2018 Reading Challenges Tracker [Free Downloadable Spreadsheet]

Last year, I shared How to Track Reading Challenges With a Spreadsheet and showed how I created it as well as made the reading challenge tracker available for free. We’re happy to announce it’s been updated for 2018.

How to Get the Reading Challenge Tracker

• Go to the 2018 Google Spreadsheet Reading Challenge Tracker here.
• Got to “File > Make a Copy >Give it a name >
• OK. That’s it. Super simple!

How to Use the Spreadsheet

• The spreadsheet is designed so you can add book titles, author, recommendation source, whether you’ve read it or not and genre.
• On the Tracker tab – Across the top, there are some challenges already added – these have monthly themes, or various categories. Each cell in the columns has a drop-down box with each of the categories or themes listed.
  • I’ve pre-populated the columns with the following reading challenges: Monthly Motif (hosted by us here at GXO), Book Riot’s Read Harder, Popsugar, What’s in a Name and Modern Mrs. Darcy.
• The last two columns are the same “Challenges” . These are for those challenges where you just have to read “X amount of books”. In each cell, there is a drop-down box that’s pre-populated with some challenges already.
  • There are 2 columns so that if you read a book for more than one challenge, you’ll be able to add it (if there are more than 2 challenges that a book can be used for – just add another “Challenges” column to the spreadsheet).

How to Modify the Spreadsheet

• Most edits happen on the Challenges tab of the spreadsheet.
  • You can remove challenges in the “Challenges” column by deleting them.
  • You can also add challenges. When you add a challenge, if you don’t see it in the drop-down list (on the Tracker tab) – you may have to increase the range of cells to include the one you added. At the top of the spreadsheet click – Data > Validation > Range – and just make sure that the Range includes the cell you just added.
• To remove the challenges on the Tracker tab (Popsugar etc) – highlight the column and delete it.

Tips From Using The Reading Challenge Tracker Last Year

Here’s my completed 2017 Reading Challenge Tracker.

• Check in at least monthly to update the tracker.
• The comments section was useful for adding details, like for a Diversity challenge – I added what about the book was diverse – e.g. African American author, main character of color etc.

Remember all you have to do is make a copy and paste the 2018 Reading Challenges Tracker Spreadsheet and make it your own. If there are any questions about how to use it, leave a comment here.

Did you use the tracker last year? Did you keep up with it? How do you track books for your reading challenges (if you don’t use this tracker)?

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