Skip to main content

Top Ten Things That Make My Life As A Reader/Book Blogger Easier


I can't say that I've been doing a whole lot of book blogging lately but I have been thinking about it a lot and doing an astronomical amount of reading so here it goes, then things that make my life as a blogger/reader easier:

  • Goodreads:  They track the books I read, keep basic stats and allow me to stay organized, quickly in between the times I update my reading spreadsheet.  I also store notes on books or brief summaries to remind myself what I liked (or didn't) about a book.  The summaries, book covers, and author information provided by the site are also really helpful when posting book reviews.
  • Excel: I track all of my reading in one big spreadsheet.  In years past I only had a list, but this year as I've joined more bookclubs I've switched over to a spreadsheet as it makes it easier to sort by any number of factors including dates and genres.
  • My local library: Free books both in print and as ebooks and audiobooks.  Access to more books in various formats mean more reading, particularly on new topics or in new genres.
  • Youtube:  This doesn't seem directly related to reading I know, but there's a great community of readers on Youtube that inspire me to keep reading and keep me up to date on current bookish news. 
  • My Friends: Even my friends who aren't so bookishly inclined will talk to me about my/their reading.  It keeps me interested.  I love discussing character development, plot structure, and themes as much as I love squealing with delight over how something is written or how geeky a character is. 
  • Bookclubs and Readathons: Most of my bookclubs and readathons take place either on Youtube or Goodreads, but I'm looking to expand this a bit for next year.  Both of these are great ways to meet new book nerds and have great discussions.
  • Charity Book Sales: Cheap books being sold for a good cause = buying lots of books without going broke or feeling guilty. Much like the library charity sales introduce me to a wide range of new books and often prompt me to try something new.
  • My Phone: I don't have an e-reader, so having books on my phone allows me to squeeze reading in one page at a time, particularly in locations where reading a hard copy book would be difficult i.e. standing up with only one free hand.
  • Blogger: I use the app to save notes on books and drafts of posts I would like to make.  This saves me a lot of time hunting for the notes I left on the receipt I was using as a bookmark meaning that whenever I stop blabbing about my summer vacation I can go back to posting (lots of) reviews.
  • My Books: There's something about owning books that makes me want to own read more books.
What about you, is there something that makes your life as a reader or book blogger easier that I'm missing out on?  Please let me know.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Broke and the Bookish.  Click the link to join the discussion or check out future questions.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Sara (Page Sage)1:02 PM, August 20, 2013

    Spreadsheets are so incredibly helpful. I must have at least 20 of them for blogging purposes.

    My TTT

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teaser Tuesday - April 14th

"My mother would never let the hearth die in her home," Margret said. She felt Agnes turn to look at her, but didn't meet her gaze. "She believed that as long as a light burned in the house, the Devil couldn't get in. Not even during the witching hour." Agnes was quiet. "What do you believe?" she asked eventually. Margret extended her hands towards the flames. "I think a fire is a useful thing to keep a body warm," she said. - Burial Rites by Hannah Kent Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading . For other contributions click here .
8 comments
Read more

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday because Becca 's quote from Catcher in the Rye makes me wonder what my  problem with that book is. Teaser Tuesday is  hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading . Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page. You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve  given! The various images bounced against each other until she felt a desperate vertigo, as if she could at any moment pitch backward and plunge head first down the well shaft and drown there, the sky far above her, her last vision but a bright circle set in the dark, no bigger than a full moon.  (p. 49) --  Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
5 comments
Read more

Vancouver 2014: Camping!

Camping is one of those things that's hard to share via picture, moving or still.  It's so much about the experience, the stars overhead, the springy soft ground underfoot, the wind on your face, that first pure hint of morning light, meals cooked by fire and ember. Sure there are the stories you tell, the ones around the campfire and down at the lake, and the ones you tell after, but it's not the same.  Stories can conjure memories and emotions but they can't make the sun shine or moths fall from overhead lights.  Okay, maybe the last one, moths are sneaky, but the rest, these personal moments and experiences, they're a lot harder to convey.  I'll leave it at I had an absolutely amazing time, despite the lack of nonrock based floors and comfortable chairs, I would have turned right around and done it again.  The lack of technology was restful and the presence of that much nature was restorative.  We mostly relaxed but I did get to see some amazing sights and
3 comments
Read more