30 Day Blogging Challenge Day 22: How to do the Goodreads Reading Challenge

For the past 2 years, I have done the Goodreads Reading Challenge, which is bought to the world of reading addicts by the website www.goodreads.com. It seemed the perfect choice for me and I was successful in it . This year is my second year, and so far I have read 83 books. Last year I managed to read 50. 

For those of you who have never done it before, you don't need a set list of books to read, as you can add them on Goodreads whenever you want. Just search the book you want and press the green 'Want to Read' button below the book, as shown below: 

PC website book page 

This will add it to a fictional 'shelf' where it is stored ready and waiting for you to update your progress as you move through the book. 

Each Goodreads reading challenge literally runs for a calendar year, and there is no pressure to read the amount of books you first decide on, as you can change that as you go along, just go to Reading Challenge and update reqding challenge, and type in the number  of books you think you might read in a year. 

To be successful in the Reading Challenge, all you have to do is read the  number of books you decide to read within a year. 

Here are some tips: 

1. Save your first book of the year on the night of the 31st of december the year before so it is literally on your  'to read' shelf . That way, you can update your progress as you start reading on the 1st of January, and you will not have to spend valuable reading time deciding what to read. 

2. Read at your reading speed, but do not spend longer than two or three days maximum on one book if you have saved, say 100 books or more as your target for the year, as the longer you spend on a book, the more you will fall behind in your challenge. 

3. Keep an eye on the brown progress bar, which is blue on the PC website, as you progress through your challenge. This shows the number of books you have read so far, as well as the percentage (%) of the reading challenge you have done. 

It also shows the number of books  you  are behind/ahead in your challenge, or if you are on track, so it shows the pace you are reading at. If you are behind in your challenge, you have to read more to catch up. This could mean having to read a couple of books a week. 

Reading Challenge list and  progress and comment box mobile app (iPad) 

4. Comment on other people's reading challenges once in a while, or on a book they are reading. Hopefully they will show you mutual support. 

5. If you have an iPad/iPhone or other mobile device, download the mobile app, that way it is easier to keep track of your challenge on the go! 

Opening page on the app 

6. Set realistic reading goals so you are not disappointed or demoralised if you do not complete the challenge: there is always next year to read that bestseller you have just bought or that much-loved ebook on your Kindle!  

Whether you read lots or hardly at all, I would really advise you to give the Goodreads Reading Challenge a go - you might finish more books than you think in a year!