I am totally stealing this idea from Richard Gilbert on the Narrative blog. My memory gets worse over the years, and the more I write and the more I read the less I can answer the question “What have you read lately?” That question was on several college applications, including if I remember correctly (hmmm) Goucher’s. Or maybe they just asked for a few of your favorite books.
It seems that keeping a reading log would also help you stand back and review what you’ve been reading. Are you filling your head with too many trashy novels? Not enough how-to books? Is there a lack of books related to writing, too many related to things you’ve written about? Those are just a few questions that come to mind.
On other fronts, I was pleasantly surprised to get an email a couple days ago from the Islamic Horizons editor asking if I’d like to pitch an article or take an assignment for their March/April issue; surprised because I handed in the last article so late (it will appear in the next issue, by the way). Let’s see if I can stick to deadline on this one and smack down the procrastination beast. If I get the reporting done early I can work on refining and editing and producing a really well-written piece instead of one that I struggle to finish while the deadline looms. I’m going back east from December 24 to January 20 (leaving hubby back home) and I was worried I would have time on my hands, but now I won’t.
Ruth Nasrullah 