Readathon
Also known as Read-a-thon
A readathon is a reading challenge with a set time limit, often with prompts, where a group tries to read as much as they can.
Readathons can last anything from a day to a month. Some are just about volume. Others give you a list of prompts to tick off, like a book with a one-word title, a book from the year you were born, or something that’s been on your shelf for ages.
Most of the fun is doing it with other people. Readathons usually run on a hashtag or a Discord server, with reading sprints (everyone reads quietly for 25 minutes, then compares page counts), check-ins and progress posts. A lot of them come back every year, and people plan their readathon TBR weeks ahead.
They can be a good way out of a reading slump, since the structure comes from outside and only lasts a short while. They can also cause one if you start holding yourself to readathon numbers the rest of the year.
Readathon: common questions
What happens in a readathon?
Everyone reads as much as they can in a set time, often working through a list of prompts, and shares their progress with the group.
How do you prepare for a readathon?
Put together a TBR that fits the prompts, add some short books and audiobooks for busy days, and pick things you actually want to read, not ones you feel you should.