Challenge Corner discussion

I would definitely like the increase, but especially in the group book of the month.

Book of the month always seems to be a hit or miss. Sometimes a bunch of people will read, but a lot of the time they just fall to the side. Sadly, most of the ones that end up winning aren't books that I want to read.

It's so strange that a lot of people don't participate in the BOTM. Because it's voted on. And okay, maybe the people who didn't vote for the book that won won't read it. But even the people who did vote for it don't read it.

Maybe we should offer more than one point for buddy reads during regular challenges? Somehow make more of an incentive for doing a buddy read?

It is odd that more people don't read them, I agree. Particularly months where like 30 people vote for the book and then one person reads it. Doesn't make sense.

Maybe we should increase points. Maybe do two or three and then four or five for the BOTM.

Yeah, I think that raising points earned might make people want to participate more. However, I voted for The Cruel Prince and haven't read it yet. So I'm guilty myself. Lol. I'm just waiting for my January book box so I have an excuse. (:

But I think it's the same with people who sign up to take part in the challenges but then don't contribute to their teams.

Yes, there is no way to fix everything. And I understand that sometimes things happen and you can't get to a book/challenge. It's just nice to have some communication from people.

So maybe we should raise points for the February challenge and see how it goes.

Sounds like a plan.

In the other challenge group the mods message people who don't participate. Do you think that's something we should do?

I don't know how those two keep up with everything in that group. There are so many members and only two mods. It's crazy. Lol.

I know! I don't know how they do that.

I used to message people who weren't participating, but just haven't had the time in the several months. But if it's something that some of you want to tackle, I don't think it would hurt.

I don’t mind doing that. I can try and go through teams later today to see if anyone is not participating.

Maybe month by month whoever is able to look through teams and message people should do it. And then comment here and let everyone else know. That way we don't end up sending the same people messages.

C.P. wrote: "I know! I don't know how they do that.

I used to message people who weren't participating, but just haven't had the time in the several months. But if it's something that some of you want to tack..."

Yeah, they have a lot on their plates. Lol.

I wouldn't know what to say if I messaged anyone who wasn't participating.

I think something along these lines would be fine:

Hi!

You signed up for the (insert challenge name) in Challenge Corner for this month. We noticed that you haven't communicated and/or posted any reviews since the challenge started. Please let us know if you will be able to participate.

And maybe give a deadline of when we need to hear back bedore we start dropping people from teams and replacing them.

What happens if they don't get back to us by the deadline?

Then we would probably replace them, id we had people wanting to join. Or try to figure out a way to accommodate the team for the missing member, if needed. Mostly replacing them though.

Hi ladies! I've been MIA for a few days. Sorry about that. Got a weird bug and had a fever. -.-

Is there anything we need to do around here? When will we figure out teams for the February challenge?

I hope you are feeling better!

Teams are probably the next thing we need to do. I keep forgetting about that! Do you want to make them?

C.P. wrote: "I hope you are feeling better!

Teams are probably the next thing we need to do. I keep forgetting about that! Do you want to make them?"

I can make teams. I love making them. :)

Here's what I came up with for teams:

Team #1
1. Alaina
2. CharleyGirl
3. Hanna
4. Sierra
5. Maya
6. Cheylea
7. Susan
8. RainySun
9. Jenn

Team #2
1. Felicia
2. Cindee
3. Rae
4. Bunnita
5. Ashley O
6. E
7. Victoria
8. Nadia
9. Carolina

Team #3
1. Bookbuyer
2. Wolf (Alpha)
3. Jamie
4. Trisha
5. C.P.
6. Andrea
7. Laura
8. Aly
9. Rebecca
10. Vanessa

Sorry, Goodreads is being weird and I'm not getting notifications. CP, it said you just posted your last comment 17 minutes ago. But now that I'm here on the thread I see it was actually 4 hours and 23 minutes ago. So GR is being stupid. Lol.

Thanks Bookbuyer. I've never made teams before. So I don't know the stipulations to figuring out who should be where. :D

Goodreads is driving me crazy with these notifications!

The teams look good! I had forgotten that I am participating. :D Good thing I looked at the list.

And we don't really have anything set as to how we make teams. If we know certain people read faster/more we try to separate them, but otherwise it's pretty random.

Ok, I think you saw that Ashleigh was needing to be removed. I don't see her on your team lists.

Jamie asked about graphic novels counting 1/4 the page count, like we usually do. We don't have that in there right now. I was thinking we could count the 1/4 page count, but not have them get a category point. Thoughts?

And do we want to do increased points for buddy reads? Maybe do three points for a regular buddy read and five for the book of the month?

Felicia wrote: "Sorry, Goodreads is being weird and I'm not getting notifications. CP, it said you just posted your last comment 17 minutes ago. But now that I'm here on the thread I see it was actually 4 hours an..."

NP. I basically divide people into three categories when making teams. Fast readers at the top. People who have participated before or 'regulars' and then others. ^-^

C.P. wrote: "Goodreads is driving me crazy with these notifications!

The teams look good! I had forgotten that I am participating. :D Good thing I looked at the list.

And we don't really have anything set a..."

Yup. It's why I sadly will never be on the same team as Alaina or Felicia in this group. :(

C.P. wrote: "Ok, I think you saw that Ashleigh was needing to be removed. I don't see her on your team lists.

Jamie asked about graphic novels counting 1/4 the page count, like we usually do. We don't have th..."

I saw and edited the teams. It's why my team is the only one with 10 members. Before it was 10, 10, and 9. ^-^

Page count for manga only works for me.

I could “try” to read slower

I'll post the teams shortly if one of you wants to send out a group message saying they are made. ^-^

Bookbuyer wrote: "C.P. wrote: "Goodreads is driving me crazy with these notifications!

The teams look good! I had forgotten that I am participating. :D Good thing I looked at the list.

And we don't really have a..."

Haha. I do read a lot. But no where near as much as Alaina. Lol. We'll be on the same team when it's mods vs members! :D

@CP, I think changing the buddy reads is a good idea. Promotes members to do more buddy reading! (:

Bookbuyer wrote: "I'll post the teams shortly if one of you wants to send out a group message saying they are made. ^-^"

I can post it in the thread right now :D

I was just thinking if we want people to BR more maybe we should move the BR thread higher? It's a bit lost at the bottom. :)

Maybe so. The main reason it was lower was that since it was a challenge group we didn't want buddy reads to be the first thing. But it should probably move up several places.

C.P. wrote: "Maybe so. The main reason it was lower was that since it was a challenge group we didn't want buddy reads to be the first thing. But it should probably move up several places."

Do you want me to move it? At least the one with the February BR thread? ^-^

Yeah, you can move the planned buddy reads and the one where you look for a buddy.

C.P. wrote: "Yeah, you can move the planned buddy reads and the one where you look for a buddy."

KK. I'll do that as soon as I finish my Parcheesi game. ^-^

Is it okay where I moved it or should it be farther down?

Yep, that's fine. :) We can always adjust in the future if we decide it needs it.

C.P. wrote: "Yep, that's fine. :) We can always adjust in the future if we decide it needs it."

KK. :)

@Bookbuyer, can you please add Sara to the solo thread for the February challenge. :D

Also, I have a question. Why don't we do the prizes anymore? Or do we still do it and we just haven't actually picked winners? Just wondering.

Felicia wrote: "@Bookbuyer, can you please add Sara to the solo thread for the February challenge. :D

Also, I have a question. Why don't we do the prizes anymore? Or do we still do it and we just haven't actually..."

Added.

I think we ran out of prizes? Plus since Alaina joined she's pretty much dominated the challenges. lol. ^-^

We still have some prizes we can offer, but I haven't sought out any others in a while. I like finding people who will donate a certain number of copies or something. We should try and start doing that again.

Lol yeah sorry. But I never take on the offer for books anyways since I’m one of the mods. So if I’m ever first place I would just give them to the second, third and fourth.

Yeah, I was thinking about it yesterday. I have a used book store by my house that sells some books for as low as $1 when they're at the store too long. I was thinking that if there are ever any like YA books or popular books on that shelf I can grab them and then we could add them to the prize list. And then if someone picks that prize I could just be the one to mail it to them. I'd be okay with that. (:

That's what I do with physical books as well. They are usually ones that I pick up for free at libraries and such. I want to try and build the digital list some too, since we have a lot of participants outside of the US and shipping is crazy expensive.

We had talked before about doing a prize through book depository and instead of having someone win every month points would acrue toward that prize. I think they would ship to most, if not all, countries we have represented. And we could set a 10 or 15 dollar limit. Just another thought.

I am down for whatever kind of contribution you would need from me monetary wise. (:

I'll start stopping at the few used books stores more often. I stop usually two or three times a month to see the new books they get. But I'll start paying attention to the $1 rack from now on. :D

Sweet! We'll definitely try and keep a low budget. I'd say we should limit the number of winners we have to only two or three.

Agreed. Or maybe make the person who comes in first place be able to do the book depository and not the other winners. The other could pick from our list. So that we're not buying $10-$15 books for three people every month. Ya know?

And maybe put a time limit on it. Like winners have to pick by a certain time what they want. If they miss the due date then they miss out of their prize?

So for example the challenges end on the last day of the month. Tell the January winners they have to pick their prize by say February 7th. That gives them a week to decide. But starting Febaruary 8th they are no longer eligible for their prize. So we don't end up in April having to buy a book from Book Depisitory for a winner from February. Ya know?

If we go the book depository route then I think instead of a monthly winner everyone should acrue points for three months and then the winner overall gets to pick a book. That way it's not one a month. And maybe do a couple of random draws throughout the year so that anyone with points has a chance of winning one.

And how would we do the points? If your team wins you get points? Or would everyone get points on their own for participating in challenges and such?

I think on their own. But I don't know that we would want to count their entire points for the month...hm.

I think the book sepository route is a little tricky. We'd have to really sit down and brainstorm how we would do it.

I'm totally okay with contributing with physical books though. I'll go this weekend to see what they have and you can add whatever I get to the prize list.

We also have to figure out how we're gonna word it that 2-4th place would win. Because Alaina kicks ass every month. Lol.

Maybe we could just put like mods aren't elegible so the top 3 members that aren't mods would be the winners?