This challenge came from Fiftyfifty. The challenge is simple: You have one year to read 50 new books and watch 50 new movies.
Rules:
- 1- Read 50 NEW books and watch 50 NEW movies before Jan 1st 2021.
- 2- You can join the challenge at any time.
- 3- Be honest! Nobody is going to be making sure you actually read that book or watched that movie.
All you have to do is make a post in this very thread. Your initial post will be where you update your list. You MUST follow this format in order for your entry to be counted. New format this year. In an effort to make it easier to navigate through the thread, I would like everyone to put their movie and book lists in quotes. Format:
EverythingShiny - 1/50 books | 1/50 movies
This is important - I will be updating the Master Tracker (which will be in the second post of the OP) every month. If you want the Master Tracker to reflect your book/movie count, please do a separate update post at the end of each month. The update post should follow this format (doesn't require quotes like the Master Tracker post):
- What do you mean by 'new'? It doesn't matter what year the book/movie was released in, as long as you have NEVER seen or read it before, it counts.
- What is the prize for finishing the challenge? You win some brownie points.
- What is stopping me from lying? Absolutely nothing, but, why would you?
- Ok, I'm in. Who keeps track of what I read/watch? You do! Update your initial post as you rack up the books and movies.
- What counts as a book? Anything over 100 pages.
- What if it is really long? If it is more than 500 pages, you may count it as two books. But only two.
- Do Audiobooks/Textbooks count? Yes.
- What about comics/graphic novels? Use your best judgement. Rule of thumb, a "run" would be considered one book.
- What counts as a movie? 90+ minutes of pure enjoyment.
- Can I count my favorite TV show? Most will say no. If you do want to count them, one season = one movie. Use your best judgement. People do keep track of the shows they watch, but I won't keep stats on it.
- Do Documentaries count? Yes.
Hints and Tips (from Tragiccomedy):
- Prioritize reading early and often! Participants in last year's thread watched twice as many movies as they read books, since the time commitment and mental effort tends to be significantly less on the film front. Theoretically, you could binge watch all 50 movies in a month or two and be done with that aspect of the challenge. If you're reading a regular 300+ page book, that is unlikely to hold true on the book front.
- Avoid "dead time." My wife gets hooked on HGTV programs because when they finish an episode they cut straight to the next one without a commercial break. That's their hook, and it's quite effective. Treat reading the same way. Finish a book knowing what you want to read next and try to start it immediately. Even reading 10-15 pages might be all it takes to get you immersed in your next book.
- Read every night as you fall asleep, or find time to squeeze in a chapter or two during break times at work. If you can read ~30 minutes to an hour a day, you should be able to finish the challenge quite easily (and maybe even early).
- Lists can be super helpful! Goodreads, in particular, is a great way to track what you've read and what's in your queue to read next.
- Consider picking up a Kindle or e-reader of your choice. One very common trend you'll hear among e-reader users is they actually read more and at a faster pace than they do with physical copies of books. That has certainly been my experience.
- Check out some classics. Some stuff may be dated, but there are a ton of gems out there ready to be discovered by a younger generation.
- Find your niche! I'm a science fiction and fantasy guy. I can blast through a 1K page fantasy book faster than I could ever finish a 300 page love story. Feel free to expand your horizons but know what's in your current wheelhouse.
- 52 Games. One Year. 2019
- 52 TV Seasons. One Year. 2020
- 50 Albums in 2020 Challenge
- 50 Books. 50 Movies. 2019
- 50 Books. 50 Movies. 2018
- Goodreads - Nice way to keep track of what you're reading and creep on other participants.
- Letterboxd - Keep track of what you're watching.
- Movie lists: IMDB and Rottentomatoes.
- Want to discuss the books you're reading with other people? Visit the 'What are you reading" thread! This thread is also fantastic for recommendations.
If you need stars for reviews:
★
★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★★★
Credit: This OP was mostly created by GK86, who ran the challenge for several years. Thank you! Additional credit goes to the past OP's, who have helped pave the way for the challenge to be more efficient for everyone around. Graphics were (shamelessly) taken from Fiftyfifty's website.
There is also a BacklogERA Discord channel open. A place to discuss your ever growing backlogs and how to tackle them. Post in the thread to reveal link.
Hidden content
Last edited:
