My January - February Goal List

Since moving stateside I've experience the turtle speed slowness that January and February have crept by at. These months have always been my favourite at home. It's hot (finally) and the pace of life crawls in a good way. Nights are spent outdoors and the days feel like they're never going to end. In contrast the northern hemisphere shares many of these same attributes, it's just not as appealing when the average temperature is below freezing and it's still snowing in February. Here's how I've been tacking my goals in the depths of the winter season.

Manuscript: The hardest part about starting again on my manuscript has been...starting. I knew I wanted to make a lot of changes to my first draft - big changes - I wanted to make my main character younger so it was a firmly YA story and the overall 'feeling' my first draft gave me felt like it was too heavy. My character is going through a lot of growing pains but I still wanted my book to feel optimistic and funny. I've edited 9,000 words this month and written a much more solid outline for the book, changing up scenes I no longer thought worked or were necessary. I'm enjoying this process much more than I did when I first wrote my draft.

Sustainable shopping: Overall I think I definitely need to scale back on the amount of clothing I buy  but I'm pleased to say that 90% of what I've bought this month has been second hand, However some things have crept into my cart just because they were cheap versus an actual need for them (which I never do when paying full price). I failed in early January by buying a pair of sweatpants and leggings from Old Navy as I really really needed some warm cosy pants that I could wear at home. I also bought a warm winter coat brand new but to be honest I don't regret this purchase as it's so warm and I didn't want to risk buying something that had already been worn to death.

Read more books: I'm five books into my reading goal of completing 30 books this year which is way ahead of schedule! So far I've read the latest book in The Diviners trilogy, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, The Underground Railroad by Coulson Whitehead, Into the Water by Paula Hawkins and The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock. I'll put up some brief reviews soon!

Career: I've talked a little bit about being interested in transitioning into UX design in the future. So far I've signed up for a few free introductory courses on the subject and have really enjoyed it. I'm still interested in applying some of what I've learnt into a more practical project though as even though I find the theory interesting I want to try applying what I've learnt in a real world way.

How are your goals going this year?

Things I've Learnt About My Writing Process

I've been a little bit absent on the blog this month due to the fact that I've been focusing on my work in progress! Last year I had a goal of getting a first draft of a novel off the ground but it never really took off due to procrastination. This year I've taken a slightly different approach to writing and I've found some tips and tricks that have really worked for me!

Planning, Planning, Planning!
Planning is an interesting one as I think how much you plan your novel varies from person to person. In general most writers are either planners or pantsers (where you make it up as you go along), but I've found a combination of the two works best for me. I need to know my characters goals and key events in the timeline but I don't like to restrict what happens too much as I find as I write, things can change and new ideas develop along the way.

Mini-word Goals
I decided to make life easier for myself by giving myself 2000 words per week goals. It's so much more manageable and takes the pressure off the 80,000 word finale that I'm aiming for by the end of the year. Writing a whole book seems like such a daunting task, but cutting it down into a few chapters a week suddenly becomes not only manageable but aspirational too.

Just Get Started
Oh lordy, how many times I have started and rewritten and jumped between my book ideas, deleting entire pages and giving up before I've even started. Just starting writing is all you have to do. You don't have to start with the first scene of the book, just write something down. I've also fallen into the trap of struggling to work out ever single finer details of the plot in the first draft but have since decided that's exactly what second drafts are for!

Act on Positivity
Writing is an incredibly emotionally draining hobby, in the best way possible. But, that also means that as writers we can be ecstatic with our work one minute and beat ourselves up the next. I think I actually understand the plight of the tormented writer since I've begun consistently writing this year. Acting on positivity means I like to start writing when I'm in a good mood so that the confident vibes are flowing. It also means I finish writing when I'm still feeling inspired and happy rather than completely at my wits end.

Take On All Of The Advice
I'll be the first to admit I am an amateur when it comes to creative and fiction writing but soaking up as much advice, finding what works for you as a writer and chucking out the rest is a great place to start. I've read lots of advice on planning and developing your book, some of it which works for me and some of which doesn't. One thing I've found really helpful is to have a really good idea of who your characters are. Answering simple questions about what they like, how they react to certain situations and what their goals are, are great ways of clarifying their personalities in your mind.

Are there any things you have learnt from starting a work in progress?

5 Reasons You Should Start A Blog in 2016

With a new year almost around the corner I’ve been thinking about all the good things that 2015 has brought with it for my online space and it lead me to thinking about why everyone should have a place for their creativity and uniqueness to shine. Here are my reasons why I think 2016 should be the year you start your blog (if you’re not already part of this cool club).

It’s a place for your creativity and uniqueness to shine. Well I kinda gave away this point in the intro but having your own blog or website might be the one and only place you ever have to be fully in creative control and your wonderful personality shine through. Even those of us who work in creative fields often spend our time bringing other people’s dreams to reality – products, businesses, services – but your blog can be 100% about what you and only you care about.

It’ll push you to learn. I think one of the biggest things I’ve missed since leaving my studying days behind me is the constant stream of new information entering my brain. Blogging in lots of ways has brought new skills to my fingertips and while sometimes it’s highly frustrating trying to figure out coding and editing and photographing on your own its also highly rewarding.

It will increase your confidence. When I published my first blog post I was so nervous about putting my words out onto the internet where the whole world could see them. But slowly over time I started to feel more comfortable about having a voice and putting it out for people to read. When a few months ago I had an idea that maybe I should film a video for my site it only took me a few moments to decide that it was a good idea. Just like that my confidence had grown without me really realising it!

It shows you have passion. If you are looking for a job in a certain area or dreaming of working one day in a different field, a blog is the perfect way to show you have passion. Employers love people who are passionate about what they do and blogging really is a hobby fuelled by this.

You never know where the future will take you. Opportunities on the internet are abound for people who want to go out and grab them. Now I'm not saying you should start a blog because you want to get internet famous but, if you do want to create wonderful beautiful things for other people you should absolutely start a blog as you may amass a few fans along the way! As long as what you are doing is with authenticity blogging is a great way to reach out to an audience and build your community up.

So, if you have always thought about taking the plunge online and starting your own space please, make 2016 the year you do. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Top Ten Tuesday: Quotes I Loved From Books I Read In The Past Year Or So

If you've read my blog for a while you will have maybe noticed I'm not usually one for meme's but, the Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday posts have really gotten me thinking. Today, I give you my top (almost ten, I think there's only eight) quotes from books I've read lately! I hope these give you a little insight into the feels of the books I've taken them from!

“You know your problem, Quentin? You keep expecting people not to be themselves. I mean, I could hate you for being massively unpunctual and for never being interested in anything other than Margo Roth Spiegelman, and for, like, never asking me about how it's going with my girlfriend - but I don't give a shit, man, because you're you.”
Paper Towns

“When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave. When my father left, people said I was brave. But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don't you do the same?”
All the Light We Cannot See

“Well, I suppose one ought not to employ a magician and then complain that he does not behave like other people.”
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

“Ha, no, that it’s always the wrong people who have the guilty conscience. Those who are really responsible for suffering in the world couldn’t care less. It’s the ones fighting for good who are consumed by remorse.”
The Girl in the Spiders’ Web

“Let's not forget The Things They Do To Make Themselves Happy That Actually Make Them Miserable. This is an infinite list. It includes - shopping, watching TV, taking the better job, getting the bigger house, writing a semi-autobiographical novel, educating their young, making their skin look mildly less old and harboring a vague desire to believe there might be a meaning to it all.”
The Humans

“Your mother and I do not approve of drinking. Have you not heard of the Eighteenth Amendment?”

“Prohibition? I drink to its health whenever I can.”
The Diviners 

"When I hear women talking about how their wedding is going to be/was the best day of their life, I can't help but think, 'You just haven't taken enough MDMA in a field at 3am, love."

How to Be a Woman

What I'm Reading On Bloglovin'

L-R Impression Blend, Coco Chic, Vivianna Does Makeup, The Londoner,
I Covet Thee, Wholefood Simply, Cider With Rosie

It's been about seven years since I first discovered blogging, firstly as a reader rather than a writer and in that time my tastes have certainly changed. While I used to be solely fashion-obsessed when it came to perusing the internet I've found over time my tastes have bounced back and forward between different topics but now I have a fairly broad range of subjects I like to read about. I've put together a little list of my favourite bloggers (and Youtubers) in case you're looking for a little inspiration.

Beauty
Two years ago a quick Google of 'drugstore beauty skincare' was all it took to get me hooked on beauty blogs and makeup in general. As someone who grew up pretty much a total tomboy with no such clue as to what and where and how to use most of these products I've certainly developed a bit of an obsession with affordable and high end skincare and makeup. British beauty girls seem to be my favourite for their clear skin, neutral eye looks and bold lippy shades.
My Favourites: Vivianna Does Makeup, Hello October, I Covet Thee

Books
I actually don't read a tonne of book blogs as I find a lot of content is very Young Adult based and I don't read a lot from this genre (despite my attempts). I also find I get a lot more inspiration for my own blog by reading from a wider variety of blogs than just those that focus on books but the bloggers I do follow always have great recommendations!
My Favourites: Impression Blend, Fiction Book Review, Feed Your Head, Books Beauty Amerie,

Healthy Eating
My boyfriend finds it amusing that whenever I'm on a healthy eating site it's because I want to bake something yummy and not for all the other equally nutritious recipes I could be whipping up for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have really missed baking every since I cut back on eating sugar and so many snack foods and healthy alternatives have really filled the gap. I've found that traditional baking is often too sweet for me now but since I love the act of baking this is a nice alternative.
My Favourites: Deliciously Ella, Madeline Shaw, Wholefood Simply

Lifestyle
I think lifestyle blogs are actually one of my favourite genre's to read but also the hardest to find that appeal to my tastes since nearly everything can be classified as 'lifestyle.' My favourites tend to have a little bit of everything from travel posts to coffee spots and festivals.
My Favourites: Cider With Rosie, The Londoner, From Roses

Fashion
Compared to a few years ago when my Bloglovin' feed was cluttered with only outfit posts, I'm fairly restrained in this department now. Too much lusting after clothes that half the time aren't appropriate for my lifestyle or climate had left me a little burnt out but there are still some bloggers that I love visiting frequently for a fashion fix. I'm still on the hunt for more Australian fashion bloggers that are more aimed at a mid range price market (otherwise a girl can go broke) so any suggestions are welcome!
My Favourites: Fleur de Force, Lily Melrose, Flip & Style, Coco Chic

I'd love to know what genres of blogs or Youtubers you love reading when you're not keeping up with book blogs? I'm always looking for new blogs, big or small, to delve into so leave any that you love that you think I might too down in the comments!

Do Book Reviews Matter?

Book blogging is a funny thing. I've found over the past 18 months that when it comes to writing actual book reviews they don't seem to do as well as when I just generally chat about book related things or do roundups of my favourite books or suggest my favourite authors. That's entirely okay. Mainly I post them because once I've read a book I do like to think about it afterwards and a book review seems like a good a place as ever to do this. (Plus I feel like as a book blogger it would be weird to never have them on my site). But, it does get me thinking from time to time - do book reviews really matter? Do they make you pick up a book, stop reading a book or avoid books altogether? Is all this talking about books and writing up reviews afterwards just a big fat waste of time?

I know for me as a user of Goodreads if I really want to find out what vast majority of people are thinking I can simply log on and see hundreds of book reviews which are a pretty good indication of whats good, bad and avoidable. And, I often use this method if I'm thinking about reading or buying a book that I haven't seen shouted about on any blogs.

But for the most part book blogs do have a wonderful role to play with their reviews. I think the beauty of a book review on a blog, as opposed to Goodreads, it really lets you get to know a blogger for their individual tastes. There are many blogs who I've been following for a while that every time they post a raving review I always want to add it to my reading list. Likewise if they think something is completely pants I'm going to take that opinion seriously too (although these usually fall into the borrow not buy reading category).

So while book reviews may, oddly, not be the most popular things to get people clicking I still find them incredibly useful for adding book recommendations to my bookshelf. What do you think about reading book reviews with sites like Goodreads available? Do you find them useful or a waste of time?

The New Book Trend: Bloggers and Book Deals

It's hard to ignore the latest trend in the publishing industry. Every month there seems to be a new blogger or Youtuber getting a book deal and since both blogging and books are kind of my jam I thought I would take a minute or two to pen some thoughts on what can be a divisive topic. I say divisive as there seems to be just as many people thinking this shouldn't be happening and rolling their eyes in disgust or armies of super fans that will be opening their pockets no matter what products their idols put out.

Personally I don't think bloggers or Youtubers getting book deals is either a good or bad thing. I can definitely see the benefits to publishing houses who are looking at new markets and many internet stars have just as much influence - if not more - than some celebrities. But I would be lying if I didn't roll my eyes or feel just a wee bit like this new trend can feel less like projects of passion and more like a quick way for publishers to make a buck when more and more books are hitting the market.

I guess when it comes down to it my only concern is with the integrity behind such books. I don't think we can paint every person who gets a book deal through their blogging or video influences with the same brush. There are many beauty bloggers who have released books that are unique to their tastes and have obviously been filled with love and hard work within each page. As someone who likes to spend her time writing things on the internet I can only imagine how exciting it must feel to be offered a project of your own from a publishing house. Who in their mind would turn down such an opportunity?

I guess I just worry that too much of a good thing cheapens what some people have worked quite hard to achieve you know? It makes sense to me that people who spend their time blogging and writing every day would want to put their words into a physical form. But there's also a part of me that doesn't want this to be a quick way for publishers to make money before abandoning anything future bloggers or Youtubers put out that might be worthy of attention because it's brilliant not just because they are popular.

When it comes down to it, I think the reasons for why and how bloggers and youtubers are putting out books is much more important than the fact that they are publishing books. If these works are coming from a place of integrity, creativity and passion for their project I'm totally on board. Oh, just don't abandon the very thing that your readers or viewers helped you get that book deal with though.

Books, Birthdays and Lifestyle Blogging

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It’s my birthday! Well kind of. One (ish, give or take a few days) year ago I wrote my very first blog post, a little roundup of all the new release books I was looking forward to reading (go check it out as most of them I have read and are actually, rather good.) which makes the end of June my first anniversary of blogging, woo! At the time I wasn’t even sure that I would even get to the one year mark but I’m so happy I have reached this mini milestone as blogging is something that has truly made me happy and given me a creative outlet that I never would have had otherwise. My blog isn’t something I really advertise to people I know but more of something to stumble upon if like minded people want to hang out in my neck of the interweb woods.

One year in I wanted to take stock of how far I have come and what plans I wanted to make for the following year. Although I am super happy with the content and layout (thank God for beautiful templates like Pipdig as my own fumbling attempts at design and code often had me want to punch my laptop square in the face on many occasions which would have only resulted in sore knuckles for me) yet Sundays and Ink isn’t quite the blog I envisioned when I first started. Originally I had thought of being more of a book and lifestyle blog but along the way I’ve really given a lot of time and effort to getting back into books in a massive way and not much lifestyle content has made its way onto these pages.

So for the next year I am hoping to up the amount of beauty, lifestyle and foody-type posts to sit alongside my booky ones. I love the book blogging community and am really excited to be adding different elements into my blog as I first envisioned. I may even throw in some more personal Travel posts if I’m feeling super up to sharing photos of myself…hmmm, well see on that one, no bikini shots or anything.

Anyway I think the awesome thing about this change is that I still have a list as long as my arm of book, author and reading recommendations so if anything the changes in content should result in bigger, better and more badass stuff to read about! At the minute I have a billion thoughts on music, fashion and beauty that I really want to share but do rest assured my blog will still be filled to the brim with lots of books.

Apart from books what areas do you love reading about the blogs you follow?

How to Get Out of a Reading Rut

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Last year, before I had even started my blog I went through a bit of a reading rut. I was still reading books but it seemed like everything I picked up was uninspiring and I was losing interest merely chapters into any given book. For someone who loathes to leave books unfinished, I was barely giving them enough time to grab my attention before I would get bored and want to abandom them. So, in the course that I go through a lacklustre spell like this again, I've put together a few thoughts on how to get out of a reading rut.

Give yourself a break. Obviously if you have a book blog, a reading rut can effect more than just what you read (which is why it's always good to have some other topics to chat about). But I really think taking a break is the best thing. We read because we enjoy it and the day that it becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable past time is the day you should take up another hobby. Not forever of course but if you need a week or two off you may just find your interest returning.

Switch it up. I've burnt myself out before by reading too many similar books. I think I went through a period of reading lots of historical fiction set in post-WW1 Britain while at the same time watching Downton Abbey and everything started to resemble one another. Switch things up by going for a genre you wouldn't usually pick or...

Re-read an old favourite. Sometimes if I read a few books in a row that I haven't really enjoyed it's nice to revisit a well-loved book in my collection. And if I'm feeling uninspired and lazy reading a favourite is a sure fire way that I know I'm going to enjoy the book plus I don't have to work too hard.

Question your attention span. We live in a world of shortening attention spans. Spending time on social media, reading short and sweet blog posts and web articles all contribute. Less time spent on devices can greatly help me get back into reading as I find my mind isn't wandering off after 140 characters or wondering if something more exciting is happening without me. 

Try an audio-book. It's like reading but you don't even have to open your eyes! What could be better?

Do you have any great suggestions for getting out of a reading rut?

Blogging Cliches I'm Totally Guilty Of

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I've been reading blogs for a loooong time (almost eight years now) and since become a blogger myself there are some traits and habits I've definitly picked up on from reading and writing. I like to think these are habits I've picked up because of my love for the medium!

Candle hoarding. I blame beauty and lifestyle blogs for this one! There is just something so luxe about having a beautiful candle burning away in the background and to be honest, candles weren't something I ever bought or were really into before I read blogs. Now, one of my first ever posts was me professing my love for the amazing Glasshouse candles.

Being obsessed with beuaty-blogger recommendations. I've only been a recent convert to beauty blogs after getting sick of spending money on higher-end makeup. Now every time I see new products raved about I'm ready to make a beeline to my nearest pharmacy/department store/online beauty outlet for all of the blushers/lipsticks/primers I probably don't need.

Being 'obsessed' with things. Why is everyone in the blogging world always 'obsessed' with everything? I don't know why but I am too. It's fast replaced any other word to describe liking things in general. You could say I'm obsessed (ha.) Someone buy me a thesaurus.

Taking photos before you can use things. That makeup you just bought, that cake you just baked, that mint condition book that just got brought home. Nothing can be used until I've photographed it 50 times in ten different locations.

Wanting all of the cool-girl blogger things. I know I don't need them but if someone were to give me a Canon 600D, a Macbook and deck my (non-existant) home office out in white with accents of gold I wouldn't be stopping them. Just saying'.

Book Related Pet Peeves

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For the most part I'm a pretty happy chappy when it comes to book blogging, but today I'm going all Peter Griffin on you and sharing the things that really grind my gears (in a totally first-world problems kinda way). In my ideal book world none of these would ever happen:

Over-use of adjectives. I can't stand to read books that stuff as many overly discriptive words into each sentence and then proceed to repeat these discriptions each paragraph. If you told me the description in one sentence you don't need to describe it again...and again...and again.

Lending a mint looking book that comes back...faded, bent, like some small child has smeared things throughout it. I'm all for having well loved and well read-looking books but if it's only been read once  please don't return it looking like it's been waved about in a small hurricane. I'm too polite to tell this to you in person, but just know I will be disappointed.

Book reviews that hate on the writer. Guess what? Writers aren't their characters! Meaning that when you hate their book because you hate what their character has done they probably don't want to receive your email smarting them over being whatever you think they are but probably aren't.

Sequals/trilogies/series that haven't been clearly thought out. You know the ones? You read the first book and love it. Then the author clearly gets given a bit of cash and a contract to keep dragging whatsername and whatchamacallit through every event/historical happening of the time until you actually do feel like writing them an email telling them 'you've flogged a dead horse, it's time to let it go.'

Movie version book covers. Most book covers are pretty generic anyway in order to target their audiences easily but enough of the 'floating heads' movie versions please!

You Can Hate The Character But Love The Book

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I wanted to talk a little bit about what I see on book reviews all the time on Goodreads and it's something that I think is potentially making people miss out on reading books (through reading these reviews) or not enjoy reading a book (for potentially the wrong reasons). And that is this: You don't have to agree with a character to enjoy reading a book. Or to put it another way: just because you don't like the main character doesn't mean the book in question was bad.

And the thing is, I'm guilty of doing this as well. You know what happens - you read a book, identify with a character and then they start spouting opinions or showing character traits that you just don't like. Maybe we were championing for them or saw a little bit of ourselves in their personality, and all of a sudden our like and relatability for that character goes out the window.

The other day I was reading some reviews for a book I was potentially interested in and couldn't help but notice how almost all of the 1 or 2 star reviews mentioned that the main character had issues with her self-esteem. Many had commented that this was a problem and had obviously rated the book lower because of it. And it got me thinking about why? I see this a lot with books where a good character does something that upsets our moral compass and people write off the whole book because they can't relate or are so enraged that they are not the person we thought they should be.

I understand the need to have a connection with a character - but in order to be realistic they also need to have flaws, do morally questionable things or make mistakes and try and fix them. After all what is the point in reading about people who are perfect when none of us as readers are? (I'd like to point out that I am talking about flawed characters here and not bad writing or badly conceived characters.)

Thinking about this reminds me of when I read The Kite Runner for the first time and I was so enraged by the cowardice of the main character that I was convinced it was the worst book I'd ever read. After I'd calmed down a little I realised that the only reason I'd had such a massive (and angry) reaction for a book was because I was so invested in the story and was hoping it would turn out the way I wanted and not the way the author had written it.

Of course there will always be books that have terribly written characters, that are unbelievable or their actions don't make a lot of sense with the way the author has presented them. But, I think it's important to keep in mind that a character without flaws probably isn't a very good one.

I'd love to know what you think about this. Does your dislike for a flawed character in a good book ever stop you from enjoying the story?

Excuses That Can Hold You Back From Blogging

If there is one thing I regret about blogging it would be that I didn't start doing it sooner. Today I wanted to address some of the silly excuses that I left myself be held back by from starting my own blog. If you are familiar with any of these than you know what it is like to have self doubt about starting something scary and new. If any of these excuses are holding you back, don't let them!

You are not an expert. I think the main reason I put off starting my blog was that I'm not an expert on writing about books or doing book reviews. I would see other book bloggers who would consume books within a day or two and worry that I didn't read enough to be a good book blogger. But I realised that some of my favourite bloggers aren't experts in their fields either, rather just normal people with a passion for sharing what they do know. The most important thing is that you do have an opinion on a subject. Chances are there will always be other people in the world that like and share your view on things even if its a beginners or novice view.

I don't know where to begin. Well I can't blame you for this one as in the beginning it does take a bit of time and effort in starting up a blog. I did a couple months worth of research and planning and tweaking of my blog before publishing my first post. An awesome blog I got a lot of practical advice from is Wonder Forest. Just Google anything you don't know how to do. There is bound to be a tutorial out there that can help.

My equipment isn't fancy. I would say the only things you really need to blog are a computer and a camera. They don't have to be fancy MacBooks or the best DSLR's when you first start. I blog using my iPad and my boyfriend's tough camera. Yes, it's not ideal and doesn't take the best photos in the world but I'm loathe to invest in an expensive camera before I could prove to myself that I wanted to blog for the long term. Natural lighting and a nice background or creatively posed photo can go a long way to making a great photo.

People will judge me. I read a great quote from JennyPurr's blog the other day which was 'You will be judged or you will be ignored.' Such is the nature of the internet. However, the vast majority of people reading blogs do so because they enjoy reading and sharing fabulous content. Don't let other people's opinions hold you back from doing something that could potentially be super awesome!

So, in short if you're not a blogger and want to blog what is stopping you? If you are a blogger did you have any excuses holding you back from beginning?