List at least five things you do to support and spread a love of the written word, then tag five people. (If you list something that touches youngsters, you get a bonus letter!)
1. Going straight for the bonus points, I read with my eight year old, I buy books with her, I encourage her to read and write. Her enthusiasm for stories is one of the chief pleasures in my life.
2. I'm part of an online writing forum that sets challenges, comments on other people's work and generally sparks off wonderful adventures in writing.
3. I review collections of short stories for The Short Review, and for The Ultimate Book Guides (more bonus points as these are aimed at children).
4. I write with a buddy, swap story recommendations, blog about my experiences in publishing, read stories at Every Day Fiction and elsewhere, commenting and encouraging wherever I can (and learning from this process ways in which to improve my own writing).
5. This one's a bit daft. I leave books in the canteen at work, and sometimes on trains. Paperbacks I've finished and enjoyed but not enough to keep as my bookshelves are over-flowing. I once discovered a new author this way, picking up a stray paperback from the top of a filing cabinet at work (and returning it afterwards).
6. I gift anthologies to fund-raising events and friends and family around the globe.
I tag Gay Degani, Kevin Shamel, KC Ball, Nik Perring and Women Rule Writer, because I know every one of them can tick off this list with what they do to spread the word.
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5 comments:
Nice one, Sarah, 6 worthy things indeed, and child-related bonus points. I love that you leave books around, great idea!
Full marks Sarah! And I don't think leaving books for people's daft - I've done that before.
And I consider myself tagged!
Nik
I'll fulfill my tag info here if that's OK, Sarah?
1. I read to my 6 year old son every night, even from books that I hate such as Horrid Henry. Horrid indeed...I did the same for my 15 year old, who can thankfully now read by himself.
2. I set up a peer group of accomplished writers in Jan and we meet once a month to workshop, swap info etc.
3. I review books for The Short Review, Stinging Fly etc.
4. I have a writing blog where I put comp info, reviews, lit fest info etc.
5. I ran 2 book groups - one in a bookshop, one in a library, and I'm in the process of helping to set up another. In a pub!
6. I buy gazillions of books and lit mags!!!
Hi WRW, I sympathise with the Horrid Henry reading - I disliked it too but he's a firm fave with the little ones, isn't he? Have you tried your six year old with Mr Gum? I really enjoyed reading those to Milly at around that age, and she loved them too.
Thanks, Nik and Tania.
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