Monday, July 8, 2013

15 Day Book Blogging Challenge: CONFESSIONS

April at Good Books and Good Wine is hosting a 15-day blogging challenge, and as I've been equal parts lazy, busy and indifferent, I figured it'd be a good way to get back into the swing of things and shake things up.
So:


Today's challenge is to give 15 Book-Related Confessions:

  1. I used to feel guilty about DNFing books; I do not any more at all. Not a single f*ck, my friends. Life is too short.
  2. I have always "corrected" books in my head. I don't just mean grammar issues and whatnot here and there, but the stories themselves. As a kid, this meant I was able to 'like' a book I didn't really like, because I would just "fix" it; now it means that I read something and think, That's not how I would have done it... And my inner editor is opinionated, y'all.
  3. Related to that: I love to write, but I hardly ever do it. From the time I was very small, I told myself stories at night as I tried to fall asleep (which may be part of why I have trouble sleeping - if my story is good that night, I want to keep going!); but I tend to forget these stories pretty quickly, since nothing is ever written down. I need to get back into writing for pleasure, and giving Editor Misty something more substantial to chew on. 
  4. There are characters I've met in books that I'm truly, genuinely sad not to know IRL. 
  5. I have been known to buy or keep books I don't like, purely for the covers. Maybe I should just keep a scrapbook of the covers, or something...
  6. Many of you probably know this, but I organize my books by color. Yes, this looks pretty, but it also is the only way I'm able to keep track of them. I never realized just how much a visual person I was until I made the move to rainbow shelves and never looked back or had trouble locating things. (Mostly. There are times I have to search, occasionally, but they're few and far between.)
  7. I struggle to finish series that I love. The more emotionally-involved I am, the harder it is. Case in point: I preordered the UK edition of Monsters of Men (which came out over 3 years ago) so I would get it earlier, and still haven't read it. It's my version of putting books in the freezer.
  8. I don't like physical descriptions of people in books, unless it's something very significant to the story. I would much rather picture everyone myself. The same is true of the clothing they wear, music they listen to, and anything else that will eventually become dated.
  9. I do legitimately worry sometimes about the weight of my bookshelves.
  10. Book vlogging is sometimes more fun and rewarding than book blogging - for me, at least. I've found it's a format that lends itself better to discussion, which is what drew me to blogging in the first place.
  11. But related to that, I know that if I were more involved - and if I would just take the time to install a better comment-system - discussion potential on the blog would increase. But I'm lazy.
  12. Most people I know don't know that I blog. It was many, many months before anyone I physically knew found out about my blog, and even then, I kept it pretty quiet. The circle of people who know is  still pretty small, 4 years later. There are probably many reasons why this is, but I'm not going to analyze them.
  13. I love movies based on books, even when I hate them. I understand that the movie  is never anywhere near as good, and I know that the director/producers/actors visions are never going to be in line with mine, but it still feels like a chance to visit a world that, until then, was only in my head.
  14. I used to be really judgmental of the types of books other people read, and then when I started branching out into different genres, I sort of hid it. And then I was like, EFFFFFF THAT. Loud and proud, baby. Loud and proud: READ WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.
  15. When I read something I want to see as a movie, I don't generally "cast it" - but I do compose a score or block out scenes and locations in my mind. I wish very much that I had the talent to make the things I see happen, so I could share it with other readers, and say, This is how I see the book; how do you see it? 
I don't know that I'll be able to participate every day of the challenge, but for today, at least, I'm glad I did. What are some of your book confessions? 

10 comments:

  1. Man I am right there with you on having characters I want to know in real life. Now that would be an interesting blog post in and of itself...

    I also really love your book vlogs - some of my favorite. I'm glad you do it! The fact that you vlog led me to your blog, which led me to book blogs and here I am. So thank you, and also, what the heck happened to all of my free time?

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  2. Haha! I hear that.
    Also, flattered that I dragged you into this world! =D

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  3. I still love that you organize by color. I'm not sure I could ever do that. I have too much of a librarian brain. :)

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  4. Kristen, I used to spend so much time reorganizing and trying to make everything fit, and shoving things in here and there, that I found myself searching for things based on what they looked like anyway. I loooove having them organized by color!

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  5. I also struggle to finish series I love. And yes...Monsters of Men is unread on my shelf. As are many other unfinished loves.

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  6. Totally agree with #9 and #12. I had a books shelf break...To many books I guess haha. Loved your list!
    Brittany @ Spare Time Book blog

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  7. Loving these bookish confessions. I'm lazy too, or I'd totes be participating myself. I just started vlogging partly because I agree-there are certain aspects of this community where that format just lends itself so much better to discussion.

    I desperately want to organize shelves by color, but atm I don't have the shelves to do it. In fact, most of my books are in piles in the pantry or closets because I have no room. I suggested using the spare refrigerator (yes, we have one in our living room) as a bookshelf and the boyfriend shot me down.

    I sometimes get panicky about not having enough time in life to read everything I want to.

    I also spent a good 5 minutes on my break at work tonight trying to convince two coworkers it's okay to DNF books. One was reading a series she didn't even like because she felt like she needed to finish what she started. I'm like, dude--life's too short to read bad books.

    Anyway, I'll stop rambling at you now. :)

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  8. I like vlogging too -- even though I am so freakin particular about it, like I have to be wearing make up and my hair has to look nice otherwise no way will i vlog.

    ALSO.

    I am so jealous of your DNFing ability.

    And omg I legit worry about the weight of my shelves too, especially as we are on the second floor with them. I hope I do not fall through the ceiling ha ha.

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  9. Amanda - Glad I'm not the only one that balks at finishing something you know you'll like...

    B - I've had shelves bow, but not break yet. I'm more concerned (as April is) about going through the floor... (Also, nice to know I'm not the only one who was "in the closet" about blogging... lol!)

    Heidi - I started organizing by color EVEN BEFORE I had enough shelves! I had stacks and stacks everywhere, but as much as I was able, those stacks were sorted by color... ;P

    April - I used to HATE DNFing. It brought on serious guilt and just felt WRONG. But eventually, I was like, EFF THAT. It is your responsibility, Author-Person, to make me care - I'm not going to force it.

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  10. Yay! I'm completely with you on number one. Not enough time in the day to read garbage.

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