Louise M.H. Miller's Blog, page 5

If book lovers ruled the world…

I saw this and thought it was absolutely brilliant. I’m reblogging it here from Goodreads – “25 Things That Would Happen If Book Lovers Ruled the World”

What would the world look like if book lovers were in charge? We asked you on Facebook andTwitter, and after reading your answers, we’re ready to live in that world today. Check out the top responses—we think you’ll want to live there, too.

If book lovers ruled the world…

1. “Every rainy day would be Stay Home and Read a Book Day.” (A J MacDonald Jr)

2. “We would measure life by chapters, not minutes. Example: I’ll be there after a cup of coffee and two chapters.” (Rebecca Brewster)

3. “There would be a library on every corner…In other words, a library inside every Starbucks.” (Renee Bradshaw)

4. “We would get a free ebook version when buying a hardcover or paperback book.” (Tammy Hennig)

5. “Reality television would be replaced by story hour(s), and the grammar police would be real.” (Team Linda Gray)

6. “Libraries and public schools would be properly funded.” (Darcy Marwick)

7. “Book release days would be national holidays!” (Melissa Fetterman)

8. “You’d get a book, not money, under your pillow from the Tooth Fairy.” (CruzMissile)

9. “Book groups would replace political parties.” (Book Discussion Scheme)

10. “There would be a book hour in addition to a lunch hour at work every day.” (Cindy Bell)

11. “Libraries would never have missing or misplaced volumes.” (Katherine May)

12. “Everyone—no matter their gender, nationality, level of poverty, etc.—would be able to learn to read and have access to reading materials.” (Bobbi Harman)

13. “Tea sales would skyrocket.” (Alena Dolph)

14. “There would be a special lane on walking tracks just for readers.” (Misbah Ahmad)

15. “We’d be too busy reading for wars.” (Amanda Todd Sexton)

16. “Libraries would be open 24 hours a day.” (Chelsea Renee)

17. “There would be more support for English courses and degree programs.” (Grace Exner)

18. “The number of television channels would drop drastically.” (Toufiq Rahman)

19. “Reading would be an actual job! Paid to read!” (Akshay Kumar Bajpai)

20. “A tree would be planted for every book published.” (Becky Engstrom)

21. “We would have a peaceful and quiet world—apart from occasional squeals of delight, horror, long sighs, whimpers, etc.” (Chloe Lewis)

22. “This would be a valid excuse to get the day off: I was up late finishing my book.” (Joshua Dilts)

23. “There would be less ignorance and more tolerance.” (Alicia Aleman)

24. “Hogwarts would be a real school, Middle-earth would be our world history, and everything would be Wonderland nonsense.” (Aja Vinet)

25. “Bookstores would have shopping carts.” (Julia Andersen)

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 25 things that would happen if book lovers ruled the world, blogs, book lovers, goodreads, if book lovers ruled the world, reading, reblogged

Finding time to network and market (when writing is not your day job)

This is something that I have struggled with – and still struggle with – and have spoken about on several occasions: finding time to network and market.

So how I do it:

Firstly I don’t stress if I haven’t blogged or tweeted for a few days. People will realise that life happens.

But don’t let too much time pass.

Only take on a couple of different media platforms and concentrate on them; choosing which ones you prefer and work best for you.

Try to update them as often as you can – but as I’ve said before don’t stress about it if you miss a day.

Also find what works best for you in updating them – you may find that you have to be strict with yourself and pick dates and times each and every week to network and market; I sometimes find that this works for me but still my life pattern doesn’t always stay the same, so I just tell myself that as long as I update my blog several times a week I’m happy.

Don’t think you have to write pages and pages on your blog – short and sweet can work just as well and perhaps be even more effective.

I think that I’ve pretty happy with my blogging pattern, now that’s settled I just need to concentrate more of my time on my twitter and my Goodreads accounts.

Perhaps that may be a good way for you to start. Concentrate on one form of media first, until you’re happy and comfortable using it. Then add another. And then another. Again until you’re happy.

Filed under: Uncategorized

When do you start a new project?

On a writing group on Facebook someone introduced themselves saying that they’re working on 8 (?) novels at once!!

a). I don’t have the time at present to do that, nor

b). do I have the organisational brain space to undertake that many projects at once.

But it got my wondering when other people start new projects?

Do you work on several projects at once? Do you wait until you have completely finished your current project to start another? Or do you start a new project when you’ve finished writing – before the edit begins?

Me? – I tend to wait until I’m at the (almost) final edit of my current project, the final edit of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s before I start another project when I’ll begin the initial research and planning; and that’s what I’m planning to do. As I’ve previously stated in other blogs I’m at the early stages of editing, but as soon as the initial ‘heavy’ edit is complete, I will probably start researching my next project.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: new novel, new project, novel writing, novels, something new, when do you start a new project, Writer, writing, writing projects

Where does the time go?

It seems as if every time I check the date a few days seem to have skipped by. Where does the time go? It’s already mid-September. And while it’ll be Christmas and the end of the year before I know it, I’ve still have so much to accomplish before then.

Writing deadlines that I’d set myself have now either passed or are fast approaching, but the time seems to be moving faster than I seem to be able to cope with.

I know the only thing to do is do as much as I can, keep my head down and not worry about the date or time, and just enjoy my writing. But sometimes I just want to stop time – just for a extra hour or three – to, well, get more writing in.

Oh well, time is time and I’ll accomplish as much as I can and just enjoy the time I have.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: christmas, time, time passing, writing, writing deadlines

What I do as a Librarian

For reasons unknown many people think that all there is to a librarian is to stamp books when loaned out. I’ve had a few comments over the years similar to this point and I always try to stress that there is much more to being a librarian than people think. One recent such comment was made by two people in a conversation, within the library itself not two feet from me which went something along the following lines:

“I’d be bored to tears [working here] as its quiet.”

“Well you’d just read in between people coming in.”

Yes, that’s what we do. We sit back and read and only ‘work’ when people come in; there isn’t anything else to running a library. I must admit that I refrained from commenting, I just bit my lip. But this sort of opinion is much more prevalent than people imagine.

Perhaps this blog post is slightly out of spite – but I’m sure that my fellow librarians will agree with me that sometimes you feel that you have to shout out at the top of your lungs and list the many, many things that librarians do (on perhaps an almost daily basis).

[It is similar to being a ‘writer’ too, especially those of us who haven’t had anywhere near the fame and fortune of the likes of James Patterson; people don’t see the amount of work and the range of work that goes into writing.]

So…what I do as a librarian:

Yes, I loan and discharge books (including stamping them)
I’m also basically a nursery nurse at times
I acquisition new stock and material
I provide proper material for each age range from child to adult
I keep aware of new publications and new authors
I keep aware of what the local library users are interested to read
I plan, organise and run activities
I plan, organise and run events
I add new stock
I remove ‘dead stock’
I manage shelving
I recommend
I advise
I am a source of information including helping people access information
I signpost to a huge range and services (and knowing where to find them)
Data entry
The formulation, maintenance and editing of cash report spreadsheets
Cashing up and receipting
Handling cash
Training of new volunteers
Organising volunteers and their work loads
Providing volunteers with continued support and guidance
Computer and tech support
Managing the library catalogue
Troubleshooting
Electronic resources
Aid people with online facilities
Help people set up email accounts and get online
Run, organise and promote summer reading challenges
Being unfazed by complex enquiries which are often of a sensitive nature
Data protection
Liaise with police and schools, local and district councillors
Be aware and active in the safeguarding of children, including online
Block access to websites deemed unsuitable
Deal sensitively with people with learning disabilities
Be aware of legal/ethical issues and any changes in them
Provide a safe, family-friendly environment
Printing
Photocopying
Promote and market the library networking through social media sites: Facebook, Twitter and library website
Control the premises
Manage budgets
Chasing and collecting books back and enforcing fines
Digitization and digital preservation, making sure information will be accessible in the future
Liaising with other libraries and librarians
Stock support
Requests
Lone working
Team work
Knowledgeable about books and authors (new and old)
Working with the public
Running and managing the in-house café

and that’s just me, there are numerous different roles and environments open to a librarian, including within law courts, in academia, research librarians, archivists…..

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: books, day job, librarian, libraries, Library, stereotypes, what a librarian does

Seeking solace

We’re in the midst of another turbulent time at work, in which the library may – I must stress may – face closure in the near future, in which I may – again may – lose my job. What’s more, there is really not much I can do, it is basically out of my hands. All I can do – and will do – is campaign to keep the library open.

For me this next month may be much more stressful if I didn’t have my writing. I can burn the stress away in the gym, but it still lingers so it’s great that I have a outlet – a creative outlet – in my writing.

I can set my mind upon the writing in front of me and let go of the worry.

Writing has for me meant that I can manage the stress easier.

It does help that I enjoy it in the first place.

But I think that writing this month (and possibly the following months) will prevent me from thinking about this situation that I just can’t change. I’m not hiding my head in the sand, but when I’m not at work, thinking about it or talking about it, it’s nice that I have this escape.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: creative escapes, creative outlet, escape, redunancy, seeking solace in writing, solace, stress, stress outlets, writing

I don’t like cookies….

Not the delicious, chewy, often chocolatey variety – those I love.I’m talking about those pesky internet cookies that remember what you’ve been looking at on the internet and advertise those products on different websites.

I’m still not used to it – looking at a different website and saying ‘hey I looked at that hotel/handbag/book/whatever yesterday…’

I’m sure they are useful to some people, but I just don’t like them. i just find it somewhat disturbing and it’s just another example of everything you look at on the internet being recorded, quantified, and assessed.

[I know you can use the incognito tab for chrome but you shouldn’t have to and I also know that you can change your cookie settings and delete them on a regular basis – so I know there is a way around them but I’m still against the principle of them.]

It’s a small irrational dislike maybe – but it’s either something I still haven’t got used to or more likely something I never will.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: advertising, cookies, incognito, internet, websites

Punctuation…..,”!!!???;;;:::

Punctuation is so crucial to understanding sentences. It is always crucial to understanding how you are saying something through writing.

can you just imagine how on earth is looks when you don’t add or even insert incorrect punctuation to a sentence or paragraph its awkward to read and you can’t always tell what context you’re saying it in

Here’s an excerpt from a book just to show you of which I’ve removed all the punctuation from it:

it  was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen Winston Smith his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him

the hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats at one end of it a coloured poster too large for indoor display had been tacked to the wall it depicted simply an enormous face more than a metre wide the face of a man of about forty five with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features Winston made for the stairs it was no use trying the lift even at the best of times it was seldom working and at present the electric current was cut off during daylight hours it was part of the economy drive in preparation for Hate Week the flat was seven flights up and Winston who was thirty nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle went slowly resting several times on the way on each landing opposite the lift shaft the post with the enormous face gazed from the wall it was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU the caption beneath it ran

You can read it, and you can naturally assume where the punctuation goes but it is more of an effort. So you can imagine why I get a bit narked when I see media posts like on Facebook and via text messages with no punctuation, no sentence breaks, nothing, but a steady stream of words. And why arguments and upsets can ensue when you’ve read a text message for instance and read it in a completely different way then it was intended just because there was no punctuation or it was used incorrectly. (I know most, if not all of my readers, followers, and those I follow, will use them but I want to shake those who don’t by the shoulders and say ‘Please use punctuation! And use it correctly! Please!’)

Never underestimate the benefits of the simple, humble punctuation mark!(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[Of course, there are, those, who use, punctuation marks, much, much, too, often. aren’t there????!!!!]

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 1984, english, facebook, George Orwell, grammar, misunderstanding, paragraphs, punctuation, sentences, social media, texting, winston smith, writing

When is a writer a writer?

When is a writer a writer? This is not some strange riddle like ‘Why is a raven like a writing desk?’, it is a simple question with a very complex answer.

The answer is different for nearly everyone.

Are you a writer when you start to write something, or when you make money from it? But then again would you just call yourself an ‘out-of-work writer’ if you haven’t?

Many writers like artists find fame after they are gone. But artists still call them selves artists.

I think the problem with calling yourself a writer, whether you’re published or not, is other people’s perceptions. And when you call yourself a writer, the response can be a raised eyebrow, and a quick fire question asking if you’ve published anything.

I think the thing is, if you say you are a nurse, a teacher, a fireman, a librarian, an engineer, whatever, people usually expect you to actually work in these roles, but with writing it’s different. It’s art, and a lot of hard work. But even with jobs like these, you generally need some qualifications or experience, you cannot say you are a nurse just because you want to be, but with writing you don’t necessarily need qualifications – although you can get them (creative writing courses for instance), and this seems like an easy way out of hard work – but it’s not.

For me, I think you can call yourself a writer when two things happen; 1. You write (a no-brainer there) and 2. When you realise that writing is hard work, it takes a lot of hard work, time and graft to write something, it’s not all the glamorous life you see when characters in TV and film claiming they are writers. For me, you are a writer when you realise this, but still want to and still do, write.

But that’s just my opinion. What’s yours: when is a writer a writer?

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: calling yourself a writer, creative writing, i am a writer, thomas mann, when do you call yourself a writer, when is a writer a writer, Writer, writing

I’m nearly there

I’ve so very nearly finished the final first draft of my current non-fiction project, just a couple of sections left to finished but I hoping they will be all complete by the end of next week – so I can start the task of editing. Normally I’m not exactly thrilled with the prospect of editing, but I’m actually looking forward to it – I’m looking forward to ironing out my work, line by line and paragraph by paragraph until it’s as polished as I can make it.

All I have to do is tell my writer’s brain to be quiet for a while as it wants even now to start planning for my next novel. My writer’s brain is itching to start writing again and writing fiction again. Not that I haven’t enjoyed writing non-fiction, I love it just as much and I’m planning on writing more non-fiction history in the future. But for now as soon as my task is complete, the next stage is…editing.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: almost there, editing, finish line, next project, Writer, writing