A few days ago, I wrote a blog post talking about TBRs and whether or not you should make them. Today, I’ll be talking about readathons and reading challenges. I won’t be talking about why you should be doing these. Instead, I’m listing down the pros and cons of joining readathons and reading challenges. Based on this, you can decide whether or not you want to get involved in them. But before I start, I need to make it clear that irrespective of what the pros are, if reading is stressing you out, it’s always better to take time out and become kinder to yourself.
What is a readathon?
A readathon is a reading marathon. Similar to any other marathon – be it running or movie marathons – a readathon encourages the reader to read as much as possible in a short period of time. It could be a day (like 24-hour readathons) or a week or monthly readathons. They could have prompts or they could be themed or just be free-for-all, read-anything-you-want events. Either way, these readathons are supposed to make you read, irrespective of how much you end up reading.
What is a reading challenge?
A reading challenge is a set of prompts and/or themes that is supposed to – literally – challenge you in either your reading tastes or the number of books that you read. Reading challenges can span any number of days, some like the Reading Women Challenge taking up the whole year while my own DramaQueenAThon is a monthly event whenever I hold it. These are supposed to make you read books that you probably would not have looked for and picked up otherwise. They help diversify your reading tastes and bring books to your attention. A readathon is a type of a reading challenge, what with it challenging you to read as much as possible and the possibility of it having prompts.
The biggest advantage of readathons and reading challenges is that it helps people get out of their reading slumps. Of course, not everyone works on the same wavelength, or the same solution won’t work for everyone. But if you are willing, the different books that will come your way through these readathons and reading challenges might just be the ones to help you get back to the reading life that you were missing.
But these are subjective, of course. If you think that readathons and reading challenges will work for you and you get excited at the prospect of taking part in them, then that’s exactly what you’ve got to do. Pick a reading challenge and get started! There are so many of them out there. Like I’ve mentioned before, the yearly Reading Women challenge where you read only women authors for the challenge that has 24 prompts. There used to be the Tome Topple Challenge. I don’t know who started it and what it entailed because I’ve never taken part in it. But I’ve seen people get super excited about it. As for readathons, there used to be the Reading Rush, which I don’t think exists anymore. Again, there’s my own DramaQueenAThon, which I used to host across social media. I’m thinking of bringing it back soon, although I can’t say how soon.
On the flip side, if you think that the pressure of reading too much within any period of time or ticking off a list of books based on any given prompts isn’t something that you can cope with, then don’t do them. Of course, trying them first before you come to a decision, but in the end, it’s up to you. If you think it’s something that you’ll enjoy doing, go for it while keeping the pros in mind. If you think that you cannot cope with the pressure that comes with finishing ‘n’ number of books in a given time based on certain prompts, then don’t go for it. It’s not the number of books that matter; it’s the fact that you read at all that matters.
So basically, TBRs, readathons, and reading challenges are all subjective. You’ve got to decide what works for you. If it doesn’t, give it up. If it does, then make videos, post on Instagram, make checklists that you can keep ticking off – or don’t even post. Just read. The satisfaction of finishing a book is a feeling that’s out of this world.
Bottom line: It’s all about perspective.
What do you think of readathons and reading challenges? Do you like participating in them? If yes, why? What are your favorites? If not, why? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you! 😊
I’ll see you in tomorrow’s Blogtober post.
Until next time, keep reading, and add melodrama to your life! 😊
The Melodramatic Bookworm 
I like reading challenges that fit with what I would like to do. I’m taking part in the non fiction reader challenge as I wanted to extend my reading of non fiction. I’ve never taken part in a readathon though
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Agree ❤️ The nonfiction reading challenge sounds great. Happy reading!
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Reblogged this on keyboardcritic.
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