Personal Goals for the Challenge

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Well hopefully you can fit some books into some of the tasks. Just have fun :)

[Katrina]

My goal for the Fall challenge is 400 points, and remembering to read the multiple book challenges together so I don't end up with books read at the end which I can't then count as I didn't read their partner.

[Joanne]

Katrina wrote: "My goal for the Fall challenge is 400 points, and remembering to read the multiple book challenges together so I don't end up with books read at the end which I can't then count as I didn't read th..."

UGH! I know what you mean Katrina-I had quite a few of those "left dangling" tasks because I had never read the 2nd book!

[Heather]

My goal for the Fall 2018 challenge is to completely clear out my real live TBR pile from my bedroom!

[Sophie]

Good luck Heather!

After surprising myself on the Summer challenge (my first) by getting closer to finishing than I expected, this go round I'm aiming for over half the points - going back to work is going to have a big impact on reading time!

[Marie (UK)]

I am trying ONLY to use books I have either actual books or on kindle and available from library but it may not work out

[Laura]

Seeing as I joined so late in this challenge, my only goal was to at least finish one task; but for the next challenge, my goal will be to include at least two books written in (or translated to) Italian, since I want to learn the language :)

[Katrina]

Katrina wrote: "My goal for the Fall challenge is 400 points, and remembering to read the multiple book challenges together so I don't end up with books read at the end which I can't then count as I didn't read th..."

I'm not going to manage 100+ points in the next 2 weeks but I will keep that as a goal for the winter challenge. So far I have managed to keep up with the two book challenges.

[Sheila]

Here was my original post back in May 2012

My goals for the summer 2012 challenge are 4 fold.

1. Finish the challenge

2. Avoid the "Wall of Shame" by reading and re-reading the task posting requirements before posting.

3. Read at least 20 books by authors that are brand new to me. (I love finding new authors and series). Unfortunately this can backfire on you as it did when I read my first "in death" book by J.D. Robb. Sure I finished 1 book but then "had" to add the other 35 books in the series to my tbr list :)

4. Listen to at least 15 audiobooks that I already have loaded on my iPod so I can delete them and make room for others that I have ripped and waiting on my computer.

My goals have changed a bit over the years. I no longer even try to finish the challenge. Some of the tasks require the reading of books that are of absolutely no interest to me so I now just skip those kind of tasks.

Always try to follow #2 and avoid the Wall of Shame since our wonderful mods are busy enough keeping track of everything,

#3 is a little iffy since I now have so many series going that I lean more towards reading a series book and push to finish some of those series so I may try to slot more than 1 book from a series into different tasks to make headway.

#4 has now changed to making EVERY book that is slotted be an audiobook if possible. I seem to be able to listen to an audiobook when it would be impossible to concentrate and read an actual book.

So in 6 1/2 years all my goals have changed except making sure my post is correct.

I don't worry about the number of points acquired anymore. It seems easier for me to keep track if I just complete the tasks in order. 5.1, 5.2.....

I actually think one of my favorite parts of the SRC is to read the new tasks and find a book that I want to read anyway to fit the tasks. Love the planning even if I know there is no way I will do them all.

[Joanne]

Sheila wrote: "Here was my original post back in May 2012

My goals for the summer 2012 challenge are 4 fold.

1. Finish the challenge

2. Avoid the "Wall of Shame" by reading and re-reading the task posting requ..."

Love that you, after 6 1/2 years, have never completed-makes me feel good, after only 3 seasons have not come close..I love the planning though too, and also tend to read what I want to read and then find a place for it! Good luck to you!

[Bea]

I also love the planning. I try to re-cycle books "previously planned but not yet read" into the current season's challenges. I also try to cross plan books for different group challenges.

[EShay]

I had grand plans for making a run at this Fall's challenge, but staying at home with a new baby did not provide as much reading time as I was hoping... or maybe my motivation when elsewhere :-)

I really just try to beat my previous score. At this point I'm pushing for half way in the challenge and happy if I get there. When I go back to work next month plus kiddo its going to be tough. Thank goodness for audio books!!

[Book Concierge]

Sheila wrote: "Here was my original post back in May 2012

My goals for the summer 2012 challenge are 4 fold.

1. Finish the challenge

2. Avoid the "Wall of Shame" by reading and re-reading the task posting requ..."


Love your philosophy / rationale for your goals and how you've changed them. I have never set a goal, other than staying off the "wall of shame." I know I'll never finish. I have to fit in the books for my six F2F book groups and sometimes they just don't fit. (Especially now that we have only one "free choice" option.)

I really enjoy the planning. Figuring out what fits where, and how to maximize the points I might earn. Also balancing which audios might be available through my library. Seems that wait lists - especially for digital audios through Overdrive - are much longer for audio than traditional dead-tree books.

[Sheila]

I've found just the opposite BC. The overdrive audiobooks are available to download faster than the kindle books are. I figure it is because people return the audiobooks when done since it is easy to do wheras returning the kindle book earlier requires a visit to Amazon.

[Louise]

It’s so interesting to read everyone’s strategies! I will never be able to finish the challenge but I do enjoy it. My goal is to reach the halfway point for the challenge, and to get a task in each category. I used to try to get all the 20 point tasks I’ve relaxed on that now.

[Lost Planet Airman]

Winter 2018 and forward... I'm afraid the SRC isn't in my top 10 reading goals just now, BUT...
I'm going to try to find a place in SRC for every book I read, and see how things fall out. AND...
I plan, someday, to complete an SRC challenge. (Probably when the final kid has left the house and I have retired.)

[Laure]

Yes, I will finish it one day, but like you I will need to retire to be able to do so. I have had some very good seasons, but ran out of steam in the end.
I am so busy right now that just finding some time to read is a challenge! The SRC does encourage me to find some time.
I love the fact that every three months, there is a new start, a new beginning.

[Marie (UK)]

I have finished it previously but last season there were too many i just didn't want to read. There are a lot of lists this time which s struggle with as I try to use only books I know i can get hold of with my Scribd and KU memberships, from the library or as an ARC. I might have to cry whilst I am reading the comic book - so not my thing

[Celeste]

Marie (UK) wrote: "I have finished it previously but last season there were too many i just didn't want to read. There are a lot of lists this time which s truffle with as I try to use only books I know i can get hol..."

I'm so very sad when I hear people don't like to read comic books. There are great ideas out there just like paperbacks, movies, music, podcasts, art, etc.
Oh well ... I also don't understand many things in the world and will certainly have dislikes in the future. I hope to finish more paperbacks, at this point my mind is a muddle.

[Marie (UK)]

Celeste wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "I have finished it previously but last season there were too many i just didn't want to read. There are a lot of lists this time which s truffle with as I try to use only books I..."

I will give it a go but i find my brain doesn't work with this format

[Celeste]

Marie (UK) wrote: "Celeste wrote: "Marie (UK) wrote: "I have finished it previously but last season there were too many i just didn't want to read. There are a lot of lists this time which s truffle with as I try to ..."

No worries! Can be totally stressful. ;)

[Kathy KS]

Mike wrote: "Winter 2018 and forward... I'm afraid the SRC isn't in my top 10 reading goals just now, BUT...
I'm going to try to find a place in SRC for every book I read, and see how things fall out. AND...
I ..."

Mike, I have a huge "to read" list AND am on a book selection committee for an award, so I have just been doing what you said: try to find a place in SRC for the books I read. It's actually quite a challenge! But fun...

[Bea]

Mike wrote: "Winter 2018 and forward... I'm afraid the SRC isn't in my top 10 reading goals just now, BUT...
I'm going to try to find a place in SRC for every book I read, and see how things fall out. "

Wow! What a great idea! But, unfortunately, I have already started planning for the next season. Hopefully, I will remember this idea for the next season. However, I will say that I use books that I have planned to read for other challenges more often to fill the tasks that I used to do.

[Joanne]

The last few challenges I have left tasks dangling because I never got to Book 2 of a Task! This Spring I have decided this is not going to happen again! If I start a 2 book task-the 2nd book is being labeled "Next Up" in bold letters! I hope this helps🙄

[Sheila]

Same thing happened to me Joanne. Definitely need a new strategy for those 2 book tasks

[Aprilleigh]

The current challenge was more than half over by the time I joined, so my goal of finishing is probably not realistic. Won't stop me from trying, though, and I am a fast, voracious reader when I really get into the swing of it.

With that in mind, my goals for this challenge are as follows, in order of priority:

As many of the eligible books I've already read during the challenge period as I can fit into the various challenges.

As many of the books chosen by a classics group I'm part of (13 each quarter: 4/month, plus one longer one) for January through May 2019 that I didn't already read before March 1st as I can fit into the various challenges. Whatever doesn't fit, as well as those titles selected for June through August, will be on the list for the next challenge.

I've got a list of books from giveaways, gifts, and recent purchases that doesn't get much smaller in the other group, because they focus on classics and most of them were published after the applicable period (pre-2000). There are more books on this list than I could finish in one challenge, even if I was able to completely fill my challenge with book from this list. Anything left over will be on the list for the next challenge.

After this I pull titles from (1) the classics group list prior to 2019, (2) a few other lists I'm working on (BBC Big Read, PBS Great American Read, etc.), (3) my general TBR list, and (4) then I get creative if I run into a challenge for which none of the above fits. It's happened a few times for this challenge (For example: 5.2, 10.2, 20.10, 30.6).

[Katerina]

My challenge for this season is to actually start the challenge! I will just "go with the flow" and try to complete at least some tasks. All of the books I will be reading I already own, so that's a part of my personal challenge too ( to get through my TBR pile).

[Joanne]

Once again I will try to remember to tackle 2 book challenges-by actually reading the 2 books together or back to back! I got a little better at it during summer, but there were still too many dangling on my list and I was scrambling to fit those "loose-ends" into other challenges so at least I got some points!

[Laure]

I had a good start this season, but I have stopped reading as much as I am prepping for NaNoWriMo in two weeks' time. Anyone else taking part this year? :D

[Sheila]

What is it Laure?

[Laure]

Sorry, I should have explained - it is National Novel Writing Month. :D
You pledge to write 50 000 words within the month. Just wondering if anyone else was taking part on here.
Here is my profile: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/mo...

[Helen]

Helen A.

My goal is to get 50 points and to get 4 tickets (combined GO's and BB's).

Total Tasks: 1 with 0 pending
Total Points: 20 with 0 pending
Total BB= 0
Total GO= 0

8) Task 20.2 Rookie-- Amish in title/subtitle
Dr. Frau: A Woman Doctor Among the Amish
(Posted 12-16 on page 9 #434)

1) Task 5.2 Set half in Canada
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be


2) Task 5.4 Odd number words in title

***GO: Ten Days in a Mad-House (1887) (85-100 pages)

3) Task 10.6 Fresh Start--#1 in series
Christmas at the Lakeside Resort
(Lakeside Resort #1)

4) Task 10.7 Non-Caucasian
Parable of the Sower

5) Task 15.1 Set in place : Iran

6) Task 15.3 Letters in title Old Christmas
+ GO*** (1820)

7) Task 15.8 Ice Ice Baby--ICE in Title
Tears of Rage: From Grieving Father to Crusader for Justice: The Untold Story of the Adam Walsh Case

8) Cordelia's Task

Option 1 First published 2019 Hidden History of Guns

Option 5 2/0/1/9 in page count
Screwtape (209 pages) GO*** (1941)

----------------------------------------------------

50 pts

sea wolves nonfic part 3



sower 1-4 fic author black part 2

plain man fic religion part 1



30.3

buzzard loon 320 pp part 4

a redbird part 3
229 pp

30,2

birchbark part 3

ruling class

part 1

dying in the wool hist fic

25.15

carrot in title part 3

dictionary of strange

sticks or twigs part 4

to a mountain in tibet

25.14
part a

charity carols

history of guns

part c seasonal warmth

the midwife of hope river 12-10

25.1 Andy P.'s

Part 1 No m,n

Wool (BB)***

Part 2 LO in sequence
Vet on the Loose

GO The Surprising Adventures of the Magical Monarch of Mo and His People (1903)

[♞ Pat]

I never really plan to finish - except in my wildest dreams - but I work at a library, and I consider reading to be part of my job. I can't recommend a book if I haven't READ a book, and this particular challenge is great for finding titles that are off the beaten path. I always limit my reading to books that can be found in our library system, which isn't all that hard, considering that I work for the Oklahoma City Metro Library and we have over 7 million titles between our 19 physical locations and our online ebook catalog.

I cannot tell you how many great books I've found via the SRC tasks - books I would have never found if the tasks didn't force me to go looking through the shelves for something to fit.

Thanks to EVERYone who makes this challenge work - mods, task developers, and all the participants who share books that they find.

I've already read several really GOOD books this cycle, ones that I can recommend to our patrons who come in looking for me and expecting me to deliver them the quality they've come to expect from my own personal reading.

*****

Keeping track is always a bit problematic for me. Since I only read library books, I am pretty much pushed to read them in order of their due back dates, although I renew everything I possibly can for the duration of the challenge. But those hot titles that are burning up the reserve lists - those I have to read in a hurry because I've only got a couple of weeks before someone else gets them. And they are scattered throughout the task lists, so keeping track is a mess. I am grateful for spreadsheets and my little carved out space in one of my old team private spaces. I lets me spread out and plan, visualize everything, and keep a running track of what I've turned in and what is still sitting there waiting for me to finish. And my old team mates who are playing are there to give me a bone or two of encouragement when I need it!

::waving at Marie, Sarah, and Cat::

[Tammie]

I want to try to read 130 books this year

[Laure]

Is anyone thinking that the total this time is achievable? Only 825 points this Spring. My best has always been around 600... only 200 more and I could make it. Just once in my lifetime. :P

[Sally]

Laure wrote: "Is anyone thinking that the total this time is achievable? Only 825 points this Spring. My best has always been around 600... only 200 more and I could make it. Just once in my lifetime. :P"

You can do it! The total definitely feels more doable this time. My goal is to finish this challenge and my extra ambitious goal is to finish before the midpoint. eeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Laure]

Sally wrote: "Laure wrote: "Is anyone thinking that the total this time is achievable? Only 825 points this Spring. My best has always been around 600... only 200 more and I could make it. Just once in my lifeti..."

Wow, go for it! I've started quite strong, but it is always at the end that I run out of steam. This time, I'm quite pumped up for it though. GL!

[Daire]

I've had about a year off from participating in this challenge but I feel like I need back in!

My goal is to read at least 30 books (might not seem like a lot but I'm easing myself back in!)

[Lys]

This might be the time I could actually finish?
I would really like to try, but I feel like I am constantly reading and barely making a dent in the challenge.
How do people do this?!
:D

[Teri-K]

I've shifted my goals a bit to keep things lively. :)
The first two I always have...

1. Only read books I'm enjoying.
I'll finish one or two 2 star books per challenge, but that's all. Usually I just find a different book. For one of the Winter 2020 tasks I started 5 books, and read several about half way before I decided to not finish them. haha Life is too short to read books I don't like!

2. Don't buy any books just for the challenge.
This was easier before I moved and Covid hit. I used to have access to a large city library system that got requested books to you in three days. Now I just have a small library that doesn't have as much and takes forever to get them to you. Also, Covid means a lot of books and Overdrive books and audio have long waits. So I've modified this to let me make one or two truips to our local used book store to fill in the gaps. Fortunately it's a large room with strick mask rules and never crowded, so I feel OK going there right now.

My new goals are...

3. Earn 12 Big Book points, versus the 3 I got last time.
Just for something different.

4. Read 6-8 nonfiction, versus 2 last time.
It's harder to get my hands on nonfiction right now, so I'm going to focus on finding them first.

5. Read 15 pre-owned "new-to-me" paperbacks. I read 15 last time and it helped me reduce the overflow nicely, so I'd like to do that again. I do a lot of rereading, especially right now with things being stressful, so any new books I finish are a bonus.

I, too, love finding books to fit the tasks. I especially enjoy the ones that aren't so easy to fill. I've read quite a few books I wouldn't have tried because I need to read something from a list or find a particular item on the cover, for instance. Then I keep shuffling titles around and fitting in others that I want to read, so it keeps life interesting.

I've finished the challenge every time I tried it, but I have a lot of free time to read and I'm a fast reader. I think everyone should set their own goals and decide what "Winning" means to them. A certain number of points or books, new authors or new genres? You can change your focus, too, like maxing golden oldies points or finishing all the 30 point tasks. There are lots of ways to win here, which makes it fun for everyone.

[Kim, Moderator]

This is my first time doing the SRC. With 23 days left in the challenge, I have 11 tasks totaling 17 books left. 5 of the tasks are multi-book ones (including the 50 pt. task), and I have 4 books read towards those and 3 more books in progress. At this point, it seems unlikely I'll finish the challenge which was my goal initially so I think I'll try and finish the ones I've already made progress on and go from there.

[Joanne]

Kim wrote: "This is my first time doing the SRC. With 23 days left in the challenge, I have 11 tasks totaling 17 books left. 5 of the tasks are multi-book ones (including the 50 pt. task), and I have 4 books r..."

No shame Kim, I have been here for a while and have never finished. I think you did really good for first time! For your next season (hope you stay at it!)-set your goal to beat this season's total-that is what I have done in this past. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't...there's always next season ;)

[Robin P]

I joined halfway through the spring challenge and was able to plug in quite a few books I had read since March 1 without even knowing I would join. But my priorities are with other groups, so I think it will be good if I end up with 500-600 points.

I've also found that my reading seriously dropped off these last few weeks, as I've been meeting up with real people for the first time in months, visiting people and even having someone here (everyone vaccinated). I probably will never again reach the total of 150 books for the year that I got in 2020 and that's probably a good thing overall.

I'm very impressed by those who complete this challenge!

[Marie (UK)]

Congrats on getting down to so few books - the greater majority of SRC participants never finish the challenge
Have you - done all the 5 and 10 point tasks? there is a 20 point task for that
Claimed Big Books and Golden Oldies again task for that?
Maybe you will be the best newbie for the challenge
Also the number of books required can vary wildly between seasons - next season I think is going to be big maybe just try to improve on your best.

[Hannah]

Hi everyone! I just joined this group, and I thought I would post on here, maybe mostly for myself to focus with all of these new things to learn.

My goals for this season will be:
* Introduce myself
* Figure out how everything works, try to get a few tasks in.
* See if I can get to 150 points.
* Stop myself from pushing this challenge too hard and try to just have fun reading (and listening)

I have no clue how many points equals about how much reading time, so I'll just keep it at this goal and see what happens.
Let's just say I'm a spoonie, so I've got to be gentle with myself and not push my brain too hard.
Next season I'll probably be able to set a clearer goal for myself, points-wise.

Yay! Excited to get going! :)

[Joanne]

Hannah wrote: "Hi everyone! I just joined this group, and I thought I would post on here, maybe mostly for myself to focus with all of these new things to learn.

My goals for this season will be:
* Introduce mys..."

Hi Hannah!

Was surprised to the term "spoonie"-so many people do not know about this. I too am a spoonie. So nice to know you! Just have fun!

[Hannah]

Joanne wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Hi everyone! I just joined this group, and I thought I would post on here, maybe mostly for myself to focus with all of these new things to learn.

My goals for this season will be:
..."

Hi Joanne! Thank you!
I wasn't sure if it was a term I could use, but figured explaining the long way around was a but too wordy for this post.
I'm glad someone recognized it right away. Good to meet you! :)

[Marie (UK)]

Hannah wrote: "Hi everyone! I just joined this group, and I thought I would post on here, maybe mostly for myself to focus with all of these new things to learn.

My goals for this season will be:
* Introduce mys..."

if you can read 1 book a week and focus on the 20 point tasks to complete them all would give you 200 points with 10 books to read in the 12 weeks

[Hannah]

Marie (UK) wrote: "Hannah wrote: "Hi everyone! I just joined this group, and I thought I would post on here, maybe mostly for myself to focus with all of these new things to learn.

My goals for this season will be:
..."

Thank you!

[Robin P]

Yes, this is my 2nd season and I only figured out now that it makes the most sense to read as many 20 point books as I can, instead of starting with 5 or 10 or at random. My goal is to end up higher than last time, and it looks like I can do that.