The Challenge Factory discussion

Use this thread for any questions you might have. (And since this is my first team challenge, I'm sure there will be many. Please have patience with me.)

I think the trickiest part of this challenge will be that there are no weekly deadlines. Each team has 4 weeks for complete the tasks without a looming deadline to keep focused.

Captains might want to insist that team members check at least once a week to report on their reading progress.

Does a team need to complete 1 section before working on the next? For example all the setting tasks be completed before reading for the body parts?

Sheila wrote: "Does a team need to complete 1 section before working on the next? For example all the setting tasks be completed before reading for the body parts?"

It's not that structured. A team can work on all the tasks at the same time. I divided the tasks into sections for convenience.

How many members will be on each team?

Denise wrote: "How many members will be on each team?"

I honestly haven't decided yet. It will depend on how many people sign up, and how many books they say they read each week.

How many people do you think it will take to read 21 books in 28 days?

Depends on how many books each person reads normally, i suppose.

Lanelle wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Does a team need to complete 1 section before working on the next? For example all the setting tasks be completed before reading for the body parts?"

It's not that structured. A tea..."

OK, Thanks Lanelle

Hmmm...I tempted to sign up but I'm worried about the non-fiction book. It's the only task which I usually don't read.

D.G. wrote: "Hmmm...I tempted to sign up but I'm worried about the non-fiction book. It's the only task which I usually don't read."

I don't read many non-fiction books either. Another member of your team will most likely be willing to take that task. Here's a link to popular nonfiction books. There might be one on that list that you're interested in.

Chances are high that you'll be on a team with someone who will read a genre that you aren't interested in.

Denise wrote: "Chances are high that you'll be on a team with someone who will read a genre that you aren't interested in."

I agree.

Lanelle wrote: "...How many people do you think it will take to read 21 books in 28 days? ..."

That is very dependent on the readers. My quick monthly average is 14. I do have ups and downs from month to month. But even with that an extra push I could read 21 in a month.

The non-fiction book is an issue for me as well. So, just one person on the team needs to read a non-fiction book?


Also, for science fiction is a romance book with a sci-fi theme okay?

Plethora wrote: "That is very dependent on the readers. My quick monthly average is 14. I do have ups and downs from month to month. But even with that an extra push I could read 21 in a month."

The size of the teams will have to strike a balance between what is possible to achieve and still be challenging.

Susan A wrote: "The non-fiction book is an issue for me as well. So, just one person on the team needs to read a non-fiction book?


Also, for science fiction is a romance book with a sci-fi theme okay?"

Yes to both questions.
A team needs to read 1 of each of the 11 tasks and 10 more non-specific books for the electricity, for a total of 21 books. And my science fiction books tend to have a romantic theme as well :)

LOL. I'd so rather read a non-fiction history book over a romance, but I find myself reading way more romance to fit all the challenges I'm in. Non-Fiction aren't usually as quick a read because they are denser.

Question re the electricity books:

1000 watts of energy -
any extra book will generate 100 watts to be stored until Oct. 30

Do these books have to also fit one of the previous criteria (e.g. science fiction or head on cover)? Or can they be any book 150+ pages long?

Book Concierge wrote: "Question re the electricity books:

1000 watts of energy -
any extra book will generate 100 watts to be stored until Oct. 30

Do these books have to also fit one of the previous criteria (e.g. sci..."

They can be any 150+ page book.

Can we have examples of what "prominent" means? I mean, I know that these are prominent:
- head
- torso

But something like the below:
- Would this count for head, arms and torso?

Or would it have to be like the first examples I showed where the body parts in question has to be the most visible body part?

Also, another question...for arms/hands/legs/feet? Is it OK if it only shows one? Or does it have to show both?

- both arms
- one arm

D.G., your first examples of the head and torso are what I have in mind. It's going to be tough finding a torso without at least part of the arms, so I'll be lenient about that.

For the arms, hands, legs and feet, I would rather not have other body parts on the cover unless it was a tiny amount. Here are some examples:



One arm or leg is fine, but again, I'd rather it be the only body part on the cover. There are Listopia lists to help find books with the specific body parts I'm wanting.

D.G. wrote: "I'm definitely OK having a spreadsheet however, ...why do we need a spreadsheet to keep track of 10 books valued at 100? I mean, I can keep track of those in the same post. :)

To answer your question from the Sign-Up thread - it's actually 21 books that will need to be tracked. I realize that it's not a big number, but I have another team challenge planned for the Spring that will be more intensive. I was hoping to get everyone in the habit of keeping a spreadsheet for team challenges.

And I would like to see each teams' spreadsheets at the end of this challenge.

Lanelle wrote: "D.G., your first examples of the head and torso are what I have in mind. It's going to be tough finding a torso without at least part of the arms, so I'll be lenient about that.

For the arms, han..."

Sounds good, Lanelle, thanks. I think it might be important to add to the rules that you'd like it to be not only prominent but also the only body parts and maybe add the examples? I think that would be useful for everybody.

Lanelle wrote: "To answer your question from the Sign-Up thread - it's actually 21 books that will need to be tracked. I realize that it's not a big number, but I have another team challenge planned for the Spring that will be more intensive. I was hoping to get everyone in the habit of keeping a spreadsheet for team challenges.

And I would like to see each teams' spreadsheets at the end of this challenge."

Yes, I know there were 21 books, but you mentioned we needed track points and that only applies to the 'Watts' books (now that you explained why you want the spreadsheet, it made sense.)

Will you be creating a sample spreadsheet with a format to follow? Or do you want us to create ours? Also, do people have to post ratings and reviews once they finish reading their books? Or it's a "I finished X book for X task" ok? Found the answer in the rules!

(Sorry for all the questions! I figure I'd be a captain so I'd like to have all the details straightened out before I start.)

D.G., thank you for asking questions! It helps all of us better understand the challenge. I've changed the body parts requirement to say 'only (blank) on the cover'. Each team can create their own spreadsheet to track who has been assigned which task, if they have been completed, and how many watts has been generated.

Thanks Lanelle! I'm creating my own spreadsheet now.

Final question for today! You say that we must need to "Post a link to the book, the author, finish date." Confirming that we won't need ratings too! (I'm versioning out a spreadsheet I have for another game that has ratings...)

D.G. wrote: "Final question for today! You say that we must need to "Post a link to the book, the author, finish date." Confirming that we won't need ratings too!"

Correct. Ratings are not needed.

Excellent, thanks!

I love non-fiction books so you can stick me on a team where no one likes to read them. I'll even reread Frankenstein if needed.

Mary: Harry Dresden's Love Slave wrote: "I love non-fiction books so you can stick me on a team where no one likes to read them. I'll even reread Frankenstein if needed."

To me, this sounded like you mean that Frankenstein is a non-fiction book? LOL!

Mary: Harry Dresden's Love Slave wrote: "I love non-fiction books so you can stick me on a team where no one likes to read them. I'll even reread Frankenstein if needed."

Thanks for letting me know, Mary. I read Frankenstein years ago and loved it.

Yeah I was wondering if someone would read it that way.

I loved it my daughter absolutely hated it.

Oh I loved that book too!

Lanelle wrote: "Denise wrote: "How many members will be on each team?"

I honestly haven't decided yet. It will depend on how many people sign up, and how many books they say they read each week.

How many people..."

To be safe if you have enough people sign up, I would suggest 6 people per team, avg 1 book/week towards this challenge

6 people per team x 1 book per person x 4 weeks=24 books in 4 weeks

Just want to check ... for HANDS ... do they have to be bare? or would hands in gloves/mittens work?
For example:

Jenny wrote: "To be safe if you have enough people sign up, I would suggest 6 people per team, avg 1 book/week towards this challenge

6 people per team x 1 book per person x 4 weeks=24 books in 4 weeks "

Thanks, Jenny. That gives me a basis to work with.

Book Concierge wrote: "Just want to check ... for HANDS ... do they have to be bare? or would hands in gloves/mittens work?
For example:
"

No, hands (and feet) do not need to be bare.

Lanelle - I know for arms/legs etc. you don't want other body parts in the cover. Don't remember if other objects are ok? I'm thinking of this cover:
- where you can see the guy's hand with the helmet...

Wayne wrote: "Do heads have to be complete, or just enough that you can tell what they are, like these?
[bookcover:On a Dark Night I Left My ..."

I was hoping for a whole head, but I'm not going to be that picky. Those covers are fine.

D.G. wrote: "Lanelle - I know for arms/legs etc. you don't want other body parts in the cover. Don't remember if other objects are ok? I'm thinking of this cover:
[bookcover:The Wall of Winnipeg and Me|29597132..."

Other objects with the arms/legs are okay. Thanks for checking with me.

Thanks, Lanelle!

Can we use books that we are reading for another October challenge?

(I asked about double challenges generically in another post but wanted to double-check for this specifically before I over-commit on the October challenge.)

Kat wrote: "Can we use books that we are reading for another October challenge?"

Absolutely. I have no problem with books being used for multiple challenges.

Does this work for the spreadsheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Susan A wrote: "Does this work for the spreadsheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/..."

I do not have much experience with spreadsheets, so I'm not the best person to ask. I tried looking at it, but I needed permission. If it works for you and your team, it's probably fine. As someone else said, this challenge doesn't require much tracking.

I think I changed it to viewable now. Since you stated earlier that you would want to see our spreadsheets at the end of the challenge, I wanted to make sure it includes columns for what you'd like to see.

Susan A wrote: "I think I changed it to viewable now. Since you stated earlier that you would want to see our spreadsheets at the end of the challenge, I wanted to make sure it includes columns for what you'd like to see."

Ah. Thank you for reminding me.

So, the captain will build our thread?

Ezinwanyi wrote: "So, the captain will build our thread?"

It does not have to be the captain who starts the thread. Whoever begins the thread needs to save space for the tasks, and will need to change the name of the thread when the team's name is decided.