In order to help me reflect as a blogger, I’ve been thinking a lot about adopting monthly reviews. I’ve seen other bloggers pull off the feature effectively. I feel like it’s a good step towards regularity–it’s a way to look back on my blogging habits and find ways of improving. It’s also a good way to help me position myself in life. By reflecting on where I’ve been, I can figure out where I’m going. Which is one of my primary reasons for blogging.
Each month, I plan on discussing three primary subjects: Blogging, Books, and Life. At the end of each post, I hope to make some kind of goal for the next month. So, here we go…
I. Blogging
Regarding posting, August was a decent month. My registration for Writing 101 must not have processed, because I never recieved any emails. Instead of making inquiries, I shrugged it off and went on with life. I’ve registered for the class this next month instead. Hopefully, September will bring a new wave of inspiration.
One thing I’m still terrible at is engaging with other bloggers. I follow many sites that I really enjoy, but only comment on a few of them. I’ve always been a fairly reserved person in the company of strangers and acquaintances–if I don’t have something to say that contributes something substantial, I usually opt for silence. This inclination doesn’t do me many favors regarding getting to know the WordPress community. Hopefully, this month’s Blogging University class will help push me in a more chatty direction.
Something I’m incredibly proud of is that I managed to publish regular On the Shelf reviews! Over the past few weeks, I covered Fairest by Marissa Meyer, The Silmarillion by Tolkien, and Wildlife by Fiona Wood. I worked hard to pour thought and substance into these posts–something I hope to continue into next month.
I also started participating in the weekly #WeekedCoffeeShare feature sponsored by Part Time Monster. These are fun ways to chat about life and generate conversation. I posted one yesterday about my trip to the Minnesota State Fair and a wedding I attended this past weekend, so definitely check that out.
Slowly, I’m becoming a more organized blogger. Instead of relying purely on inspired, spur-of-the-moment posts, I’ve been planning ahead, drafting, and keeping a notebook. I’m reworking my posting schedule for the next few months, which will help me produce the content I want at a pace that will work well with my schedule. But more on that tomorrow!
II. Books
Some things never change… like my reading habits. Here are some of the titles I’ve delved into over the past month:
Sense & Sensibility, Emma, and Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, The Silmarilion by J.R.R. Tolkien, Fairest by Marissa Meyer, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, and the Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Several of these, such as the Austen novels, were consumed via audiobook. The rest I read in physical copies.
III. Life
A lot of good things happened this month. I attended the Global Leadership Summit, a two day conference where some of the world’s best leaders share their wisdom, with my family. Unexpectedly, I got to see my Austrian friends again before they flew back to Europe. My older brother and I saw Brandi Carlile live in Minneapolis, which I posted about. My mom and I took a short vacation on the North Shore of Lake Superior. We spent some relaxing days wandering the town of Grand Marais and hiking to waterfalls.
I also started attending a Bible study for twenty-somethings in my community. It’s been a challenging summer for my faith. For the first time in years, I’m not surrounded by a group of Christians to grow and learn with. It’s still a bit awkward attending The Calling (that’s the name of the Bible study) since I don’t know anyone well, but with time, I hope to forge friendships.
For the first time in sixteen years, I didn’t go back to school. I thought this was going to be weird. I thought I’d get sad and miss it. My heart still flutters when I pass the school supply section at Target, but I think that’s just because I have a deep love of office products. I know that in time, I’ll miss classroom learning, assigned reading, and paper writing because I’m a nerd like that. I’ll definitely miss the thrill of academia and being surrounded by intelligent people who think critically about the world. Right now, though, I’m still glorying in the freedom of reading whatever I want. I really enjoy working during the day and not having to deal with assignments and deadlines.
September blogging goals:
- Stick to my revamped posting schedule
- Participate in Blogging University’s Writing 101 challenge
- Follow at least five new blogs
- Comment on at least three new blogs
How was your August?
Brandi Carlile in August
Hiking on the North Shore
With my Austrian friends