A Reflection of My Writings

300th Post! 10 Years of Blogging!

I had wanted to write another essay about a topic related to speculative fiction, then I noticed that I am in my 10th year of blogging. And, wow! 10 years of writing and blogging. It’s amazing by how much time has past when it doesn’t always feel like a lot of time has past.

I started this blog because I wanted to improve my free writing while expressing some of my thoughts, and it was recommended to me by a few individuals that I start up a blog. I was in grad school at the time, so the idea was to write out some of my thoughts as essays and share them to whoever else shared the same thoughts and/or interests. From there, I started writing more about pop culture, especially theories surrounding Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire.

By the time the TV series “caught up” to the books, I started thinking about what else I could post on my blog in-between essays. And, that’s when I noticed fans and other readers were discussing which books they would read while they wait for The Winds of Winter. I knew I couldn’t just list titles and hope that those who were interested would take my suggestions into considerations, so I decided to start writing and posting book reviews. Now, with at least 200 book reviews posted and read by those who want to know more about the book(s) (not reflected on my NetGalley account), it feels good to know that my content continues to be read by readers, by authors, and by those who work within the publishing industry. I’ve been able to submit posts for other sites (such as Fantasy-Faction). Not to mention, I’ve been able to read to the point where I can read for enjoyment and read for critical purposes, such as when I read for literary awards such as the S.C.K.A. (finalists announcement coming soon!).

In addition, I’ve been able to transfer what I’ve learned about book reviews and book recommendations towards my career as a librarian. For example, when someone wants to read a “fantasy” book, you ask that reader which fantasy book they’ve read before; and then, you can recommend a few titles for them to choose from. It’s the same procedure with recommending books to library patrons (I read other genres of literature, too). One of the traits patrons enjoy from their librarians are when the librarians are able to recommend the books they’re looking to read (at times, without consulting the Internet). Yes, the human mind can process so many books within a few moments, but it’s a skill I’ve been able to use and to retain because I can’t stop recommending books to anyone anywhere.

After 10 years and 300 posts, and now working full-time and writing (even) longer reviews, I’m grateful that readers and other bloggers continue to read my posts and continue to support this blog, and any other projects I have and I will continue to work on. It’s amazing when you look back at your portfolio of work you’ve put into over the years and you can witness the impact it’s had on your life and those of others.

Thank you all so much for reading, recommending, and following the blog. Here’s to 300 posts over 10 years. Here’s to another 10 years of blogging, and one day, a completed novel to brag about.