The Challenge Factory discussion

Should we even continue with them? We could just archive them and then re-post the challenges as new during the year.

I think that would work Jennifer.

Thanks Jenne:)

So I'm a bad, forgetful mod and forgot to do the Alphabet challenge last week. XD It's up now: Alphabet Yearly Challenge 2013

I'm also playing around with an idea for a new monthly challenge, got the idea from the countries book bingo round. I'd list five random countries every month and people would have to read books either set in or written by authors from a number of these countries (1-2 for easy level, 3 for medium, 4-5 for hard). What do you think? Good idea, crappy idea, do we even have room for another monthly? :)

I think it's a good idea Denise

Denise in my opinion it doesn't hurt to have a variety of Monthlies...people can choose to do one or two or all of them!

Okay so I was going through some of the threads and just trying to get back in the saddle (I swear it took me 5 mins to post a picture! lol) and let me just say you girls are amazing! I can't aplogize enough about my absence and hopefully the hiccups are gone, we have a tech coming out on monday to fix the problem (PLEASE let them fix the problem) but till then I'm just using the library when needed...

So I noticed that you guys are talking about eliminating the 2nd Chance folder...are we not doing the Monster challenge this year? I didn't see it in the yearly folder so I was guessing not:)

Jennifer, your heroic challenge, is it going to be similar to the Hero and Heroine challenge that we did awhile back? I was thinking that was really popular and I kept meaning to do something similar again, but if yours is going to be similar I didn't want to duplicate!

Nah it's just the Monster Challenge with a different name. I got tired of looking at monster icons so I used heroes. If I find some other cute pics I'll probably change it again.

Hahaha, Okay! Well then I might go ahead and set that other challenge up...I was thinking I could combine them...what do you think? Or do you want to do you Hero one again? Totally up to you:)

Okay, I'll get that new monthly going from January on then. :) (Right now exams, work and speed-reading to catch up on this year's challenges are eating most of my free time... XD)
Jenne, what's that randomizer thingy you're using for WWF? That'd probably come in handy. :)

It's www.random.org Rhsts what I use to pick teams, words, etc

Thanks! :)

NP Denise!
Do you guys think we should set up a poll about doing away with the second chance challenges?

My only concern with doing away with the second chance folder is if Jennifer is still doing the "monster challenge" (heroic challenge now is I understand right). That was the reason it was set up, so that if people started later in the year they could still catch up on the needed challenges...However I really don't do much with either one so I am NOT really sure what to do. I just wanted to put that out there and maybe find a solution...

Do we want to add a Watercooler thread to the Breakroom? Somewhere to chat since it's been requested?

Jennifer you have been a busy girl with all of the series challenges! They look good. I don't mind a chat thread but you do have a point with it being a challenge group though. I do think spam & promotions should be excluded if we did have one though. What are y'alls thoughts?

I don't mind promotions as long as they're not spammy and just thrown into the middle of a thread. Maybe just throw up a Promotions thread?

I do like that it's just about the challenges, but I'm open to trying it out if that's what people want. Poll it?

The series challenges are fun. =D I've got a whole bunch of new things to read starting in January. I'm excited. lol

I was thinking a poll too lol. See what everyone thinks and all. I've been trying to clean up some from my TBR that have been on there for way toooooo long all of this month. I'll be ready for some new books come next month.

I posted a poll for the chat question.

I was thinking again. What if we do a Facebook/Twitter weekly/monthly challenge? Something quick and easy?

That sounds good Jennifer!

Cool. Any ideas? lol Maybe a spell the word type thing based on each month? W-I-N-T-E-R or N-E-W Y-E-A-R? I'm open to suggestions. =D

That should work Jennifer IMO.
Also I was thinking of setting up a happy holidays thread. Just a message basically wishing all of our members happy holidays and thanking everyone for making the group special/good. Do y'all think it's appropriate?

absolutely.

Cool I'm on it then :)

Also I'm going to set up another 2013 shelf like we had for this year where it runs with the general GR yearly goal.

Jenne when have you been setting up the Buddy Reads the last couple of months? I didn't know when a good time would be...I'm still have difficulty with the internet, they have to replace the fixture on the outside of the building but I'm going home for christmas and I will have stable wi-fi so I can get some stuff done! I just wanted to make sure and do it around the time that you were...

I love all the new ideas lady's! You guys have really made this group rock!!! I have really been missing it lately:)

Shell id get it up soon. I've been setting it up the last few days of the month and I've noticed a small turnout compared to the past. IMO people's monthly reading plans start getting full and its making for less buddy reads. I could be off base but there definitely isn't as many as there use to be.
I bet you're wanting to beat your computer to pieces! We've missed you too :)

I think that's definitely part of why the turnout has been smaller in the past few months, though I think some of it is also due to the fact that people have lots of books planned to finish the yearly challenges the closer we get to the end of the year - at least that's definitely been the case for me. (On that note, I still have 20 books to finish this month... XD)

Good point Denise! It is hurry up and finish the year for a lot of people.

I'm off to Germany to spend the holidays with my family and probably won't be online much if at all until I get back on New Year's Eve. Just wanted to let you know. :) Happy holidays!

Have a safe trip Denise :)

Did I do the 2013 challenge to ____ books right? That's at the top of the homepage. I can't tell lol. Also one of our members sent me a pm about a Scattergories Challenge idea. I know another group has one but this version is different and I don't think the host would mind. They have a challenge inspired by one of ours. It went like this


Using the same letter for each category, fill up as many categories as you can in the time allotted (1,3, or 6 months)


1. Title
2. Author
3. Cover Image
4. Character (Name the character)
5. Location (Country, State, City.....)
6. Series Name
7. Recommended (from a person or from GR) (can use Title or Author)
8. Out of the box (something you wouldn't have read before (can use Title or Author)
9. Short and Sweet (50-150 pages- can use Title or Author)
10. Big Boy- (350+ pages- Can use Title or Author)
11. Creature Feature- (any animal- pet, were/shifters, fantasy creature, can use the name of the animal [Fluffy] OR what it is [Cat]
12. Wild Card- use any of the above categories again or create your own

Just like in Scattergories- You do NOT have to complete every category. But you won't get any points for a category you don't complete. Also like in Scattergories, you get more points for alliteration- the more of your letter the better!

I think I'd put it in mini challenges and give it 3 mo to go then change letters and start over. What do y'all think? I play the other version and it's quite fun!

Sounds fun, Jenne! I'd say go for it. :)

Getting them up today...The Buddy Reads were really popular for awhile but I noticed every month we kept loosing a few groups. I was thinking of trying something a little different but I'm not sure what.

Also...My Internet is FIXED!!! YAY! (at least it better be fixed for good or someone is going to pay! lol)

Get em Shell! Lol

Oh yeah did any of you check the I'm challenging myself to ...... In 2013? I'm not sure if I did it right lol

I can't remember if one could sign up before 1 January last time, looks fine otherwise though. :)

Just wanted to pop in while I had a minute and let y'all know what's going on. My MIL passed away Friday. We're out of town handling the funeral arrangements etc. things should slow down after Thursday. In the meantime ill pretty much be MIA.

So sorry for your loss Jenne. Take all the time you need. :( It's been a rough holiday season all around. A friend of mine from high school passed away right after Christmas. She was only 34.

Jenne wrote: "Just wanted to pop in while I had a minute and let y'all know what's going on. My MIL passed away Friday. We're out of town handling the funeral arrangements etc. things should slow down after Thur..."

I'm so sorry to hear the Jenne, and like Jennifer said take all the time you need.

Jennifer that is sad and scary!

Both of you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Hey ladies I am trying to get back in the swing of things (I'm trying to get back in the habit of GR's, I keep forgetting my internet is working now! lol) and I was going to try and start January with a Factory Report...I will go through all of the new challenges and threads but is there anything that you want me to add that is going on this month? A new challenge? Event? Just a message for the group? I will be working on it for the next day or so and when you get a chance just drop me a line.

I can do a mid month report (much smaller and simpler) if you don't have anything now.

Also I am going to Completly Delete the 2012 Buddy Read ARchive...should we do any of the other archive as well?

Okay so I moved the December Buddy Read threads to a new 2013 Archives Buddy Read folder and just deleted the old folder but now all of those threads (all like 7 or more pages of them) are just in a general folder...how do I delete all of them without having to go in and delete each individual one?! that will take forever...

Sorry I've been out of touch, the force of evil commonly known as "work" claimed me as soon as I got back from Germany. XD I'm slowly getting up to date with the challenges I'm currently running and will hopefully get around to updating my own lists with everything I read during my holiday. XD

Jenne & Jennifer, I'm so sorry for your loss! :(

For the Factory Report, I really can't think of anything at the moment besides, you know, "Happy New Year"... XD Maybe put in something about this being a good time to check out some of the open-date 6-month or yearly challenges now that the new year is starting? Some of the ones posted in the later months of 2012 are currently getting quite a lot of extra popularity now that people have time to take on a new big challenge.
Other than that, I'm not really planning anything new for the time being, just gonna see how the new Around the World monthly goes for now. I'm playing around with an idea for something longer, but it's too early to say what (if anything) will come of that one. :)

I've no idea if you even can delete more than one thread at a time! Might be that you can't so you won't delete one by accident?

Thanks Denise, I will make sure to add that reminder!

So do we want to go ahead with the Water Cooler Chat Section? The poll was 15 for, 2 against, & 2 maybe. We can try it for a month or two and see how it goes? Thoughts?

I say yes...We are obviously still a challenge group first but I think it will be nice to have a place to chat:)

Okay. I set up the first thread. Feel free to add to it! :)

Hey Ladies, I have been working on the Factory Report, I got the main message up and I added a UnderConstruction message and let them know it will be finished by tomorrow. My goal is to send out a message very similar to the first post in the thread and change the wording in areas to direct them back to http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... for the full version.

I have titled the rest of my post with what I will be adding in each one, I'm trying to hit the balance between overload of information and not enough information! grrrr! Anyways can you look over it and let me know what you think?!

Also I would like to feature a challenge or folder each month, I thought it would help highlight some challenges that may fall in the crack and I have NO idea what to Feature first...any ideas?