"Something very magical can happen when you read a good book."
J.K. ROWLING
ABOUT
WHO?
Potterheads around the world.
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WHAT?
The #HPReadathon2018 is a three-month long event that aims to get Potterheads involved in reading the Harry Potter series again interactively and participating in a range of different activities that enhance the reading experience.
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WHERE?
The readathon will mostly be run over on Twitter, however, this site will act as an information portal. Some people may also like to use Instagram and Goodreads as well.
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WHEN?
#HPReadathon2018 will be run from
Monday 14th May 2018 to Sunday 5th August 2018.
It is twelve weeks long.
WHY?
It is an absolutely magical experience to reread the books along with a bunch of other people. Guaranteed fun is to be had, opinions shared and many friendships created. Not only that, but you get to delve headlong into the books again to relive the magic and rediscover all of the forgotten moments.
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HOW WILL IT BE RUN?
While the main account (@HPReadathon) will guide the readathon, people will usually read and tweet their thoughts, comments and questions using the hashtag (#HPReadathon2018). Many people enjoy interacting with others who are also participating and engaging in conversations about the text.
We will have different hashtags relating to special tasks or challenges, which may spill over to other social sites, like Instagram and Goodreads.
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WHAT TO EXPECT
BOOK CHALLENGES:
Like last year, there will be a “challenge” associated with each book. These challenges will last for as long as we are reading the book, though we cannot stop you from doing them after. Due to the fact that there are no points this year, you will not be rewarded for doing these challenges, so it’s entirely up to you if you want to do them or not. We will be using the same hashtag as last year for this: #HPRChallenge.
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QUIZZES:
Keeping up with HPR tradition, we will be continuing with quizzes this year. They will be done via Google Forms again, just like last year, and the link will be posted on the last day of the book we’re reading (every Sunday for the first three weeks, then every second Sunday for the next eight weeks). The quizzes will be open for 24 hours, so it won’t matter which time zone you’re in. Again, there will be no points distributed, so do this only if you want to. You will get your results straight away.
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HOGWARTS OWL PALS:
Inspired by Love, Simon and the fandom, we are incorporating our own pen pal project into the readathon. You can register to be an anonymous HOP (Hogwarts Owl Pal) through a form that will go out two weeks before the readathon will begin. We will collect applications over the fortnight and pair people up based on various attributes. We just think that this is a cute way to get to know a fellow readathoner (anonymously) and to build on readathon community and continue creating lifelong friendships.
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For the application form, please click here.
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FINAL WEEK:
The Final Week is usually always a time for those who fall behind during the readathon to catch up. We have been incorporating Starkid’s A Very Potter series to help us conclude the readathon too, and the same will happen this year. Last year, we also introduced the “Final Week Extravaganza”, which saw us completing daily activities, also in the lead up to the end. To keep this tradition, we also have some fun Final Week surprises planned!
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:
Last year, we introduced extracurricular activities as a way of filling the void that a “free-weekend” (nothing to do on the weekend) brought. This year, however, we’re branching out to have an extracurricular every weekend of the readathon. That means there are at least twelve planned! We will promote the activity in the week/s leading up to it, so keep an eye on our social medias to find out what’s coming next… Each extracurricular will have its own hashtag as well, to make them easier to track, so we will have a list of them somewhere too.
And, yes, we will be having our HPR Quidditch Tournament again, so start training, your skills will be required out on the Quidditch Pitch!
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DAILY PROMPTS:
Inspired by Inktober (which some of us participated in last year), we will have daily prompts, which will basically prompt you to do something related to the ‘topic’ every day, in addition to reading. These will run on weekdays (Monday to Friday) only, and, again, you can participate if you would like to. You can choose to represent the prompt in any way you like (a video, a drawing, a photo of it, etc.) on any platform you like (many readathoners will do a thread on Twitter, or post on their Instagram Stories). We will be using the hashtag: #HPRDaily to keep track of it.
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GOODREADS DISCUSSIONS:
While Twitter is the main site of our readathon, last year, we tried to branch out to Goodreads too. Unfortunately, we didn’t keep up with it and it sort of flopped. We will be trying again, this year, however, and will be starting up “discussion threads” on there, that will, hopefully, engage active Goodreads readathoners in valuable and meaningful discussions about the books. Sure, Twitter is a place to share your thoughts, but Goodreads is where you could discuss them in more detail (given that you are able to write more than 280 characters on there). So, join our group, if you like, and participate in the threads. We sure will!
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MEET THE HPR TEAM
T
A
N
TWITTER: @slythertan
COUNTRY: Australia
HOUSE: Slytherin / Honorary Hufflepuff
JOB: Host & Organiser
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START THE HPREADATHON?
I just really wanted to read HP again and wanted to see if other people would want to read it again with me. They did, and the rest is history.
TWITTER: @MarauderMeg
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
HOUSE: Gryffindor
JOB: Fanfic Scout & Quidditch Commentator
WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE A GRYFFINDOR?
It isn't what it says on the packet - you don't always have to start out being brave. It's something that the house allows you to be when you all band together.
M
E
G
J
E
M
TWITTER: @fandompatronus
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
HOUSE: Slytherin
JOB: Quiz Master & Magizoologist
WHY DID THE SORTING HAT PUT YOU IN SLYTHERIN?
Probably because I like to go my own way without others in the way, and I am quite specific with people who I surround myself with.
TWITTER: @thatandyclaw
COUNTRY: Australia
HOUSE: Ravenclaw
JOB: Ideas Generator, Writer & Editor
WHY ARE YOU A RAVENCLAW?
Because I'm pretty intelligent for somebody who has no idea what's going on at all times.
D
R
E
W
TWITTER: @loviiiisaa
COUNTRY: Sweden
HOUSE: Hufflepuff
JOB: Writer & Support Director
WHAT MAKES HUFFLEPUFF SO GREAT?
Mainly because of how much we value kindness. Everyone needs a little more kindness in their lives.
L
O
V
I
S
A
INSTAGRAM: @userlara
COUNTRY: Australia
HOUSE: Ravenclaw
JOB: Animator, Visual Designer & Guinea Pig
WHO IS SHE AND WHY DO WE NEVER SEE HER DOING THE READATHON?
Lara only helps out from time to time with promotion - in previous years, she has created animations for us (for promotion and turning artwork into animated gifs), as well as last year's twibbons!
L
A
R
A
TWIBBON:
Last year, we had Twibbons (Twitter ribbons) that readathoners added to their Twitter icons to show their followers that they’re doing the readathon. We will have these again, however, there will be one universal one for all of us to use. The twibbon is expected to be released on the weekend leading up to the readathon.
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SCHEDULE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IS THERE A DETAILED SCHEDULE OF THE READATHON AND DO I HAVE TO FOLLOW IT?
Yes, our schedule can be found HERE.
At the start of every week, we will post a schedule that will show how we will be spreading the book/s out over the week (or fortnight). We will also detail which chapters we aim to read per day.
You are welcome to follow the schedule, or to come up with one of your own, but it is just a guideline. Just do what suits you best.
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WILL THE FILMS BE A PART OF THE READATHON? AND, ARE WE GOING TO WATCH THEM TOGETHER?
No, they are not a part of the readathon, but you are most welcome to watch them in your own time.
Due to time zones, we would not be able to watch them together anyway.
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WILL WE HAVE A HOUSE COMPETITION THIS YEAR?
Unfortunately, there will be no house competition this year. We found that it took up a lot of our reading time, and, while fun, a lot of people cared more for points than the actual reading, which is the entire point of the readathon.
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WHAT IF I’M BUSY IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF THE READATHON AND CAN’T JOIN? CAN I JOIN HALFWAY THROUGH?
We have always told people that they can join whenever they like. The readathon is not contractual, people come and leave whenever it suits them. So, if you’re busy during the first half, do what you have to do, but you’re always welcome to join when you’re less busy.
We have the @HPRArchive this year, which will document all the readathon progress, so if you feel like you’re missing things, you’re welcome to check that account out.
WHAT TIME ZONE WILL THE READATHON RUN ON? WILL I BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE QUIZZES AND/OR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES?
The readathon will run on BST (British Summer Time), which is GMT+1.
The quizzes will run for 24 hours, so you will definitely be able to participate in them.
We always attempt to make the extracurricular activities at different times during the weekend so that our readathoners can attend at least one. Unfortunately, some readathoners will still have to make sleep sacrifices (including the hosts, since we are also from around the world), because most of the time, we do things at the most convenient time for the majority of our readathoners for maximum participation.
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THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS PLANNED. DO I HAVE TO JOIN THEM ALL?
After the chaos of the last few years, the plan has always been to make reading a priority. So, if you’re here just for the read, fantastic - you’re achieving the purpose of the readathon. The activities are just addons, things to enhance the reading experience, so we recommend participating in a few (if you can’t do all). If you can make it to all, that’s great too - you’ll really become a part of the readathon community.
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WHICH HASHTAGS DO I USE?
Our main hashtag is: #HPReadathon2018.
A list of other hashtags, and what they’re used for, can be found HERE.
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WILL YOU SELL READATHON BOOKMARKS AGAIN?
Due to the fact that those were last year's exclusive 'token', we will not be selling bookmarks. Unfortunately, due to the demands of Muggle life, this year, there will be no token.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US VIA ANY METHOD LISTED BELOW!
CONNECT
GALLERY
@HPReadathon is our main Twitter account and is used for all updates.
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We also have two other accounts:
• @HPRArchive: will become an archive account for the readathon.
• @HPROwlPost: will be used to send "post" (such as certificates) to individual readathoners.
Our Instagram will mostly be used for promotional purposes, as well as behind-the-scenes sneak peeks via Instagram Story (which will replace our Snapchat).
Issuu is where you can find all the issues of our magazine, which is published monthly!
Join us on Goodreads to add HP to your bookshelves, participate in the readathon challenge and engage in discussions with fellow readers!