General Overview
How serious about series are you? We'll find out in 2013.
In the summer of 2012, Amanda and I hosted an informal challenge that focused on completing books in series that we owned. It was enough of a success that we decided we wanted to turn it into a year-long challenge--with a few minor changes. To start with, we have expanded on our original challenge by including both ongoing series and adding new-to-us series, as well as an option for series rereads for those that are VERY serious about their series (or for those that just like to go back and reread old favorites).
Definitions
For this challenge, we define a series as a collection of two or more books that belong together and where the second book is published before the end of 2013. This is a pretty broad definition of series, and it includes traditional series like the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, less traditional series like Stephanie Perkins's YA contemps (Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door), and shorter series, like Kendare Blake's Anna series (Anna Dressed in Blood, Girl of Nightmares).
A series is considered complete in one of two ways: either as finishing all the books that you own in the series or as obtaining and reading all the books that have been published in the series to date. Because we don't want this challenge to become a financial burden, how you choose to define completion is left to your discretion.
How It Works
To allow for the greatest level of flexibility, we've separated series into three categories: series started before 2013, series started in 2013, and series rereads. Series started before 2013 are defined as series that you have started reading before Jan. 2013 and that you still have unread books to get current in (or finish) the series. Series started in 2013 are defined as any series that you start reading between Jan. and Dec. 2013, and the second book in the series must be published before December 2013. A series reread is defined as books that are part of a series that were read before Jan. 2013 and that are reread between Jan. 2013 and Dec. 2013. A series reread does NOT have to include the full series.
For each category, there are different levels of seriousness about series that you can choose. Semi-serious is reading 1 to 6 series, seriously serious is reading 7 to 12 series, super seriously serious is reading 13 to 18 series, and seriously spectacular series star is reading more than 18 series. What this ends up looking like is this:
| series started before 2013 | series started in 2013 | series rereads | |
| Semi-Serious | 1-6 series | 1-6 | 1-6 |
| Seriously Serious | 7-12 | 7-12 | 7-12 |
| Super Seriously Serious | 13-18 | 13-18 | 13-18 |
| Seriously Spectacular Series Star | 18+ | 18+ | 18+ |
Goals and Progress
Want to sign up? Create a post or page about this challenge, what goals you would like to accomplish (mine is here, as an example), and then link up your post here at Reading the Paranormal. I will be hosting all of the linkies for this challenge. In addition to the sign up, every three months, we will post a check-in, where you can report your progress and reassess your original goals. That schedule will look like the following:
- April 1st: January--March
- July 1st: April--June
- October 1st: July--September
- January 1st, 2014: October--December
Yikes! Do you know how many series that I started this year and haven't come close to finishing? I'm guessing that's the category I should shoot for.
ReplyDelete*maniacally rubs hands together* JOIN US!
DeleteThat is seriously intimidating! I'll have to think about that for a bit!
ReplyDeleteLol! You could break it down and start with just series started before 2013. Baby steps, darlin'. Baby steps.
DeleteIt's just that most of them that I have, I'm only 1 or 2 books in, but have like, 10 of them in the house to go! lol! I'm an ADD reader too, when it comes to authors, I almost never read 2 books in a row by the same author, I skip around. I'm trying to think if I have any shorter, or almost finished series I could use! lol!
DeleteHmm... Well, you do have an entire year to work through your list. You could compile a list of everything you have and aim for closing out just a few of them. You'd still be making progress!
DeleteI'm in, making my post now, since I'm a sucker for stuff that you guys do! :P Darn you both for being irresistible! Darn you I say!
DeleteIt's my sparkly vampire body spray. NO ONE CAN RESIST IT!
DeleteWell, that and your Tumblr account...
DeleteHeh. Too true!
DeleteThis looks like fun! Can this crossover with other challenges, too?
ReplyDeleteI have a TON of series to finish reading! And so many to start!
Yes! Absolutley! Crossovers are a-okay in our book. This is more about being motivated to finish off those series than anything else.
DeleteI told myself no challenges for 2013 but I can't help myself with this one. I have 48 series sitting on my shelves that I started before 2013 left to finish and I have 153 unstarted series on my shelves. Plus I'm planning on reading all Harry Potter books again in 2013.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great challenge!
WOW! Once 2012 ends, I'm going to add all the single books I own in series I haven't started yet. I don't even know what that's going to do to my numbers. *is scared*
DeleteI'm glad you're joining us!
Sounds like fun! This will be perfect for many of Diana Gabaldon's fans who want to re-read the series before her next book (WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART'S BLOOD) comes out in the fall of 2013.
ReplyDeleteKaren
Excellent! The more the merrier!
DeleteAm all signed up to this AND Why Buy The Cow? :D
ReplyDeleteYay, Hannah!
DeleteJoined the challenge! I told myself not to add another challenge but this one, can't do without!
ReplyDeleteYay! Welcome!
DeleteJust added myself to this challenge. It is my first one and I am pretty excited!!
ReplyDeleteOh, yay! Glad you're joining us!
DeleteI am so happy to see this challenge because it makes me get some of those lingering series done! Thank you!!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! My series list just keeps getting longer as I plan my reading!
DeleteSeriously Series post! http://bitcheswithbooks.com/2013/01/11/quirkys-2013-reading-challenges-seriously-series/
ReplyDeleteI updated your link on the list! Thanks for letting us know.
DeleteThank goodness for this challenge! Maybe I'll be able to finish off some series'! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I keep thinking. Then I add more books to my list. o.O
DeleteYep signed up for another challenge I have so many this year.
ReplyDeleteLol! It happens!
DeleteYahoo, just signed up! Thanks for hosting this--looks fun. I wish I had time to reread my favorite series but I'll go for reading new books this year.
ReplyDeleteOUTSTANDING! I've found that I reread a lot less now that I have a blog and I wanted a give myself a reason to go back and read some old favorites. So... I totally understand. I had to give myself permission to play with old books. LOL!
DeleteOh, I def will be signing for this one! I still have some questions, though.
ReplyDelete1)Do the books have to be personnally ours, or can we series that we borrowed (from a friend, or a lobrary, etc)
2) Can we add new series during the challenge? Or are we set up with the list we make at the sign up post.
I will be joining the fun in any case, but wether I will ad some series to the list depends on the answer. Thanks for hosting!
Mmm, and I forgot to ask - how about graphic novels/manga series? Sorry for all the qauestioning! ^^""
DeleteThe books do not have to be owned by you. You can borrow them from the library, friends, etc.
DeleteYes, you can add series at any time. I've added about 20 since the start of the year. You can also readjust your goals during our quarterly check-ins -- meaning that if you thought you were only going to be able to complete 6 series during the original sign up and have already completed those 6, you can add more, etc. This is also a chance for you to decrease your goals if they seem too out of reach.
A lot of people are adding more series than they're planning on reading to give themselves room to play. This is more about focusing on reading and completing series than anything else.
Graphic novels and manga are acceptable. As I said, it's more about completing series than anything else. So... read!
Thanks for joining us!
I thank you for the answer and for hosting the whole challenge and for the warm welcome! This will be fun! :D
DeleteI am off to a really good start. I finished two series. Do we count the book or total series? I was doing an update on my blog and just wanted to be accurate.
ReplyDeleteThe challenge itself is for completing series. If you want to break down what books you read within the series, you can do that to. (If you'd like to take a look at the way I did it... scroll to the bottom of this page.)
DeleteHello Kelly, it's Carolyn of 'RIEDEL Fascination'! :) Please reply via my blog. I'm on dial-up, hard to recheck pages.
ReplyDeleteI joined, #45, from the start but am linking reviews lately. http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/outlets-for-series/
May we link individual books as we go? How 'finished' must a series be? Is this about reading up what we've collected on it?
Is the mission to obtain subsequent volumes, up to a reasonable time in 2013? (I do physical books only and own what I wish to read). Thank you!
I'll reply on your blog as well, but we stated "A series is considered complete in one of two ways: either as finishing all the books that you own in the series or as obtaining and reading all the books that have been published in the series to date. Because we don't want this challenge to become a financial burden, how you choose to define completion is left to your discretion.
DeleteHonestly, the challenge is here to give you a boost to get your series read. If you only want to read the books you own, that's fine. If you want to go out and buy all the books so you can finish the series, that's fine, too.
Thanks for returning to my blog, Kelly and you kindly welcomed me earlier! :) Everyone who finds you through my 'Seriously' will benefit from your expanded details among my comments. I hadn't seen the part above because it precedes your section "how it works".
DeleteIt's fantastic to know that our game is as flexible as pushing through our current collections. I am self-competitive. I'll likely acquire and try to succeed all the way through the series I choose!
You're welcome.
DeleteA couple questions. Will you guys be hosting this for 2014? And do you have to have a blog or can we use Goodreads?
ReplyDeleteI am hosting it in 2014. The sign up is already live - http://paranormalbookreviews-kelly.blogspot.com/2013/11/2014-reading-challenge-seriously-series.html . You can also find the link in teh sidebar under "Seriously Series".
DeleteYou don't have to have a blog. Feel free to make a status post at GR and link it up in the sign-up post. I'm easy. Whatever works to get people reading.
Awesome! Thank you. I usually do them as regular comments on my profile, but I will try it as a status post. Thank you.
DeleteRegular comments work. Honestly, it's more about motivating people to read than anything. Have fun with it! Please!
DeleteDefinitely! I have an issue with the last book in a series or when I find out when the last book is I stop reading... motivation to finish! Do you have the grab code for the event button? On Goodreads it won't let me put up event buttons without a code.
DeleteI can't add the code grab in a comment (it doesn't allow divs), but I'll add it in the sidebar.
DeleteAwesome! Thank you!
Delete