I’ve noticed a couple post by bloggers i love in recent days about changing reading habits ,I think we have all written similar posts if we have been blogging for any length of time ,one of the problems with blogging is getting drawn into the new and shiny also hype but be honest i never go for hype why be a sheep that is the last thing i would ever want to be follow the flock in reading .but that said I am a as bad as everyone ,who doesn’t love new books ,I know I do. But from time to time we need to think about the older or even out of print books ,I have always reviewed a few older books over the course of the blog and will carry on doing this I feel I have a fairly good mix and will be trying to add a few more older books .I feel for me the real problem is focusa and making clear the focus of the blog for me now it is just fiction or non fiction in translation nothing else book wise of course i still want to do pieces about me and my life and loves but for the books its just translation from now on !!!,I’ve updated my about me page into about me and review policy explaining that from now on I will only be accepting books in translation for review but also trying to get further content about translation, translation and publishing books in translation ,I still get a number of books sent that aren’t translation most of (in truth none )which don’t appeal to me ,which is a shame so i change the page to make this clear to people out there in the future .I agree the balance of reading blogging etc is hard but I have made efforts myself this last few months to sort this ,using my wordpress app for most of my comments now during the day its fast and can be done in a spare few minutes throughout the day ,the chromebook saves me ten minutes in boot up times I think so i can use my laptop before work on my early start ever so often .So as slowly I am getting near to the 1000th post on winstonsdad ,I feel like it is a new start I have done part one of the journey ,now i need to carry on and try and find part two not sure what that is but I feel there is another level to which I can get to at some point blogging wise .
Sep 28, 2014 @ 16:58:15
It *is* easy to get swept up in other books and distracted – I’m trying to concentrate only on what I actually want to read and not just accepting books blindly. Glad you’re focusing on translated lit – I can always rely on you for good recommendations!🙂
Sep 28, 2014 @ 16:59:50
Yes it has always been my main love just feel bad getting sent books I don’t really want such a waste
Sep 28, 2014 @ 17:31:33
Good luck on your redefined journey. I will be back to see what I’m tempted by in the translated lit section.
Sep 28, 2014 @ 17:34:05
Thanks
Sep 28, 2014 @ 19:21:37
I admire your single-minded focus on books in translation – and best of luck and time on your redefined journey! Thanks for mentioning me – and I’m glad there’s a number of us deciding to be less ‘greedy’ and more focused!
Sep 28, 2014 @ 19:56:35
It’s a journey of discovery in translation
Sep 28, 2014 @ 19:55:00
Good luck Stu. The key I think is to do what you enjoy. We’re not getting paid for this after all!
Sep 28, 2014 @ 19:55:57
True it is just for passion with me
Sep 29, 2014 @ 01:03:51
I think the same way too, Stu. Just yesterday I sorted my pile of books for review into the ones I requested and the ones that are unsolicited, and I am going to be brutal with those. I try not to feel guilty because I know most authors need all the publicity they can get, but I can’t do them all and still enjoy my reading and write quality reviews. So at the end of the day, what I read has to be my choice, not someone else’s.