It's the first Wednesday of the month, so it's time for The Insecure Writers! The IWSG is an online group created by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers. You, too, can join us anytime!Can you believe it's already February?!
I can, because in the past week we hit a record for the most snowfall in a seven day period in Boston, ever. We've gotten over THREE DAMN FEET of snow in the past week. If you've ever lived in a city, particularly one with old, narrow cow-paths for streets, you know that means there is just nowhere to put it.
So, while I dig myself out, I'll leave you with this fantastic website I just discovered. You know when you finish a really, really good book, and you feel a terrible sense of loss, because not only do you have to say goodbye to the characters you cheered for and loved, but you are now facing a gaping chasm of no-new-book-will-ever-match-this nothingness? And then you feel utterly insecure and afraid that you'll never be a good enough writer, because you won't have any inspiration to read? (See how I just tied that in to IWSG? Genius, right?)
Yeah. I hate that.
SO, now there's a site to reach in and grab you by the jacket and lift you out of that chasm. It's called, appropriately, What Should I Read Next? You just plug in the title of the book, author, or ISBN number, and the site will turn out a list of books you might like to read next.
So go, enjoy it! And I'll see you on the other side of this snow bank...
We only had about ten inches of snow in Detroit, so I'm feeling insecure with respect to Boston.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, reading great books and wondering if I could ever do anything as great as that myself leaves me insecure at times too.
My kids are so jealous of your snow. Every big storm that has been predicted for us has gone around us. We're supposed to get 3" (inches, not damned feet, LOL) and if it's a miss, I believe they might punch a weather man.
ReplyDeleteThat book hang over feeling is so bittersweet. I read an Anne Tyler book a few weeks ago and I just had to sigh and admit- the lady has a gift. I will just admire her for the genius she is and go write some crap.
My kids are so jealous of your snow. Every big storm that has been predicted for us has gone around us. We're supposed to get 3" (inches, not damned feet, LOL) and if it's a miss, I believe they might punch a weather man.
ReplyDeleteThat book hang over feeling is so bittersweet. I read an Anne Tyler book a few weeks ago and I just had to sigh and admit- the lady has a gift. I will just admire her for the genius she is and go write some crap.
We moved from Boston to California three years ago, and right now I am just SO HAPPY I'm not still in Boston. Sorry, I'm not trying to rub it in, but snow always gave me panic attacks, and I can't even imagine what that much snow would do to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link! I'm totally like that about books. Sometimes I go to Amazon or Goodreads to see what other titles people liked, but this is even better.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know what you mean about other books making you insecure, although at times I think, "This got published?"
well I've never seen snow in my life...and that is all I can add on the subject. But yea, I get the book reading thing, sometimes I think I'm utter useless, how in hell am I ever going to match Harry Potter or The Hunger Games? or Darn David Mitchell or the mighty Kazu Ishiguro? Crazy I know! but I always snap out of it, I need to write my own stories because I love them very much.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun. I tried it. AND I put in a book it didn't know and it said.. humm, we better look into this and add it to the database!
ReplyDeleteCool.
*gasp* How can I trust it if my books aren't listed? :)
ReplyDeleteI don't envy your snow. I wish you luck in digging yourself out!
I've heard of that site. My daughter sent me pictures from BU. The piles of snow along the sidewalks are way over her head.
ReplyDeleteWe've had about a millimetre of snow so far. I'm happy with that. I'm becoming someone who really dislikes snow, and winter!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the snow terrible?? They're running out of places to put it...I've never heard of that website but it sounds awesome! I do kind of need to go through the books I've already bought, though...
ReplyDeleteFebruary IWSG Co-host
Oh yes! I have the feeling all the time! Especially when I finish a trilogy/series. Thanks for telling us about this site. I'll be checking it out. :)
ReplyDeleteJust what I need! More books to read.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to have snow, but not that much. Of course, I wouldn't have to go to work, so that would be a plus.
My problem up until recently had been not being able to find a book I haven't read before that just hits me in the right spots with the emotion and tension in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI had a snow day on Monday and did not get the snow you got but I was in gleeful childhood delight. My hubby tore a strip off the snow plow guy because he plowed in what my hubby had accomplished. You must be just fanning your fingers in utter delight to figure out which book you will read next. It is so fun to just pick one
ReplyDeleteDang Liz, that's a lot of snow! Thanks for the link to the website. I'll check it out.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Checked out the website. Now I can cheat at the bookstore when customers ask what book to read next. Ha!
ReplyDeleteYeah, totally going to check that out. I read two awesome books last month, and my current book is good but just not hitting the same heights. Thanks. ^_^
ReplyDeleteyou got more than us--they predicted catastrophic storm and unseen amounts of snow and I swear it was barely a foot! oh well! I love snow lol
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for the info, Liz. I'm going to favorite it!
ReplyDeleteAlthough we didn't get three feet of snow here in north Jersey, we got a good amount. I'm looking out of the window as we speak and there is even more snow coming down. I am so over the weather! If I could, I would spend January and February in Costa Rica, lol
Oh my gosh I can't even imagine that much snow. Hope it is done! Love the website. I've had that feeling so many times. I always say I will just re-read the book but that is never the same.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I like it. I'm going to have to try that website out!
ReplyDeleteI never had to deal with that kind of weather. I'd probably bury myself under a pile of blankets until spring. And thanks for the website link. Definitely going to try it out.
ReplyDeleteYou could put some of that snow here in Northern CA. I read series books, and when I finish the entire series, I suffer that sense of loss. Like having friends move too far away to visit.
ReplyDeleteEvil genius caliber! Thanks for the tip, I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI hope you dig out of the snow bank soon! PA is more cold than snowy right now. Though there is that too.
I know exactly how that feels . . . and then I re-read the series. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link and best wishes with digging out!
I want snow! Living in a tropical country, FB photos make me mad because we don't get snow!
ReplyDeleteI see there are some pictures of your snow above. Will check those out next---and feel happy that mine's all melting.
ReplyDeletePlease report back to us on how well that site does for you in picking your next book!
We made history. Cool. And that was EIGHT DAYS AGO. O_o Thanks for the "What Should I Read Next?" link!
ReplyDelete