Off Tangent Thoughts… while writing book reviews
Good morning bookworms!
Sorry I’m late!! I spent all day yesterday finishing the secret beta read, and messaging with the authors, and stayed up way too late! Then this morning I slept in, and woke up in time to watch NY Excelsior (my babies – yes, I picked them because Gansey’s catchphrase is ‘Excelsior’) get beaten by Vancouver in the Overwatch League stage 2 semi-finals and now I am so sad! ??
So today we are doing something slightly different. Charvi @ Not Just Fiction has started a series called Off Tangent Thoughts (OTT), and this fortnight’s topic is thoughts I have while writing book reviews.
… and I’m apologising in advance for the unfiltered rubbish you are about to read… This is basically my life, whether it’s book reviews, tags, challenges, etc. Also occasionally work stuff when I work from home (but without the Netflix/YouTube line)…
- Yes, book reviews… must write one (or two) for this week
- Maybe I’ll just check my notifications first
- Oooh, must reply to comments
- OK! Now to start!
- Have I done my banner? No? OK
- *opens iStudio to make banner*
- Ahh, I don’t have a picture of the book cover!
- *opens Goodreads…*
- *gets distracted and spends 2 hours catching up on Goodreads…*
- What was I doing again? Oh yeah…
- *opens browser to WordPress and opens new blog post*
- *copies standard Book Review intro formatting from Notes to post*
- *starts to update links – clicks on book depository for book link*
- Oooh, new books!!
- *gets distracted adding books to wishlist*
- HUSBAND! I need more books.
- *husband looks dubious* No you don’t.
- Shhhhh…. just one!
- *husband frowns* aren’t you writing a book review?
- Oh yeah! *wanders back to computer*
- *stares at screen*
- *waddles off to kitchen to make a cup of tea*
- *comes back to cat sitting on chair*
- *makes shooing motion at cat*
- *cat ignores hooman*
- *pushes cat (gently) off chair*
- *cat jumps on desk and sits on keyboard instead*
- *growls at cat*
- *cat purrs and headbutts hooman*
- Nawwwwww!!!
- *allows cat to sit in lap, but now can’t reach keyboard*
- *sets up Netflix/Youtube instead*
- *several hours go by*
- *cat wanders off to find other hooman/food*
- HUSBAND! I’m hungry.
- *husband ignores wife*
- *goes gets snack/leftovers from fridge/cupboard*
- *makes another tea*
- *comes back to computer and writes random thoughts, probably unrelated to book*
- Where are my prompts?
- *copies prompts from Notes to blog post*
- Why do I have so many Notes? I should consolidate.
- *does not consolidate*
- *checks Discord*
- ?birb
- *clicks back on blog post*
- *uploads banner, checks links, edits post into some semblance of order*
- *checks multiple spreadsheets to mark off beat-the-backlist, monthly wrap-up and if said what rating was on Goodreads/WWW Wednesday/spreadsheet/last month’s wrap-up*
- *finds 4 different ratings*
- *sighs*
- *cat takes sigh as invitation and jumps onto keyboard again, deleting several paragraphs at once*
- ARGHHHHHH!!!!
- *puts cat on ground*
- CATS DON’T LIVE ON DESKS!!
- *cat stares and then starts bathing*
- *rewrites book review (with prompts this time)*
- What was that character’s name again?
- *flicks through book*
- *gets distracted rereading parts of book*
- *finally finds obscure tertiary character’s names and remembers was writing book review*
- *briefly reads over what has written and edits for spelling errors*
- *schedules post and never looks at it again*
Wow… actually writing this out kind of hurts my soul a little (also, have yelled at cat twice already this morning). Why aren’t we better at these things?! ??
Until next time, ?birb
30 Comments
lilisblissfulpages
LOL, I can just copy paste this if ever I make a similar post. haha. And oh you’re beta reading. I beta read too for my fellow/friend writers.
Meeghan reads
I LOOOOVE beta reading. But I have to put a disclaimer on our relationship if it’s for friends because I like to give constructive feedback. Like “this feedback in no way changes how I feel about you as a person, and I really hope you take all of my comments with love and care, because that’s how I write them” ?
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
??? This is amazing. I relate WAAAAY too well to these thoughts!
Meeghan reads
It’s scary!!!! Why does it take me so long to do anything?! ? (I mean, I’m comment checking now and supposed to be writing a blog post – so it’s all true!!!)
Christopher | Plucked from the Stacks
Ha! Love this. I’ve read so many comments from reviewers talking about how they knock reviews out in fifteen minutes. That just doesn’t work for me … too many distractions!
Meeghan reads
It’s so unrealistic!! So far today I’ve written 2.5 posts and it has taken me about 6 hours to do that ?
Ms Stephani Michelle
??? This is sooooo me. Xx
Meeghan reads
Your kitties would love snuggles while you’re typing too, I bet!!
Ms Stephani Michelle
Fred always sits on my keyboard. I have to have a decoy book when I’m reading, as one of them will sit on it x
Meeghan reads
Oooh, maybe I need a decoy keyboard!! I have a decoy chair now, but they will only sit on it if I put the cushion / blanket on it. ?
Ms Stephani Michelle
?
bookbeachbunny
Yeah this would be the same in my brain! 🙂
Meeghan reads
Hahaha, I’m glad so many people understand my “process” ?
Charvi
Oh my god Meghan, I love your post ? It made me grin so hard! Hah writing can be tough but I think with pets it gets x100 times more difficult ?
Meeghan reads
Thanks Charvi!! I’m really looking forward to doing this once a fortnight!! ?
Kayla @ Books and Blends
I love this post so much! So relateable!
Meeghan reads
Thanks Kayla!! I wish I could be one of those people who smash out Book reviews, but it just doesn’t happen!! ?
Kayla @ Books and Blends
Same here! It might seem like I do that, but I just space out my reviews lol!!
madhatterreadskarachi
Omg, this is so relatable! ?
Meeghan reads
?? thank you!!
Megan @ Ginger Mom and Company
Hilarious!! I am super intrigued by all these pre-formatted things you copy in. Can you tell me more?? Reviews take me sooooo long!
Meeghan reads
Absolutely!! I might even make a whole post of it ?
journeyintobooks
Great post, this was so fun to read and I completely relate it takes me forever to write book reviews as I’m constantly getting distracted by other things 🙂
Meeghan reads
If only it were a simple process!!
Kristina
Ahahaha this is hilarious ?
I love how you get distracted so many times and fight with the kitty aahah, and nice birb picture- I love it !
I don’t fight as much with the weeins, but oh boy Sheik does that so often too. She’s 18pounds and muscular, randomly putting her paws up my breasts and shoving her head and neck in my face xD Which, making me not see a THING as she’s so big and take all my eye-range aha
Meeghan reads
Pets are the greatest!! ??
Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
Ahahaha SPOT ON. It amazes me how I manage to do anything when I’m so easily distracted by EVERYTHING. And as a Vancouverite (and a Canadian), SORRY ?. I didn’t know you’re into Overwatch!!
Meeghan reads
Vancouver is SLAYING my babies. Every single time. ?? When the meta changes back we’ll get Pine and Saebyeolbe back on stage though ?
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