5 Spring Cleaning Activities for Readers & Writers
Hello to our favorite readers and fellow writers! We currently have another blog in the works to continue our self-publishing series, but in the meantime, we wanted to take a little break and wish everyone a “Happy Spring!” While spring’s official start was a few weeks ago, we’re finally starting to see milder temperatures here in the Northeast. Which brings us to today’s blog topic… Spring cleaning!
If you live in a region that experiences significant seasonal shifts (i.e., New Jersey, where it can jump from 30 to 70 degrees – sometimes in a matter of days!), there may be a few things you do to prepare for spring’s arrival. For Jess, it means switching the sweaters out for sundresses and shorts; for Kurt, it’s all about stowing away the ice fishing supplies and freshening up the rods, reels, and other freshwater fishing instruments.
But there are a few other tasks on our spring to-do list specifically concerning two of our favorite pastimes: reading and writing. Here’s a list of some spring cleaning activities readers and writers can do to refresh:
Give New Life to Old Books If you're like us, you probably have dozens of books you've already read lying around. While it never hurts to hold onto some of your favorites, there's something that one of Jess's English teachers once said to her that really stuck: books weren't meant to stay on shelves. Were certainly guilty of filling our shelves with our most-loved titles, but cleaning out every so often is a great way to give some old books new homes. (Not to mention the fact that you'll make room for some new purchases!) If you don't have any reader friends, inquire with your local library to see if they're accepting donations or if there are any upcoming book sales.
Revise Your To-Read List Not that you ever needed an excuse to buy more books but with all that extra shelf space, you're going to need to beef up your to-read pile! Avid readers almost always have an extensive to-read list from which they can pull, but why not take a peek at your Goodreads recommendations to see if there's a new author or title you may not have considered otherwise? There's nothing more exciting than falling love with a book that surprises you because its outside your favorite genre. While Jess has always been a fan of mystery, shes recently taken a break and has been building up a true crime to-read list. What books do you plan to read next?
Clean Up Your Word Docs We cant tell you how many versions of our sci-fi novels we have stored on our computer. If you're a writer (and even if you aren't), your documents folder could probably benefit from a thorough cleaning. Of course, that's only if you're antiquated like us and haven't yet upgraded to cloud storage!
Revisit That Manuscript Speaking of old word docs, warmer temperatures and longer days do wonders for creativity and inspiration. If there's an old file you've been avoiding for some time now because the mood hasn't struck you, open it now. Consider this your sign! Even the most talented authors in the world need a kick in the butt to get writing sometimes. Its safe to say that if writers only wrote when they felt like it, there would be very few books in the world. If you need a little more inspiration, consult our self-publishing blog series to read all about how you can transform that word doc into a real paperback that you can hold in your hands.
Set New Goals Whether its to read more or to publish your first novel, readers and writers alike can cultivate better experiences with their craft or hobby by setting new goals. Join a reading club, set a weekly word count goal, or simply promise to build a summer reading list by the time Memorial Day rolls around. After all, there are 129,864,880 books in the world and only 25,915 days in the average lifespan. You probably have work goals and bucket lists, but don't forget to fill those days with some of your favorite hobbies, too!
Let us know what you’re reading or working on! Check in with us on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t forget to keep an eye out on Goodreads for a future sci-fi series giveaway!
