Addicted to Reading

I'll admit it. I have a problem. It's called addicted to reading. I can usually keep up with my magazine subscriptions, must-read romances, and various non-fiction and fiction from the library, but April and May aren't conducive for reading in my world. I have to squeeze in a chapter here and an article there. Do you see my pouty lip? I don't like this.

Another problem with this time of year is that I pile things. Then maybe--let's just say this could happen--I accidentally hit the ottoman and the piles tumble. And let's imagine that I toss a few more publications on top.

What you end up with is pictured below.
(Yes, that's my ottoman. With the scattered piles.)

I'm dying--dying!!--to read the two contemporary Christian romances that arrived in my mailbox this week, Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade and Catch a Falling Star by Beth Vogt. Mm, mm! You will be hearing about them later this month on my blog.

Oh, and I got a free subscription to a new magazine, Modern Farmer. (Free!!) No, I'm not a farmer, but I garden, like looking at chickens, and I have cousins who farm, so I figure that's good enough. It's full of interesting information about global farming, organic solutions, and it has tons of pretty pictures. Try it! You might like it!

You'll also see the array of UsWeekly's--I'll share my lil' nugget about that later--Midwest Living, RWR, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Woman's Day, Redbook, and a book about baseball by Yogi Berra.

So the UsWeekly thing. Recently I sat on the bleachers with one other mom, waiting for our sons' baseball game to start. The other team's coach came up to me and asked, "Are you the bookkeeper?" I replied, "Not unless the book is an UsWeekly." Then I chuckled to myself. It's good to make yourself laugh now and then.

Okay, what was the last thing you said that cracked you up? And what are you reading?

Have a great Wednesday!!

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Why I'm Resubscribing to Entertainment Weekly

Many of you know I have a slight (or major?) magazine addiction. It's not unusual for me to have 8 or more magazine subscriptions. Yes, I read them all! I'm not a skimmer. I also like to save inspiring pictures and put them in binders to browse when I'm hungry for ideas.


I don't automatically renew, though. Sometimes I find a magazine isn't holding my interest the way it once did, or maybe the cost of renewal skyrocketed. Either way, I'm not afraid to let a subscription expire and try a different magazine.

I always thought it was a bit self-indulgent to have all of these magazines, even though the cost is minimal; I only subscribe at the most discounted price I can get. My opinion has changed. I no longer think it self-indulgent at all. I realize how stimulating these publications are to my creativity.

Our library carries Entertainment Weekly. I checked out a few recent issues (I stopped receiving EW over a year ago, but I have ordered it off and on for ten years). Every other page I got ideas for blog posts. I also wrote down new artists I wanted to hear on iTunes, new books that sounded intriguing, and DVD's to add to my Netflix queue.

When I subscribe to Entertainment Weekly, I try new things. I'm more engaged with current music, literature, movies, and television shows. They spark my urge to expand my horizons, and that quality is valuable to me.

So I found a great deal on EW through Magazines.com, and I'm treating myself to a new subscription. Investing in my creativity will always rank high on my list!

What sparks YOUR creativity?

Have a fantastic Wednesday!

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Attracting Ideas

I'm assuming you read often, yes? Most writers do. I read novels, biographies, non-fiction books, magazines, trade articles, blogs, internet reviews, e-mails, etc... And I always learn something, but if I don't write down the snippets of ideas, they tend to disappear.


Photo by demibrooke

That's why it's important to tear out, or photocopy, magazine articles that fascinate you. Print out the advice you read online. Keep a diary of all the books you've read and write a brief review along with your impressions of the book.

Sometimes, I'll read something and a few years will pass before I realize I need that information. There's nothing worse than remembering the outline of something you've read but having no access to the details. Make it easy on yourself; keep records of this stuff!

Everything you read should be mentally combed for ideas. Say you're enjoying a National Geographic magazine article about diminishing rainforests. The article's okay until some strapping millionaire, bound and determined to save the rainforest, is described in great detail. Your interest suddenly shoots through the roof. At times like this, do yourself a favor and tear out or copy the article. You'll regret it if you don't.


Photo by rene_ehrhardt

Now, I'm not saying you're going to write a story about a millionaire saving the rainforest (although it sounds good to me), but the drama of the situation might trigger some other idea. You'll want that article for reference.

But what do you do with these copies? That depends on how organized you are. I have a stack of blank manila folders for photocopies and printouts, and I have binders for magazine articles. I could be more organized, and at some point I probably will be, but for now, my system works for me.

When you're feeling out of ideas, look through your Idea Journal, but if nothing in there tickles your fancy, spend a bit of time perusing your folders and binders. Something is bound to jump out at you.

Look at the picture below. An entire thriller could be plotted out from it! Those roots look like little frozen angels, or demons--you decide.


Photo by mydailycommute

Next week we'll continue our discussion on gathering ideas.

Enjoy your weekend!

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