This week was hopping! It was a busy week at the University again and I spent some time digging into a bit of fun research on social media this week, too. I’ve got three books to share (two are sequels!),a cool notebook trick that acts as powerful therapy and a beautiful desktop background to make your own. 

What I'm Reading:

My reading this week was full of sequels. First, I read backwards and read the first book in a middle grade series I didn’t know I stumbled upon. Then, I went ahead and read the second book in an adult fiction series. Oh, I hope there are more to both of these. After that, I needed a bit of non-fiction to round out the week.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

I read this book AFTER reading the sequel: My Own Lightning. I was so struck by the writing and the story that I went right out to read the first book. And oh, my heart. This book has my heart. Wolk introduces us to Annabelle and her family, a hardworking, kind extended family living in Wolf Hollow. When Annabelle starts being bullied by Betty, a troubled girl now living with her grandparents, a terrible chain of events begins that cannot be undone. But in the midst of tragedy, Annabelle learns of the assumptions we make about others, the hard choices we have to make and the risks we might take to do what is right. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time: about Annabelle, about Betty and especially about Toby. And I’ll likely re-read the sequel, too, now that I know more and can take away more from the story that continues. 

Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout

Well, Olive has my heart again. As with the first book in this series, Olive Kitteridge, I was immediately drawn into the multiple characters’ lives, how they were woven together and how the formidable Olive Kitteridge was connected to them all. But this book was different. In this book, readers get a much more detailed, complex and insightful look into Olive’s life and the questions she’s grappling with as she ages. Yes, we meet multiple characters that make us think, make us question our own lives and even gasp with wonder or horror, but each is a bit more tightly connected to Olive, or at least it feels that way. I struggled with this book again towards the end, not because I was trying to keep track of all the critical characters, but because I was seeing elements of myself and my family throughout the pages as if Olive were helping me learn life lessons when she wished she learned them, too. Yes, this book has my heart.

How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera

Honestly, I feel like this is a book that could transform lives if the pages are truly lived and not just read. Admittedly, there was a lot of information here and at times, it was hard for me to internalize it all and think it through. But I was fascinated by the mind-body connection presented here as it perfectly explained so much of what I myself have been experiencing AND it gave me concrete ideas to make life better. I personally loved the journaling and breathing techniques and simply rest better knowing I have more control over how I feel than I thought. 

What I'm Writing:

I admit, I have been a bit slacking in the notebook area this week. Yes, I’ve added daily entries to my Start Today and 5-Year Gratitude Journals, but I haven’t spent quality time with a more creative prompt this week. And I miss it. 

So, it was notebook serendipity to see this post from Margin Notes on the power of erasure poetry. I’ve seen Austin Kleon call it black-out poetry, but I loved the idea of erasure poetry even more. 

How does it work? Simply take a poem or passage and erase (or white-out or black-out) words until you’ve created a new message from it. How did I do it?

Well, I got personal. I went to a page in my notebook that was filled with some powerful, yet negative, emotions when I was using the page as a bit of therapy. I hated seeing the pain on the page, so I erased any words with negative emotions. 

Then, I reread the piece. And I was shocked at what a difference it made when I simply removed that negative self-talk that seems to chatter endlessly (I do plan to pick up Chatter: The Voice in Our Heads, Why It Matters and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross recommended by a Get Lit(erate) community member). 

This was a powerful journaling technique that I plan to use again and again. Please, try this. It’s kind of life-changing. =)

What I'm Learning:

I went down a slippery slope this week. The slippery and often scary slope of social media. I facilitate two different Facebook groups: the group for my private Get Lit(erate) community and my public Leading by Learning group for instructional coaches. I thought all I needed to do was post and my group members could see those posts easily. 

I was wrong.

I didn’t realize quite how complicated the social media algorithm was (which changes across platforms) and that hardly anyone was seeing my posts. I actually decided to shut one of my groups down and connect with members another way, but decided to learn how to make it better instead. 

Here are some things I’ve learned:

  • Post often and consistently. The platform awards consistency by placing it in members’ daily feeds. 
  • Go live. Facebook prefers when pages and groups go live regularly. This one is not in my comfort zone, but I might have to give it a try. The question is: what do I go live about?!
  • Spark engagement. The more people like and comment on your posts, the more they will feature it in members’ feeds. 

This worries me a bit. I actually do not use social media personally, only for professional reasons, but if I want to have my posts seen by others, I have to more intentionally post over time. I’ve got some ideas, but if you have any social media tricks up your sleeve, I’d love to know about them!

On a more creative note, I’ve been wanting to learn how to make my own printables on Procreate for a while now and this tutorial was exactly the inspiration I needed. =)

What I'm Loving:

The Tombow May wallpaper is here and IT IS PERFECT. And by the way: they had a teacher appreciation sale this week that ends TODAY. Use the code ‘appreciation’ for 25% off!

Do you do this to your book? Would you try it? I am. 

Need a new podcast to boost your writing life? Here are the best 25 as compiled by Mashable. I found a few new podcasts to add to my playlist!

I found another notebook to love….and it is disc bound. Something I’ve never tried, but want to start!

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?