Thursday

A Day Dreamer's World in 2014!

This is my first post of 2014 and I want to begin by wishing you all a very happy, book-filled New Year! I spent some time during the final few days of last year planning out some new blog features, or deciding how to make one's you have seen before better(You may have notice my new 'Features' page that has appeared on my blog's navigation bar), in my new blog-book, and I am really excited about what the year will hold, because of the plans I've made. Unlike most people, I haven't made a New Years Resolution this year, and resisted the urge to make one on the 1st January when I woke up; instead I have decided on a few goals for this blog that I'm sure I will be able to achieve, and really hope I will reach. Last year, I set seven goals, and by the end of the year, I had managed three so, there's a slightly smaller amount this year:
  • Read more for enjoyment - I love to read, and hate to have to force myself to finish a book I'm not really enjoying because I need to write a review on it and for some reason, I can never just DNF a novel. This year, though, I have decided to limit the number od ARC's I am accepting, especially for the first few months because I'm hugely anticipating reading the books I bought for Christmas, so hopefully these will all be new favourites of mine. Also, I'm no longer going to be accepting review-copies just because I've been offered them - I did this a lot last year as I wanted to do as much as I could but, with school suddenly becoming extremely important, I want to accept the books I know I will like. More than anything, I hugely dislike writing negative-reviews; this blog is definitely about encouraging people to read so, I don't want to talk about the not-so-great books.
  • Write a novel, or part-of-one - I set this as a goal for myself last year, and, I didn't keep it. I don't think I had the right idea, and I was definitely trying to write a genre that definitely was not suited to me. This year though, I have an idea I really want to write, and am not setting out to write a full-novel completely, I'm hoping for 52,000 words, which means 1,000 a week, something I'm sure I can manage!
  • Come up with my own features, and be more organised - I have already planned out some features, but being organised enough to be post them is a whole other story for me! Although, I am coming up with a new blog-timetable, that probably won't always be followed, that will help me do this! Being more organised also covers things like reading ARCs and not accepting more until I'm done with others; I still haven't read all the e-books that are on my computer!
  • Continue to do things to put an end to Bullying - Last year, there was 'Anti-Bullying Blog Week' but, this year, I have been working quite hard with a few other people since ABBW ended to come up with something new. I feel very passionate about stopping bullying, and turning-the-page on that chapter in someone's life.
Along with the goals, 2014 means new features on the blog and the return of quite a few old one's:

Wednesday Writing
This is a feature I posted regularly last year, but will now be posted fortnightly, sometimes poetry and the other posts being short-stories. I'm also thinking about writing something that would continue on each-week and add more excitement to the posts if people are waiting for the next part.
 
The World From YA Eyes
Another of the posts I did regularly last year, but this will now be posted fortnightly on a Friday, as I love writing really opinionated pieces and discussing what is going on in the world, as I really feel it is important for young people to have their views. If you're wondering what this has to do with books, the tag-line is, "Discussing the world-issues that would you expect to find in our favourite dystopia novels."
 
Casting the Characters
I really wanted to add a fun aspect to this blog, a down-to-earth, light-hearted post that would be a quick-read, but that I'd enjoy putting together. Casting the Characters will be posted after I review a book - it will be the next post - and will be my casting choices for the main characters if the book became a film or TV adaptation.
 
Page-Turning Predictions
I have only done one of these posts in the past, and I called it 'Page-Turning Predictions' so it would have a catchy-name. Even so, It had a good-reaction and for any sequels that are about to be released, this will be posted, sharing what I think will happen!

Fandom Freak Out!
I absolutely love book-to-film adaptations, and I will be posting a 'Fandom Freak-Out' post when there is casting news, a new trailer, or stills to share. I want adaptations to be one of the main focuses this year, and there will definitely be more posts about them!

There will also be a bigger focus on Debut Authors, with a focus on one debut every month, where I will both review and interview them, starting in February!
 
What are your goals for 2014?
Tell me in the comments!

8 comments:

  1. I'm so excited for your upcoming posts! Your posts are always so well-written and inspiring so I'm sure I will love all of your plans :D I have so many 2014 resolutions and I really hope that I manage to reach all of my goals. I am aiming to read 100 books, complete a couple of reading challenges, reach 500 GFC followers and many more. I am hoping to finish writing my own novel too - *high five* LET'S DO THIS!

    I love your blog features! Fandom Freak-Out is always good since I'm a huge fangirl and The World from YA Eyes are always so insightful. (Get it? Eyes, inSIGHTful.. haha... *awkwardly turns away*) Good luck with your goals, Sophie! :)

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    1. Thank you SO much, Zoe! I'm really glad you like my posts! I'm sure you will reach all of those goals; and that your novel will be fab!

      Haha! I love the pun - and thank you! :)

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  2. This is so exciting! Sounds good and I can't wait to see it all in action. I'm also not going to request any review books until my TBR pile is cleared, which is going to take some time but I think will be worth it. Some great ideas there. Good luck and Happy New Year.

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    1. Thanks, Sunny! I think my TBR will take me all year, but I want to talk about great books, and I'm hoping the one's I have chosen are those! Happy New Year to you too, Sunny!

      -Sophie :)

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  3. Great resolutions Sophie! Be more organised and consistent is definitely a big thing for me this year! And I've read some of your "World from YA eyes" pieces and thought they were really good!

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    1. Thank you! Good luck with your goals; hopefully both our TBR's be under-control! Thank you...again...it's great to know people like them!

      -Sophie :)

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  4. hey cHECK OUT MY FEARTURE I WOULD LIKE YOU to take part
    http://booklol16blog.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/features/

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  5. Really excited for your new features - your posts are already fantastic as it is! <3

    I also really want to write a book! Maybe you, Zoe and I should all try and write one this year ;)

    Have a great new year!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read - and comment on - this blog post! I read and reply to every comment, so feel free to ask any questions and I'll answer!

See you soon!

Sophie Louise