Take A Chance Challenge – Sign Up and Guidelines
by Jenners • 05/23/2009 • Reading Challenges • 65 Comments
I’m so excited to announce my first reading challenge — the Take A Chance Challenge. This challenge is all about taking chances in your reading. There are 10 tasks in all — 7 involve finding a book to read in very random ways. The last three tasks are about taking chances as a writer as you are challenged to take on the role of short story writer, poet and movie/book reviewer. The challenge is meant to be fun and no pressure. Complete as many or a few of the 10 challenges as you want. However, the more you complete, the more chances you’ll get to win the grand prize. Here are the details:
- The challenge will run from June 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009 (6 months)
- One winner will be drawn on December 1, 2009 and will receive a grand prize of $25 worth of books from Amazon (any books you choose!)
- Each completed task earns you one entry into the drawing for the grand prize.
- To earn an extra entry, blog or Tweet about this challenge and let me know in the comment section.
- To earn 5 extra entries, complete all 10 challenges.
- The total number of entries that can be earned is 16 (10 for each challenge, 5 for completing all tasks and 1 for blogging/tweeting about the challenge).
- You can join the challenge anytime before the November 30 deadline but only tasks completed by November 30, 2009 will be counted as entries.
- To have your entries count, you must publish them on your blog and link up that post in the appropriate challenge page.
- All participants must sign up in Mr. Linky below so I can keep track of everyone who is participating.
I hope I’ve covered all the bases. As this is my first attempt at a challenge, if I’m missing something critical, let me know! Also, I’ve created a button for the challenge that you can use if you would like (code is in my left column). So now, without further ado, here are the 10 challenges for you to work on.
- Random Book Selection. Go to the library. Position yourself in a section such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Children (whatever section you want). Then write down random directions for yourself (for example, third row, second shelf, fifth book from right). Follow your directions and see what book you find. Check that book out of the library, read it and then write about it. (If you prefer, you can do the same at a bookstore and buy the book!)
- Random Word. Go to this random word generator and generate a random word. Find a book with this word in the title. Read the book and write about it.
- Birth Year Book. Find a book that was published or copyrighted in the year of your birth. Read the book and write about it.
- Judge A Book By Its Cover. Pick out a book based SOLELY on the cover. First, write about what you expect the book to be about based on the cover art. Then read the book and write about how the book was different from and/or similar to what the cover art led you to expect.
- Phoning An Author. Pick a random last name out of the phone book. Find an author with the same last name and read a book by them. Write about it. (I’m flexible … if the first random name you pick is Xprxyrsss, you can pick again!)
- Public Spying. Find someone who is reading a book in public. Find out what book they are reading and then read the same book. Write about it.
- Random Bestseller. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2008 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.
- Lit Riff (inspired by the book Lit Riffs by Matthew Miele.) Choose a song and then write a brief story that is inspired by or further explains the lyrics of the song.
- Poetic Review. Write a book review in three different forms of verse: haiku, limerick and free verse. (You can pick any book you want to write about.)
- Movie/Book Comparison. Find a book that you haven’t read that has a movie based on it that you haven’t seen. Read the book and watch the movie within a few days of each other. Write about your reactions to both the book and the movie and compare the two.
If you want to participate, please let me know in Mr. Linky below (assuming he is working). If you already left me a comment saying you want to participate, I’ve added you in already.
Omg, I am having so much trouble completing this challenge! Argh! It doesn't help I have been in a funk for the past month. I am going to finish as much as I can. I hope you do this challenge again next year so I can actually complete it! BTW, my review for Bitter is the New Black will be up tomorrow!
Hey, Jenners, are you thinking about doing this challenge again? I hope so.
What a fabulous challenge! I PM'd you on Paperbackswap with a question!
Thanks!!
Hi There! I just found this challenge and am going to participate late as well. I don't think I will be doing the writing parts as I am not an author. I do however love the different ways to find a different book to read. Thanks for the challenge.
*sprinkles you with fairy dust and flutters off……….
It would appear that I am getting in on this challenge quite late. Not sure if you had entry rules for dates or what not, but I love to read and write so I may just do it for myself, LOL!
Hi!
Have finished A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini for the Random Best Seller category. My review is at my place, Just Books.
Sherrie
I know it's already August, but is it too late to sign up for this?
And can I count Julia Child and Julie and Julia as the book/movie challenge?
YEA!!!! I have completed this challenge. Now on to the next one.
Thanks
I blogged about the contest. I can't wait to start reading my books. I'm heading off to the library this weekend.
This may be the most fun idea for a challenge I've ever seen! I swore off challenges, but you just may have hooked me with this one.
Hi! I'm joining your Reading Challenge and I've just blogged about it over at http://www.hillsidehollow.blogspot.com
This sounds like a lot of fun! I've already picked two of my books. Thanks for hosting!
I have complete the challenge of judging a book solely by it's cover. Thank you! I don't think I would have been in search of a book like this if not for this challenge. And I'm so glad I found the book I did! I wrote about the challenge on my blog here:
http://pausedreamenjoy.blogspot.com/2009/06/judging-book-soley-on-its-cover.html
I found this challenge through a friend. I can't wait to get started!
I just realized that I had flagged this challenge to add at a later date, but never actually signed up for it. Oops, hopefully I did everything right this time around, my post is here –> Blog and as I complete the each section I'll post to the completed page (I linked everything in the main post) Hope that's okay!
This looks like fun!
I'm not able to participate in the time frame you've posted but I'm going to do the challenge without the end date (so I won't be "competing," just reading). Initial post here: http://www.lunisea.com/WrittenWord/?p=484 which is where I will also be posting updates. Thanks for a really interesting challenge.
I've posted about the challenge and my list of books. I'm excited to get started.
http://educatingpetunia.blogspot.com/2009/06/take-chance-reading-challenge.html
This is a great challenge. I'm starting it today.
This idea is genius! Can't wait to get started. I retweeted the info I received from @lilbookworm, so give us both a bonus point please. Thanks.
Oh yeah, and here is my blog entry about it. Forgot to add that in my earlier comment, sorry.
I tweeted about your challenge here . This will be fun!
This is awesomely creative! Thanks for hosting!
What a great challenge! I've quite often picked books out by their cover. That one will be easy. I've signed up on Mr.Linky.
This will be fun!
Sounds like a fun challenge. I might do this one after I get through some books I have to finish. Very Creative!
Sheri
A Novel Menagerie
P.S. I'm your newest follower!
I don't know how I missed this when it first posted! It looks like so much fun. I am planning to put a post together just as soon as I come out of this head-cold-induced fog my brain is in right now.
I just signed up with Mr Linky, and my post about the challenge is up.
http://needmoreshelves.blogspot.com/2009/06/tss-its-challenge-time-again.html
This is gonna be fun!! =)
Hi! I'm joining too. I've posted about the challenge here: http://zenleaf.blogspot.com/2009/06/take-chance-challenge.html
And I've also signed up with Mr. Linky. Thanks so much!
Hi! I would love to join this challenge. It sounds wickedly Surrealist. I already tweeted about it (under heidenkind), and I will re-post the challenge on my blog in a bit.
It sounds like it's going to be fun.
Hi!
This sounds so fun! I am joining in on this challenge. I have posted about this at my place, Just Books, and linked it back to you. Can't wait to get started. Have a great day!!
Sherrie
This will be my very first reading challenge. I'm excited. I've already picked out 3 of the challenges. Would you believe that I got "Pride" for my random word and I've never read Pride & Prejudice (and then I'll read the Zombie version).
I would love to participate! Sign me up.
Count me in this sounds really fun!
Jenny
This sounds like fun! I hope it’s not too late to join. Count me in!
Okay, I blogged about the challenge and started making my list of books –
http://webereading.com/2009/06/take-chance-challenge.html
What a fun and creative challenge. Thank you for hosting. I can’t wait to get started. I have posted about the challenge here:
http://bookpsmith.blogspot.com/2009/05/take-chance-challenge.html
Congrats on your first challenge! WOO-HOO!
This looks like fun, but I need to organize myself first. I’ll know by Monday. THanks Jenners.
this looks fun!
What a great challenge:
Here’s my post about it.
http://mgstebbins.blogspot.com/2009/05/take-chance-challenge.html
Ok … I just posted the link to your blog and the button (though the button didn’t show up like I think it should – let me know if that’s a problem).
Great fun – I’m in ;0)
http://lyndasbookblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/take-chance-challenge.html
Now this looks like fun! Count me in!
http://i2w2.wordpress.com/challenges/take-a-chance-challenge/
-Jae
I just signed up and posted both a link to your challenge and the icon! Sounds like a lot of fun.
Here is my link!
LibrarysCat (Donna)
Just blogged about your reading challenge. Here’s the link:
http://alas3lads.blogspot.com/2009/05/take-chance-challenge.html
Thanks!
This sounds like it would be a blast!! I will definitely be joining in the fun!!
This sounds like fun! I added my link!
This sounds like a great idea! I can’t wait to start on this!
OK, I am giving into your peer pressure, Jenners!!! Am about to compose a post on this one!!!
Wow! That sounds like a blast. I’m definitely in!
1 task down…the easy one…the blog post. Here it is.
Thanks for hosting this – am looking forward to it already!
What a unique challenge! I am definitely in!
Thanks for hosting this!
http://paperback-passion.com/take-a-chance-challenge/
This is a great idea for a challenge! Count me in.
I am VERY much looking forward to playing along
I wrote up a post about the challenge here and added your button to my sidebar
Oh and we will of courseeee be signing up!
Alrighty … I’m in! I’ll write a post about this challenge with my goals sometime in the next week.
How on earth did you come up with all these different “risks”?? You are SO clever!
I am a bit overwhelmed with school right now, but will check back the first of August and will see how much I can accomplish.
Count me in! This is going to be a lot of fun!
I would love to play along! Great idea for a challenge:)
Jen,
You know of course I am in. Now, to not forget about it…
Ooooo….I cannot wait to start this challenge! Most of the time I have a hard time coming up with what I will read next and this will help out alot!! Will keep you posted on my progress.
Hey Jenners!! You can e-mail us at scauvi1@gmail.com…let us know what you want. I am going to talk to Prongs tonight to figure out what we are doing exactly…but just let us know what you want and we will e-mail you back soon with how we are gonna do this! Thanks!
This looks like fun-I’ve been in a picking-out-a-book slump lately so this cmoes along at a good time!
I’m back, I posted your button in my sidebar, that’s one task down
I’ve seen plenty of challenges floating around and haven’t tried one yet–this looks fun. I’ll try.
Very creative!
How fun! I’m fairly risk-averse, but this is one of the places I might feel comfortable taking a chance!
You’re very creative, Jenners!
Wow! You come up with the best challenges/games. I love these! I will for sure be doing some of them.
Great prize, too!!