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Join My Reading Challenge for 2016: Read 100 Books, Win Prizes!

K.M. Weiland's Reading Challenge Read 100 Books in 2016

Do you read a gazillion books every year and want to show off? Did you read only a few in 2015 — and want to commit to reading more this year? How about a reading challenge to inspire and motivate us all? And — even better — how about there be prizes at the end of it?

A few weeks ago, when I posted my list of my Top 20 Books from 2015, I mentioned I had read 100 books this year (actually, in the few remaining weeks after that post, I topped out at 105). The very first comment on that post was from Benjamin Thomas. Our conversation went something like this:

B.: Well, I’m seriously jealous if you really read 100 books unless I misunderstood something.

K.: Actually, this year was a really slow book year for me. Last year, I topped out at around 150. But it was a research year too.

B.: You guys are stirring me up to make a new years resolution. 100 bks is downright impressive. I’m willing to accept the mission. It could be called the 100 bk challenge. Would there be a certain prize involved if we read 100 bks? (hint hint) including all of KM’s bks? Sounds enticing huh?

K.: Hah! If you do it, I’ll send you a free book of your choice.

B.: Mission accepted. You’re on sister. 100 books here we come!

But then I figured, why not throw open the challenge to everyone?

So here’s something kinda fun that just happened: After learning that I read about 100 books every year, a reader…

Posted by K.M. Weiland on Friday, December 18, 2015

K.M. Weiland’s Reading Challenge: Read 100 Books in 2016

Are you game? Here’s out it works:

1. All you gotta do is log 100 books this year. They can be any type of book (textbooks and audio books included) and any length (novellas included), as long as they have chapters (for example, no children’s picture books–since most of us could read 100 of those in a day). The books need to be published (if you’re a writer, editing your own drafts doesn’t count — sorry).

2. To sign up for the challenge, join the Goodreads group I’ve created (we’re already at 60+ members!).

K.M. Weiland's Reading Challenge Read 100 Books in 2016

3. Log each book you read in your Goodreads account, so you can prove your full tally by year’s end.

K.M. Weiland My Year in Books 2015 Goodreads

4. Feel free to share your progress and your favorite books within the group, via the Discussion Groups (add your own topic!). You can be as active (or not) as you want.

5. At year’s end, if you’ve reached or surpassed the challenge of 100 completed books, you get … prizes!

What Do You Win if You Complete the Reading Challenge?

Originally, when I posted the idea of the challenge on Facebook and Twitter, I offered everyone the same prize I offered Benjamin: a free signed paperback of one of my books. But the response was so enthusiastic that, as several of you pointed out, I’d probably go broke on the postage alone if I attempted to fulfill it! So here’s what we’re going to do.

Storming-Kindle-Flat-1501. Everyone who completes the challenge will receive their choice of one of my e-books.*

2. Everyone who completes the challenge will also be entered in a drawing for one of ten of my signed paperbacks (of their choice).

dreamlander-3d-3003. I also have some ideas for some more fun possibilities for prizes, but we’ll keep those under wraps until next December, while I work on them.

(*The one exception being Benjamin Thomas, who kickstarted this whole thing, and will definitely get that signed paperback.)

Are you in? I hope this will be a fun way to share our love of books and keep us motivated in being focused and productive with our reading this year.

Let’s chat! How many books do you plan to read in 2016? Will you join the reading challenge? Tell me in the comments!

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40 Comments

  1. They have to have chapters? Well, crap, that disqualifies most of Terry Pratchett’s work.

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      Well, you know what I mean. They have to be books of the length that would *normally* have chapters. Pratchett is totally acceptable on my watch.

  2. I am already mentally planning which book will I ask for. 😛
    Once I finish the challenge, that is. 😉

  3. I wish I had the time to read that many books but alas I work a day job and am trying to finish writing and editing my novel. If it were a more attainable challenge for those of us who work day jobs, and who do not write full time for a living that would be better. I’m sure you will have a great response.

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      Totally understandable. Everybody needs to know their priorities. I will say though that writing full-time offers the same (if not greater) time demands as any full-time job. I have to consciously make time to read if it’s going to happen in my life.

  4. I’m always motivated by challenges. A friend recently asked me how many books I read in a month. (She thinks I read too much…to which I replied: There is NEVER such a thing as too much reading!) But in all honesty, I don’t always keep track of my books in Goodreads, so she doesn’t see them all and I don’t “know” the number. For me, this is a challenge to keep an accurate, running record and actually post a few reviews (which can be incredibly helpful to authors/readers).

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      I actually prefer to keep record myself in a Word doc (I note various categories, like male to female author ration, genre, etc.). But I also keep track on Goodreads, which is good for public accountability.

  5. Yay! This is great. I’ve read several books this year, but it will be quite the challenge to read 100! Thanks,

    Jazzy

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      It’s actually not as hard as it seems. Just set yourself a consistent reading schedule every day and stick to it.

  6. I actually saw that. Oh, Benjamin! How fast you follow Ms. Weiland! I hope to participate well in the following year. No promises, but I will do my best. 🙂

  7. Twelve months to go. Don’t count your books before your… books. 😉

  8. Such an awesome idea! I’m currently at 102 books for 2015 but I definitely want to set the bar higher next year—maybe 125 or so.

  9. Whoo! Super reader! You’ll have no trouble completing the challenge.

  10. Of course I’ll take this challenge! I didn’t read as much as I should have last year…

  11. Howdy folks!

    I’m super pumped for this year to kick off with READING. Lots and lots of reading. I did not grow up reading books, unless you count X-men and the incredible Hulk. Wish I had a challenge like this back then to build up my literary capacity. Too many kids are glued to TV and video games these days. WE NEED A MASSIVE BOOK REVIVAL!

    I tried reading a sci-fi book in middle school but it was much too boring. So I stopped about quarter way through. Later in college I developed a love for reading my textbooks about science, reference books, articles etc. But not novels. Reading novels is still somewhat new to me within the last five years or so. So I envy those who grew up reading the classics, gobbling up a book in a day or two. I’ve never read more than 10 books in an entire year. Honestly. I’ve read mostly reference books, if which I have several hundred.

    But that doesn’t mean I’m not ready and willing for the challenge. I have over 130 books on my list for the year! I’m pumped and excited. These eyeballs are hungry for some serious eyeguzzling!

  12. That’s right! I’m totally in, and I have a day job and am a writer at night. I’ll find some way to make this all happen, especially since audiobooks count. Do craft books count (not workbooks, but, say Structure Your Novel)? I’m working on craft pretty heavy this year, as well as enjoying all of my “leisure” reading 😀

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      Yes, any type of book-sized book counts, fiction or non. Welcome aboard!

    • Buenos dias amigos!

      Como estas? Bien?

      Just 14 hours left until 2016 kicks off and the majestic 100 book reading frenzy begins.

      I think I’ll initiate the new year by reading the first few pages of Storming. Assuming I’m still awake that is.

      How is everyone feeling? Have your books picked out yet for rapid consumption? Should be a wild and wacky year. Thanks KM for hosting! I wonder how words our eyeballs will have logged by the end of the year.

      I’m considering having my son read 100 books this year in tribute of the challenge. Maybe going to the library and pick some age appropriate material that he can easily read. He’s only six years old and reading is his strongest subject!

      I’ll breed a race of voracious readers this earth has never seen. There won’t be enough books to satisfy them. They’ll be called…Zombie readers. They’ll devour manuscripts before ever reaching their editor. They’ll roam the lands far and near famished for epic fantasy, steampunk, thrillers, sci-fi and every genre. They’ll….ok, ok. Just kidding. But that would be quite a sight.

      See ya.

      Benjamin

  13. Hi Jayce,

    I’m in the same boat as you. Working, writing and READING. We have to find creative ways to stay on task. I’m planning on mastering outlining and structuring this year too! It should be fun.

    Benjamin

  14. Ben, Awesome! I’m working on collating information. I’ve got so many tips and tricks running around in my head and it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t. I want to spend this year really finding what works best for me and going forward from there. Good luck!

  15. What a fun idea! I am in! Thank you for sharing this exciting challenge, and the gift of an ebook if we complete it! That is quite the motivation!

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      I’m having a blast with it myself! I’ve got more prizes in mind for the future. We’ll do an unveiling toward the end of the year.

  16. Do graphic novels count?

  17. This is so exciting! I can’t believe I missed this in January ugh! I’m going to have to go through my shelf and remember which ones I started after Jan 1!

    • K.M. Weiland says:

      No worries. If you’ve been logging your reads in Goodreads since the first of the year, everything you’ve read to this point will automatically count.

  18. This is an awesome idea. I slacked off bad last year. Not sure if I can hit 100, but going to try!

  19. I’m in. I am a little late getting started but I am going to jump in and read 100 books in 2016. Editing my books do not count! Are you serious? ;-( I love the idea of turning off the electronics in the evening and curling up with a good book or two, I also like the idea of setting a 15 minute reading window for the harder to read books on my list, in my case fiction. The rest of my reading time will be spent with my true loves, non-fiction books of various topics. Currently I am reading, 50 Self-Help Classics by Tom Butler-Bowdon.

Trackbacks

  1. […] further details please see The Reading Challenge.  And stayed tuned for rewards and […]

  2. […] off, K.M. Weiland has a reading challenge I’ve decided to jump into, because I really don’t read enough. I’m bad about […]

  3. […] K. M. Weiland, author of Storming and helpful connector of dots for fellow writers and readers, has issued a challenge and offered a reward for those who can meet it. Read a hundred books this year and get stuff for free. […]

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