Last week, we talked about reading challenges. However, this morning, as I considered my next blog post, I realized there was more to say about reading challenges.
Before looking at some of the benefits, I want to say there is no ideal time to participate in a reading challenge. A reading challenge is closer to a marathon than a sprint. We, readers, do not want to lose the pleasure of reading. We are reading to learn, to grow, and for entertainment. Far be it from me to turn reading into a chore. Reading would then lose all meaning.
We already talked about motivation, but there are many other benefits. One is stepping out of our personal reading comfort zone. We have developed our own tastes and opinions over the years, and that is normal. We naturally gravitate toward what we know, what we like, and what is familiar. There is so much diversity in this world: different voices, cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Participating in a reading challenge can help us discover new cultures. What is life like in Cameroon? How do people deal with grief in Japan? A challenge might invite us to discover a new author who will soon become a favorite. We get a glimpse of a new culture and better understand why people may react differently than we would.
Also, when participating in a reading challenge, we discover a new community of like-minded readers pursuing the same goal for different reasons. We can share impressions, experiences, and titles. We can discuss common tropes, likes, and dislikes. We can establish new connections and become part of a community built around a common interest.
However, challenges don’t have to be taken on in a group. We can always complete them alone for personal satisfaction and growth. Some will have deadlines; others will have milestones. There is no single format. It is up to the creator of the challenge to set the rules.
Challenging oneself is also a way to build new habits. A checklist or journal can keep us accountable, and help us review what we have already accomplished and track progress.
The Internet offers many possibilities and opportunities. I joined the Armchair Traveler Reading Challenge, which invites participants to read one book per country currently represented at the United Nations (193 nations as of September 2026). A companion journal is coming out toward the end of 2026 (I will definitely purchase it!). Personally, I would like to organize a Read the USA Challenge in which participants read one book per state. I might organize it in 2027. I am also participating in another challenge popular on YouTube: the Read My TBR Pile challenge. I currently have over 220 books on my TBR pile, so that is definitely a challenge I want to pursue. Will I ever get down to zero? Probably not. If I could get it down to the double digits, that would be nice. But that is a topic for another blog. There are reading challenges online for every genre, personality, taste, and goal. Some are author-centric; others are number-centric. Some follow daily or weekly prompts, publishing houses, or themes. They fit all genres and ages, for adults and children alike.
Whether it is for a season, a month, or several years, what matters is where the challenge will take us towards new books, new voices, new communities, and perhaps a new side of ourselves!
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