It feels time for an update. The photo is of my Read Pile. It started a few years ago when I found I wasn’t reviewing books or magazines as I finished them. This may or may not have coincided with me studying VCE. I’m not game to admit to anything of that nature at this point in time, maybe when I’m old and grey I’ll admit it. In this pile I’ve got novels, short stories and magazines. The problem with this pile is that they’ve been there so long I can’t remember any details about the writing. I’d have to reread either completely, or in part, in order to be able to write about them. There is some absolutely fantastic writing that really should be highlighted. I mean, I’ve got Overland, Verandah, Wordly and Victorian Writer in there. Really quality writing. If you get the chance to read any of these they are full of such top notch writing that I’d suggest you could read any volume and you’d be astounded and moved. But I feel the need to move on rather than reread. And I wonder if I’ve stressed how good the writing is, it’s only something I’ve said three times in this paragraph…ooops, now it’s four.
But, putting them away rather than leaving them on my desk does mean that I have no backlog to fall back on. It means I absolutely have to read at least one book a week in order to have something to write about. Mostly, that won’t be a problem. I should be finished my current book in order to scribble some words about it on Monday next week. And I’m looking at putting some structure into my blog. Friday Photos has come back. Last week I posted about a bookshop in Shanghai and this week I’m planning on featuring a bookshop in a country town. A friend has kindly sent me some photos which I’m vetting. I may have to do some massaging of the people’s faces in them. I have this thing about posting photos of people without their permission and there’s no way I’ll be able to find these people and ask.
One thing I’m thinking of bringing back is Paratalk or Torque? I used to take a random paragraph and look at it in whatever detail I chose. It could have been absolutely anything at all and I enjoyed it. This stopped as things became too much for me and I reduced the number of days I was writing for my blog. Now seems like a good time to bring it back.
That gives me a book review on Mondays, Paratalk or Torque? on Thursdays and Friday Photos on Fridays. I’m almost back to writing five days a week and that gives me contentment. I’ve been wanting to write five days a week but just haven’t had the oomph I need to do so. Maybe I’ll add in an Around the Traps once a week leaving me just one more day to fill. The options I’ve found are author or illustrator birthdays, with my lists still on my computer I should be able to find enough people to celebrate once a week. Maybe this will be you…
Structure is good as long as it doesn’t become a rod for your own back! It’s a fine line though given that it can also be the impetus that you need to just sit down and write the post!
You are absolutely right. But I’ve been wanting to get back to writing five days a week. I’ve tried to choose things that are fairly easy to do and I’ll ease into it gradually. Tomorrow is Paratalk or Torque?