Since when did reading books become a game? Well, millions are playing
As another new year begins, the options for joining challenges that promote reading are endless. But as some readers eagerly flock to these challenges, often sharing their stats on social media, others can find them off-putting and anxiety-inducing. That's why some challenges take a different approach.
Some say the challenges make reading a sport, but not everyone wants (or is able) to compete
Natalie Stechyson · CBC News(Brooke Nicholls)
Nicholls, 32, a realtor in Brockville, Ont., loves to relax with print books, but says the key to meeting her goal is audiobooks, through which she mostly consumes business-related and self-improvement titles.
"I feel like I 'hacked' my brain by listening to audiobooks on 1.8 speed, so I can consume books while I drive or hike with my dog," she said.
Robyn Kurtz, who lives in New Westminster, B.C., says they're using reading challenges for motivation to get back into it "after virtually stopping since having kids." This year they've joined two — their firsts.
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"I'm pretty competitive, especially with myself, so that will help, but I am most excited about the potential ease of finding diverse books to read," Kurtz said, noting that one of their two challenges provides recommendations.
"I want to stay motivated to continue to read rather than doomscroll, and I want to read more from historically underrepresented authors and topics that I may not have thought much about."
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14 days agoDuration 0:34The Hamilton Public Library's most-borrowed titles of the year show people in the Hammer love mysteries, and a good audiobook.
Challenges are good for the industry
Social media reading challenges encourage people to share what they're reading, which helps authors with brand awareness, book sales, discoverability, library holds, audiobook sales and increased demand across the board, said Carly Watters, a senior literary agent with P.S. Literary Agency and co-host of the podcast The Sh-t No One Tells You About Writing.
"This helps create habits in readers which will help keep them life-long readers which also means life-long book consumers, which keeps our business and industry healthy," Watters told CBC News.
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Some libraries have jumped on the reading challenge bandwagon, too, where they can create prompts to promote their diverse collection.
Since 2019, Toronto Public Library has hosted its own book-a-month reading challenge, focused on trying out new books, genres and authors. Some of the monthly prompts include: a memoir by a Canadian author, a book by an author with a chronic illness and, of course, a book set in a library or bookstore.
Flavia Camargo, pictured in her Ottawa apartment building's communal library on Monday, created her own reading challenge. As many people dive into reading challenges this month, her goal is to read more diversely, not to read more. A lot of new moms stop reading. But they're coming back — and might be driving book sales
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