Want to Read More This Year? Here’s a Reading Challenge to Inspire You

Happy New Year, friends! As we embark on a new trip around the sun, I’m thinking about what I’d like to experience and learn this year. Among other things, this includes a friendly and fun reading challenge.

I don’t know about you, but I can sometimes get stuck in a reading rut. For a couple of years after leaving university, I only read psychology and self-help books and didn’t realise how much I was missing all the other genres I’d put aside in the meantime. My reading now is more balanced but I’m always looking to broaden my book-based horizons. This year, I’ve created a reading challenge to jazz up my book list.

The idea behind these challenges is to encourage myself to read books I might usually overlook or wouldn’t otherwise consider. If you’re not a huge fan of reading but would like to try to read more, creating a reading challenge is also a great way of gamifying this activity and making it more fun.

There are two versions of this challenge you can try depending on how ambitious you’re feeling. The first is a 26-book version, which evens out at a book once every two weeks. The second is the 56-book version, which is the equivalent of a book a week. I’m planning to start with the 26-book version and see how things go. Join me?

The 26-book 2017 reading challenge

1. A book you read in school
2. A book from your childhood
3. A book published over 100 years ago
4. A book published in the last year
5. A non-fiction book
6. A book written by a male author
7. A book written by a female author
8. A book by someone who isn’t a writer (think Paul Kalathani or Richard Branson)
9. A book that became/is becoming a film
10. A book published in the 20th Century
11. A book set in your hometown/region
12. A book with someone’s name in the title
13. A book with a number in the title
14. A book with a character with your first name
15. A book someone else recommended to you
16. A book with over 500 pages
17. A book you can finish in a day
18. A previously banned book
19. A book with a one-word title
20. A book translated from another language
21. A book that will improve a specific area of your life
22. A memoir or journal
23. A book written by someone younger than you
24. A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year
25. An award-winning book
26. A self-published book (may I suggest this one? :))

The 52-book 2017 reading challenge

1. A book you read in school
2. A book from your childhood
3. A book published over 100 years ago
4. A book published in the last year
5. A non-fiction book
6. A book written by a male author
7. A book written by a female author
8. A book by someone who isn’t a writer
9. A book that became/is becoming a film
10. A book published in the 20th Century
11. A book set in your hometown/region
12. A book with a name in the title
13. A book with a number in the title
14. A book based on a true story
15. A book someone else recommended
16. A book with over 500 pages
17. A book you can finish in a day
18. A previously banned book
19. A book with a one-word title
20. A book translated from another language
21. A personal growth book
22. A memoir or journal
23. A book by someone younger than you
24. A book set somewhere you’ll visit this year
25. An award-winning book
26. A book you were supposed to read in school but haven’t yet
27. A book with a character with your first name
28. A book with a place in the title
29. A book set in the future
30. A play
31. A scary book
32. A funny book
33. A book of short stories
34. A trilogy or series
35. A bestseller
36. A book you own but haven’t read yet
37. A book about philosophy
38. An epic poem
39. A Victorian novel
40. A book of poetry
41. A book with a colour in the title
42. A book with an appealing cover
43. A book about psychology
44. A book about science
45. A graphic novel
46. A self-published book
47. A book based on a true story
48. A famous author’s first novel
49. A book of non-fiction essays
50. A book by an author you haven’t read before
51. A book set in a country you’ve never been to
52. A book set in the place you live today

 
So what do you think? Are you planning to do a 2017 reading challenge? Leave a comment and let me know!

Further reading: 7 must-read books that will better your relationship & my favourite books on creativity and personal growth from 2015