Have you ever finished reading a book and found yourself trying to decide what to read next? We can help you. One of the things that we love to do when trying to decide on a book is to participate in reading challenges. They motivate you to read more, and they can be a lot of fun. You may even discover new authors you wouldn’t have known about before.
The 23For23 initiative, happening right now, is a reading challenge created by several BIPOC authors. The mission of the reading challenge is to amplify and elevate marginalized voices in publishing by promoting, showcasing, and celebrating the works of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color dedicated to telling stories that center marginalized identities.
This is great for so many reasons. BIPOC authors are some of the most left-out authors in the publishing world, which is unfortunate because people are missing out on some fantastic writers. I recently attended Steamy Lit Con, a book convention created to celebrate and recognize the diversity in Romance. It was delightful, and I ended up discovering a lot of new authors. I can’t wait to attend again next year.
I learned about the 23For23 Reading Challenge during Steamy Lit Con. While attending the BIPOC Characters panel hosted by Nisha Sharma, which featured Diana Quincy, Susan Lee, Tracey Livesay, and Amalie Howard, they encouraged attendees to participate. I immediately downloaded the reading list because I love a good reading challenge. Especially one that will highlight BIPOC authors, which is definitely something we don’t get enough of.
If you’re interested in participating in the 23For23 Reading Challenge, here’s how you can:
- Read 23 books by BIPOC authors featuring BIPOC characters before the end of the year.
- Review the books (Reviews are the bread and butter for authors)
- Tag your review with the hashtag #23for23.
If you visit the 23for23.net website, you can find many resources to help you with the challenge. You can find reading lists featuring some of the BIPOC authors and multiple templates for Instagram to share those reading wrap-ups because, as we all know, word of mouth in the publishing world is everything. And, of course, have fun reading.
