Hello Book Bums families!
Happy 2023! We hope your new year is off to a healthy, happy start!
In this week's newsletter Dr. Christy dives in to the benefits of being a writer and shares lots of tips for making writing part of your day and part of your life. We also share websites, podcasts, and book recommendations to enrich your reading life. Enjoy!
"I kept always two books in my pocket - one to read and one to write in."
- author Robert Louis Stevenson
Word of the Week
blitz (blits) noun/person, place, or thing - a sudden, energetic and concerted effort, usually on a specific task
When company is coming, my mom goes on a cleaning blitz.
Literary Calendar
• January is National Book Blitz Month.
• This is an entire month dedicated to getting into reading and promoting reading as a way of life.
• Celebrate by starting a reading list (Goodreads is a fun tool to keep track of your reading), visiting a library or favorite bookstore, or listening to a book-related podcast (Strong Sense of Place is a favorite).
From our Bookshelves
Whether or not you’re a resolution maker, Atomic Habits; An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear is a great choice to start your new year.
. . . a slight change in your daily habits can guide your life to a very different
Destination . . . choices determine the difference between who you are and
who you could be. Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-
lifetime transformations . . . What matters is whether your habits are putting
you on the path toward success.
It’s not an escape read, but it could be a rescue read. Whether you have big, big dreams or you simply want to make the most of the moments you’re granted in this life, this book can positively impact how you approach your day— which will surely impact your life.
Tips for Readers and Writers
Tips for Teaching Readers and Writers
Are you a writer? No? Well, maybe you should think about writing.
Would you benefit from improved memory function? Does feeling less stress sound good to you? Would you like to feel happier? How about creativity? Would thinking more creatively benefit you at home or at work? We’ve all heard about the benefits of noticing those things for which we’re grateful, but did you know that writing in a gratitude journal before bedtime has been shown to improve sleep? There are so many benefits that come with just sitting with your thoughts with a pencil and a pad of paper in hand. And, you can do it any time, anywhere. Wait. Did someone mention sleeping better?
Sold. I’m in!
Here’s the best part: When your kids write, they reap the same benefits! They, too, can reduce stress, improve memory function, increase creativity, feel happier, and sleep better.
This writing thing isn’t set aside for professional writers, only. It’s for everyone. So, if you’re the least bit interested in giving it a go, we’re providing ten tips to help you get your family writing.
Ten Tips for Daily Writing
1. Begin the day with journaling by hand. It can be quick! (Consider leaving a notebook near the table during breakfast.)
2. Set a daily word count goal for writing, no matter how small.
3. Set aside a bit of time for writing every single day. (Stack this habit with something else you enjoy.)
4. Set up a writing space. Make it easy for you to accomplish your goals.
5. Don’t start with a blank page. Start tomorrow’s page, today.
6. Include brainstorming sessions in your writing process.
7. Don’t discount thinking and planning. It counts.
8. Time your writing sessions. Track it.
9. Gamify your writing ritual. Reward it.
10. Work with a group (even if it’s just your family) and set goals and deadlines.
~ from a Masterclass article, Aug. 23, 2021
For Christmas, my sister and I went together on a gift for our mom. It’s called Storyworth, and it essentially involves a weekly email where my mom is prompted to write on a variety of topics. One week it might ask about something for which she feels particularly proud. Another week it might ask about her first job, or what attracted her to our father, or what things she could not live without. Week by week, she’ll be sharing parts of her story. Then, at the end of the year, we can have her stories made into a book—a keepsake for the whole family to enjoy for years to come. We didn’t even realize all the other benefits this writing would yield! With all this writing, our mom will become happier. She’ll enjoy less stress, improved creativity, and better sleep. She’ll also enjoy improved memory function. Now that’s a great gift! Of course, you don’t need to purchase anything at all. Just commit to writing more and invite your kids to join you.
Tips for Families
I will never forget a message a pastor shared at church on a first Sunday in January. The message was entitled, A New Year’s Revolution. I haven’t said “New Year’s Resolution” without thinking about that spin on the word and the message that changed the way I approach each new year.
I’m not much of a resolution maker. Are you? If so, are you still on track? I mean, we’re nearly a week in. How are you doing?
No, don’t worry. This tip isn’t about fitness goals or anything like that.
It’s more about this:
Is there a fundamental change you’d like to see in the world? Is there a paradigm shift for which you’d be willing to sacrifice a bit of yourself? Where in this world would you like to effect change?
For me, it’s been literacy education. My New Year’s revolution aim, this year, will require me to get outside my comfort zone. And the question I’m posing is: Who’s coming with me?
I’d like to encourage you to do one thing this year that has the potential to make the world a better place—even if it requires that you’re outside of your comfort zone.
One year, our family’s “one thing” that we committed to was leaving the places we visited just a little better than the way we found them. Whether we picked up trash as we were leaving the ball fields, pushing in chairs at a restaurant, holding doors, or just being kind and sharing a smile—our aim was to make wherever we were just a tiny bit better.
Today, my children are adults who are: 1) adopting children and helping to relieve the financial burden for other families who hope to adopt, 2) advocating for underrepresented people—even when their views aren’t popular, and 3) providing foster care for children in circumstances we can hardly imagine.
I’m so very proud of them all, for they are doing what they can, through the great things and the very small things, to make our world a better place.
Your kids aren’t too young. You’re raising people who are absolutely making the world a better place. Thank you for showing them how.
Just for Fun
In the old days, excessive use of commas was considered a serious crime.
It usually resulted in a long sentence.
Wordology Workshop
• Remember the root tri means three in both Greek and Latin!
• Last week we challenged you to think of words using tri.
• Here are some we thought of: triangle, triceratops, triad, triathlon, trifold, trinity, and tripod
Practical Grammar
Which is correct?
It’s a mute point?
or
It’s a moot point?
moot: having little to no practical relevance
mute: refraining from speech, turn off the sound
Purchasing pasture-raised eggs versus free-range eggs is a moot point for me because I’m allergic to eggs.
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