 |
Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings, where the blog's owner Heidi discusses a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.
Here is what is on deck this week:
DO YOU PROCRASTINATE WRITING REVIEWS?
I bet you know the answer to this one 😄. I've been spending the last year and a half scheduling EVERYTHING that was supposed to go into my blog, so...
OF COURSE, I don't get many (digital) ARCs, so time is not really a factor for me. I can review most of my books when I please. But regardless, this year I even drafted two ARC reviews MONTHS ahead of pub dates...I want to have the book fresh in my mind when I write (that's why I reread even my old, should-know-by-heart-by-now books before I review them...).
Also, I've learnt that - just like any kind of writing - reviewing takes some discipline. Sometimes you don't feel "inspired", but once you set down to work, the creative juices flow. You could postpone the darned thing for ages and never seem to be in the right mood for it, but when you take the first step, something always happens. More often than not, something magical.
OF COURSE, I don't get many (digital) ARCs, so time is not really a factor for me. I can review most of my books when I please. But regardless, this year I even drafted two ARC reviews MONTHS ahead of pub dates...I want to have the book fresh in my mind when I write (that's why I reread even my old, should-know-by-heart-by-now books before I review them...).
Also, I've learnt that - just like any kind of writing - reviewing takes some discipline. Sometimes you don't feel "inspired", but once you set down to work, the creative juices flow. You could postpone the darned thing for ages and never seem to be in the right mood for it, but when you take the first step, something always happens. More often than not, something magical.
 |
| I love this man, BTW |
Well, that's it for now. And if you're interested in participating, here is the TMST prompt list for December and January:
- December 4th: What series that you tried this year will you continue?
- December 11th: Book disappointments of 2018
- December 18th: Best of 2018
- December 25th and January 1st: nothing! The meme will go on hiatus until January 8th.
- January 8th: What word or phrase you chose to inspire you for 2019?
- January 15th: Winter picks for 2019
- January 22nd: How do you beat the winter blues?
- January 29th: What things turn you off in a book blurb?
I'll be back for the meme on January 29th, since
- I haven't started any new series this year (though I have some planned, but I will start them NEXT year...in typical Roberta's style 😂);
- I've only read a handful of new books in 2018, and thankfully, they didn't disappoint;
- again, I've read too few new books this year to do a post about the best of them (but I will probably use them later for a different type of post);
- I'm not that good at the "choose a word" game...;
- I don't think I suffer from winter blues? what I do know is, I suffer from summer fatigue 😄.
Now, the January 29th question is one I submitted myself, but I swear I'm not biased haha. (Pssst...YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER IT WHEN THE TIME COMES, AREN'T YOU? 😡 😜). There's plenty of prompts I want to write about next year (because I bugged Heidi until she sent me her TMST list ALL THROUGH SEPTEMBER, and being the little scheduler that I am, I have already slotted all the questions I plan on answering into my blogging spreadsheet. Some things never change 😜).
Now tell me something...do you write your reviews in a timely manner? do you need to have the book fresh in your mind in order to write them?
I don't really procrastinate on my reviews! I tend to review them within a day or two of finishing the book (with the exception of comics). I also don't have enough time to schedule things in advance! It would be a lovely if I did. :)
ReplyDeleteLindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?
Haha, it's true that scheduling eats a big chunk of time away from the very act of posting, but it keeps you on track. I mean, it keep ME on track - it looks like you're doing fine without! since I only post once a week or so, and in the meantime, you've put forth at least 4 posts LOL.
DeleteJust so you know the favorite books and book disappointments don’t have to be from this year, I have books on my list that are a couple of years old. It is your favorite and your disappointments no matter the pub date. I hear you about sitting down and getting the words to flow. I have two reviews to write today that I am not looking forward to because I don’t know what to say, but once I start it will come.
ReplyDeleteOh, I get it now. You meant, books we've read this year, no matter how old. Thanks for clarifying - I'll see what I can do!
DeleteIt's strange how sometimes words start to spill out once you unscrew the cap, so to speak. You "only" have to set to work. There are times when reviews take some discipline and effort...who am I kidding, they always do LOL. But some more than others, and not only when you don't really know what to say, but also when you have too many feelings about the book and you can't seem to organise them properly.
I don't just want the story to be fresh in my head, I NEED it to be fresh in my mind. My reviews lean towards capturing my feelings, and I can best remember how I felt right when I finish the book. But like you, I am sometimes uninspired, but when the reviews pile up, it's even worst.
ReplyDeleteMy reviews are usually a mix of feelings and scientific dissection 😂 (I'm exaggerating LOL. But not that much...).
DeleteI suppose the best of us are uninspired sometimes. Or simply can't seem to find the right approach, or to put a coherent discourse together. Either way, even when the books don't pile up, I think it's way difficult to write a review if you put some distance between you and the book. I'm sure it works for some, though.
Even if it's not an ARC, I also like to have the book fresh in my mind when I review!
ReplyDeleteIt does make things easier, though apparently, some readers need to process the book for a while.
DeleteIt's okay - my professor basically admitted in class she lurks on my blog this morning so a Roberta admitting this isn't more embarrassing. 😂😂😂
ReplyDeleteI am SUCH a procrastinator, even during my internship. Sometimes I produce great results, sometimes I flop horribly. It's been a nice challenge. Now if only I can apply that to the other site I last contributed to back in like... April? 🤣 I'm awful and surprised that they still kept me. 😅
She does? Now THAT is embarrassing LOL.
DeleteI seem to procrastinate a lot...unless it's about things I really like or care for. Then again, even those things one can't ALWAYS be in the mood for. The upside is, sometimes doing stuff at the last minute gives you the boost of adrenaline (or kick in the butt? 🤣 ) you need to succeed...
Well... it all began with a presentation and I wasn't ready but it was a PRACTICE one. I gave a full disclaimer that those blog graphics were mine (scattered among actual presentation graphics) and half the class was like WOW YOU WRITE A BLOG. TELL US MORE. Professor: She does, and she does a great job at it. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD KNOW IF I'M DOING A GREAT JOB WITHOUT READING MY BLOG?!?!?! (She's also the one who asked if I was the blogger the first time I went to her office for help and I'm like, dang, my advisor's been talking a little too much. Oh and they both follow me on Twitter. How embarrassing my tweets must be sometimes.)
DeleteHonestly though, that's probably why I procrastinate in everything because I do succeed in procrastination, haha.
Haha, you have a massive lurker! And I agree...the Twitter thing is embarrassing...not because of your tweets in particular (well...NOT SO MUCH 😂)...but because the student/teacher mingling on social media is probably a bit awkward LOL. I wouldn't really know though...no social media when I was young 🙄. But who am I fooling - I don't think I would have liked that LOL.
DeleteHey, as long as one succeeds 🤣.
I mean, I never expected them to follow me in the first place - I followed them originally for school related purposes and other news in the communications industry. One of them followed me for a class assignment when we had to mess with an app, though. 😂
DeleteTo be honest, I believe the communications program (the account for the program itself, along with some of the faculty) follow all students and alumni that they know of - there's really no interaction on social media between the two otherwise, so I wouldn't say it's awkward? Lol.
It makes sense then...though they might still be lurking 😂.
DeleteThese days it's hard for me to sit down and write reviews, but you are right, when I do, usually I can make progress with them. It's very much a 'mood thing' though. And it depends on the book too, obviously if you liked the book it's easier to write about it :)
ReplyDeleteRonnie @ Paradise Found
It is easier, but sometimes when you liked the book SO MUCH, you don't even know where to start LOL.
DeleteI thought I had already left a comment. Hmmmm
ReplyDeleteI have to have something to say or strong feelings so it depends. Sometimes it hits me right away but other times it won't hit me until a week later as I'm about to fall asleep lol
Karen @ For What It's Worth
Haha, sometimes I have deep thoughts in bed too.
DeleteI think I write reviews best when the story is fresh in my mind. Not only because my memories of the books are the clearest then, but I usually feel the strongest - be that positive or negative emotions - right after finishing a novel. Great discussion! :)
ReplyDeleteAs for Freddie Mercury - have you seen Bohemian Rhapsody, the movie? I quite liked it and it was a great experience at the cinema. :)
It makes sense, though there are readers who need to let the book settle in their mind, so to speak. Then again, if you start another book immediately after, you might get confused LOL.
DeleteAh...no. In true-fan guise, I need to watch and listen to the real Queen (I have quite the video collection)...not to mention, the movie took a few liberties with their/Freddie's history (as it's always the case - see for instance https://www.grunge.com/137169/times-the-bohemian-rhapsody-movie-lied-to-you/). I kind of hate biographical movies, especially if there's music involved, because someone else is singing those songs (in this case, they used Freddie's backtracks and Rami's/another singer's voices: https://www.bustle.com/p/does-rami-malek-really-sing-in-bohemian-rhapsody-heres-how-freddie-mercurys-legendary-voice-was-recreated-12800650). Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to take your enjoyment of the movie away from you. I'm sure it was visually stunning, and many people who weren't all that familiar with Queen probably left the theater wanting more of them - the REAL thing, we should say - which is good. But as a long-time fan of that "real thing", I just can't.
I didn't know about the music, so thanks for that article! The voice is VERY similar/same, especially in the concert scenes where they did use mostly Freddie's voice, I believe, so that definitely didn't lower my experience. The story I *am* mad about - I feel like taking some liberties in biographical movies is fine to make the story flow better, but especially with making Freddie Mercury seem like the villain when, in fact, he was far from the only one wanting to do/doing solo works is infuriating. Also, I laughed so hard when there was a party scene and the other members were all being "no man, can't do it, we have FAMILY" as if they didn't party!? It REALLY SHOWS Brian May and Roger Taylor worked on the movie, and not in a good way, smh. I'm pissed it's getting so many awards, though, especially with the changing of important facts - like I said, I quite liked it, but didn't love it, and I don't see why it deserves this many - are any khm - awards. *shrug*
DeleteQuote: "Also, I laughed so hard when there was a party scene and the other members were all being "no man, can't do it, we have FAMILY" as if they didn't party!?"
DeleteHaha, party they did. And as much as it pains me to say so (because I love him and his solo work so much), Roger was the wild spirit/womanizer in the group, so I doubt he'd take a pass on a party, family or not...
I don't know how many of the movie's liberties are to ascribe to Brian and Roger (who, after all, have always tried to protect Freddie's reputation since he died) and how many are the producers' fault...movies live off conflict and drama after all. But sure as hell they didn't "fight" to set things right. They went with the flow...
I suspect that a good part of the awards is due to the band's stellar popularity - though, from the little snippets I saw online, Rami did a great impression of Freddie (however, they should at least have covered the bags under his eyes...I mean, they are so unlike Freddie that they steal the scene LOL). Then, of course, there's the visual aspect, that I heard was recreated perfectly (e.g.: Live Aid).
Need I even answer this question? OF COURSE I do. I KNOW I write better reviews when I'm fresh from reading the book but I somehow always end up putting off reviewing and then I OF COURSE forget most of the stuff I meant to say initially and argh- it's honestly such a bad habit and I really need to break it </3
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how, while you're reading a book, you're DYING to put your thoughts on paper, but when you've finished said book...writing a review feels like a chore and you only want to start another one 😂.
DeleteI mean, it's not like it happens often (to me at least), but it HAPPENS.