
I like doing reading challenges, but because I already have so many Writing Goals for this year, I was hesitant to take on a really difficult or time-consuming one. I needed a challenge that isn’t too challenging, if you know what I mean. But also I didn’t want to cheat and choose one that didn’t take me out of my comfort zone at all.
Enter Ramona Mead and her 2020 While I was Reading Challenge. Here’s Ramona’s take on this challenge:
My goal is to create categories that are challenging and personalized, yet not too difficult as to be extremely limiting or frustrating. I stuck with 12 categories to keep it realistic and accessible to people with less reading time than myself!
That sounded perfect. There’s also a Facebook Group and a Goodreads Group if I decide I want to engage with other participants.
Here’s the challenge:
2020 While I Was Reading Challenge Categories
- A book with an emotion in the title
- A young adult novel
- A book translated from another language
- A book that’s centered around a holiday
- A novel based on a true story
- A book with song lyrics in the title
- A book that’s been on your shelf for more than a year
- A book with a non-human narrator
- A book with a month in the title
- A book you heard about on TV/Radio/a podcast
- A book set in the state you live in
- A romance novel
I can already see that #6 is going to be the most challenging for me. I already have ideas for #3, #4 and #10. As for #2, I’m already reading one of those! I’m excited! And I’ve designed a Bingo Card for myself, because that’s more fun than a list.

Are you participating in any Reading Challenges this year? Have you designed one? Let’s talk in the comments!