How to Read 35 Books in 81 Days and a Challenge

 

Finalists for the 2011 Whitney Awards were announced on Friday, February 3, 2012. This means it’s time for us to announce the 2nd annual “Read ’em All” Challenge!

Our goal in issuing the “Read ’em All” 2011 Finalist Challenge is to encourage as many Whitney Academy members as possible to read all 35 Whitney Award Finalists and vote for Best Novel of the Year.

For this year’s “Read ’em All” Challenge we are offering a $50 Amazon gift card as a prize. In addition, we will hold mini challenges and weekend reading blitzes with a variety of prizes for those who take part.

What do you need to do to get in on all this prize-filled goodness?

First, you need to be a member of the Whitney Academy. Not a member? Click HERE to find out how to join.

Second, go HERE to register as a participant in the “Read ’em All” 2011 Finalists Challenge.

How to Read 35 Books in 81 Days

From February 3, 2012 to April 23, 2012, I counted 81 days. That gives us 11 weeks to read 35 books. That averages out to just over 2 days a book. If you’ve already read several of the finalists, then you have even longer to read each of the remaining finalists.

For example, I had read 10 of the finalists as of February 3 when the finalists were announced, so I have just over 3 days to read each of the remaining 25 books. Here are the positives:

• No 1,000 page books to try to finish before the voting deadline

• Most of the Youth Fiction category books are shorter and will be very quick to finish. May be possible to knock out three or four over a weekend.

• Almost all of the remaining finalists are high up on my to-read list, meaning that since I am looking forward to them I should hopefully be able to get them read quickly.

Whitney Reading Tips

After five years of Whitney reading, LDSWBR has learned a few tricks to help us finish as many books in as many categories as possible and we want to share them with you.

• Make a reading plan and set reading goals NOW. Time goes by fast, and it’s much more enjoyable to read without the pressure of a voting deadline that’s quickly approaching.

• If you work during the week, or are busy with home and family on weekdays, try to read one book during the week and two more on the weekend. Every minute of reading counts, so take that book with you everywhere!

• Start with the category(ies) you enjoy the most. You are more likely to finish those books quickly and put yourself ahead of schedule. If you don’t end up being able to finish all 35 finalists, at least you’ll be able to vote in the categories that mean the most to you.

• Look at every book in each category on Goodreads or the library website to see if it is part of a series. You may want to read (or at least skim) the previous book(s) first, if you can. If not, at least you’ll know it’s part of a series and won’t be surprised that there is missing information when you read it later.

• NO TV! Okay, maybe “Castle.” He is an author, so that’s almost like reading, right?

• Reading during spare moments here and there helps, but be sure to schedule large chunks of reading time as often as you can. You can get through a book faster if you can get in the “groove” and stay in it.

• Some people swear by audiobooks, and if you spend most of your time moving from task to task with no time to sit, or have a long commute, audiobooks may be the way to go. However, most people can read a book in less time than it takes to listen to it, so take that into consideration as well.

Do you have any reading tips to share? What helps you get through a towering to-read pile? How do you handle reading with a deadline? Comment below and tell us how you survive Whitney Reading season. :)

 

 ***Don’t forget to go register for the “Read ’em All” Challenge!***