Back in 2007 when Dewey founded the Readathon, the book blogging community was a very small community indeed. Twitter was new. Instagram was nonexistent. YouTube was not what it is now. Goodreads wasn’t a thing.
With only 30 participants in that first Readathon, it was totally doable for cheerleaders to make the rounds to every blog in the mix, several times, AND leave substantial comments.
Nine years later it’s a very different blogosphere and cheerleading, the way we used to do it, is nearly obsolete. With over 2,000 readers and 50 cheerleaders, substantive comments are out the window (mostly), and it’s almost impossible for participants to receive the kind of cheerleading they crave.
Is all lost? OH no! There is a HUUUUUGE community surrounding the Readathon. But now our participants are tasked with finding their favorite niche.
While we’ll only be able to cheer in an organized way on Twitter, we challenge you to find the community of readers that best fits your needs. Here are some options!
- Hashtags! If you are involved in a social network that uses hashtags, search #readathon on the day. You’ll find your tribe!
- Goodreads! We have a very active, organized, GIGANTIC Goodreads group that’s driven by its own set of hourly co-hosts! It’s like its own ecosystem, and we love that.
- Facebook! We now have a Facebook group! It’s only lightly moderated, but it’s another place to find your people.
- Our homepage! 24HourReadathon.com posts hourly! Pop in and talk to the co-host and your fellow participants via the comments section.
- A list of Readers! We’re using a different, easier-to-manage form these days, but we will post a complete participants list on the day of the Readathon if youd’ like to actively go around to various blogs and websites to visit and cheer your peers.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TWEET TO PARTICIPATE!
Dewey’s has always offered a variety of options for participants to make the day what they want it to be. That never changes!
Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon 