Announcement: Debut Author Challenge 2021

Surprise! Maybe? Today I am thrilled to announce that I will be hosting the Debut Author Challenge of 2021! Some of you old school bloggers may remember this challenge, that was previously hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl and created by The Story Siren. It’s been around for years, and I’ve taken part every single year, and since Jana won’t be hosting it in 2021, she has graciously allowed me to take over the reins.

But if you’re not an old school blogger, you might not know what this challenge is all about. I mean, it’s pretty self explanatory, but let’s dive into the information, shall we?

What is the Debut Author Challenge?

Like I said, it’s exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a year long reading challenge in which you are encouraged (and, of course, challenged) to read as many debut books as possible. There are different tiers that I’ll get into in a second, so whether you’re a slower reader or a rapid reader, there will be a tier that will challenge you.

The Debut Author Challenge begins 1st January 2021, and ends 30th January 2022. These dates will allow December ’21 debuts (if there are any) to be included in the challenge.

What are the tiers?

I want the Debut Author Challenge to be as inclusive as possible, so I’ve started it out as a very small challenge, but if you’re feeling ambitious (like I am!) you can really go all out.

Tier 1: Read 3 debut books
Tier 2: Read 6 debut books
Tier 3: Read 12 debut books
Tier 4: Read 20 debut books

Why should I take part?

Well, for one thing, I assume you love reading! I personally love promoting debut authors, because while some receive a lot of marketing from publishers, others can be a bit swamped by established authors’ releases.

This year (2020) was particularly tough for debut authors, with a few imprints closing down and the pandemic causing authors to cancel a lot of their promotional events. I hope 2021 goes better, but in any case I want to do everything I can to support debut authors and get them on people’s radars!

And, most importantly, it’s just a lot of fun! Reading challenges always get me reading, and I love it when it’s a community event so I can play along with my friends.

Finally, there will also be several chances to win books through giveaways! I thought that might keep you interested…

Giveaways

Our first giveaway is taking place RIGHT NOW. You can be entered to win one 2021 debut novel of your choice (up to £20) if you sign up for the Debut Author Challenge 2021. All you have to do to sign up is post about the challenge somewhere, declare you’re taking part, and link back to this post!

Please enter your details into the Rafflecopter below. You have until 31st October 2021 to sign up officially, but I wouldn’t recommend holding off because you might miss out on other giveaways in the meantime.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What else?

So, you might be wondering how involved this challenge is. The answer is, quite! Every month, I will be posting about the debut books releasing in the coming month so they’ll be on everyone’s radar.

I’ll also be including the form where you can submit your links to show where you have spoken about the book! This post will be published on the 1st of every month, so please follow my blog so you can keep track of what’s coming up, and where to post your links.

Of course, you don’t need to submit your thoughts and reviews about the book, but how else will I know you’re crushing the challenge?

There may also be an exciting event coming up in the middle of the year, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Rules

Challenges always have rules, so here they are, set out nice and neatly for you.

• You must post your thoughts about each debut book you read for it to count towards the challenge. You can post these thoughts anywhere: Goodreads, blogs, Booktube, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I just need to be able to see that you’ve done so.
• You must sign up for the challenge by October 2021 to be entered into this first giveaway, but you may sign up at any point, really.
• The debuts MUST be published in 2021, and you MUST have read and posted about them between 1st January 2021 and 31st January 2022.
• Each link you submit will count as one entry into the giveaways. You can submit as many (legit) links as you like each month. Are you reading five debut books in February? Review them all and submit the links!
• The challenge and the giveaways are open internationally. You can write your reviews or thoughts in any language.
• The debuts can be MG, YA, NA, or Adult, and they must be the author’s first published book in that category. If an author has published an adult book before, but is publishing YA in 2021, this will count towards the challenge.

That’s all, I think! Please comment below if you have any questions, or feel free to shoot me an email or DM and I’ll answer anything you like. Do you want to take part in the challenge? Let me know below!