24 Hour Readathon Tips

As of posting this I've finished my first 24-hour readathon it was amazing I finished the stars and the blackness between them by Junauda Petrus, which is one of the books out of the twelve for my yearly goal. Reading is my favorite past time but I've never spent the whole day doing it, it was kinda hard seeing i live with my family and we had guests over so it wasn't as quiet as I like but the next day I got a lot done. This book was so fun to read the only down part is i owe my friend $5 because a bet we made on a character. Other than that I really enjoyed my first readathon i will do more every year i might do another to end my yearly book goal. But here are some tips i think are best when doing a 24-hour readathon

Book Chosen For Readathon: The Stars and The Blackness Between Them

By Junauda Petrus

Young Adult | Contemporary | Romance

308 Pages

BEFORE GETTING STARTED:

Before your readathon starts, it's great to have some of the logistics figured out.

Start at night - Usually, if you're participating in a readathon it'll begin at midnight, so you don't have to worry about this. If you decide to start your own readathon, it might be easier to start at midnight. It's an easy time to start, and if you're planning on sleeping during the readathon, starting at midnight can give you some time to read before you sleep, and the rest of the day to read.

Snacks! -This is the most important part Make sure you prepare for your readathon by getting snacks beforehand. Good snacks are something easy to munch on while reading This is key because you only need to use one hand to bring the food to your mouth, while the other holds the book you're currently reading.

Coffee/Tea - Make sure you stock up on coffee/tea/your reading drink of choice. It's a 24-hour readathon and you're trying to read as much as you can, which means drinking things that will help you fight sleep and stay awake.

Create a tbr - give yourself enough time to plan a tbr for your readathon, make sure you have enough books, especially books you want to read. You're trying to read for 24 hours, make sure it's books that will keep you excited and entertained

Short books are the best options- the point of a readathon is to read as much as possible. While you can choose large books to read, it can be hard to see how much progress you're making and leave you discouraged if you don't think you're reading "enough". If you read short books, it's easier to fly through them and look at the stack of already finished books to give you the motivation to keep going.

Plan meals - Since your readathon is short, you don't want to waste any time making meals. Before the readathon begins, decide which ones you know will be quick for you to make or prepare meals the day before so all you have to do is wait for them to heat up

Read with a friend - If you plan to host a readathon for yourself, go right ahead, that's awesome. It may be more fun to do one with a friend though. If you don't have anyone participating with you, make a Twitter or Instagram hashtag to let others online join you!

WHERE TO READ:

Now that you have your snack list and reading list planned, next it's time to find a place to read. Me i read everywhere because we had guests over and the walls are thin, it was hard to find somewhere quiet but i did my best

Couch - I personally think this is one of the best places to read for a readathon. You're trying to read as much as you can for 24 hours, couches are comfortable, and you're probably less likely to fall asleep than if you read in bed. This was my favorite spot to read in the morning when everyone was still asleep it's so soft and cozy i have a fabric couch but the best is when u have leather recliners it keeps you cool and cozy

Bed - This is a good place to read if you know you're going to nap during your readathon, it's comfy and relaxing. I would stay away from the bed until you absolutely have to,

Coffee shop - Another great place to read. You're going to need coffee anyway, so you might as well go to your favorite coffee shop, sit and read and enjoy the atmosphere. Coffee shops are a great place to read unless you have a couple of hangry Karens or soccer moms yelling

Outside - This setting could be difficult depending on the time of year, but reading outside can be so calming and relaxing. It's a great way to get outside (because when else would you actually leave the house during a readathon?) and enjoy nature while enjoying your book. I wanted to read outside for my readathon but Florida unpredictable raining made it very hard

Other Tips

Don't set your goals in stone. - I've done a few different readathons now and have learned that I cannot be a set-in-stone kind of goal-maker, at least not for this kind of thing. Because then I feel pressured to meet those goals and feel like a failure.

Have Fun- Obviously, this goes without saying, the best way to have a successful readathon is to enjoy yourself. If you aren't enjoying what you're reading, then set it aside and grab whatever book you really want to read right then and there. If you need to get away from your books and spend a couple of hours socializing with friends, then that is perfectly fine. Yes, readathons are meant to help with reading productivity, but any amount of reading-even if it is just a sentence or a paragraph-is fine.

Take Care Of Yourself-- I've also made it a priority to this. There is nothing quite like getting into bed, freshly showered, and ready to get some reading in! This way, you're giving your body and mind so much by doing something you already love.

Bring lots of blankets - i have tons of throne blankets so soft and cozy it's the best part besides reading when doing a readathon

I hope these tips were helpful to you. What are some of the readathon tips that help you maximize your reading time? Let me know!