The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

The Fall Challenge 2011 will begin on September 1, 2011 and will end at midnight (EST) on November 30, 2011.

If you have a general question about the Fall 2011 Challenge, please ask here

just in general to fill the tasks?? the first thing I always do is search my to-read list...like, for the SON one...you can search you list for words etc...so I typed that in and it gave me a list of books on my shelves that fit - I found one I wanted to read..half the fun for me is finding books that fit

the first time I played I was so overerwhelmed! Now I just go from top to bottom and I have two windows up. one for the task and one for my tbr. I also have shelf set up one for what I own to read already and one for the current series I am reading. I go to those first.

I track what I have not yet completed on other seasons and try to fit those in first. I mean, I had wanted to read them before, right?

Then I go to the books I own and fit those. Finally, I look at the TBR for ideas on other books I might borrow from the library to complete the open tasks.

Since many of my own shelves are on my TBR and those not read in previous challenges were moved back to TBR, my TBR fills most of the tasks.

Most books I haven't registered yet on GR, but I just know what books I own and what not.

Also, browsing the task help threads can be great if you're stumped - the second post in each thread will usually list approved books as they come up, and often people will make suggestions. It makes my to-read shelf groan, though.

I look into my most accessible books, those I own or am able to borrow easily, and go from there. I bought 7 books two days ago and fit all those in before any others.

I commandeer my couch and the floor immediately around it for 2-3 days while planning. I keep the majority of my unread paperbacks in a big box-- and now 2 bags...library used book sales always sucker me in (but I got 55 books for $16.75, can't beat it!!)
Anyways, back on topic...

I print out all the tasks and just start to go through the box & bags, plus my Nook. When I find a book that works, I toss it off to the side, and move onto the next one. Then I'll move over to my laptop and go through the library's online system and see what I can reserve from there. Sometimes if I find multiple books that work for a task between books, the Nook and the library - I will go back and look at other factors (GR author, length, comparing to other books to see if I'm reading several that are simliar in plot line, etc) Then the last step is to move everything onto my spreadsheet and clean up the family room:)

Christine US wrote: "I commandeer my couch and the floor immediately around it for 2-3 days while planning. I keep the majority of my unread paperbacks in a big box-- and now 2 bags...library used book sales always su..."

It all sounds good, until you get to the "cleaning up" part, LOL!

cleaning up...what's that? i just leave books stacked everywhere...my house still has the piles from the borders going out of business sale; plus I just got a load off ebay

Some seasons it seems like I can fill in my spreadsheet relatively quickly. Other times it takes a while. I usually have 2 sessions of GR open along with my local library system and my spreadsheet.

I will usually go through and put all the task into Word, put some spaces between each task so I can write the book that I will read from there and print it off.

From that point, I first try to fit in any book that I have as an ARC/GR giveaway which I have at least 3 physical sitting in a pile on my dining room table and one on ebook on my computer (not including the 3 on the way). After this, I try to fit in any other physical books that I have (that my mom hasn't stolen) and haven't read yet. Whatever I don't have filled, I first go through the books on my Nook and fit those in and then epubs I have on my computer. At that point I check the local library ebook site and lastly local library physical book site. Anything I don't have I will fill in with a book I can buy, but I usually don't worry about that too much because I never finish anyway. Usually have about 5 windows open on my computer and 3 on just Google Chrome, but all this is so much fun.

The cleaning up part doesn't take too long considering I just look at my dog and tell him to do it for me. Haha unfortunately last time I told him, he got a little carried away and tried to read a book.

I think the planning part is the best part of the whole season. It isn't good when I am trying to finish books to get the most points for the current season though.

I think that finding books to fit tasks becomes easier the more challenges you do. I've been doing the SRC since the summer of 2009 (I think...), and there are a ton of books I've fit into each challenge, but haven't read yet. Each new season, you learn something new about the author/book and that makes it easier later on - ie. how many pages, how many letters in the author's name, author's birthdate, how many toes does the author's mother have (kidding! lol), etc.

I've also seen a few tasks repeated since I started doing the challenges and I keep my lists of books/alternates on hand.

BTW - the tasks for this season are amazing! I've got everything on my bookshelf and have only had to look at the library for one, and only because it was specified by the task! I just might make a dent in my unread books this season! :)

I too have found the tasks in this challenge really great. So many books I really want to read are slotted in to tasks already, and not all the tasks are out yet!

I had a lot of trouble with a few of the 30 point tasks last time, but this time I've only got one left to sort out, and I know it won't be tricky. I'm glad that so far I haven't had to fit in a book I don't really want to read, but am reading for the sake of the challenge.

I have to echo what Katrina said, word for word. Both the moderator created tasks and the user created tasks this time are really fantastic. They are the perfect blend of open-enough that I can read what I truly want to read yet challenging enough that I'm having so much fun hunting through my TBR piles to fit things in. You all outdid yourselves this time! :)

My Currently reading--- update status link isn't working. Is anyone else having this problem? It just stopped working yesterday.

Thanks---
I sent an e-mail to Goodreads---

Kathy - do you use IE? I noticed a few people posting in the feedback group - it might be a javascript issue - looks like IE might have pushed an update which screwed things up...try installing the new version, cleaning out your cache and restart the computer

Thanks Dee- I'll try that.

Dee- I updated IE, emptied the cache, and updated Java and none of those worked. I switched to Firefox instead. Now I can update fine.

Thanks

oh well - worth a try ;) might be that IE pushed updates and this website needs to be updated to match...my IE tends to be hit or miss, so I use chrome most of the time

I have IE and here it works just fine.
Anyway, this is my first time with this challenge and I really cannot wait until the challenge starts. So far I've been able to use books in my possesion for the challenges. What I especially like about it, that books that otherwise wouldn't have been read for years (because of other book-obligations) now get their chance through a challenge. All books I have managed to fit in are now in a special bag especially for this challenge. I plan to read them in order. Here's hoping that I will be able to finish!

I have another challenge I'm working on this year that is my main challenge so I only pull titles that will work there as well. I used to fill my spreadsheet from top to bottom since thats how the tasks come in but I never even get close to finishing so I've started to fill in the higher point tasks first. I've filled in some of the 30 and 15 pointers and I'm waiting for the 20 pointers. Then I'll do the rest. I find I do better if I leave spots blank since I spend less time moving things around at the end that way. For example many of the 2 book tasks seem to have one book thats easier to fill and one that is harder. I need to have both books before I fill that task or it stays blank. That way I don't have an odd book I've read that I have to fit in somewhere else to claim the points. Seems like that should be obvious but its taken me a couple of seasons to figure it out!

I have a question. I have a book by author Abigail Barnette, who is really Jennifer Armintrout. Jennifer is a GR author but Abigail is not. Can I still count Abigail's book as a GR author since her other persona is a GR author?

Does that make any sense?

Sassafrass wrote: "I have a question. I have a book by author Abigail Barnette, who is really Jennifer Armintrout. Jennifer is a GR author but Abigail is not. Can I still count Abigail's book as a GR author since h..."

sorry, no - only the names that are designated on GR as GR authors will count as such.

See http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4... for clarification of goodread author and big book rules.

thanks Sandy.

Chelsea wrote: "Lahni wrote: "I have another challenge I'm working on this year that is my main challenge so I only pull titles that will work there as well. I used to fill my spreadsheet from top to bottom since..."

Another thing to keep in mind, Chelsea, is that you don't have to have the entire challenge mapped out before you start! The first time I did a challenge, I looked at the tasks and picked out a few that worked with books I knew I wanted to read. Then I read the help threads and the completed task postings as the challenge went along, and got ideas for books that sounded interesting and that I might not have thought of otherwise.

if anyone needs/wants a tracking spreadsheet - here is one that i have used in the past which i've tweaked for the Fall one

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c...

Can this book be used for a 25 point task?
It's listed first as Historical Fiction and then as YA.
Victory by Susan Cooper.

Thanks

Kathy G. wrote: "Can this book be used for a 25 point task?
It's listed first as Historical Fiction and then as YA.
Victory by Susan Cooper.

Thanks"

Yes, this book would not be considered a young reader (rule #6)

I have a very old paperback edition of Spring Moon: A Novel of China that has an almost completely white cover. I also can't find a link to this edition on Amazon either!

I may just choose a different book, but is there another way to establish a link to a cover?

Cindy - if you post the picture in the librarian thread, someone can add it as a cover

NP, although the way we're going - we might have more than 10 25 pointers...its insane ;)

Chelsea wrote: "Dee wrote: "if anyone needs/wants a tracking spreadsheet - here is one that i have used in the past which i've tweaked for the Fall one

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/c......"

haha...that I can easily do ;)

Dee wrote: "haha...that I can easily do ;)"

I tried it. I can't read the small print and the shampoo got in my eyes. ;@>

If 500 pages are required for picture books to count, I wonder how many cereal boxes or shampoo bottles would be required for them to count? You could just stand in the aisle at Wal-mart and fill your tasks. No library needed!

Lahni wrote: "If 500 pages are required for picture books to count, I wonder how many cereal boxes or shampoo bottles would be required for them to count? You could just stand in the aisle at Wal-mart and fill..."

LOL! But would you have to post all of the covers? That could take a while!

I am trying to make a resolution not to even try to finish this season, so I can get some work done and earn enough money to cover my book buying addiction ... but all these tasks just make me want to read and read!

When I am trying not to finish, I start with some really long books so that I never get the feeling that finishing is possible.

Coralie wrote: "When I am trying not to finish, I start with some really long books so that I never get the feeling that finishing is possible."

That is a great tip, Coralie, thanks!

So I make it 1100 points for the tickers this time! Is that right?

that's what i got, too. :)

That's the total for Fall

Amanda wrote: "How does one procure a ticker? I WANNA TICKER."

Instructions are in the general help folder

I feel like somebody has asked about this in the past but I can’t remember the answer—can we get credit for reading a GR author who writes/publishes under a pen name where the pen name is not necessarily a GR author but the “real” name is?

Here’s an example: Play Dead is written by Anne Frasier, but if you go to the book page, credit is also given to Theresa Weir. Anne and Theresa are the same person, where Theresa is her real name. Theresa is listed as a GR author, Anne is not.

Here's a link to her website where she mentions her "Anne Frasier career".
http://www.theresaweir.com/

So....yes or no?

Thanks :)

Beth F. wrote: "I feel like somebody has asked about this in the past but I can’t remember the answer—can we get credit for reading a GR author who writes/publishes under a pen name where the pen name is not neces..."

You can only get a GR author ticket by reading a book by an author who is listed as a GR author. If the author specified for that book is not listed as a GR author, then you cannot claim a GR author ticket, even if s/he is a GR author under another name.

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/4...

Are there any special things we have to do for approving ARC copies/ebook galley copies of books not yet released. I'm currently reading Prized and it's not officially released until November.

Katrina wrote: "Are there any special things we have to do for approving ARC copies/ebook galley copies of books not yet released. I'm currently reading Prized and it's not officially released unti..."

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5... See Rule 10, this may help.

Sandy wrote: "Katrina wrote: "Are there any special things we have to do for approving ARC copies/ebook galley copies of books not yet released. I'm currently reading Prized and it's not official..."

Thanks :)

Sandy wrote: "Beth F. wrote: "I feel like somebody has asked about this in the past but I can’t remember the answer—can we get credit for reading a GR author who writes/publishes under a pen name where the pen n..."

A-ha, I knew that had come up before but was drawing a blank on where I'd seen it. I was just a little confused since the book page listed both names as the author.

Thanks. :)

Im trying update my books for fall challenge but Im not sure about task 25.8? Is not mentioned in main post about fall tasks and not in help? Should I expect this task or task 25.9 should be 25.8?
Also I bit tired so maybe I missed it? Anyway thanks in advance for answer.

The tasks are still being posted. They're coming