A challenge for the New Year

Jan 15

By Ann Kingman Uncategorized Add comments

photo "Red 10" by flickr user Darwin Bell

Our friend and BOTNS listener Melissa has started a reading challenge that intrigues me: the 10-10-10 Reading Challenge. Read 10 books each in 10 genres that you don’t normally read, and complete it by October 10th, 2010.

I can’t do 10 in each category, but I can try to read one in each category.

Genres I choose:

Science
Romance
Science Fiction
Indie press
Self-published
Business
Cozy Mystery
Self-help/psychology
History
Classic (pre 1900)

It might be cheating a little, but I already know the history title I am going to read. The others will likely be a combination of work reading and recommendations from bookseller friends. In any event, I’m sure it will be an interesting journey. If you’d like to join me, visit the 10-10-10 Reading Challenge blog and sign up!

(edited to add the 10th category. Evidently one of my challenges for 2010 is to learn how to count.)

http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com/ Melissa W.

Sounds like a good one. Do I really want to add yet another challenge? I’ll have to “sleep” on this one.
http://jaynesbooks.blogspot.com/ Melissa W.

Sounds like a good one. Do I really want to add yet another challenge? I’ll have to “sleep” on this one.
http://literaturecrazy.blogspot.com Literature Crazy

Are “indie press” and “self-published” genres? Seem like a bit of a stretch…
http://literaturecrazy.blogspot.com Literature Crazy

Are “indie press” and “self-published” genres? Seem like a bit of a stretch…
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Not really ‘genres’, but more “categories.” I think they are important in my world because so much of my work reading is from traditional corporate publishers. There is a lot happening in the independent press world that we don’t hear too much about because of their lower marketing and ad budgets. One of my favorite books of last year, The Unit, came from an indie press (Other Press), and I want to explore more.

As for self-published … I’ll confess, I have a bias against self-published books because so many that I’ve seen have been in need of editing or have had a cover treatment that put me off. I don’t think it’s fair for me to continue to have those biases until I’ve actually read one or two. I’m sure that there are good books out there that are self-published. I’m determined to find at least one.

The beauty of challenges like this is that you can tweak it to your own needs. Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the term ‘genre’.
http://www.booksonthenightstand.com Ann Kingman

Not really ‘genres’, but more “categories.” I think they are important in my world because so much of my work reading is from traditional corporate publishers. There is a lot happening in the independent press world that we don’t hear too much about because of their lower marketing and ad budgets. One of my favorite books of last year, The Unit, came from an indie press (Other Press), and I want to explore more.

As for self-published … I’ll confess, I have a bias against self-published books because so many that I’ve seen have been in need of editing or have had a cover treatment that put me off. I don’t think it’s fair for me to continue to have those biases until I’ve actually read one or two. I’m sure that there are good books out there that are self-published. I’m determined to find at least one.

The beauty of challenges like this is that you can tweak it to your own needs. Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the term ‘genre’.
Tanya

I use challenges to help manage my backlog of books, but given that, I still managed to over-commit this year and am having to dial back a bit (otherwise I would sign on.) That said, if BOTNS hosts any mini-Challenges like the Beowulf on the Beach Classics Challenge or the DystopYA Reading Challenge, I’m sure to sign on!
Tanya

I use challenges to help manage my backlog of books, but given that, I still managed to over-commit this year and am having to dial back a bit (otherwise I would sign on.) That said, if BOTNS hosts any mini-Challenges like the Beowulf on the Beach Classics Challenge or the DystopYA Reading Challenge, I’m sure to sign on!
Karen C

Ten books in Ten categories? I wouldn’t be able to do that, either, but one book in 10? I love it! Here goes: 1) Literary criticism 2) American history, 18th century; 3) Graphic novel, fiction; 4) White Male Suburban lit (Updike? Cheever?); 5) Popular thriller (Child? Connelly?) 6) Science (ugh); 7) Ummm, I’m running out of steam, here. Can I steal a few categories from Ann?

Ann, if you need a recommendation for cozy mystery, I can give you a huge list. Do you mean cozy cozy, like Agatha Christie (which is hard to enjoy if you’re older than 13)?
Karen C

Ten books in Ten categories? I wouldn’t be able to do that, either, but one book in 10? I love it! Here goes: 1) Literary criticism 2) American history, 18th century; 3) Graphic novel, fiction; 4) White Male Suburban lit (Updike? Cheever?); 5) Popular thriller (Child? Connelly?) 6) Science (ugh); 7) Ummm, I’m running out of steam, here. Can I steal a few categories from Ann?

Ann, if you need a recommendation for cozy mystery, I can give you a huge list. Do you mean cozy cozy, like Agatha Christie (which is hard to enjoy if you’re older than 13)?
http://bookhoard.paperbackwriting.com/ Margaret

As if I really needed more challenges. *laugh* I jumped on board for this one because it seems so difficult, yet fun. I made one of my goals for the year to read outside the box and this seems a perfect way of keeping me accountable.
http://bookhoard.paperbackwriting.com/ Margaret

As if I really needed more challenges. *laugh* I jumped on board for this one because it seems so difficult, yet fun. I made one of my goals for the year to read outside the box and this seems a perfect way of keeping me accountable.