Tag: reading wednesday

Midweek reading 9 March 2017

What I just finished reading

Publishing 101 by Jane Friedman – A pretty good introductory book about the book publishing world for writers today. A lot of this is about platform-building and promoting yourself, but almost everything people say about book publishing today is about platform-building and promoting yourself. A good straightforward guide with a lot of useful information.

What I’m reading now

Micro-Entrepreneurship for Dummies which reads exactly the way you’d expect.

What I’m reading next

I’ve ended my book buying drought and picked up Lagoon, Ninefox Gambit and Abaddon’s Gate.

Midweek reading 2 March 2017

What I just finished reading

How to Market a Book by Joanna Penn – Does what it says on the tin. Very much weighted towards self-publishing authors, but with a decent section about public speaking.

What I’m reading now

A book of essays about romance fiction, and half a dozen romance novels.

What I’m reading next

Honestly, haven’t the foggiest.

Wednesday Reading 22 February 2017

I’m back!

What I just finished reading

The Return of Print: Contemporary Australian Publishing edited by Aaron Mannion and Emmett Stinson – Released late last year and therefore much more up to date than the academic work on the Australian publishing industry I read last year. It has a much more comprehensive look at the romance field, too, in spite of being a slimmer volume. Unfortunately, the pace at which digital publishing changes means some information was already out of date by the time I bought it. Nonetheless, a worthy addition to your bookshelf if this sort of thing is what you’re into (and you already know if academic works examining the Australian publishing industry is what you’re into or not).

Creating the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W Moore (library book) – Honestly, one of the best Writer’s Digest books I’ve ever read. This explained and examined the personal essay as a form much more clearly than any of my uni readings ever did. A good introductory volume, which examines how specific examples of the personal essay work, explains why you might want to write one, and looks at the history of the personal essay. I think this is a pretty good jumping off point to start further investigation into the form. Recommended.

What I’m reading now

A lot of articles, mostly.

What I’m reading next

Now that I’m truly back from holiday it’s time to get stuck into my book backlog. Or will I just read Pride and Prejudice again? Who can tell?

Wednesday reading 7 December 2016

What I just finished reading

Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell – A travel memoir about a man trying to visit the most polluted places on earth. It started off pretty neat with his visit to Chernobyl but as the book went on, it seemed to lose its way, especially after the author went through a break up part way through. The chapter in India was especially meandering. Blackwell nearly brought things full circle at the end when he mentioned the Fukushima nuclear accident happening as he was wandering around India, and how it reminded him of Chernobyl, but in the end that didn’t really go anywhere and he drew no real conclusions. The book was fine and I liked it well enough, but I expected more.

What I’m reading now

Nil. Too busy shoving Ace Attorney into my eyelids.

What I’m reading next

I got four writing guides out from the library to sceptically read, so I suppose I should read those before it’s time to take them back.

Wednesday reading 30 November 2016

1 Comment

What I just finished reading

Weird Dinosaurs by John Pickrell – I was supposed to be on a book buying diet but I had time to kill before a movie and didn’t want to use up my phone data downloading something, so I headed to Robinson’s Bookshop and picked up the first book that looked pretty interesting. There’s some really neat stuff in here if you like learning about prehistoric animals and how to find them. Yes, I did read two dinosaur books in a row. I don’t think it’ll be a trend.

What I’m reading now

Visit Sunny Chernobyl by Andrew Blackwell – A travel memoir about extremely polluted places. Seriously.

What I’m reading next

I broke the book buying diet more than once this week. I acquired The Water Book by Alok Jha at my local book store so that’s being added to the to-read pile.

Wednesday reading 23 November 2016

1 Comment

What I just finished reading

My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs by Brian Switek; and

The Dark Wife by Sarah Diemer – YA lesbian retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. Good scene-setting. I wanted to like it more than I did but it was fine, if not particularly exciting to me.

What I’m reading now

I’m midway through the first draft of an assignment that’s due Friday, about the time I get home from work, so all I’m reading is my notes right now. Sorry! Can’t wait until term is over. (I’m going to watch a million movies, clean my house, read some of my book backlog and replay the Ace Attorney games when the term is done.)

What I’m reading next

I’ve managed to buy no new books for three weeks straight. I feel pretty pleased with myself.

Wednesday reading 16 November 2016

What I just finished reading

The Weekend Book Proposal by Ryan G Van Cleave (library book) – Actually a really good writer’s guide with genuinely helpful information. I’m strongly considering buying this one.

What I’m reading now

I’m two thirds of the way through My Beloved Brontosaurus by Brian Switek, that I’ve been reading on the way to work. It’s a really interesting look at the way science has evolved what we know of dinosaurs over time.

What I’m reading next

I have acquired no new books in the last fortnight. Book buying diet proceeds apace.

Midweek reading 10 November 2016

I apologise for being a day late with this, but it was my birthday yesterday, and also America decided to set itself on fire.

What I just finished reading

Caliban’s War by James S A Corey – So much better than the first one. The problems I had with the first one didn’t appear in this one at all. And Avrasala was delightful. Granted, a lot of what I liked about this one was building on what the first one set up, so I wouldn’t advise people starting with this one.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott – It feels like everyone recommends this one. Meh. As a writing guide, no. As a memoir about life as a writer, sure.

The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch – I feel like I waited forever for this. It was awesome. Review to come.

What I’m reading now

Half a dozen space operas (I’m really feeling space operas right now), a thus far underwhelming urban fantasy, and a book about book proposals I have out from the library.

What I’m reading next

I’m putting myself on a book buying diet. I’m not allowed to acquire any new books until I make a serious dent in the backlog.

Wednesday reading 2 November 2016

What I just finished reading

Making Books: Contemporary Australian Publishing edited by David Carter and Anne Gilligan – for Uni. Published in 2007, so even though plenty of it is interesting, it is, necessarily, dated.

What I’m reading now

I’ve got myself half-way through Caliban’s War by James S. A. Corey, which is a lot better than the previous so far.

What I’m reading next

I’ve bought six books in the last week, most of them space opera. I may have a book buying problem. (I can stop any time!!!)

Wednesday reading 26 October 2016

What I just finished reading

Nothing. Unless you count the November 2015 issues of Real Living and Home Beautiful that I read at work.

What I’m reading now

Making Books: Contemporary Australian Publishing edited by David Carter and Anne Gilligan – for Uni; Celebrity & the Media by Sean Redmond – Riddled with spelling errors and a bit pretentious, honestly. I’ve also read an entire chapter of Cam Girl – good stuff.

What I’m reading next

I’ve got Caliban’s War on my bedside table. Might give that a crack if I think I can finish it before Nano starts.