Last Updated on December 1, 2021 by ThoughtsStained
Hello, lovelies! Welcome to another Bookish Breakdown post, my monthly wrap-up where I talk about last month’s reading, as well as life musings, blog hopping links and intention updates!
November was a bit all over the place. My day job was still too busy for it to be healthy. I tried (and failed) at NaNoWriMo. I celebrate birthdays (including my own!), as well as the first birthday of my Grandfather who passed just a few weeks ago. I had a little time off where I spent a lot of time with my partner and it was wonderful. Depression was hard, my day job too stressful for words and imposter syndrome reigned supreme. But all in all, I’m okay. I’m surviving. And for now, that has to be enough.
Let’s check in and see how I did creatively this month.
Reading Breakdown
What I Read
(Okay, so I’m still like halfway through this, but let’s just pretend, okay?)
Reading Challenges Update
What: A yearly challenge tracked via StoryGraph of how many books I want to read this year.
Goal: 50 Books
Status: 30/50 Books
(not pictured: the books I read for my poetry graduate class and my craft books)
What: A yearly challenge hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight where you write and share your bookish discussion posts!
Goal: 24 Discussion Posts (Chatty Kathy Level)
Status: 20/24 Posts
Posts:
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Blogging Insecurity
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Posting Process
- Social Media: Or, the Lack of Boundaries, Safety and Nuance
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Content Ratings
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Cover Versus Plot
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Book Blogger Appreciation
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Creating Bookish Content
- Book Changes I Want to See
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Reading Affecting Mental Health
- Let’s Talk Bookish: How To Make Me Read Your Book
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Diversity in Publishing (And What Book Bloggers Can Do About It)
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Diversity in Books
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Why BookTube Isn’t For Me
- Let’s Talk Bookish: How Book Blogging Changed My Relationship with Reading
- Genres: The Avoided, The Committed and The Obsessed
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Romance as a Subplot
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Protagonists and Gender
- Let’s Talk Bookish: Book Blogging Masterminds
- Let’s Talk Bookish: “Failed” Posts
- Let’s Talk Bookish: The Hobby Balancing Act
What: A personal challenge I’ve put upon myself to read at least one ARC a month (or, 12 a year), to attempt to keep my ARC pile under a bit of control.
Goal: 12 Books
Status: 10/12 Books
What: A personal challenge where I read a book a month (or, 12 total) that I currently own that I haven’t a) purchased this year and b) aren’t ARCs.
Goal: 12 Books
Status: 4/12 Books
What: A personal challenge where I want to do a better job that of reading books written by and featuring protagonist that aren’t the publishing “standard”, i.e., white, male, able-bodied, straight and based on Western cultures or Christian/Catholic religions.
Goal: More books read this year that break away from that “standard” than books that do.
Status: 13 of 28
(not pictured: books read for poetry class)
Blogging Breakdown
What I Posted
I did manage to write quite a few posts this month, even if it wasn’t as many as I’d planned!
Posts Published November 2021
- November 2021 Reading TBR: an ambitious TBR for Sci-Fi Month that I didn’t stick to, alas
- NaNoWriMo 2021: Project Introduction: my NaNoWriMo WIP intro
- 29: annual obligatory birthday post
- Let’s Talk Bookish: “Failed” Posts: talking failed posts
- Jade City: yeah, that’s another 5-gem read for me, holy shit
- Let’s Talk Bookish: The Hobby Balancing Act: or, how I fail to do so
- Sirens 2021 Conference Wrap-Up: thoughts on my first con in years.
- Allyship Check-In No 20: a fantastic post with loads of resources!
- NaNoWriMo Wrap-Up: 2021 Edition: reader, she did not win
Read Around the Blogosphere
December. December, I’m going to blog hop for the first time in LITERAL MONTHS, so help me.
Other Posts I Loved
- SFF Author Fonda Lee shares about the toxicity of social media and I just appreciated this post so much.
Intentions Breakdown
I’m one of those people who loves to write out intentions at the beginning of each year. I’m also one of those people who doesn’t do the best job of keeping them. Here, I check in each month and see how I’m doing!
Intentions:
- Develop a writing routine
- Edit and query BLOOD PRICE
- Write first draft of UNTITLED adult fantasy romance
Past Month:
Intentions:
- Develop a reading routine
- Read one-two books a week
Past Month:
*dies under the guilt of her TBR pile*
Intentions:
- Work with at least one client each month
- Continue to self study and level up my editing skills
- Get better at marketing these services
- Work with a romance client!?
Past Month:
I have a lot of Plans™ to get momentum back and I’m just waiting to be off from my day job for two weeks to make that happen.
Intentions:
- Reach 1,000 followers
- Start: 878
- Update all older posts with new feature images
Past Month:
Blogged more than usual, but missed my routine. Hoping to get that back in December, for sure.
Intentions:
- Find movement I enjoy and make a routine
- Read and learn about body positivity
- Continue therapy
Past Month:
This is another thing I want to really evaluate and check in on during my break.
Intentions:
- Learn more about the systemic racism in America
- Learn how to better have difficult conversations to help combat systemic racism, racial injustice, and fight for LGBTQIA+ rights
- Continue to move away from performative to actual allyship
Past Month:
Was really excited about last month’s Allyship Check-In post, as I feel it was really strong in offering a lot of varied, helpful resources and actions. Need to get back to reading (in general, help) at least one nonfiction allyship book a month, though!
List of smaller intentions I’d love to complete:
- Work on home projects
- Take better care of my hair and learn new ways to style it
- Lessen my social media intake
- Stay connected to friends better
- Write more letters and have penpals again!
- Adopt a more sustainable lifestyle
- Survive another year of grad school
- Pay off some debt?
- Explore our local nature spot more
- Visit friends in America (pandemic pending)
- New tattoo(s)?
- Get more nerdy clothes
- Cook more new recipes
- Manage my finances better
- Complete some day job work projects for my students
- Learn how to be a wonderful auntie to my new niece
Past Month:
- SURVIVED, and for now, that’s enough
Looking Forward
Whelp, I don’t think 2021 is quite my year. But, December is going to be good, not only because I love the holiday season, but I get extended time off my day job and I plan to do a LOT to refill my creative wells. I cannot wait.
I’m so sorry the past month has been tough on you, Nicole. I’m proud of you and I hope that December and your little break from your job will help you get back into everything you love and that you will find a new, lovely creative rhythm for you. Sending you all the love! <3 <3
Thank you so much, Marie!! You are so kind and I hope the new year treats you well and 2022 grants all of your wishes!