The Sealy Challenge – a poetry reading challenge
The Sealy Challenge is coming up soon. This is a one-month poetry reading challenge. There is no pressure, just lots of fun, sharing and encouragement. You won’t fail if you don’t complete the challenge in full.
So, what is it? The Sealy Challenge is for poet lovers to read a book of poetry a day for the month of August, so that’s 31 books. However, they do recommend that you read short books so that it’s not stressing you out and taking the whole point of the challenge defeated. It is to switch off and to take a few minutes to yourself with a cup of tea or a sneaky glass of wine on these gloriously hot summer days.
It can be a book you were gifted, or borrowed from the library. It can be a book that you have read tons of times already or indeed a book that you have never read. It can be real soul searching for the meaning of the message that you think the poet is trying to convey or it can be a simple short nursery rhyme type of book for toddlers.
There are no rules. You can read them in any language, order etc, the point is to A, unwind and switch off and live in the moment with the pages and nothing else, and or B, to reminisce and rekindle your love for poetry if you haven’t done so for ages or to find that you have never read poetry and are finding a new love in your life, and C, if you are a writer, reading really helps with your craft.
The Sealy Challenge
The Sealy Challenge has an Instagram page and a Facebook page and they share tips, prompts, quotes and memes to encourage and make the challenge even more enjoyable. At the end IF you want they will post you out some stickers as an achievement.
Children learning to read can do this challenge or people in their 90s as a hobby.
I personally as an avid reader and someone who simply writes as though I breathe I enjoy this fun challenge. I will be suggesting it to my reading and writer friends including those in my Co-Operative Housing Book Club and in my founded writing group based in Gorey town, Wexford Pen Pals in the Pod to give it a go. Even if you only read half a book, it’s still better than nothing and at least you tried! I am a member of The Wexford Fibro Warriors and as someone who has multiple conditions with both invisible illnesses and disabilities and will be suggesting this challenge to my friends there too. On days where you can’t wag or hold a book, audio books are a godsend!
Top Tips to do the Sealy Challenge
- Give it a go, there’s nothing to lose.
- Pick books that you actually think you’ll enjoy.
- Have fun and go with the flow.
- You’re not in school – RELAX!
Top Tips to read loads and not break the bank
- Swap books with friends, family and neighbours.
- Go to your local recycling centre – some have shelves with old books and magazines.
- Pop into your library – the library is BRILLIANT and have apps if you don’t want to have physical books.
- Look in the charity shops and car boot sales or markets and second-hand bookstores.
(c) Grace O’Reilly
If you want to connect with me virtually my writer’s email address is startwritingnow@yahoo.com. I am on Facebook on Grace O’Reilly and have a Pen Pals in the Pod Page, (we also have an online Zoom group for writers) and my writing email address is wordweaver007
See here for more on The Sealy Challenge.
See here for more from Grace O’Reilly on Writing.ie
