Getting a Read: The 2020 Reading Challenge
There are loads of 2020 reading challenges out there to inspire your reading list for the new year. Even without a reading challenge, many people love taking a moment before the year begins to sort out their bookish goals for the next twelve months (I’m sharing my personal list with my patrons over on Patreon in January—join to access it and plenty of other bonus content!) Organizing your reading goals through a challenge can be a fun way to stretch your mind and expand your reading horizons.
Most reading challenges rely on things like books from specific decades or genres or even countries of publication to help readers choose new books to read. I’ve done some of these challenges myself and think they’re absolutely great. But after six months spent reading my way through books recommended by the people in my life, I wondered, why not create a Getting a Read version of The 2020 Reading Challenge?
Unique Reads from your Recommenders
To come up with this challenge, I thought back about the kinds of people who have recommended books to me this year. They are friends, colleagues, and family members of all ages—even a tiny little guy, who you’ll hear about in an upcoming post. Their life experiences are all over the map, and their books have reflected their realities. These treasured works they’ve shared with me are beloved due to loss, significant periods of personal growth, or because of a particular kind of humor that made them smile for years after they first read the book.
In hopes that my list will help you achieve the same kind of variety from your relationships that I’ve gained from mine, here’s what I created for you:
GETTING A READ: The 2020 Reading Challenge
Getting a Read: The 2020 Reading Challenge
Gearing Up for the Challenge
This challenge is designed to give you a cross-section look at your relationships through the lens of books. Every item on this list is a recommendation I’ve gotten in my own life before—even the “recommendation from a person you’ve known less than an hour” task.
You can totally accomplish getting and reading these recommendations if you set your mind to it. Here are a few thoughts to ponder as you begin your own, personal Getting a Read journey.
#1. People Love Giving Recommendations
Think about it. When was the last time you were asked the question: what’s your favorite book? Do you remember feeling as though your eyes were lighting up? Did you feel as though you were reliving the experience of reading the book itself? Were you excited to know this person might experience the same level of joy or fun that you did?
It’s the same with your recommenders. So if you find yourself a bit nervous about asking people to help you create this list, take this moment to let go of those nerves. Arm yourself with a script like this:
“I’m spending a year reading other people’s favorite books, and I’d love to know what yours is. Would you mind sharing it with me?”
Or borrow my question to get a great recommendation from a bookstore: “Can you tell me what the soul of your store would recommend if it woke up one day and suddenly began recommending books?”
You’ll find your 12-item list populated in no time.
#2. Pace Yourself
I have SO MUCH FUN reading other people’s books. I learn all kinds of things, I enjoy making people feel seen, and I read things I would never have encountered otherwise. It’s a gift to be able to produce this blog. Even so, I’ve discovered a couple of key strategies that I’ll share with you now to make your reading journey smoother.
Appropriate pacing is essential, and that begins with gathering your recommendations early. Don’t wait till December to find your last three people, or you’ll be overwhelmed by the challenge. That’s because…
People’s favorite books are often pretty, big, thick, meaningful tomes. This isn’t always true, of course it totally depends on your relationships. But in my life, I’ve found a really good number of the books I’ve received recommendations for are long or require a lot of thought. This means you should…
Plan your order. Don’t just go in order of the challenge. Mix it up. Read shorter books in between longer books. Be ok stopping mid-book on a recommendation in a topic/genre you don’t always enjoy to pick up a book someone else gave you that you can’t wait to read. And on that note…
Don’t forget to read books you choose for yourself too. Even if it’s just a couple, filling your mind with your favorite fantasy series or the new book you picked up at the Half-Price Books clearance sale last year will give you a chance to breathe.
#3. Read with Intention
I treat every book and encounter with a recommender as a chance to learn something new. I’ve been sharing my thoughts all year with you on the blog, so I won’t delineate those in detail here. Instead, I’ll say that the experience has broadened my worldview and helped me engage with my network on a deeper level. It’s also led me to some of my new favorite reads, like Lincoln in the Bardo to name just one.
The primary way I’ve accomplished this informal self-education is by writing about the books after I read them. I write a review for every book, but you don’t have to. You can mark up your book as you go, or keep a challenge journal that lets you record favorite quotes and reflections on the book and the reader who gave it to you.
If you’re not a big writer, it’s ok to simply reflect as well. Absorb the experience of reading a book you may never have picked up without the help of your recommender and see what you learn in the process.
Your Personal Challenge
The point of the Getting a Read 2020 Reading Challenge is to learn about the people in your life through the lens of books and connect with them on a new level. So, as a ritual, once you’ve completed each book, take a moment to reflect on the book through the eyes of your recommender. Write it down, think it through—maybe even go back to the person who recommended it and have a conversation with them. You’ll find yourself engaged in an engrossing hour on a topic you both share an interest in—their book that’s now become your book too.
A Final Postscript for the Writers Who Love to Review Books
If you try this challenge out in part or in full in 2020 and have an experience with a book/recommender you’ve just got to share with the world, I’d love to hear about it. Look for formal guest-post submission guidelines for both Getting a Read and Annotated: The Podcast for Books and Their People to appear on the website soon. In the meantime, reach out to me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or via this contact form for inquiries.
