This huge push to add more people to the challenge and reach the 100,000 goal while admirable is starting to get a bit annoying to me, and I'm sure to some others.
Not every reader is a person who wants to get online and post using whatever name, be it real or fake and run the risk of being discovered in person. Not every reader is the sort of person who no matter how simple the format is is comfortable posting information about their reads. Not every readers is courageous enough to say I read (insert name of book), because their confidence level doesn't allow them to realize that their reading choice is just that their choice.
As the number of challengers grow the number of books per person shrinks, but I think that some people are still intimidated by that number and think oh...I can never read 30 books in 6 months, so I just won't participate at all. (I work with a woman who is lucky to finish one book to my 3-5).
Yes, we want to make the goal....and those who have the ability to read fast are doing a great job in helping those numbers climb, and I applaud them. Those who read at a more normal speed (where I class myself...maybe 6-7 books a month) are also important and doing a great job. However, those who only read 1 book a month I would think feel that their number couldn't possibly help because we keep reading everyone needs to read 28 books by the end of the year(or whatever number it is) for us to reach 100,000.
For me I would say I could only read 6 books, and since I can't read 28 in 6 months, why bother. I personally think it's time to make those slower readers feel a bit more welcome, and to quit saying how reviews are so appreciated, and replace it with if all your comfortable with is your title and author then we're glad you're here helping a great cause, and WELCOME!
It's just my opinion but I wanted to express it, as I've seen others expressing their opinion.
Sandi
Outside of a dog a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx
I have to agree
I have to agree with you about it doesn't matter how many you read but that you're enjoying (for the most part) what you're reading. This is supposed to be fun and is for me as I've met a lot of great people here in this community. I think it's better to do what you can and if you're comfortable writing reviews do it if not count your books for our cause. I've learned in my life you can never make everyone happy but if you're happy then the ones closest to you are too. I say, don't worry about everyone else and do what you can and what you are comfortable with.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
The fun...
of the challenge has always been for me the community interaction and not the number. I have to admit that the push to read more while the community interaction seems down a bit has made me less inclined to post my reviews as it seems like it's just not as much fun. I think I have around 20 or so books that I haven't bothered to post yet. I suppose I will eventually but for now I'm trying to enjoy the community aspect which has been overshadowed a bit in all this.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
I think we've
I think we've lost some of the cameraderie we had last year but a lot of that is this site is so much bigger and it's harder to keep up with everyone. I still enjoy getting together with my friends online and nowhere else can you discuss so many books with others that share our great love of reading.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
I don't know why but
I don't know why but this posted twice. I've been having problems with my computer lately and hopefully that will soon be remedied when I get my new computer. I'm tired of replacing things here and there.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
I agree
I agree with what all three of you have said. I have felt some pressure to read more but then have stopped myself from feeling guilty. My buddies on this website know I prefer longer books and as that is what I enjoy I will continue to read them. Sometimes a short book fits my mood but usually the book has to be at least 350 pages or it is not a good book for me!
Sandi thank you for starting this discussion. I too enjoy the friends I have made here and the interaction and discussions about the books we read and our real life stuff. I enjoy writing book reviews and I take my time and write a long review. I would not feel comfortable just adding the book's name just for it to be counted. I read on the average of 60 books a year and I feel that that is enough and I have contributed to the count and books will be donated with my help.
The whole point (IMHO) of these threads is to share our love of reading and books and not just run up a book count. My 2 cents for what it is worth.
Mary
I agree. Many of us want
I agree. Many of us want to help reach the goal, esp. since it is for charity but first and foremost, I am doing the Challenge for the community. That is what makes this different than every other review site on the internet. The bigger the Challenge gets, the fewer comments show up on people's blogs. My dh joined because he loved seeing all the interaction of last year's Challenge but it isn't happening. He has read books he hasn't blogged --- the motivation just is not there any more for him to blog them. I personally think that the number is less important than the friendships and fun in the community. I feel like this constant push for new bloggers is sometimes at the expense of doing the things that truly welcome people --- making comments and showing an interest in people who are here. If people are having fun, then there is a sort of natural pull because people want to join in. Pushing for more, more, more and trying to format reviews to some standard is not very welcoming. I think people looking in can see that most of the people here would go out of their way to help an individual who wants help. It is a big jump to escalate the goal 10 times within a year. I am losing my enthusiasm a lot because I feel the goal of numbers is overtaking the goal of community and sharing our love of books. My reading numbers are way down for me and I am losing interest. I don't want to just pump out reviews --- I can do (and do) that in other places. What I like is the friendships I have made here last year and the book talk. It doesn't mean everyone even has the same goals as me and that is ok. But with this constant push on numbers and more, more, more, I have to say it gets to feel sometimes like who cares? If I quit, there will be 10 people to take my place so why bother? The main thing that keeps me here are the other bloggers and the community more than a number goal. I realize Harlequin might have its goals that are not necessarily my personal goals but I do wish business could look at numbers a little less and see the value of the non-quantitative of what is here already. I would like to see some attention given to the readers who are here instead of all the hypothetical people out there who are not. The form for submitting reviews is very easy and I know there are many people here, myself included, who are more than willing to walk someone through it step by step if they need help or encourgement. All you have to do is ask! I would rather see people make their own choice to step forward and ask than to have all this constant pressure to get more, more, more overshadow what we do have already.
AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus
I was not here last year. I
I was not here last year. I believe the challenge last year was 10,000? To double the number of books would have been a reasonable goal. But to jump it up by 10x the number is overwhelming. I also found getting around very difficult initially. I would have to say as a newbie this is not the most user friendly space which actually may discourage people. Since I read a lot, I don't post long reviews--I rarely get feedback, so in order to discuss a book I have to go out and search others who have read the same books. Sometimes that gets to be too much of a chore. I have found people that I enjoy communicating with, so, it can be done, but again this format seems difficult to navigate. Despite the downsides I have enjoyed this site and found some semblance of community--it sounds like there was much more a year ago.
Nancy
Goal too high?
Last year's Challenge was open to registrants only until about Jan 19th .. then anyone who wanted to particpate had to wait for this year .... the blogs had to actually be made by Jayne, Lorie and the techs and this was a massive undertaking ....
with the new site format, every member has blog capabilities ... which means every member can join the Challenge at any time and there really isn't any formal registration unless you want to receive the monthly emails from Lorie for mini-challenges and the discount code .....
as far as goals .... last year I think we had about 200 or so bloggers at the beginning .... much less near the end ... and we achieved I think about 28,000 books ... and we had only I voracious reader, Sadhbh .... Janet and Mary Kay were not bloggers
so with this newer format and the actual "real" publicity that Harlequin has done ... it's been in the media here in Canada (I can't attest to elsewhere) ... and advertised in Romantic Times magazine and on author's websites and I'm sure in many other places ... Lorie promoted it recently at the RT annual convention ..... so with an existing membership of 3000 and the newcomers from the publicity and promotions, I think the 100,000 was and can still be a doable thing
I think this Challenge is also a great buildup to the fact that Harlequin will be 60 years young next year ....
I love the fact that though I've committed to the Book Challenge, I can easily take a break if I need to and start up again at any time ..... we have tremendous freedom here to participate at whatever level we are most comfortable with ... this is a fantastic Community, one I'm very glad to be a part of ... even if I can't be here every day I know the Community will be here when I can be
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Nancy, I am glad you are
Nancy, I am glad you are around. I love your blogs and comments. Last year we had a list of bloggers. It wasn't perfect but it did let folks know who is blogging so newer people did not get lost. Katherine T, I agree, that this 2008 site is a lot easier in terms of the mechanics of posting blogs. And for anyone who is new, there are people more than willing to help with first posts until one gets the hang of it. I just would like to see a little more emphasis on building community than pushing for numbers and more, more, more. I think visiting other people's blogs makes people feel more at home more than changing mechanics. That is what is missing this year for my dh and to me in comparison to last year. I can post reviews lots of places but it is the interaction that matters to some of us at least. I admit, this constant push for more is turning me off in terms of my enthusiasm, my reading count, my reading choices and my reading of others' blogs. I don't want seeing what is special---the community---getting lost in the numbers. Last year we all went through reading slumps, at least many of us, but it was other members' who made the difference. My dh is one non-hypothetical blogger who is reading but just does not seem to have the enthusiasm he once did and no amount of encouragement from me is helping. What made him want to blog was Aunt Cheryl who took the time to read and respond to his blogs.
AKA Merri
Family Challenge Team: The Spine Breakers with my dh Glenn AKA Phaedrus
format
I'm not sure what more eHarl can do .... Jayne and the eHarl staff are working on some sort of central for the book bloggers ... but even so, I can read any eHarl blogger's blog anytime I want ... I just simply click on their name anywhere on the eHarl site to bring up their Profile and voila there is their blog with a simple click on "more" under the heading My Most Recent Blog posts ... it brings up every blog they've created since January
I truly wish I had more time to participate on the forums because in truth, the forums are what made the eHarl Community .. the blogs came after .... I work, I have an aging mother, and a daily battle with health issues, so I can only be here so much... the forums have always been the "heart" of the eHarl community ... and there are wonderful discussions that allow members to get to know each other and their reading tastes .... for example ...
What are you reading now? ... Gal Pal Corral .... I Am Canadian (all members are welcome) .... and of course there are the discussion threads for each line Harlequin publishes ... discussions for readers and writers who love certain lines or want to get to know those lines better .... the frame work for social discussions is here and always has been here
now as far as getting people to read and comment on your blogs or reviews .... well, I'm sure people are reading them ... I'm confident someone is reading my reviews as this is a public Community and I can google and my reviews will come up .... I read tons of reviews ... I've read the majority of yours, Merri (not all because I'm not big on historicals) .. I just don't have the time and energy to comment on every review I read ... nor will I ever
Jayne has proposed a solution for getting more people to read our reviews and that's to link them directly to the books shopping page in the eHarl bookstore .... and I'm sure that will attract regular bloggers to reviews as well as the members that only use the eHarl bookstore .... so hopefully when that is in place, you may find more comments left ... for all of 2004 (my first year as a member) I didn't really know the Community was there ... then I had time and I explored ... I'm sure there are tons of members that only use the bookstore and have rarely stopped by the Community
I don't think the fact that we presently do not have a central bloggers page is stopping people from finding our reviews or blogs though I agree it will make it easier .... there are so many ways to access new discussions and the reviews it's all in the way you do it .... in fact, I find the blogs much more visible with this format ... and sometimes I wish it weren't so I could avoid the temptation to read something that I would have automatically skipped over on the other site
I prefer to read happy positive posts (I deal with enough conflict and negativity in real life) .... it's a self-defense mechanism for me .... my health means more than reading conflict and negative thoughts ... and in turn, I generally want to post postive thoughts and focus on what works instead of what doesn't ....
I know of no other community on the web like this one ... this one is a true gift ... and I'll take it in any way Harlequin is able to provide it
.... Sandi, I'm sorry .... this kind of got off your original topic .... and if you want me to edit this down to blank space I will ... just let me know as most of what I said above has been said elsewhere many many times
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Thanks to all
I appreciate all the comments. There are a lot of things about the new site that I like, and a lot about the new site that I don't like.
I do think the threads that were mentioned like What Are You Reading Now help to add to the sense of community. However, when I first joined eharlequin, the various threads were in my opinion easier to find, but I suppose it all goes to what we get familiar with, and the phase can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Yes, by adding people to my friends list I can find them, and see what they're reading, but it takes a bit more effort and a few more clicks...but it is doable, and I know several people have offered suggestions as to how they do it, but again can you teach an old dog new tricks?
What I intended with my post was to say, yes I agree we need some more people to post, but it seems to be becoming secondary to the book reviews, and oh...see what I think today type of posts. It also focuses a lot on the number and like I said...some people can only read one book a month, and when you say well if everyone read X number of books between now and the end we'd make the goal....I think it makes the person who will only read that one book a month think oh no one cares about me, so why bother, and that one book a month might be the 6 or so books that make the difference in accomplishing the goal.
Sandi
The Born Readers
Outside of a dog a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. Groucho Marx
This made my day
I have to admit I have really been struggling this year,and am relieved to know it isn't just me! I too was encouraged by those who would comment on reviews & I realize this year there is so much more,but I miss those little "boosts" we gave each other. Merri,thank you SO much for your mention,and I feel badly I have been neglecting to visit more sites. I was so happy Glenn wanted to join us and I have been impressed by both of your reviews as well as many others. Right now I have 10 books to review and after reading this discussion it has given me the incentive to get back into the mode I was in last year. Thanks to everyone who posted here,gave me the special uplift I have needed.
Cheryl
Cheryl http://peacefulpond.blogspot.com/
Hi Sandi - I know my numbers intimidate some people
but there's nothing I can do about it because there's NO WAY I'm going to stop reading, I'm not necessarily proud of my addiction but I'm glad I have an ecologically friendly one, given that I've an addictive personality
I've said this on Penni's blogs on the subject and I'd like to repeat myself in reply to your comment Sandi - to all of you out there who only blog ONE book for the year, I want to know what it is, I'm not just saying it, I REALLY want to know what it is, because let's face it some of the books I've read will slip through the cracks but I do tag my books by what I thought of them so people can do a search for Excellent, Great, Very Good, Pretty Good, Good etc., but if those of you who only read ONE book a year chose that particular one, well I DO want to know what that pearl was, so I can read it too. Yes I'll probably read it faster, and I may or may not agree with your take on it, but that way we can talk about it (if you'd like to talk about it) or I can talk with other Challengers about it (if you don't), but I really don't want such a pearl to become one of the Undiscovered (by Sadhbh) Gems of English Literature due to supposed lack of interest. I don't always have time to keep up with the blogs but I do love reading and although I'm a bit lost (like some of the rest of you) in this new format because I can't get the RSS feed to work for me, and I don't want 15 thousand favourites and I don't always remember where I left comments when the munchkins interrupt me at the wrong moment, I still do enjoy commenting on books and having people leave comments for me but sometimes I (like some of the rest of you) have trouble co-ordinating my available time, energy and internet access.
This is why I've been trying to tell people not to worry so much about the numbers, just keep reading because you (hopefully) enjoy it and then come and tell us about the book because you want to share that enjoyment. If you didn't enjoy it, possibly you could warn us why it didn't work for you. I understand (because after 495 reviews since January 1st and even more than than since January 1st 2006 BOY do I understand!) how time-consuming it is, how difficult it can be to voice exactly what you liked/didn't like and how awkward things are when you don't want to criticize an author who might be online, but the upside is the sharing, the appreciation of the author's effort even though she can't possibly please all the people all the time, and the enjoyment you'll be giving me if you help me discover another great author of whose existence I was unaware, because let's face it my reading goes into the four digits every year and I don't know of ANY author who's capable of writing and publishing two and three quarter books a DAY
so Please PLEASE help me sustain my habit, with recommendations, it really makes an enormous difference (even if DH might not thank you, I DO!)
Sorry for hijacking your post Sandi, but as you can see I really feel strongly about this one, but not because of the numbers!
Hugs
Sadhbh
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
No more excuses, just READ!
Hi!
I was feeling discouraged by the push to read more as I started this as a way to let my addiction to reading do some good. I am only up to 50 reviews so far but as I only started in April I have some backlogs to enter.My dh helped me figure out how to write them in word so I can use Spellcheck and save them if I get interrupted. It does take me a lot of time to do a review as I probably was the only person to Flunk typing. This is the first site I have ever blogged on as well so do not know my way around computers. Thank you to Michelle Dunaway and Claire Baxter for reading my reviews. Thank you Donna Alward, Sam Hunter and Holly Jacobs for responing to some of my Blogs. Thanks to everyone else that replied in some way as well. It is so encouraging to get a bit of feedback.
To Sadhbh I am not intimidated by your numbers-just in awe.
To all of you writing reviews: If I am so pleased that someone recognized my small effort of writing a review just think what it must mean to an author when you review their books. Lets just keep this fun and remember your writing a review may mean that someone will someday have the joy of reading a book!
When I get a little money I buy books, and then if any is left I buy food and clothes..-- Erasmus
Well said Kaelee
Well said Kaelee sorry if I spelled your name wrong. That is one of the things I miss. Not being able to see the posts and get spelling or comments right. I still enjoy the site I just think it's bigger and harder to get to everyone I'd like to. I made so many friends last year and would love to leave more comments but there's just not enough time. I try to get to as many as I can and I love it when I can get in on a discussion of a book. Let's just keep trying and keep our spirits up for each other.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
I too found the goal of
I too found the goal of reaching 100,000 this year very intimidating in the beginning, so i decided to throw it right out of my head and not stress about it, and just enjoy reading and blogging at whatever pace life lets me.
While there are many things i love about this new blog set-up...i too really miss the social comraderie of the old blog setup as well.
Kathy D