Challenges are always fun. Over the course of 2010 I nearly killed myself whilst completing the 100+ Book Challenge, so I’ve decided to set myself a more manageable challenge.
I keep discovering great indie authors so I’ve decided to dedicate 2011 to helping to spread the work about their work by reading and review a range of indie tales.
If you’d like to join in on the madness, simply read through the guidelines below and drop a line in the comments. It’ll be fun!
EDIT: If you need help finding authors, I’ve started up a suggested reading list, divided into free and not-free works.
How to play:
The goal is to read 24 indie longer-length pieces of fiction in a year, according to the following guidelines:
- Each story must be written by a different author, and the first letters of the authors’ surnames must begin with a different letter (ie, one author whose surname begins with A, one with B, one with C….).
Since you only have to read 24 titles, you can skip any two letters, but you get bonus points if you complete the alphabet. - You do not need to read in alphabetical order.
- Re-reads, ebooks, ongoing serials — any long-length fiction counts. For serials, you must read the entire backlog.
What doesn’t count: individual short stories. - Anyone can join. You don’t need a blog to participate.
- No need to list your stories in advance. You may select as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
- Crossovers from other reading challenges count.
- Challenge begins January 1st through December, 2011. Webfiction started before the 1st do not count.
- Sign up by leaving a comment below with the direct link to your post where your progress will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other readers can find this fun challenge.
- You don’t need to review your books, although it’s strongly encouraged.
Participants:
- A. M. Harte
- Jan Oda
- J.C. Hart
- Lydia Presley
- Tonya R. Moore
- Netta
- Paul Mansfield Keefe
- WA_side
- LC Evans
- Sibel Hodge
- Barbara Silkstone
- D.M. Trink (Delyse)
- museshack
- Lacy Camey
- Theresa Ragan
- Samantha Warren
- JR Tomlin
- You?
Monthly Rounds Ups
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I’m in! But I’ll be coming back here to add the link where I’ll publish them.
Yay! Cool. :-) Give me the link whenever and I’ll add it in. I assume you’ll be posting on Jan Hits the Fan?
Yes. I just have to set up a fixed page for it…
this sounds like a really fun challenge, so I think I’ll sign up! I’ll have to chuck a new page up on my blog, and start thinking of who I can add to the list – recommendations welcome!
Good point — I’ll start a suggestion post listing freely available works to encourage participation!
I’m in! Here is my post: http://thelostentwife.net/reading-challenges-by-year/2011-reading-challenges/2011-abc-indie-author-challenge/
Yay! Welcome! If you have any recommendations for the suggested reading list do let me know!
I’m signing up for this as well.
My post is here: http://www.tonyamoore.com/trm/misadventurous/2011-abc-indie-author-challenge.html
Ooo, ooo! Consider me signed up. I’m really looking forward to this. :)
Awesome! Welcome to the fold. :-)
Okay, I’ve set up a page on my site devoted to this: http://wordwebbing.com/?page_id=919
I’m really excited about this :)
I’m in too. Here’s my blog link:
http://www.paulkeefe.com/blog/2011/01/01/2011-abc-indie-author-challenge/
Awesome, you’re added to the list! And I can’t believe no one pointed out the 24/26 difference before now — I feel so stupid that I forgot to clarify why I picked 24! I’ve made the rules clearer now. :-)
I just figured you were accounting for silent letters. ;-) Wait, K can be silent…
Oops, I just noticed that you wrote, “letters (Q and Z perhaps?)”. You might want to remove that as you have already have an author listed under Z. Perhaps say, “(any two letters you wish to skip)”.
*fixes* Blah, I should not be allowed online on New Year’s Day.
Well, I’m sure to manage the reading part, but you know I’m not so great on the reviewing!
Count me in, though I’ll have to get back to you about an url. ;op
Cool! I plan to write monthly round-ups of everyone’s progress so as long as you keep track of what you read (and would recommend to others) that would be cool!
do novellas count?
Let’s go for any longer-length piece of fiction by an indie author, eg novel, novella, collection of stories, etc. As long as it’s more than a short story. :-)
excellent!
Just to be clear… Short story collections are okay? Cause I want to read Chuck Wendigs Irregular Creatures…….
Yep it’s fine!
I’m signing up!
I’m signing up too! Great challenge!
I’d like to sign up.
I’m in!
I’d love to have my books included if possible. I left the info in comment area under the Suggested Reading list.
Thanks!
D.M. Trink (Delyse)
I am in also. Yesterday I made a decision to read 30 books this year. Having found this site today, I now have a really social and fun way of working towards my goal. Thanks.
How fun! I always review mine on my blog, so everyone can come check out what we’ve read so far!
Hi! I’d love to join!
Here’s my link:
http://lacycameywrites.com/2011-indie-fiction-alphabet-challenge/
I want to have the little pen to display on my blog! Is that a widget? I’m so new to wordpress and am like reading all these tutorials and watching videos on “how to” :) So my blog is a work in progress. Currently, I’m trying to transfer over to wordpress.org from wordpress.com because I have this awesome theme I purchased! But it only works for .org…but anyway! I do have the link already up and ready for the indie-challenge! Have a great day!
lacycameywrites.com :)
Welcome to the fold!!
Not sure I know which little pen you’re talking about?
I would like to sign up, too. I will post this on website/blog asap.
Okay, I’m set. I’ve set up a page for the challenge on my website at http://bit.ly/lPLV97
Thanks for signing up! That link doesn’t seem to be working?
A.M. Harte, Sorry about that. I came back yesterday and I noticed that most of these comments were from a while ago and I started to think that maybe nobody was doing this any longer. Glad to know I was wrong. I’ll get the link back up. :)
Sorry about that.
Got the link today! Thanks :). The pen or “button”, lol, I’m referring to is the button at the very top…the image that says “2011 Indie Fiction Alphabet Challenge”. It looks just like a button one would wear on their shirt.
You know how participants of “NanoWriMonth” have images they can display on their blog to show they are a part of the group? I was just wondering if your button on the top is something everyone can put on their webpage. ( I need more coffee lol).
Anyway, so glad to be signed up! I’ve already stared a few books and this is a lot of fun! :) Great idea!
Hi Lacy!
Okay, my link is up again. http://www.theresaragan.com/p/indie-fiction-challenge_01.html
I am starting with “W” – Norah Wilson’s The Case of the Flashing Fashion Queen
I’m in! Here’s the link to the blog where it will be posted.
http://mariytasmusings.blogspot.com/2011/05/abc-indie-fiction-challenge.html
Lacey, right-click on the image and click View Image. You can then use that URL to put the pin on your blog.
It’s a bit late, but this looks like fun. :)
I’m in.
Oh, I’ll post it on my blog at http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com. I’ll go through what I’ve read so far this year that works and make a list for the rest of the year. *cough* I sometimes read 24 books a month but the different letters may take a little thought.
Yeah, 24 is a pretty easy target to reach in a year I think, but it’s finding the different letters that’s the tricky bit! Besides there’s no rule saying you can’t complete the alphabet twice ;-)
Ah that’s a good point about doing it twice. I was surprised how many authors I’ve read have a name that start with ‘S’ though. That cuts my list down to size. LOL
Here is where you’ll find my list: http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com/2011/05/indie-fiction-challenge.html