Friday, January 01, 2010

National Just Read More Novels Month 2010



The viral internet sensation that is National Just Read More Novels Month (or NaJuReMoNoMo for kinda short) continues to steamroll along. Now in its fifth year (which is 237 in internet years), NaJuReMoNoMo encourages people all over the world to take some time and curl up with a good book. There are tons of sites and memes and contests that encourage writing, but without readers writing is futile. Every year, I and other NaJuReMoNoMo participants dedicate ourselves to reading novels every January. By doing so, we are creating a demand for quality fiction and spreading the word about good books and authors.

January was picked because the weather is dreadful and it is a nice long month to catch up on all those books on the nightstand. Nobody is hectoring you to write a novel, so you might as well read one.

2009 was a fantastic year with over 30 formal participants and more than 250 books read. We had all sorts of blogs pass on the good word and many previous participants are listed here. I want to give a special shout out to Gautami Tripathy who is one of our charter participants and runs a wonderful bookblog here.

The rules are whatever you want to make of them, but here are the guidelines I go by:
  1. Must Be A Novel. Works of fiction only, please. Memoirs, non-fiction, how-to books, and Garfield collections don't count.
  2. Memoirs Aren't Novels. No matter how made up the story, anything ostensibly true isn't a novel. Also known as The James Frey Rule.
  3. Start and Finish in January. I guess if you got some cool books for Christmas, Hanukkah or some other gift-giving event and jumped the gun, you can't be blamed. But I only count books I start and finish within the 31 day window.
  4. Re-reading Doesn't Count. Try something new. Read something by your favorite author or try an entirely new author or tackle that novel you have always wanted to read.
  5. Have Fun. Nobody is grading you or paying you or judging you. Read what you like and like what you read.
The big news this year is that we have made the social networking jump and joined Facebook. Join the NaJuReMoNoMo group and start discussing what you are reading and how you are progressing. I'm hoping this will open up the challenge to a lot more people including non-bloggers.

For bloggers we have the usual bevy of logos and badges that you can plaster your site with. I'm just linking to the Photobucket album so that you can pick and choose what you need. Just click on the slideshow to get taken to the album where you can pick and choose images. I'm doing this rather than providing code because you can take advantage of all of the Photobucket social networking links as well. So tweet and facebook and whatever other way of oversharing you have.



The green, silver, and gold multiple winner badges (3x. 5x, and 10x respectively) can be mixed and matched to document the exact number of books read if you want. Last year's top winner was a triple gold reader. But you only need one novel to qualify and the blue winner badge is plenty.

Nothing is a better entertainment value than a book. So read and share the novels you like and spread the word about NaJuReMoNoMo.

42 comments:

Jules said...

I'm totally in again! This was a great challenge!

Sandra said...

I enjoyed doing this last year, I had such a good month, my best all year I think. Off to a good start by doing the New Year Read-a-thon this weekend. Have fun everyone.

Helen said...

I'm signing up for this. It sounds fun and I have a lot of novels to read for other challenges anyway. Thanks!

Book Dragon said...

I've got more nonfiction lined up than fiction but anything will beat 14 REREADS that I did last year.

I blogged about it here

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

This sounds great; thanks so much

Veggiemomof2 said...

I'm in too!

http://veggiemomof2.blogspot.com/2010/01/national-just-read-more-novels-month.html

Vasilly said...

Count me in! I'm hoping to do WAY better than I did last year!

Nely said...

I did 16 last year. Hopefully this year I'll meet that or surpass it.

Happy Reading everyone!

♥Nely

Bev said...

Count me in! I love a challenge that encourages me to read more.

Amy said...

I'm in! I already have several new-to-me novels set aside for this month.

The Mistress of the Dark said...

OK. I'm in..just be warned..I read a lot of chicklit!

byoolin said...

I'm trying to juremono this mo, but unfortunately the one I'm working on at the moment is Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon," which barely manages, through print small enough to induce eyestrain, to come in just shy of 1200 pages.

And I am also banging away at Plimpton's non-novel "Open Net", letting "Idiot America" slide somewhat, and slinking guiltily past "Lottery Wars" and the not-yet-cracked-open biography of Dorothea Lange.

Frankly, I think NaJuReMoNoMo should be held in one of the longer months. Don't we have any with 40 days?

yellojkt said...

I'm gonna try to tackle some Stephenson too. How many books does the System Of The World trilogy count as?

Sharon said...

Please count me in again! What a great boost for the beginning of the year!

Ed & Jeanne said...

I've got a pile of books to read and it's not only enjoyable but necessary to learn the craft of writing better...

Amie said...

I'm in :) http://cornerofquotes.blogspot.com/2010/01/najuremonomo.html

Anonymous said...

I'm in: http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-reading-challenge-national-just.html

Steena Holmes said...

Count me in :) Glad I followed the link from J. Kaye!
http://steenaholmes.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-reading-challenge.html

Lydia said...

I'm in! Followed J.Kaye's link here!
http://thelostentwife.net/2010/01/08/national-just-read-more-novels-month/

Jan von Harz said...

How exciting a challenge that runs for a month. count me in.
Got here via J. Kaye's link too.

Jo said...

Sounds good and I'd like to participate...

http://ponderingthelibrary.blogspot.com/2010/01/national-just-read-more-novels-month.html

Sharon said...

Here is a link to my post about the NoJuReMoNoMo!
http://abookwormsjourney.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-third-year-i-have-participated.html

Unknown said...

I'm in! Found this via J.Kaye's blog!

http://readingschtuff.blogspot.com/2010/01/najuremonomo.html

Sandra Stiles said...

I just found this so count me in.

www.musingsofabookaddict.com

Hannah said...

Oooh! I want in on this one!
http://phoenixshadowbeast.blogspot.com/2010/01/national-just-read-more-novels-month.html

I find so many cool challenges through J-Kaye! :-)

Maureen said...

Count me in as well! I started a book after new year's so I've already started. This will be fun!

Lab Cat said...

I hadn't forgotten. I'm in with three new novels so far.

CMash said...

Stumbled via J.Kaye's Book Blog. I'm in !!
http//cmashlovestoread.blogspot.com

Heidi V said...

I'm in, so far I have read two books and working on my third.

http://theblackcell.net/blog/?p=1142

Mrs. Fry said...

I will try it! Just this challenge on MisFit Salon and I think I shall participate. Thanks!

Read two books so far and almost finished #3.

Lorie Shewbridge said...

My first reading challenge. I know I won't be the highest, but it will give me an insentive. I now have a Kindle so I can read more because as it is easier to hold than the books.

http://wmljshewbridge.blogspot.com/2010/01/12-by-12-reading-challenge-january.html

BarbaraMaller said...

I found this challenge, NaJuReMoNoMo, on J Kaye's

My URL is http://barbaramaller.blogspot.com

I'm on my tenth NEW book this month. I've read a few several times.

Sharon Galligar Chance said...

Can I squeak in here with four days to go! I meant to sign up early, but life has a nasty way of getting in my way sometimes! I will list this at my blog, and I've read quite a few novels this month so far!
Sharon
Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
http://sharonsgardenofbookreviews.blogspot.com

Sharon said...

Well, I read 12 novels this Jan. That is one more than last year and it is the goal I set myself. My list is here with links th reviews:
http://abookwormsjourney.blogspot.com/2009/12/this-is-third-year-i-have-participated.html

Helen said...

I read 5 books in January. My wrap-up post is here:
http://helenlovesbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/najuremonomo-challenge-complete.html

Anonymous said...

I've done as much as I am going to do. Here's my post: http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-reading-challenge-national-just.html

I was shooting for 16 or 17, but ended up with 15. Not complaining whatsoever. A group of us are going to keep this up each month in hopes we'll read more this year. Thanks for getting the ball rolling!

Jules said...

Read ten novels this month. Very pleased. Here's a link to my final list.

http://bkwrmjchallenges.blogspot.com/2010/01/najuremonomo.html

Sandra said...

Just reporting that I read twelve novels in January 2010. Not nearly the eighteen I read last year but I'm satisfied. Not up to writing a post but glad I joined again. Thank you.

Steena Holmes said...

I read 10 books! Very satisfied! If I keep this up I'll get to my goal of 100 no problem :)

Nely said...

I read 20 novels in January (I'm 4 up from last year - whoot. Thanks again for hosting the challenge it was loads of fun.

Here's my wrap-up post:
http://bookwormygirl.blogspot.com/2010/02/najuremonomo-2010-wrap-up.html

♥Nely

Lydia said...

I forgot to leave my wrap-up post!

I did well - 30 books read. That's what I was shooting for!

http://thelostentwife.net/2010/01/31/national-just-read-more-novels-month-january/

sprite said...

I read three novels last month and just finished posting the recap of the final one tonight:

Marcelo in the Real World

Life, the Universe and Everything

When You Reach Me

Thanks for the challenge!