Bookworms Unite With #50BookPledge
How many books can you get through in a year?
By joining the 50 Book Pledge initiative and using the official tag, #50BookPledge, on Twitter, book lovers everywhere can keep track of exactly just how much of a bookworm they are.
It all started with the creation of The Savvy Reader, a blog created back in 2006 and hosted by HarperCollins Canada. It was a response to the then-outdated HarperCollins website, which didn’t reflect the values and services the publishing company wanted to give to its readers. Through The Savvy Reader, HarperCollins is able to “connect and engage with readers as readers rather than as publishers and marketers,” says Kaitlyn Vincent, the Digital Marketing Coordinator from HarperCollins Canada.
To further the reach of The Savvy Reader, they created a Twitter account in 2010 and started #50BookPledge, as a way to engage with their followers and encourage people to make reading a priority for the New Year. It was also a way for the reading community to encourage other readers to reach their personal reading goals.
The level of response the creators of The Savvy Reader received was something they never expected, and what started off as a simple hashtag grew into an event that now occurs every year. “The results were amazing!” Kaitlyn says. “Our followers really got behind the pledge, and year over year we [watch] the hashtag grow.” The massive response even prompted the creation of an official website that launched on January 1st, 2013.
Through www.50bookpledge.ca, participants can organize the books they’ve read so far, the books they are currently reading, and the books they plan on picking up to complete the challenge. The website also allows you to follow your friends to see how they’re faring and offers a look at the current, most popular titles among the Pledge community. Also keep an eye out for any contests that the website hosts for a chance to win some awesome prizes, like free—yes, free—books.
For those who aren’t sure they can commit to reading 50 books in a single year, not to worry! Despite its name, participants can commit to a “Pledge Level” set by the Savvy Reader blog, anywhere from 12 books to an impressive 200. For those wondering, e-books and audio books do count!
Last year, participants of the 50 Book Pledge read 130,000 books; The Savvy Reader is upping the ante this year by challenging the community to read 150,000 books— an outstanding but not unattainable goal by any means. So far, the Pledge community has read just over 20,000 books, reaching 13% of their target. To take part in the Pledge and add to their numbers, simply visit their website and create a profile for yourself. #50BookPledge is really the best excuse to indulge in some new books or revisit some of your old well-loved titles.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Tomasso via stocksnap.io
Kat Resurreccion is the Editor-in-Chief of this year’s Spring Issue. She is a believer in the healing powers of red lipstick, needs at least two daily cups of coffee to function properly, and is a fierce defender of the Oxford comma. She is still waiting patiently for her Hogwarts letter. Check out her musings as she waits, by following her @_katreads.
