The motivation behind it had been quite simple: I know I tend to be somewhat closed off and restrictive in regards of personal stuff. So I thought if there was anything anyone wanted to know now would be the time. In the end I got sent 11 wonderful questions that range from behind the scenes blogging questions to reading hobbies.
Q: Would you ever want to try essay-style blogposts (say around 8000-10.000 words)? And which topic would you pick?
by @annehasler_artA: This sounds like a question I should ask myself before attempting some from of National Novel Writing Month ... I thiiink I'd go with an analysis of a book I really like or that has a lot of potential for discussion, or has transcended different forms of media. I imagine that it could be quite fun to look at it from different angels and perspectives. Sadly, that might bore almost everyone but one person - that'd be me.
Q: What is your reading guilty pleasure?
A: Probably Jack Reacher books. I mean, I really like them but lots of people say they are trashy and reparative. I agree with the second: Reacher goes to random town, sees mystery, has attractive female side kick, mystery, twist you weren't quite expecting, not explicit sex scene, conclusion, they part ways all the same - but I always find them a pleasure to read because they are like that.
Q: What made you decide you wanted to start [floralcars]? I always like learning what led folks to take the leap and create a new platform.
by @iamrrcampbellA: floralcars is so old that I can't quite recall if its from 2014 or 2015 but back in the day I just used it to write about a topic of the week in a witty way - at least I thought that it was. Over the years it naturally evolved into what it is today.
The idea came from reading a newspaper column by Jeremy Clarkson who has mastered this art, and I thought "if he gets paid to do this, I can start a blog and ramble on about the things I like." That is still what I do until this day just with more structure.
Basically it started quite unstructured and the name even deprives from my twitter handle, so I tend to spell it as one word and in lower caps. It's just an Extra(TM) way to not call my blog "the life of Susanne" 😉
Q: What would you do if chickens tried to take over the world?
by @Envy_FisherA: Stop eating chicken sweet sour
Q: Since you blog/review books a great deal of the time, do you annotate, use post-its, or make separate notes for the books you review? If you do, do you find this habit creeping into the books you free read?
by @2happypeas
A: If I already know that I am going to review a book, I tend to take notes - just bullet points which are going to be shaped into whole paragraphs later on, and are meant to remind me of what I felt/thought at the time of reading. I take them on my phone, already in a blog draft - during writing I just overwrite those points with the actual paragraph.
Shockingly this habit does not really creep into my free reading. When I later end up reviewing a non-review book, it tends to be from memory. Prominent examples for that are Good Omens, and Totempole. I decided to review Good Omens (book) when I decided to review the series - at around episode three -, and Totempole was simply So Good I had to share my excitement.
All of the books in round ups are reviewed from memory only as well, even though I tell myself again and again, if I write them up the moment I finish reading it would easier. But I don't learn ...
Q: If you could only read one book for the rest of your life what would it be and why?
A: I know people are meant to list their favourite book of all time here but even that wouldn't cut it. After all I read genre wide so I don't get bored, I need the change and difference. So I really don't know what to say here.
I'd probably pick a Stephen King short story collection because he writes a little bit of everything.
Q: Hi, I don't know what sort of things usually go into these Q&A, but maybe to expand and talk more about yourself? Likes/don't likes? Food, holidays, movies etc.
by @olgagibbsauthorA: I am just going to take the three examples that you have given: Food wise, I don't actually eat a meat - aside from the prior mentioned chicken sweet sour - but not really out of ethical reason and rather because I don't like the taste of meat. Also I have some trouble digesting it by now. It doesn't really bother me because see above.
Holidays: I think everyone knows that I really, really love road trips. I love the sense that you can go anywhere, have an adventure, and it gives you such a different image of a country and place than you'd get by just flying there. People who were in Berlin think they saw everything of Germany and, honestly, that is quite sad ...
Movies: Funnily enough, I am not a movie person. I prefer TV shows because you get sucked into the story and get a bit attached. I think it's much more fun than two hours with certain characters and then never seeing them again. This does explain why most movies I watch are part of a bigger movie franchise.
Q: Favourite travel destination?
by @mattdszaBy now it seems almost obvious that it appears to be the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße. I've been there three times by now - one time each year. Barb and I are already making plans to return next year. It starts to look like a tradition and one I am very happy about.
For one, it is a beautiful and calming place. Then it's not hard to get there and a cheaper holiday than any other. So you don't feel guilty if it's just for a quick getaway. It has one of the smoothest high alpine roads, stunning views, and most of all, it is home.
A: Okay, this is gonna sound stupid but I don't have one. There are no bloggers or writers I really look up to in a way that I could take inspiration. Every week, I sit down I try to be better than I had been the week prior, and so on. I guess that means that my biggest inspiration is myself.
And why shouldn't it be? I got myself so far, and dragged myself out of enough in my life. I have survived every day so far, and tried to be the best version of myself. I can take pride in that.
Q: What helps keep you motivated? Xx
A: Like I wrote above, I generally just strive to be better than I was a few days ago. This goes for blogging as well as sports.
However, it never hurts to have a supportive hand that hold my own. Maybe that's someone who encourages me to write that blog post, to read that book, to take part in that race, and so on.
Reading comments on my blog and noticing that people read and liked my content is a big motivation. ♥
Everyone else: *serious, interesting questions*
ReplyDeleteMe: But what if the chicken apocalypse took place?
x Envy
Lost in Translation
It was a good question :*
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