The Lost Challenges discussion

'The Lost Challenges' has new mods and we'd love to have your input.

What type of challenges would you like to see more of? Is there a challenge that we used to do that you'd like to see make a comeback? Do you have an idea for a challenge that you'd like the mods to develop?

Let us know your thoughts and suggestions!

I should also probably mention that I'm the person who has been ruthlessly archiving threads over the past couple of days - so if you're missing something and want it back, just give me a shout :)

Hi everyone,

We've come up with a couple of polls to try and find out what's hot and what's not when it comes to challenges and other activity on TLC.

We'd be really grateful if you could spare a minute to take the polls and share your thoughts. There's only 3 questions so it shouldn't take long and it will help us figure out which direction to go.

The polls are Type, Length, and Team .

Thank you!

I do this challenge in one of my other groups and I actually have fun doing it, basically what they do is every month they pick a color out and all we have to do is go to our books TBR and find a book or books whose covers are either that color or has that color on it and read it or them then come back and just rate it how many stars we gave it.

Elizabeth wrote: "I do this challenge in one of my other groups and I actually have fun doing it, basically what they do is every month they pick a color out and all we have to do is go to our books TBR and find a b..."

That sounds like a nice simple challenge that everybody could take part in. We'll keep it in mind. Thanks Elizabeth :)

I like that idea Elizabeth. Thanks for sharing it!

Your welcome,its actually very fun and easy ,I love it because its a fun way of just picking a book by its cover and also seen what every one else has picked.

In your Challenge Directory thread, would it be possible to post links to the individual challenges, rather than just typing the challenge name? It's frustrating to have to go to, say, the Yearly Challenges folder and search for the challenge I'd like to check out. Thanks :)

Hi Barb, originally the challenge directory was set out like you've suggested but with the challenges changing so often it was getting a bit out of hand maintaining it, however I can see how it would make things easier for our members (which is the important thing!)

Maybe we could compromise - link to all the individual challenges in the bigger sections, but leave the monthly section as it is, as that's the one that changes the most often (and there's only about half a dozen challenges in there to search through).

Would that work for you? Let me know what you think :)

That would make it easier to navigate, sure. But if you're going to add a description of the challenge anyway, maybe you could just add a link to that challenge at the same time?

Maybe the compromise could be to add links to the challenges you add from here on out and leave the older ones as is?

Sorry, I didn't explain that very well. The monthly challenges are the same basic challenges every month (for example 'Easy as 1-2-3') so the description stays the same but we would have to change the link every month or you'd end up on the old challenge in the archives. That's why I just linked to the folders because they always stay in the same place. So what I was suggesting is that I will add links to all the other challenges - Yearly, Quarterly etc - so you can jump straight to them (as I won't need to be constantly changing the links for them) but leave the link for the monthly challenges as a link just to the folder.

I'll do it that way to start and then we can revisit the subject and see how it's working out for you. I'll need a couple of days to get it organised though so please bear with me :)

Thank you for the feedback by the way.

Ah I get it now :) Thanks for the clarification -- and the willingness to listen to "the people" *grin* No worries on when you're able to get it done, I know how time-consuming it can be to moderate a group!

Barb wrote: "Ah I get it now :) Thanks for the clarification -- and the willingness to listen to "the people" *grin* No worries on when you're able to get it done, I know how time-consuming it can be to moderat..."

No problem Barb. It's great to hear what's working for people and what isn't. After all, if we didn't have our members we wouldn't have anything to moderate :)

OK I've made the suggested changes to the Challenge Directory. I've left the monthly section as it is and I've also left the A-Z section as we will be updating those in Dec/Jan anyway.

Please take a look and let me know your thoughts. All feedback welcome!

That's great, Caroline, thanks :)

Me again, sorry to be such a pest... Do you have one place where you post notices about new challenges? In other groups, I've seen a thread for Announcements or something like a bulletin board, but I can't find anything like that in this group.

Hi Barb, you're not a pest at all! All feedback is helpful.

We do have a folder called 'Announcements' (it's the second folder down on the group homepage) where we post the newsletter each month and occasionally an extra update if we have anything new happening mid-month (i.e the spell out makeover). As most of our new challenges are posted at the beginning of each month we tend just to announce them in the newsletter. Would it be better for us to do this another way?

Aha, I wondered about that :) No, as long as the new challenges are in the monthly newsletter, that will work. No need for you all to do even *more work than that! Do you send the newsletter to your group members via message too, or just post it in that folder? My apologies if you've been messaging them to group members and I simply don't remember. My memory lately has more holes than Swiss cheese! *sigh*

I just wanted to be sure I'm not missing the debut of new challenges, 'cuz, you know ... we challenge addicts can never have enough :D Thanks, Caroline!

No worries Barb. Totally understand about the 'swiss cheese brain' - if I don't make 'To Do' lists I forget everything!

Penni sends the newsletter to all members around the first of the month and posts it in the announcements folder at the same time. I'll try and make sure that any 'extra' challenges (posted after the newsletter has gone out) get an announcement in the folder though so you don't miss signing up for something ;)

Sounds good, Caroline, and thanks again :)

So 2016 is almost over and we want to know what you think of what the new mod team have done so far. What are we getting right, what are we getting wrong? We've come up with a couple of polls to get your opinions on a) the new challenges we've launched and b) the new non-challenge features we've added. Please vote on the polls and if you have anything else you want to tell us either comment on the poll or in this thread. Thank you (in advance) for voting!

New Challenges 2016

New Features 2016

Thanks to everyone who has already voted and left feedback :)

It was brought to my attention recently that some of the links in the Challenge Directory and Welcome thread were not working. Sorry about that! They should now be fixed.

If you spot a link that is broken, please let us know about it in the Broken Links thread so we can get it fixed.

Thank you for your help :)

(Hopefully this link is not broken...)

I have an idea for a challenge.

An A-Z foods spell-out.

Thanks Wolf. I'll keep it in mind :)

Question: can we mobile users have a quick-and-dirty paragraph or two about how to italicize titles, link to GR books, and post the covers?

I'm sure it's merely a matter of setting the text off with code maybe? Yes! Great success!

I would appreciate a single post with a list of the methods to create those links though. Thank you!!

Christine wrote: "Question: can we mobile users have a quick-and-dirty paragraph or two about how to italicize titles, link to GR books, and post the covers?

I'm sure it's merely a matter of setting the text off w..."

Shoot...I messed something up. Only the "maybe" should be italicized. All aboard the Struggle Bus.

Christine wrote: "Question: can we mobile users have a quick-and-dirty paragraph or two about how to italicize titles, link to GR books, and post the covers?"

From what I've heard, I don't think mobile users can post links or covers, which is probably the most common complaint with the GR app. I'm not sure about italics, etc., because I don't use the mobile app, but it looks like you might be close :)

I'm really sorry, I don't use the mobile app so I can't advise. Can anybody else help out?

I found it! I still haven't mastered the webpage thing though. I can't copy/paste the instructions because then everything ends up linked and bolded and italicized lol.

So on my phone, I use the drop down menu above the comment box entitled "some html is ok".

Christine wrote: "So on my phone, I use the drop down menu above the comment box entitled "some html is ok". ..."

Oh, so it's the same as using a computer then. Does it also have the "add book/author" function for linking book titles?

Hi! I just started getting into challenges to tackle my never-ending TBR and love the many options for challenges here! For the spell it out challenges, maybe you could also add a Rainbow challenge? People can spell out the colors of the rainbow either by the title, author's name, or even by the color of the book cover. Something a little different ;)

Hi Sarah, thanks for the suggestions! We have a challenge called 'Whatever the Weather' which is being revamped at the moment, and part of the new challenge will involve spelling out the colours of the rainbow, so keep an eye out for that :)

I like the idea of spelling out using colour covers, if I understand what you're saying for example you would spell out RED using for example a Red cover, an Emerald green cover and a Dusky pink cover? Or did you mean spelling the colours using titles etc as normal but the colour of the cover would also have to match the colour you were spelling? (similar to the Extreme Jelly Bean challenge)

Caroline wrote: "Hi Sarah, thanks for the suggestions! We have a challenge called 'Whatever the Weather' which is being revamped at the moment, and part of the new challenge will involve spelling out the colours of..."

Yes, you're right with your first example! :) That's awesome, I can't wait to check out the updated challenge!

Sarah wrote: "Yes, you're right with your first example! :) That's awesome, I can't wait to check out the updated challenge! ..."

I really like that idea Sarah. Leave it with me and I'll see what I can do :)

Hi Sarah, I've turned your suggestion into a challenge. I hope it's what you had in mind!

Reading The Rainbow

:} Sharon {; wrote: "Caroline, your speed astounds me!!! LOL Great idea Sarah!"

It was a pretty simple one to put together, Sarah did the hard part coming up with it :)

Caroline wrote: "Hi Sarah, I've turned your suggestion into a challenge. I hope it's what you had in mind!

Reading The Rainbow"

You're awesome Caroline!

Sarah wrote: "

You're awesome Caroline!"

*Blushes* Thank you :)

So i have a challenge idea that incorporates a combination of "judge a book" with TCF's "Gimme 5." If you're unfamiliar with it, "Gimme 5" is where one reader lists the covers of his or her next five book choices. The next person to post picks one of the five for that reader, and posts his or her next five. The next person picks, and posts, and so on.

So. I suck at judge a book - i always have a bunch I want to get to but somehow never do during the month in question. But what if we did something like, I post 5 books based on their cover, the next reader picks one of mine and posts theirs, and so on? That way you can participate as often as you're ready....

Just a thought.

It's an interesting idea Jennifer. I'm not familiar with 'Gimme 5' but from what you've said, it sounds like this would be different because it would be completely based on covers like 'Judge a book'? Have I got that right? Would you be interested in hosting it or would you prefer one of us mods to host it? Let me run it by Sharon as 'Judge a book' is one of hers and come back to you :)

I'd be happy to host it if you like. :-)

That would be great Jennifer. Could you mock something up and PM it to me? :)

I apologize if this has already been asked/answered/clarified.

Most of the challenges have a rule where the book must mostly be read in that particular month (and not just the last few pages/chapters). Would 50% be adequate?

51% would be better ;) but yes 50% is fine. And don't worry about asking a question that might have already been asked. If you can't find the answer I'm happy to help :)

Caroline wrote: "51% would be better ;) but yes 50% is fine. And don't worry about asking a question that might have already been asked. If you can't find the answer I'm happy to help :)"

Thank you! I typically go more like 75% read in that particular month, but I'm currently 50% through Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and want to to use it for some challenges in July so before I get further I wanted to check. I mean 50% of that book is still over 300 pages so I was hoping it was okay. Thank you!

Another question - for the July Clean It Out Challenge - would an eARC or library book work as a free book from your e-reader?

Brianna wrote: "I mean 50% of that book is still over 300 pages so I was hoping it was okay. Thank you!..."

300 pages is definitely enough to qualify!

Brianna wrote: "Another question - for the July Clean It Out Challenge - would an eARC or library book work as a free book from your e-reader? ..."

An eARC would count. Is the library book an e-book? If not, then you could only use it for the 2nd option in that category, as long as it has been on your TBR for over a year :)


5. Read one free book from your e-reader. (If you do not have an e-reader, read a book that has been on your TBR for more than a year).

Caroline wrote: "Brianna wrote: "I mean 50% of that book is still over 300 pages so I was hoping it was okay. Thank you!..."

300 pages is definitely enough to qualify!

Brianna wrote: "Another question - for the J..."

Yes, an ebook. :) Thank you!

Brianna wrote: "Yes, an ebook. :) Thank you! ..."

Then yes, that would definitely count. It's on your e-reader and you didn't pay for it. Works for me :)

Hey fab Mods...Iwas just wondering if i could create my own folder so i can post and keep track of the tasks that i am on...wou
D that be possible???

Deidre(Dee) ~ Official Bookworm ~ wrote: "Hi guys! I was wondering if one day, (2018?) we could have a historical challenge? I was thinking Titanic, mainly because I love her story, the history, and everything connected to her. Not the Jam..."

Ok I could do that. I'll start on it today.
I was watching a cake show on TV on Saturday where they made a cake that looked like the ship. It was huge...