I had no plans for this month since my previous one didn’t go too well, so I went back to my old as-you-like-it way of doing things. February was a roller-coaster of a month for me. I’m currently on a low – the annoying trinity of cold, cough and fever have descended on me. This week has been far from productive, and I’m in a reading slump currently. Let’s see how the others went.
Writing
I started a new story for the Fictional Fridays section of my blog, but that was it. I’ve only been reading and commenting on articles about writing but done very little of it. I’ve taken a graphology course this semester and it’s making me try writing with a pen and paper instead of typing away on my laptop. I tend to waste a lot of pages since I’m an obsessive editor, but writing on paper is such an amazing experience that I’m torn. Which method of writing do you favour? Let me know in the comments section at the end of the post.
Reading
It has been a good reading month for me. So far, I’ve completed 20 books in 2017 and I’m more than happy with that number. I have finished off all my reviews for books that have been released and I’ve received a copy of, so that’s a definite plus. My favourite book for this month is In Truth and Ashes by Nicole Luiken, the third book in the Ourselves series. I’m so glad I got an e-ARC for this one and that I read the entire series because it’s made it to my top five favourite fantasy series now. Check out my review here.
However, I’ve fallen into a slump lately. It’s not that my TBR pile has gotten any lesser, it’s just that I don’t know which series to pick up next. I’m supposed to review the second book of a series for which I received an e-galley, but I’m unable to find the first book. As I hate reading out of order, it’s killing me. I have another trilogy to read and review, and I got all the three books from the kind author, but the release date for the final book is much later. Now I’m not sure which to pick up first. Do you have any advice to get through this?
How did February go for you? Share your experience and thoughts on the questions I’ve posed in the comments section. Have a wonderful weekend ahead, and what’s left of February too. π
Get well soon!π
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Thank you. I really want to. π
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Pen-and-paper or laptop? You know, I don’t think I have a preference (whichever is within arm’s reach when I wanna write, I guess). I might choose pen-and-paper because physically writing scenes alone with my paper people somehow feels like an extension of a daydream, and is therefore freer and more relaxed; also, because I’m fond of scribbling scene-related doodle things in the margins. However, I might choose my laptop because, if I wrote exclusively in notebooks, I’d probably be able to build a house out of all of the used notebooks by now, and be able to add on a new wing every year (trees would start plotting against me – creepy). The “doodle things” might be the deal breaker…
Pen-and-paper: Win (category – “fun”)
Laptop: Win (category – “practical”)
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That’s a good assessment of their pros and cons. The real reason I’m hesitating is that trees plotting against me that you mentioned. I waste quite a lot of paper scratching out what I’ve written. Being environmental-conscious, I’m not sure that’s the best thing to be doing. Oh, well. I think I’ll use the ‘whatever is closest’ approach next time. π
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Here’s to a productive March for you! It’s been quite a busy February for me and it looks like it will only get busier for the rest of the year haha.
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Oh, I’m so scared of the mountain of work ahead of me. Sigh.
I hope you have a productive and fun March too! π
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Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well. I was sick with a head cold myself last week. As for writing… it’s been weird. I go back and forth between being incredibly inspired and (today) having no confidence whatsoever. A lot of it depends on my mood (it probably doesn’t help that I’m dead tired right now), so when I’m down I know it’s only temporary. Still…
I had a reading slump in January, too, though mine had more to do with me not being satisfied with the books I was reading then. What helped me pull out of it – and what could help you now, too – was 1) giving myself permission to quit the book if it frustrated me too much, b) switching my intended next read in favor of authors whose works I’ve enjoyed in the past (Rae Carson and Neil Gaiman, in my case), and c) luck. Because in the end, you always hope you’ll enjoy what you read, but you never really know until you actually start reading.
Which method of writing do I prefer? Hmmmmm… It depends on what I’m doing. If it’s a story (novel, novella) or blog post, I have an easier time typing it. But when I used to write poetry, the first drafts were always done with pen and paper. I think it’s because poems are shorter and more “intimate,” and the pen-to-paper method fits it perfectly.
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Even I was going back and forth over the pros and cons of each method and settled for typing. It’s easier to keep track of novels that way, since I write haphazardly and tend to lose sheets. I also wouldn’t have to feel guilty about wasting paper. If I feel the urge to write with pen and paper, I decided to keep a journal – that way I get the best of both worlds. π
I just picked up a book when I was bored on Sunday morning and finished 3 books in a span of 24 hours, so I’m over my reading slump already! (Now I’m unsure whether to call it that.) But what you say makes a lot of sense. I’ll keep that in mind if I feel that way again. π I’m reading a lot of new books from authors I’ve never previously heard of thanks to NetGalley and it’s refreshing, but they are not always of the finest quality. I can’t wait to get back to the mainstream ones as there are quite a few that I need to get off my TBR shelf ASAP.
Oh, I know how you must have felt as I’m suffering from cold myself. The annoying part is that it’s blistering hot outside and yet I’ve to wrap myself up. Sigh. π I’ve been trying to read my previous work so I’d get inspired to write, but my brain seems to want to direct a movie instead of write a novel it seems. Oh, well, some things can’t be rushed, I suppose. I hope you feel more energetic and get some well-deserved rest. Wish you a happier March, Sara! π
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That’s a good way of balancing both writing methods. I love that you’re journaling, btw. It’s beneficial for so many reasons.
3 books in 24 hours?? Please tell me how you do that. I’d love to read all day, but if I read for more than an hour at a time, my eyes start to cross. :s
Thanks for the well wishes. I’m feeling a lot better now… though I have to admit, now I’m going through an “anti-social media” phase. Apart from the blog, I’m not interested in being on Twitter, Facebook, etc. at all right now… and I’m not sure why.
I hope you’re feeling better too, Nandini!
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Still recovering, unfortunately. Took the day off today to just rest. I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better. π Oh, I’ve stopped updating my Facebook (WordPress publishes automatically to my wall, so don’t have to bother about that). I’ve been using Twitter minimally as well. Even I’m not sure why I’m staying away, but I’ll get back to it when I can and feel like, so I do understand what you’re going through.
The books were easy to read and I just couldn’t put them down. π The third one not so much, but I’d borrowed it in the Kindle Unlimited programme, so I had to finish it before March 1st because I’d only paid for a month’s access. Also, the first two were shorter than the ones I usually read, so that was another reason.
Right now I’m just writing a bit of my thoughts before I go to bed in a book. I’m certainly not an artistic person, so it has no cool illustrations or designs like the journals on Pinterest. It’s not very private, but at the same time, I don’t think I’d appreciate it if anyone read it without permission. Right now I’m just using that to get rid of the thoughts for that day so I don’t keep coming back to them and can focus on my present. π
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