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Challenges: Monthly > Beta Challenge Feature

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message 1: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments Goodreads has a new feature in beta testing. Please pur your feedback in this thread and we will pass your comments along.

I was disappointed that it took all my formatting off and posted the challenge as one long run-on paragraph. It also didn't allow me to add links to books or authors. That is why I placed the details of the challenge in the usualy place.


message 2: by Kate (new)

Kate Z (kgordon3) | 144 comments Where do you find the challenge feature?


message 3: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments Go to the group home and scroll down. The challenge should show after the "currently reading" section (close to the top).


message 4: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments You should be able to indicate your intention to participate. It will track your goal along with the group's goal.


message 5: by Kate (new)

Kate Z (kgordon3) | 144 comments Well that part is neat. Is there any place to post book suggestions? I would like to participate but I have NO idea what to read.


message 6: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments Kate wrote: "Well that part is neat. Is there any place to post book suggestions? I would like to participate but I have NO idea what to read."

Post a request for suggestions in the thread for Challenge 7 - December 2011


message 7: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments Suggestion - make a new shelf on your profile called ylto monthly challenge. When you indicate how many books you are going to read, you will be asked for a shelf. Type in ylto-monthly-challenge. Add your selection to the shelf. When you update your review with the date you finished reading it, the challenge will be updated.

Goodreads looks at the date range for the challenge. In this case Dec 1 - 31, 2011. It also looks at the shelf you specified in setting your goal for the challenge. If the completed date falls within the date range, your challenge goals are updated.

Note that every book you place on your specified shelf with a completed date that falls within the range will count. That is why you wouldn't want to put 'read' as your shelf selection. It will skew your goal.

Make sense?


message 8: by Cheryl (new)

Cheryl (cherylllr) I don't want to create a new shelf. I don't have to 'officially' participate in the goodreads version of your challenge just to participate, do I?


message 9: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments No, it's not mandatory.

I would like to give the new feature a good workout so that I can provide useful feedback to Goodreads. If it's more of a hassle than it's worth, we won't use it in future.

I understand that the new feature supposedly makes it easier for the challenge organizer to verify. I'm quite interested in that aspect and want to see how it pans out.


message 10: by Sue (new)

Sue To participate in the challenge, do all books have to meet the criteria you mentioned above.


message 11: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments Sue wrote: "To participate in the challenge, do all books have to meet the criteria you mentioned above."

Our challenges are based on a theme for the month. For December, that theme is "winter". You may chose to read any book that fits that theme as you interpret it. It could be the title, the cover, the subject matter, etc. It may be fiction or non-fiction. There are rules (criteria) set out for each challenge. Those rules and the theme of the month are the only criteria.

I set out point qualifiers - generally there are 5 options under title, cover, author, etc - from which you calculate the total points that your book matches. For example, on this particular challenge, if the title of your book contains the word "winter", you will get to add 5 points to your total. It is not part of the criteria that your book match any of the point qualifiers.

I hope I've answered your question correctly, Sue.

If your question relates more to the Beta Challenge feature, the answer is no. You do not need to set your goal with that feature. I would prefer that people do use that feature but you may set your goal in the thread (link is in message 6 above). The thread is where we'll discuss the books and our successes, and report our point totals.


message 12: by Sue (new)

Sue Thanks Janice. I'm not sure if i'll be doing this, but I understand it better.


message 13: by Sue (new)

Sue Janice, another question--since I'll definitely be reading in December, should I do the Beta Challenge even if I don't do the "themed" challenge for December. Is it good for this group to have the participation.


message 14: by Janice, Moderator (new)

Janice (jamasc) | 59882 comments If you read anything in December that you think will fit in with the challenge, don't be shy about adding it to the challenge.

The beta challenge feature is something new that Goodreads is testing. I decided to use the feature in conjunction with our monthly challenge to try it out and see if it's a good fit for us. I wouldn't recommend using it for the monthly read in December, or to track other books you might be reading.


message 15: by Sue (new)

Sue Thanks Janice. No more questions.


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