Favourite quotes (I use them on any profile I have, since the early days of being online 20+ years ago: Bette Midler - F**k 'em, if they can't take a joke! Popeye: I y'am what I y'am.
I like the point about reclaiming one's own reading. I've been writing reviews and blogging for over a decade now and it's grown organically to a very pleasing healthy readership. Last year I posted 340 reviews (with a couple of opinion pieces/sharing thoughts until I started up the Substack to do that). I was so busy and snowed under with review books, that I had no time, to my mind, to read my own choices or go back to re-read favourites. I've taken the entire month of f and have read, read, read - old favourites, new titles that were recommended (ate up Emily Wilde... Encycylopedia of Faerie, and Map of the Otherlands - can't wait for the new one!) and it's been heavenly. The reviewing is good and has brought me much - a wide network of creator friends and paid writing doing teaching notes for publishers. But the reading for my own joy was a wonderful refresher and I plan to factor it into my schedule this year :-).
I've only used an epigraph once in my books: From The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe: "It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to to learn to fly while remaining an egg." --C.S. Lewis
Encouraging article! I've always liked reading. I am a teacher and after reading 'The Book Whisperer', I designed my lessons plans with reading for pleasure in mind. It has worked wonderful things! Thanks to you!
I'm making an effort to reflect more on my reading, in part because I hope it will help me remember the books better. I call myself a "love 'em and leave 'em" reader. Honestly though, I'm not sure *how* to reflect on what I read. That sounds a little silly, but I'm serious! I can accept that there's no wrong way, but I'm convinced there are also better ways. For a time, I had a book club on my blog. I miss that.
Favourite quotes (I use them on any profile I have, since the early days of being online 20+ years ago: Bette Midler - F**k 'em, if they can't take a joke! Popeye: I y'am what I y'am.
I like the point about reclaiming one's own reading. I've been writing reviews and blogging for over a decade now and it's grown organically to a very pleasing healthy readership. Last year I posted 340 reviews (with a couple of opinion pieces/sharing thoughts until I started up the Substack to do that). I was so busy and snowed under with review books, that I had no time, to my mind, to read my own choices or go back to re-read favourites. I've taken the entire month of f and have read, read, read - old favourites, new titles that were recommended (ate up Emily Wilde... Encycylopedia of Faerie, and Map of the Otherlands - can't wait for the new one!) and it's been heavenly. The reviewing is good and has brought me much - a wide network of creator friends and paid writing doing teaching notes for publishers. But the reading for my own joy was a wonderful refresher and I plan to factor it into my schedule this year :-).
I've only used an epigraph once in my books: From The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe: "It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to to learn to fly while remaining an egg." --C.S. Lewis
Thanks for the delightful essay, Donalyn.
The utter joy I felt when reading the dedication/epigraph of The First State of Being — “to the laughing man” — that will stay with me for years. ♥️
I love this!
Loved this! Wonderful words about words!
Encouraging article! I've always liked reading. I am a teacher and after reading 'The Book Whisperer', I designed my lessons plans with reading for pleasure in mind. It has worked wonderful things! Thanks to you!
I love this! I always encourage my students to read and reflect on dedications and epigraphs in their texts.
I have to admit that I always skip over song lyrics in books. I love footnotes and epigraphs though :)
I'm making an effort to reflect more on my reading, in part because I hope it will help me remember the books better. I call myself a "love 'em and leave 'em" reader. Honestly though, I'm not sure *how* to reflect on what I read. That sounds a little silly, but I'm serious! I can accept that there's no wrong way, but I'm convinced there are also better ways. For a time, I had a book club on my blog. I miss that.