can believe that! (At least for me) lol

[Marie (UK)]

Dee wrote: "i survived the mod before Sandy/DLMRose/Kristi just disappearing mid-challenge - so zero concerns - everything will get posted eventually

it does seem like we are getting fewer and fewer reviews e..."

Dee wrote: "starting to think SRC might be an addiction and SRC-anonymous should be a thing (said partially in jest)"

I am certainly addicted Dee I don't remember either of the task categories you mention

I thought there would have been loads of finishers last season as the total was really quite low - yet it is even lower this season. This will make finishing more attainable.

[Dee]

Marie (UK) wrote: "I am certainly addicted Dee I don't remember either of the task categories you mention"

yep - pre Golden Oldies - you could claim GR Author tickets and that was a task; and there used to be a birthday task which I think became nickles and dimes - probably 5+yrs ago

if you want a blast from a past - here is the tasks from 2009 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Robin P]

Dee wrote: "starting to think SRC might be an addiction and SRC-anonymous should be a thing (said partially in jest)"

Yes, at first I did it specifically because I knew I couldn't finish so there was no pressure. But afterI finished one time, I got obsessed with doing that again. An annoying thing is that there are so few people outside of this group that I can tell of my achievement and have it understood. If I told most people how many books I read in a quarter, they would agree that something is wrong with me! I don't watch many TV series anymore or listen to the radio, I am reading or listening to a book - or I am on GR reading and posting comments!

Maybe a lot of people will finish this time and the next total will be over 1000 as it was a couple years ago.

[Robin P]

Dee wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "I am certainly addicted Dee I don't remember either of the task categories you mention"

yep - pre Golden Oldies - you could claim GR Author tickets and that was a task; and ther..."

Some of the 2009 tasks look more like what I have seen in other groups, more personal - like a book with a job you would or wouldn't like or a books set near where you live. And there was even a GR option to look up users who live near you. I don't think that exists anymore and many group members don't like to divulge any private information, even for games. Plus it's really hard for a Mod to judge personal categories, like favorite job.

[Lauren]

JennRenee wrote: "Truitt_T wrote: "I have to say I'm really enjoying the challenge so far! It's my first season playing, so I have no real expectations as to how things are supposed to be going, but I'll admit I'm g..."

Thanks for all the hard work that you and the new mods put in to making the challenge so enjoyable!

[Lauren]

I also noticed fewer finishers this past season. I personally did not read as much. The fall months are always a slower reading period for me (not sure why) and a lot happened in my life as well that put me off reading.

I hope to read more this winter challenge.

[Meg]

Robin, i agree a lot of people will probably finish this season and we will have a huge set of tasks next time

[Robin P]

Meg wrote: "Robin, i agree a lot of people will probably finish this season and we will have a huge set of tasks next time"

We were right! Spring '24 is the highest total and most tasks since I joined in 2021, at least 200 more points than I have been getting. So I guess I will try to relax and not pursue all the tasks. It will balance again by not as many finishers and fewer tasks for summer.