Did you know you could get book blogger’s block?

When I first started blogging about books, I wasn’t familiar with the term ‘book blogger.’ But that was in 2011 or so. Fast forward a decade (wow! All that time has passed!) and I’m a book blogger with an oversized and highly-unlikely-to-finish reading list.

But come 2021 and something rather odd happened to me.

I enjoyed reading books but I just couldn’t sit down and write the reviews. I know my book reviews are detailed. I like to cover many aspects of a book to give it a fair rating and to tell readers what I liked and disliked about a book.

Read: 8 Ways to Write Powerful Book Reviews

I also know that it takes me a while to sift through my notes and write the review. Recently, I’ve added a small task of creating a couple of images on Canva to go with the review.

I’ve gotten faster at this. But still the whole process of writing the review, adding images, uploading both, and ensuring the fonts are the same throughout… all of this takes at least 2 hours. Sometimes longer with non-fiction books.

But…

But last year, I just couldn’t sit down and write. As a poet and writer, I know what writer’s block is. But book blogger’s block? What was that? Did you know you could get book blogger’s block? Did I know that?!

What is book blogger’s block?

Put simply, book blogger’s block is when you are unable to get your words and thoughts about a book on to a page. It’s a lot like writer’s block, but unlike it, book blogger’s block doesn’t need a ton of inspiration.

You write your notes about a certain book – whether as sticky notes or e-notes if you’re using a e-reader like a Kindle or Nook, and then you compile them into something intelligible.

But even with writing a review that involves some copying here and there, it turns out you can get put off or blocked too.

Image via Pexels

There’s another case of book blogger’s block where you’re not in the mood to read books – especially those that land in your inbox as review requests.

Sometimes you want to get back to your own books, the ones collecting dust on the shelves. And sometimes you’re in the mood for binge-watching Netflix or any other streamer’s series. And sometimes life just gets too much and you can’t do anything.

That’s what book blogger’s block is. At least, that’s my personal definition of it. I’d like to hear what other book bloggers have to say.

My book blogger’s block in 2021  

So for the most part, I barely published any reviews – or writing for that matter – in 2021. I didn’t publish a single post between June and December 2021. 

I only started posting reviews again in 2022. Though I was shocked that all that time had passed and I was unaware of my delayed posting.

I do know that one of the reasons I haven’t been able to write reviews as before is that I’d been too focused on my freelance writing business. Which is a good thing because now I have name – more-or-less – in the B2B copywriting sphere.

But at the same time, all my work is about researching and writing. So with book reviews, there’s even more writing. And my reviews are long. I’ve tried to trim them but I’ve not gotten there just yet.

 

Have you experience book bloggers’ block before? Do you have a different definition you’d like to share (and I’d love to add it).

Nadaness In Motion's 2021 TBR List – Lots to Read!

Where do I begin with a new reading list?

I've held back from buying books for almost 2 years but started buying again between October and December 2020.

I'm planning – and I stress "planning" – to read more print books so that when people visit my library I don't have to say "I haven't read this or this or this!"

That said, I love to explore new books, series, and of course meet new authors. So book blogging will remain a part of me.

I have been gradually overcoming my fear of reading self-help books and will continue to do that in 2021 and years to come.

For the 2021 TBR list, there will be some Arabic books in there as well and of course whatever my book club decides on will be shown directly on Goodreads.

I had a 2020 TBR list post as well, and I read some of the books on it but naturally I got sidetracked – I mean what bookworm doesn’t?! :D

First, there are the books I haven't read from 2020 (Oops!). I'm halfway through several books to including Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, plus a few books from the 2020 list are going to be pushed to this year.

Overall, I'd LIKE to read 30 books this year and increase them as I go.

 

So, let's get on to the reading list. I'm dividing it into Non-Fiction, Fiction, and Poetry books.

Would love to hear about books on my list you've read or are planning to read.

(Note: I'll be updating this post with links to the book reviews written)

 

First: Non-Fiction Books

Mark Manson Book 2 :D

The last book I finished reading in 2020 was The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. I'd already bought book 2 by Manson which is – brace for it – Everything Is F*cked! (Oops!)

I'm not going to start the year with it but I definitely plan to read it in 2021 – and probably be done with Manson once and for all.

Currently working on my book review of The Subtle Art.

 

Al Khoroog 'An El Nas by Dr. Mohamed Taha (Loosely translated to Leaving the Mold)

(الخروج عن النص)

This book is a short psychology book, written in colloquial Egyptian Arabic. I'd heard good things about it.

Its author Dr. Mohamed Taha is a psychiatrist and this book has short chapters so I'm looking forward to it. I even bought a second copy and gifted it to a friend.

 

The One-Page Marketing Plan by Alan Dib

I already started this in late 2020 but I'm only 10% done so it's definitely a book I want to finish and learn from this year.

As you can see, the book title is super attractive. Especially if you're a marketer and copywriter like me.

 

El Maskoot 3anno fi El Tareekh by Wassim El-Sisi (المسكوت عنه في التاريخ)

(Loosely translated to: Secrets in History)

This book is about stories and historical bits in Egyptian history that no one speaks about. Plus the cover is quite catchy!

 

El Tagreba El Fekreya Le Roh Ommo by Kirollos Bahgat (Humorous title, can't think of a translation!)

Like Manson's books, this one has an equally catchy title but without the F words. My copy is edition no. 60!

Having finished around 75 pages, this book offers more content and ideas in the realm of psychology. The writing is in Colloquial Egyptian Arabic.

 

Eyes of Wisdom by Dina ElMessiri

I picked up this book, by chance, at the Cairo Book Fair 2019 but only just remembered it. It's a quick-read with motivational messages and experiences.

The author Dina ElMessiri is a personal development coach and NLP practitioner.

 

Second: Fiction/Novels/Collections

Mysteries in Ancient Egypt (by Various)

(غموض في مصر القديمة)

You know the "don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover" saying? Well, I ignored it and bought this collection of mysterious, potentially horrifying, short stories based on the cover and title.

It's an Arabic collection and I don't know any of the authors. So fingers crossed!

Mysteries in Ancient Egypt (left) and The Tour Guide (right)

Morshed Syahi by Reem Bassiouny (Title translation: The Tour Guide)

I picked up this book when I went to a book signing for Dr. Reem Bassiouny. I also sign my copy of the Mamluk Trilogy (ثلاثية المماليك) which I was told was undergoing translation into English.

The Tour Guide is a much shorter story and I won't deny the backstory and the size caught my eye since The Mamluk Trilogy is over 700 pages long! 

Crime Scene Connection by Deena Alexander

I'm reading this for a blog tour I signed up for with Lori Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

It's a mystery but not a cozy I think. I'm due to read and write my review AND publish it by 5 January! Oops!

The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

I've been wanting to read more of Riordan's works and decided that The Trials of Apollo: The Hidden Oracle would be the February book club read. 

Update: I ran through the pages of this book! It was a bit slow and snarky at first but then it just flowed and I couldn't put it down. 

Book review is in the works but it's definitely a five-star read.

Saleeb Moussa (Moussa's Cross)

This is an Arabic police-thriller novel that I've seen being recommended in many Facebook groups for bookworms.

I got it and my mum started it first and says she's enjoying it. She says it's like a Dan Brown novel. So I'm excited to start it myself.

 

Lumina and the Goblin King by Cari Lyn Jones

This is a fantasy novel with fairies and goblins and magic. I got this as a review request at the end of 2020 and I'm looking forward to reading it. I'll probably start it in February or March.

 

The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold

I got an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) of Carolyn Arnold's newest thriller The Little Grave. I'll be reading this in January so stay tuned!

Here's a small part of the synopsis:

It’s been five years since Detective Amanda Steele’s life was derailed in the path of an oncoming drunk driver. The small community of Dumfries, Virginia, may have moved on from the tragic deaths of her husband and daughter, but Amanda cannot. When the driver who killed her family is found murdered in a motel room, she can’t keep away from the case.

As Amanda edges toward the truth, she gets closer to a secret as personal as it is deadly. 

 

To the Moon and Back by Jean Nicole Rivers

This is a horror novel from the author Black Water Tales: The Unwanted, which has garnered over 25,000 views on my blog, making it the most-viewed post on Nadaness In Motion EVER!

 

The Hecatomb by J Edward Neill

If you're on Twitter, then you should be following J Edward Neill and enjoying his dark-themed artwork. He's also an author and I plan to read his short story collection The Hecatomb in 2021. If you haven't guessed, it's a horror collection.

 

Inside the Whispers by A.J. Waines

In 2020, I read Waines' No Longer Safe. In 2021, I plan to read book 1 in her Samantha Willerby psychological thriller series Inside the Whispers.

 

Third: Poetry

While I love reading poetry, I leave that to poets and authors sending me their work. I do have a few poetry collections that I'd like to read in 2021. But aside from those, I leave it to chance J

That's in addition to Actualizing Devotion by Hamza Matar and Stanley Park by Sapphira Olsen, both of which I got as review requests in 2020 but didn't get a chance to read.

 

My latest book haul - Arabic books for me and mum

Fourth: Anything That Comes Along the Way

There are lots of books I want to read – a bookworm's dilemma. But armed with this list, I can focus on reducing the number of print books and e-books on my to-read list.

As I mentioned, there are still some leftover books from 2020. I already have about 3 or 4 open that I'd like to finish.

I also expect more review requests and ARCs to come in. Plus, I'm part of a book club so more books on that front.

And you never know what you might just pick up here or there.

 

Have you read any of the books listed here? Or are you planning to read any of them?

I'd love to hear what you think and what you're planning to read.

If you've created a similar list and published it on your blog, feel free to share the link in the comments below.

Cleopatra's Spring by Nada Adel Sobhi - Poem

I see you

Travelling from the shores

Of the mighty Mediterranean

To a lonely oasis

In the heart

Of a thousand palm trees

I see you

Shrugging off your sandals,

The weight of the world

For a warm water dive

Your little spring

Where you let go,

Breathe

And heal

Where the water washes it all away

And you let it

Over

And over

With every dive

And every plunge

Cleopatra's Spring. Image via Let's Explore Siwa Group on Facebook

You paint your skin

And traverse the land

Like a queen

And you are a Queen

Close your eyes, Cleopatra

And let the water drench you

Let the world and its wars

Drop to the bottom

Inhale

And open your eyes

See with a new vision

A clear sight

Close your eyes, Cleopatra

Then open them

And decide…

By: Nada Adel Sobhi

This poem was written while on a trip to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt. Amazing place. A desert but full of beauty and natural scenery and simplicity.

Image taken from Facebook group Let's Explore Siwa, which is moderated by Siwa resident Yahya Moussa, who was also part of my tour.

Cleopatra's Spring via Trip Advisor

Why I fear reading self-help books by Nada Adel Sobhi

For a long while, I've wanted to read self-help and development books, particularly those on the writing craft. BUT I had a problem. And because of it, I kept postponing reading those books.

Eventually, I picked up one and then the other. Two years later, and not as many books as I would have liked done, I still have that fear.

So what is it?

Well… it's not just one problem. They're several and all linked together.

Self-help books contain lots of information and that freaks me out.

For starters, my memory isn't as good as I would have liked it to be. It's a little better than Dory's in Finding Nemo, but close enough, especially when it comes to things I 'really' need to remember. Even back in school, I couldn't get high grades in certain subjects because I couldn't memorise stuff.

Even if my memory were good – I won't say impeccable - it's hard to remember everything you read.

When you read fiction, you don't have to remember "everything." You can read 300 or 500 pages and come out with a plot, characters, a few events, and some ideas. Even if you forget that you read a novel, nothing happens, since you're often reading for your own leisure or for fun. But when you read a self-help book, for me, the situation is different.

I want to read this or that book so I can apply the content to my daily life or to my writing, or both.

The multitude of information simply scares me. How on earth would I remember all of this? And how would I begin to apply it if I can't remember it?

Solution?

As I started reading, I realised that unless I had a photographic memory, I would never be able to remember everything and most likely a lot of people won't either.

So, I've resigned myself to the fact that there is no way what I read would stick, whether I read the book once or several times even.

Instead, I'll:

-        highlight the bits I think are important (and use different colours)

-    write notes whenever and where I need. These should help me remember what I was thinking when I read that particular comment or idea.

-   add bookmarks in places where I've written down notes or highlighted something important so I'd know where to go when I need something specific.

-       "maybe" write a summary and/or book review that can help as well. 

Another important thing I learnt is that with books on the writing craft, don't try to read more than a few pages in one sitting. You'll end up with a headache and whatever little might stick in your mind, won't.

I love to constantly develop myself but let's face it, being surrounded by a tonne of knowledge can be scary. So, baby steps and trying to avoid perfection are key. Something I'm trying to remind myself, while also making progress.

If this isn't enough, I'll be starting a new project - well actually job - that heavily relies on self-help books! Talk about facing one's fears, right? 

Below are some self-help writing-related books I've read

The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Flaws by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

The Writer's Lexicon: Descriptions, Overused Words, and Taboos by Kathy Steinemann

Currently reading and to-read

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner  

How to Write Your Book in a Flash by Dan Janal

The Emotion Thesaurus: Second Edition by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

Lost Within/Catharsis - by Nada Adel Sobhi

The wind blows upon my face. Eyes closed, I'm lost in my mind, memories, jumbled. I stand in the midst of a storm. Thoughts, ideas, dates, people, all flitting through, passing me by.

I stand still, not wanting them to take notice of me.

Let them pass, fly, run… disappear.

I feel the air caress my face, reminding me that I can withdraw from the dark depths within at any time.

I keep my eyes unfocused lest the flurry of my thoughts ceases its movement and hammers me down like a million arrows.

Cold.

Is it in my mind that I feel so lost, lonely, cold? Or it the outside world?

The wind picks up. I feel it. But it's not cold. Just suitable.

My head aches.

How?

I thought I was in my head. And yet there is that tinge of pain. A prelude to a migraine.

Then comes a buzz. A fly or a bee.

The wind picks up again, driving them away, restoring my surrounding peace.

At least there is peace somewhere in my world.

Faces; some I know, some I don't pass my vision.

Words: some kind, others harsh.

Gestures, emotions, situations, distant places… a waterfall, Niagara?

An avalanche. What? Where? I've never been to such a place!

The avalanche turns to black. My darker memories. Pains, regrets, fears, anger, all hurling towards me.

I duck, cover my head with my arms, brace myself for the crash, the fall, the darkness.

But there it is again. An orange butterfly passes me by; the wind pushes my hair away from my eyes, guides me to the light, to life, to the garden before me.

I open my eyes.

By: Nada Adel Sobhi

After writing Catharsis/Lost Within, I took a pic of the view.
Photography (not amazing) but by Nada Adel Sobhi

This piece can be called Lost Within or Catharsis or both, because that is what was - or is - for me.

I've been keeping it aside for some time, not sure when or if I should share it. But I finally decided to publish it and share it with the world. Because we all need to experience that sense of being bathed from within.

Achievements & Setbacks in 2018 by Nada Adel Sobhi

I've set targets for myself and I have to admit to myself that I have failed several of them. BUT that was in February and a little in January.

This post is not about my failures but it is merely to highlight where I have fallen prey to procrastination and sloth. Even with the setbacks, there has been progress and it is important to remind oneself of the progress and the achievements not just the failed attempts at going forward.

In November, I hit a major milestone and made an achievement I didn't know I could do. I've been basking in that achievement since and that's WRONG! But to make that achievement, I've had to make some sacrifices at the time. Now life is back in the mix, which is making it hard for me to get things straight.

Sometimes, one simply wants to waste time. And as many already know, time tends to move slowly when you want it to fly past, and literally slips through your fingers when you want it to slow down so you can take a breath and work on yourself.

Time's a lot of curse words. But I digress. Time is not only to blame, but I'm to blame as well.

In February, I set my 10,000-word writing plan, along with some editing plans. Instead, I only wrote 388 words in Darya's story by pure coincidence.

Midway through the month, I decided I would not pressure myself. February is a short and busy month (half my team at work had holidays, I caught a cold towards the end) and it just wasn't working out.

I decided that I would let this month go, no targets, and no regrets (well slightly) and I would start March with new vigour and targets.

In January, I set out a few resolutions to help me track my progress throughout the year. I'm not moving as fast as I hoped; there have been a few setbacks, BUT there is progress and here it is:

·        I started attending online writing bootcamps and I'm working on improving my freelance writing

·        I've taken an online paid course to develop my career

·     I learnt that I need to create a writer's website so I'm planning to launch that in March (this month)

·        I've finished reading one short self-help book and I'm halfway through the second.

·        I've created my portfolio on Contently.

·        I've written around 3 poems in January

·        I've written a combined total of 8,377 in January (5,616 in Darya's story, 2,439 in personal articles on my blog & a 322-word flash fiction piece titled "A Boom of Blue" – poems excluded)

·        I've listened to several hours of Udemy courses in both January & February. Haven't completed any courses but I'm halfway through three courses, which I hope to conclude in March.

There are a few things on my resolutions list that I have not yet approached but there are 10 more months in the year and I will achieve them – God willing.

A piece of advice I recently came across was finding an accountability buddy for certain tasks. I've not taken that step yet because I'm trying to be accountable to myself first. I don't want to get depressed by not doing what I planned and simply skipping on my unnamed accountability buddy just yet.

As for the blog, I've been on an off, but the writing prompts are ongoing. I also have a few author interviews sent out and some underway. I'm still trying to finish up a piling list of accepted book review requests. You can check out the newly added reviews along with what's in the works here.

Now that I've made the admission to myself – I even have it down in writing, it's time to begin March with new hope, vigour, and willingness to improve oneself, and move forward with the resolutions (set forth on this blog :D)