Book Of The Year (2019) - Brother By Ania Ahlborn

This is a spoiler-free review!

“We don’t have hardly anything.”

“We gotta make do with what the land gives us.”

— Ania Ahlborn, Brother

It left me Hungry for more…

Okay, maybe not the best way to start out a review over a book that deals with many dark topics such as cannibalism, abuse, abduction, and (thoughts of) necrophilia, to name a few. I am probably as astounded as you are to know this was my book choice for my favorite book of 2019 —I don’t know whether or not this says anything good about me as a person, but I couldn’t put the book down. (Okay, in some parts, I HAD to put the book down, especially when some of the more messed up scenes got a little too detailed.)

Brother by Ania Ahlborn is a brutal, bloody, beast of a horror novel that leaves readers considering bleaching their eyes and brains out after reading about some of the dark topics present in the story. (Amazon User Gorilichis)

While the subject matter itself is pretty heavy, the story is really about the relationship between two brothers who through no fault of their own found their way into a family filled with darkness — and their twisted obsession with cannibalism, abduction, and physical abuse. This story is not for the faint of heart, but I have to agree with Publisher’s Weekly in saying that it was nearly impossible to put the book down.

The thriller takes place in the 60’s in the Appalachian woods and is centered around the Morrow family and their youngest son, Michael who never really felt part of his dysfunctional family and their dark, twisted, practices. He desires normalcy and one day he hopes to see what the rest of the world has to offer. He meets a girl named Alice at the local record shop and they hit it off immediately. He almost forgets about his messed-up family and the monster he is, but his older brother Reb, is always there to remind him of the darkness following him in West Virginia.

I too, felt like I needed to cleanse my mental palate after reading some of the passages of this novel, but it was a truly enthralling story. Ahlborn’s ability to share and hold back just the right amount of detail at just the right time is what makes her a phenomenal horror writer. She expertly crafts scenes that make you jump right out of your skin (be careful, Brother characters!) and for good reason. All the awful things that happen in the story are made even scarier by the fact that they’re all completely possible events that could actually happen in real life. Yikes!

I also read Seed by Ania Ahlborn and Lock Every Door by Riley Sager and although they were also pretty creepy in their own rights, neither rivaled the astounding amount of horror, gore, and twisted events present in Brother. I’ve read quite a few horror stories in my life, and so far, this one takes the cake—or rather —the carcass. Too soon?

I would recommend Brother by Ania Ahlborn to anyone who likes getting really scared, but like I said, it isn’t for the faint of heart. I can’t watch surgeries without fainting and this was a rough read in some parts. However, it really is a brilliant psychological thriller, and I have to agree with the general consensus that the twist at the end will leave you saying, whaaaaat?!

And that’s it for my pick of the year—Brother by Ania Ahlborn! What do you think? Have you read this book? Did you have a similar reaction? Did it make it into your top 10? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail created with Mockup Generator.

—Payton

Get Things Done With The Pomodoro Technique

25 Minutes On,  5 Minutes Off, 4 Times—It’s That Easy.

When I first learned about the Pomodoro Technique, I probably thought the same thing as you—the Pomodoro what now? But as I learned more about it, it became an incredibly useful tool in writing projects.

What is the Pomodoro technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is time management method first developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980’s. The technique employs a timer to break large workloads into intervals at 25 minutes in length separated by five-minute breaks. Each interval is called a pomodoro, or the Italian word for tomato. Francesco Cirillo used the word pomodoro because it was the name of the kitchen times he used as university student.

How does it work?

When you sit down to work, you set a time for 25 minutes and work as diligently as possible for that amount of time. When the timer goes off, you take a quick five minute break and then repeat the process four times. When you’ve completed your fourth pomodoro, you take a thirty minute break.

Why does it work so well?

This process has grown in popularity, especially in entrepreneurial circles, and that’s because it works. You wouldn’t expect something so simple and easy to implement to be so effective, but it really is. The reason is because by breaking your workload into smaller parts, you make bigger tasks seem less daunting. If you only have to really focus for 25 minutes, you begin to challenge yourself to see what you can complete in that time frame.

Using the Pomodoro technique for writing everyday

I don’t usually use this time management method in my editing projects because breaking my reading concentration slows me down, but I love using it when writing. Especially when combined with NaNoWriMo, the pomodoro technique is insanely useful for getting writing done. Often, sitting down to write a blog post such as this or work on my manuscript is still a daunting task for me, but by breaking it up into a measly 25 minutes of work, I know I can accomplish a lot more because by breaking it down, I am also removing the dread that comes with knowing I have to write so much.

I usually complete my blog posts in a much shorter amount of time because I work so diligently within my allotted 25 minutes, and when the times goes off before I’m finished, I take a break and I’m ready to jump back in and pick up where I left off, usually finishing up not too long after the break.

And that’s it for my how-to-guide for the Pomodoro Technique! Have you ever heard of this method of timekeeping? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by Anna Tarazevich

—Payton

How I Got Started Reading When I Hated It

It might be surprising to learn that a published author, creative writer, and professional editor used to hate reading books. The truth is I wasn’t always an avid reader. To fully understand how my love for books, and more importantly—my love for stories has grown over the years, I have to back up to a time before I appreciated books.

I really learned how to read books in the third grade. I hated reading because I wasn’t good at it and thus, I wasn’t good at it because I hated it. It was a vicious cycle that repeated itself anytime my teacher assigned reading for homework. This resulted in me not doing so well in school and having to be held back in the third grade. I’m not ashamed of it now, but it made me feel like a complete failure. As I got older, I realized it was essential to my growth as a student, reader, and writer and I had no idea it would ultimately become my lifelong passion.

So, even though I’d learned how to read around first grade, I really learned to read proficiently during my second round of third grade. I had a kind, caring teacher who was really dedicated to helping me grow as a reader and worked with me to build my skill. Following the third grade, I almost instantly did better in all of my studies, passing tests with accuracy that was once gated by my reading inability.

Woman covering her face with a book. Photo by Siora Photography

 I began reading books from the Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne and Barney the Bear-Killer, by Pat Sargent. I was drawn to Sargent’s story because of the cheetah on the cover of book seven in the series and reached for Osborne’s books of which I’d heard contained a magic tree-house that could take Jack and Sally anywhere they wanted to go. Between books that had to do my favorite animal, the cheetah, and endless adventures for kids, I had plenty of reading that I could connect with. These book series helped me to connect with compelling characters over a long stretch of books which kept me reading for a long time.

Games also helped better my reading abilities, which is why I am such a big advocate for giving children access to games. While video games are constantly under fire for promoting violence and toxic environments to children, I have to point out that playing World of Warcraft from the age of nine years old, has significantly benefited my reading skills. When I first started playing the MMO, my reading abilities weren’t too strong, and I had a lot of trouble reading game instructions and quest text. However, playing the games in combination with reading Sargent and Osborne, my reading proficiency increased.

Soon after I’d reached middle school, my family and I moved to Oklahoma and being the new girl, I turned to books until my friends found me. I got into graphic novels from James Paterson’s Maximum Ride Series and after falling in love with the characters from the manga books, I  began reading the full-length novels.

 In eighth grade, I attended Quartz Mountain Christian Camp for two weeks in the summer, and being new to the camp, I again turned to books. We had a lot of downtime in our cabins and with cell-phones off-limits, I decided to read a random book I’d packed in my suitcase on the off chance I’d get bored and have to read.

That’s exactly what happened, and the book I’d brought was Gillian Shield’s Immortal. This book was pivotal for me because it was the first time I’d read a book that I just couldn’t put down. It taught me a very important lesson in reading—there is a genre for everyone and if you don’t like reading, you just haven’t found the right genre. I didn’t know what genre it was yet, but I realized I had been reading all of the wrong books when I was younger and fantasy, romantic, thrillers, action novels and horror were where I should have been the whole time. (Okay, maybe horror isn’t something third graders should read, but still.)

My favorite genre to date, is the romantic thriller. I don’t know, maybe I really am one of those mushy, hopeless romantics after all, but there’s just something so compelling about supernatural love, forbidden romances, and tall, dark, handsome guys with way too much angst. What can I say? I think I have a type. Following Gillian Shield’s Immortal series, I dove straight into the Hush, Hush Saga, by Becca Fitzpatrick, which is my all-time favorite series to date. I’ve read it about eight times now, and I reach for the series every fall. (Except for 2019, where I got a little too excited a little too early and burned through the series in four days over the summer. Oops!)

By my freshman year of high school, I was so deep in the reading hole, I couldn’t get out. In one year, I’d read all of the Percy Jackson and Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus, both of which were written by Rick Riordan. That same year, I reread Maximum Ride, and read for the first time Gillian Shields new book, Destiny, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby, and the Warcraft: War of the Ancients Archive by Richard A Knaak. This was a new record for me, because not only had I read so many books in one year, I also burned through the last book, which was thicker than my upper arm, with proficiency.

Since I’d fallen in love with the game, it’s lore, and it’s characters, I was more prepared than ever to take on this thick tome of game lore, character backstory, and history of the world of Azeroth, in which the game was set. I’ve read it twice since then and every time, I enjoy it because I remember how enchanted and enthralled I’d felt when I’d first read it.

As a third grader, I’d never imagined I’d ever read at the level I do now, and as an adult I can’t imagine a life without books. They’ve helped shape me into the woman I am today, and through reading, I have cultivated a love for books and stories. I love equally the process of reading and the process of telling a story—two process that go hand in hand since a writer cannot expect to better their craft without reading the works of others.

I highly recommend reading and if it’s not something you’re interested in right now, keep looking, because I assure you, you just haven’t found the right genre yet!

And that’s the end of my hot take on reading when it’s something you hate. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by Daria Shevtsova

—Payton

My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019

Woman with brown hair wearing headphones. Photo by Burst.

I’m somehow, simultaneously the kind of person who listens to the same song over and over again until I hate it, someone who listens to playlists (by artist), someone who listens to a song from one genre such as rock and then one from future bass and then another from the folk music genre, and ALSO, someone who can listen to two different songs at a time (don’t ask me about that one—I don’t even know how or why.) The point is, I clearly have some strange music habits and a diverse music taste with over 5,000 songs in my musical repertoire and across almost every genre (excluding country—not even sorry.)

But one thing I’ve got in common with most people on the internet is that my favorite musical artists are constantly in flux. I remember being really into the harder side of alternative music from classic rock all the way to screamo and death metal, back in middle school and high-school. And in my early years of college, I was super into rave music, dubstep and all things electronic.

Now, I’m more into pop, r&b, rap, punk rock, and pretty much everything else I used to listen to because—what I’ve noticed is that once I am done listening to a song on repeat so many times that I will never need to hear it again, it eventually makes its way into my usual rotation.

Basically, once I’ve burned myself out on a particular song, artist, album, or genre, I will give it a break and then bring it back, later. However, I am still in the “repeat” part of that process for several artists, and I’d argue they’re my favorite musical artists of 2019, because the replay count is still increasing.

Here are 10 of my favorite musical artists of 2019:

(Not in any particular order. Many of these songs weren’t released in 2019 alone, but I decided to count them because these are my all-time favorite songs by bands I listened to for most of 2019.)

1. The 1975.

It’s no suprise that a coffee-drinking, creative gal like myself is OBSESSED with the 1975. Some of my favorite tracks from them include “Somebody Else,” “I Like America And America Likes Me,” “Ugh!,” “Mine,” and “Sincerity is Scary.”

2. Carly Rae Jepsen

Known, unfortunately, for her single “Call Me Maybe” Carly Rae Jepsen is one of the decades most talented pop artists, but she doesn’t get nearly enough of the recognition she deserves. She’s known as the Call-Me-Maybe-Girl and she has tons of records that easily surpass that one viral hit. Even more heartbreaking, her song, “Run Away With Me” a musical masterpiece that was turned into a meme in 2015 during the popularity of Vine is something I will NEVER forgive the world for letting flop. “Run Away With Me,” “Automatically in Love,” “Fever,” “LA Hallucinations,” “The One,” “Higher” “Cut to the Feeling,” “I really Like You,” and “I Didn’t Just Come Here To Dance” (and just about every other one of her songs) are my favorites from Carly Rae Jepsen.

3. Børns

Børns is a colorful, multinstrumentalist, singer and songwriter known for the songs, “American Money,” “Fool,” “10,000 Emerald Pools,” “Past Lives,” and “Electric Love”—all of which are my favorites.

4. I Prevail

Taking it back to my roots in rock—and more specifically, punk rock—I’ve been listening to I Prevail almost non-stop, lately. Some of my favorite tracks are from their newest record, Trauma, including “Every Time You Leave,” “I Don’t Belong Here,” “Breaking Down,” “Gasoline,” “DOA,” “Low,” “Let Me Be Sad,” “Rise Above It,” and “Hurricane,” not necessarily in that order. (I know I almost named the entire list of songs from that album but 1) they’re really good! and 2) Jeez, can this list get any more emo?

5. A Day to Remember

While we’re on the topic of punk rock music, I figured I should mention one of my favorite bands of all time—A Day To Remember. Some of my favorite songs from A Day To Remember include “End of Me,” “Sometimes, You’re the Hammer, Sometimes, You’re The Nail,” “Best of Me,” “Colder Than My Heart, If You Can Imagine,” “My Life For Hire,” “I Heard It’s The Softest Thing In The World,” “You Should’ve Killed Me When You Had The Chance,” and “Life @ 11.” Can you believe those super long song titles!

6. The Color Grey

Moving on from alternative music, I’ve also been really into rap, hip-hop, and r&b. One of my favorite, yet lesser-known rap artists is The Color Grey, or Grey, the Antwerp based rapper and hip-hop artist. His music caught the attention of other music-lovers, rappers, and critics due to his unique mingling of important messages woven in with jazzy background music. Some of my favorites by The Color Grey are “Silence Speaks,” “Need to Know,” “Options,” “Sins” and “Vibes” in that order.

7. Tinashe

One of the most talented, yet underrated artists of our time is Tinashe. Her wordplay, vocals, dance skills, and musical wizardry is so incredible I am genuinely surprised she isn’t as big as other artists in her genre. At the time of writing this blog post, I am listening to my all-time favorite Tinashe song—”Bet” Some other favorites include “Feels Like Vegas,” “No Contest,” and “C’est La Vie.”

8. Purity Ring

One of the most obscure, yet ingenious bands I’ve ever stumbled across is Purity Ring. The band combines pop, rap, r&b, and old poetry to create music that touches you on multiple levels from lyrics, to tune, to overall composition. I find myself marveling at their lyrical genius and kicking myself, thinking, why didn’t I come up with that? My favorites from Purity Ring are “Asido,” “Crawlersout,” “Lofticries,” “Obedear,” “push pull,” “Repetition,” “Stranger than Earth,” “heartsigh,” and “begin again.” Not to mention, their album cover art is stunning.

9. Sickick

I won’t expose him here, but if you know, you know, Sickick has been on the music scene for yeeeears. He is gaining popularity on YouTube, but is widely known for his covers of popular artists songs and mash-ups. He’s gained attention for his insane ability to keep complex rhythms, natural vocal control, and skill in making and mixing fresh, new music unlike anything the trap/rap/pop scene has seen yet. Some of my favorites by Sickick include his “Jason Derulo Mashup,” “Sean Paul Mashup,” “Kill Me Slowly,” “Mind Games,” “Infected,” “G.M.O.D,” and “Don’t Catch Feelings.”

10. Bring Me The Horizon

Last but not least, we’re bringing it back around to alternative music, because how could I not? BMTH is doing something phenomenal in weaving multiple genres together with their new music. Some fans will argue that those who are into their newer music aren’t true fans, but I have always enjoyed their music, and as I’ve chilled out over the years (and so have they,) I’ve come to appreciate their slower, more laid-back tracks. Some of my favorites include “Mother Tongue,” “In The Dark,” “Mantra,” “Blasphemy,” “True Friends,” “That’s The Spirit,” “Throne,” “Doomed,” “Follow You,” and “Happy Song.”

That wraps up my top 10 favorite musical artists for 2019. It was hard to compile such a short list since I listen to such a diverse range of music, but those are definitely my favorites. Some honorable mentions include Juliet Simms, Lady Gaga, Deadmau5, and Ghost Town however, I chose not to include these artists because they fall into my all-time favorites lists and I didn’t want too much overlap. Clearly the biggest genre present in this list is alternative, and specifically punk rock—which isn’t surprising—after listening to punk rock exclusively during my formative years, it makes sense that the artists I listened to then would still hold meaning for me now. Fun fact though, punk rock isn’t even my favorite genre—electronic is!

Who were some of your favorite musical artists in 2019? Comment Below!

—Payton

Blank Pages Versus Bad Pages - Writer and Editor Brains At War Cause Writer's Block

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” -Jodi Picoult

One thing writers will tell you is that writer’s block is alive and well in most of us, but the reality is that those who claim to experience writer’s block haven’t build up to proverbial muscle memory of writing without editing and it is easier to repeatedly fall victim to bad habits than to take time out to build new ones. Everything comes down to this: writer’s block is defeated by writing. Simple as that. So, why am I telling you all of this? Because once you realize that bad pages are better than blank pages, it will get exponentially easier for you to write despite writer’s block, and eventually it won’t be an issue for you anymore.

What is writer’s block?

Writer’s block, as per Merriam Webster, is the problem of not being able to think of something to write about or not being able to finish writing a story, poem, etc. However, in recent years, the noun has become synonymous with the problem of not being motivated to write, or not being in the right head-space to do your best writing. Subsequently, this has been the definition of writer’s block I’ve come to know well, as it was the version that plagued me.

Blonde woman in a grey sweater, looking at blank pages in an unlined notebook. Photo by John Schnobrich.

Rough drafts

See, here’s the issue with writers that cling to that second definition—everyone’s rough draft is supposed to be ROUGH. There’s a reason that’s why we call them rough drafts. Even New York Times’ bestselling authors and prolific writers create rough drafts. It is foolish to think that your best writing would come from your very first, second or even third drafts. This is why writing is a process and not temporary—it takes time, and usually several iterations to get to the best, most polished version of the work.

Writing and editing

The reason so many writers struggle with cracking out that crusty rough draft and that’s because they have a hard time separating their writer and editor brains. These two modes of thinking are exactly as they sound—the writer brain is the creative one credited with using the creative process and is the one usually struck by the muse and the editor brain is the corrective one that is often employed during the editing and polishing process. The thing is—these two thought processes can’t coexist. This is why it is important to separate the two when you sit down to write, because it is nearly impossible to be creative when you’re using your editor brain, and it is likewise nearly impossible to effectively edit with your writer brain, since the two are diametrically opposed.

Blank pages vs. bad pages

Blank pages are meant for the writer brain and bad pages are meant for the editor brain, specifically in that order. You must write first, then edit later if you want to effectively move through the writing process and better your craft. If you’re only ever stuck on blank pages because the editor brain won’t get out of the way, you won’t grow as a writer and the stories inside you will suffer because of it. However, if you can learn to write despite the writers block, by separating the two modes of thinking, you will find it increasingly easier to pick up the pencil (or keyboard) each time, and your rough drafts will get better over time.

And that’s it for my hot take on Blank vs. Bad pages and how the two brains (writer and editor) at war with each other cause writer’s block! What do you think? Have you ever had writer’s block? Do you agree with this argument? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Further reading:

• Writing Every Day: What Writing as A Journalist Taught Me

• When Writing Becomes Difficult

• 5 Reasons Most Writers Quit

• Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers

• Yoga For Writers: A 30-Minute Routine To Do Between Writing Sessions

—Payton

Questions You Should Ask Yourself As A Reader or Critic

As readers, we often turn to books as a form of relaxation, inspiration, and escape, but it shouldn’t always be completely mindless. When we read, we should ask ourselves some key questions so we can critically assess the story as we read it and evaluate our thoughts once we’ve finished with the story. Instead of just consuming media at face-value, we should actively try to look at what content we consume with a more critical-thinking sort of approach. This will allow us to garner a better understanding of the story’s themes, tones, subject matter, and ultimately, it’s purpose. Likewise, when we are critiquing somone’s work, we want to give them organized, useful, and actionable feedback so as to improve their writing. Some questions to think about as a reader are as follows:

Did this story engage me? Why or Why not?

Is the story composed of compelling characters, an engaging plot, and interesting themes or is it just another fantasy or romance novel? Is this story a page-turner? Have you read it more than once and if so, what keeps you coming back? What makes you put the story down?

Did this hold my attention throughout?

Where was I most engaged and why? Does the writer consistently build and release tension throughout the story? Do you find any parts of the story that are dragging along and other that are moving too quickly? Do you find yourself having to reread sections because of boredom or because the author didn’t take the proper time to describe the situation using all of the senses?

Are any things confusing to me?

Could I follow the piece, or were there gaps, or need for more information? What else did I need to know? Is the writing style or plot confusing? Are there historical elements that require prior knowledge? Does the writer talk down to you as a reader or expect you to know things that they didn’t include supplementary information for?

What about language?

How would you describe it? How does it function in terms of what you feel the writer is trying to do? Is the writing convoluted or beautifully woven together? Does the writer use wordy, awkward, or clunky language that is distracting to the story? Does the writer expertly craft sentences that make you as a reader sigh and think, man I wish I’d come up with that?

What are you getting from the piece?

This could be any number of things, but it’s really helpful for you to feedback to the writer what is coming across for you, including the overall meaning or themes present in the story, emotional impact or enjoyment or anything else that you take from the story. Writers are really hungry to know what is coming across to their readers and what it looks like on the reader’s end.

And that’s it for my list of the 5 questions you should ask yourself as a reader or critic. What do you think of this list? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by John-Mark Smith.

—Payton

Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books of 2019

Motivational, entrepreneurial, or self-help books have grown immensely in population over the past five years and its easy to see why. While these kind of books aren’t all in the same category, they have three things in common and that’s that they’re helpful for everyone in any industry, they help jump-start the process of building better habits, they re-engineer the idea of taking charge of your day, and they show readers how to start going after the life that you want. This is a list of my favorite motivational books from 2019.

“The 5-Second Rule” by Mel Robbins.

Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends, and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment." Then, she'll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self. It take just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do, you'll be in great company.

More than 8 million people have watched Mel's TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world's largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.

“Will it Fly?” by Pat Flynn

Stop rushing into businesses born from half-baked ideas, misguided theories, and other forms of self-delusion. A lack of proper validation kills more businesses than anything else. As Joel Barker says, 'Speed is only useful if you re running in the right direction.' Will It Fly? will help you make sure you are clear for takeoff.

It answers questions like:

• Does your business idea have merit?

• Will it succeed in the market you re trying to serve, or will it just be a waste of time and resources?

• Is it a good idea for YOU?

“Vlog Like A Boss” by Amy Schimmitauer (Now Amy Landino)

Vlog Like a Boss is the complete guide to video blogging. Amy Schmittauer is the Vlog Boss. As a new media triple threat -- YouTuber, keynote speaker, and bestselling author -- she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen. Creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, her channel boasts a global community and millions of views. Now, in her first book, she will show you how to Vlog Like a Boss and get the attention you deserve.

A collection of strategies and tactics from years of experience in online video, Schmittauer shares time-tested, proven methods to creating brand awareness with vlogging that will build a loyal community for years to come. This complete guide will show you how to:

• overcome the 3 major fears that hold many people back from making videos

• create your most engaging vlog every time with the Authority Video Formula

• achieve your on-camera talent (and no, you don't need to be a natural )

• leverage the "secret" to video success that creates fans for life

• and much more

“Girl, Wash Your Face” by Rachel Hollis

Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.

With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.

With unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face shows you how to live with passion and hustle--and how to give yourself grace without giving up.

“You Are A Badass” by Jen Sincero

In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, bestselling author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bitesized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.

By the end of You Are a Badass®, you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.

I hope you enjoyed this list of my top 5 motivational and entrepreneurial books of 2019! I know this is kind of early to be p putting this list together but as of now it is my current top five list. If it changes before the end of the year, I will update as needed.

And that’s it for my top five motivational and entrepreneurial books of 2019! Thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts below!

Thumbnail photo by Josh Felise.

—Payton

Current Favorite Podcasts

Working long shifts every day means I have plenty of free time to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts. I’ve found a few podcasts that I really enjoy and I’ve left them below so you can enjoy them, too. I also organized them into categories so you can see the different types I’ve been into.

Bookish Podcasts

NO THANKS WE’RE BOOKED

The No Thanks We’re Booked Podcast is hosted by Mollie and Katie, two girls who look at life through a bookish lens. On the show, they discuss all things books, author interviews, and their own reading journeys and how books have helped them grow into the women they are today. The sound of clinking cocktails and sizzling La Croix can be heard in the background of this bookish podcast where Katie and Mollie usually end up gushing over Anne of Green Gables, or referencing the Enneagram. These two bright, inspiring individuals share their favorite books, love for reading, and love for Jesus, in every episode.

LISTEN HERE

BOOKS IN THE FREEZER

Stephanie, host of the Books in the Freezer Podcast lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, beagle and cat. She’s an avid horror fiction reader and shares her love for the genre in her podcast and on her YouTube channel. The books in the Freezer Podcast discusses the deliciously disturbing world of horror fiction and actually got its name from Episode 13, Season 3 of Friends, where Joey hid his book, The Shining, by Stephen King, in the Freezer, because it was too scary. Stephanie uses this to rate her books from room temperature reads, to fridge books, and freezer readings.

LISTEN HERE

Entrepreneurial and Motivational Podcasts

THE GARY VEE AUDIO EXPERIENCE PODCAST

The Gary Vee Audio Experience Podcast is hosted by marketing legend, Gary Vaynerchuk, himself. He is an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, vlogger, public speaker and social media wizard. He’s all about authenticity and keeping it real and his podcast definitely shows it. He’s got hundreds of episodes from answering fan questions, keynote speeches, marketing and business DailyVee segments from his video series, interviews, and fireside chats. Gary is inspiring and motivating, but over all, he is unapologetically himself. He gets into the nitty-gritty of what it means to have a great idea and how to bring it to life through actionable advice.

LISTEN HERE

THE GROUND UP SHOW PODCAST

Minimalist, filmmaker, YouTuber, and entrepreneur, Matt D’Avella hosts the Ground Up Show, where he interviews other successful entrepreneurs, and discusses what it means to go from 0-100, from the ground up. Matt provides listeners with the lessons he’s learned over the years from getting out of student debt, starting his business and building a life around what he loves. He and his interviewees explore humble beginnings, business start-up struggles, and inspiring transformation stories. He asks probing questions and dives deep into the real-life journeys of entrepreneurs in many different industries and walks of life. He discusses what it means to be a minimalist and to live with intention.

LISTEN HERE

DETAIL THERAPY PODCAST

Award-winning YouTuber, public speaker, time-management maniac, and published author of her best-selling book, Vlog Like A Boss, Amy Landino hosts the Detail Therapy Podcast, where she discusses her tips and tricks for staying organized, minimizing chaos, fostering time-management skills, and what it means to go after the life that you want. She interviews all kinds of different entrepreneurs and successful people and nerds out over calendar-blocking and her beloved Prosecco. She co-owns Aftermarq with her husband, Vincenzo and cares for her blind beagle, Lucy. Amy always stresses the importance of work/life balance and how crucial self-care can be to a successful, healthy lifestyle.

LISTEN HERE

Lifestyle & Entertainment Podcasts

JENNA + JULIEN PODCAST

Iconic comedy YouTubers and meme-supreme king and queen, Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita are the hosts of the Jenna + Julien Podcast. They often discuss popular topics and play fun podcast games such as “Nuclear Winter,” or “Don’t Even Get Me Started.” When they’re not guessing song lyrics or discussing who would get the proverbial boot in an apocalyptic scenario, they’re petting their problematic, yet precious pups, or tending to their plethora of plants. They always keep it real on the podcast.

LISTEN HERE

KALYN’S COFFEE TALK PODCAST

Kalyn’s Coffee Talk, is hosted by Kalyn Nicholson, a creative, published author of Catcher, life-style YouTuber, and online blogger. She is noted for being aesthetically pleasing and having an excellent eye for detail. An upbeat (multiple coffees not included) and uplifting podcast to start your morning, or wind down your afternoon with - covering everything from wellness, mental health and learning to live your best life free from self-judgment and doubt.

LISTEN HERE

PREVIOUSLY GIFTED PODCAST WITH TIFFANY FERGUSON

Tiffany Ferguson, known as Tiffany Ferg on YouTube is widely interested in social and political issues and media and uses her platforms to share critical viewpoints of the day-to-day internet news. She also talks about her life as a “cusper” millennial/gen-z kid and what it has been like paying off student loans and credit card debt, studying abroad, and living in the big apple. She also half-analyses and half-jokes about having been ‘previously gifted’ and a member of the GATE program as a child and how that has affected her life thus far.

LISTEN HERE

And that’s it for my favorite podcasts of 2019! Do you listen to any of the podcasts? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by George Milton.

—Payton

Starting Artists, Not Starving Artists

We’ve all heard of the infamous “starving artist” and those of us who are creative often try to avoid becoming this person. As creators, we all want to see our work succeed, or at least, we want to be able to provide for and live a comfortable life that allows us to continue to work on our passions. This is why it is so important that we support starting artists -so they don’t become starving artists, and so we don’t either.

Woman in a pink shirt painting. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio.

As a newer blogger and entrepreneur, I am speaking from experience when I say, going it alone can be overwhelming. There’s so many different elements to consider when trying to get your artwork noticed, and to a point where it can start providing for itself and for you, especially in this digital age, where we must also market ourselves, have an online presence, and constantly remain consistent. It can get overwhelming, pretty quickly.

This is where supporting other artists comes in. It can be so much easier for you to get started with the help of another artist. If you’re designing your own website, for instance, you might want to hire an artist to design your logos or images you’re planning to feature on your site. You might want to hire a freelance blog writer to start getting content up as soon as possible. You might want to hire a web-page designer to put the site together, if that’s not your thing either.

Woman writing in journal with coffee cup in hand. Photo by Lisa Fotios.

There’s so many ways for you to support creatives who are just starting out, and this is just an example for the website. Perhaps yo’re a writer and you’ve got the blog post thing covered, but maybe you don’t have all of the marketing handled, so well. Maybe you need someone to design a book cover for your next manuscript. Maybe you need an up and coming filmmaker to put together a book trailer for your lifestyle book. It doesn’t matter the project, you can always find a way to support an artist or freelancer who is just starting out in their field. In some cases, yes you might want a professional, but if you’re just starting out. or if its not a critical service you’re in need of, hiring an amateur artist can be mutually beneficial.

One way this job opportunity can be mutually beneficial is that it allows for a service review or testimonial for both sides. It also gives both parties a new client. Maybe you’re not designing a website, but no matter the job in question, you have a new client and so does your hire.

Another way this can be beneficial to you, is that it gives you the opportunity to get some of the work done without having to master the skills needed to complete it, yourself. Not all of us can be filmmakers, and writers, and editors, and web developers. While it helps to have a wide range of skills in your arsenal, it is also freeing to delegate and have someone else on your team to take care of these tasks so you can focus on your own service or product.

By supporting artists who are just starting out, you’re freeing up time in your schedule to commit to tasks that are the most important to you, you’re fostering a meaningful relationship between a new member of your team, and you’re giving back to the community. By supporting starting artists, you’re helping them to not become starving artists.

And that’s my hot take on supporting starting artists to avoid starving artists. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

—Payton

Get Immersed in Your Reading/ Writing With The 5 Senses

In the writing world, we always hear about ‘showing instead of telling’ but what if we, as readers helped bring the stories to life, ourselves. I’ve talked a little about immersion reading, on this blog before, but this takes it to a whole new level.

Sight

Of course, first and most impactful sense is that of sight, and it makes sense that we’d use that sense in our reading immersion. However, what might not be so obvious is that readers can create an environment in their minds, in the tangible world around them, and online to bring the stories their reading to life. First, I would create or save an existing pintrest board that is made specifrically for your story. This is something I’ve been doing as a writer and it helps make my fantasy worlds more real and believable when I have something to actually look at.

Sound

The next most important sense is that of sound. You might be listening to an audiobook which definitely employs this sense. But if your reading a hard copy or e-book, you can also enjoy this kind of immersion. You can listen to playlists made for the genre of the story your reading, such as “Celtic Woods” for fantasy or “Dungeon Music” for a thriller. I really enjoy listening to video game soundtracks, and two of my favorites are the Assassin’s Creed Origins Soundtrack and the Ashenvale Soundtrack from World of Warcraft. Likewise, you can also create ambient soundscapes to play in the background while you’re reading. There are tons of ready-made mixes, such as “The Slytherin Common Room” or “Rivendell” on Ambient-Mixer.com!

Smell

The third sense, and one of the easiest to employ is that of smell. When I really want to feel immersed in the story I’m reading or writing, I will light a candle or put oils in my diffuser to give my environment a new scent and pull me deeper into the story. If you want to feel like you’re in a fall environment, you can burn a pumpkin-spiced or apple-cinnamon candle

Touch

This is one of the lesser-used senses for immersion reading but it can be incredibly effective, especially if the story is set in a certain season. (And even more effective if that season is active while you’re reading the story!) Touch sort of ties in with Smell in that if you want to feel like you’re in a certain season, you can manipulate your reading environment to match the conditions of the story! So, the story’s set in a frozen wasteland? You can just turn the A/C all the way up! (…or not.)

Taste

While not altogether impossible, this is easily the most difficult of the five senses to employ when immersing yourself in a story. Consider the setting and characters in the story and what they might eat or drink and try to recreate it. If you enjoy snacking while you read, then make something from or inspired by the story. Consider making fictitious dishes. Perhaps the characters drink tea or coffee? Brew yourself a cup, cozy up and get immersed.

What do you think about immersive reading with the 5 senses? Have you ever tried this? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by lilartsy.

—Payton

My Favorite Poets of 2019

Below is my list of my favorite poets and recommendations of a few of their books. These poets have taught me do much about writing thought and feeling-provoking poems as well as many interesting truths about the world and those in it. Their writing is so inspiring and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to get into more modern poetry.

Christopher Poindexter

Christopher Poindexter is a bohemian poet who began writing poetry on a rebellious trip to California when he was 18. He considers himself more of an observer, trying to make sense of the human condition in all of its grit and glory. He currently has three books, Lavender, Old Soul Love, and Naked Human, all of which I would recommend. He is the poet that first got me into reading and writing poetry and his poems are beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He writes about the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.

Click to view Lavender (Remastered)- $17.99 on Amazon

Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born Canadian poet, writer, illustrator, and performer. She immigrated to Canada as a child and has since settled in Toronto. She writes prose and poetry about beauty, pain and survival. Her poems reveal truth in the human existence and the pain and love that can be found along the way. She is a bestselling author of two books and a beloved poet in the digital age.

Click to view Milk and Honey - $8.69 on Amazon.com

Upile Chisala

Born in 1994 and raised in Zomba, Malawi, writer Upile Chisala hopes to tell stories from the margins and, through her work, to help others and herself come to terms with pasts, celebrate presents, and confidently dream beautiful futures. She writes truthful, yet beautiful poetry and prose from the lens of an immigrant, African American woman.

Click to view soft magic. - $8.25 on Amazon.com

Leah Stone

Leah Stone is a poet and memory recorder popular on Instagram for her punchy, short poems that pull at her readers’ emotions. She has one book called Dig Yourself Up, a collection of poetry and prose; a written form of self discovery. A home for those who believe in magic, and the diversity of what it means to be human in this abstract world.which Her poems always have me thinking, “Man, I wish I would have written that!” because they’re so lovely and provocative. Stone’s poems make you feel something, good or bad.

Click to view Dig Yourself Up - $27.00 on Amazon.com

I also really enjoy the poem, Howl, by American beat poet, Allen Ginsberg. Howl is seen as a game-changer primarily because it expressed for the first time a modern psychological angst, an urban existence fueled by drugs, jazz, sex, travel, and expansion of the mind. Love or hate it, Howl is important because it is of urban birth, the language simultaneously surreal and vulgar, jazzy and foul, yet full of real life, sensitivity and hope. Today Howl is acknowledged as a literary classic in the sense that it broke through cultural barriers, challenged establishment and encapsulated the anger and frustrations of a generation.

Page 1 from Christopher Anthony Leibow’s LinkedIn Slide Share Slideshow, Gray’s Anatomy: The Poems.

Another favorite poem of mine is actually a found poem from the more than 150 years’ old seminal scientific text, Gray’s Anatomy, by Henry Gray. I stumbled on this poem from a LinkedIn Slide Share slideshow, by Christopher Anthony Leibow, called Grays’ Anatomy: The Poems. I’ve included the screenshot of the poem below as well as the link to the slideshow.

What do you think of these poets? Do you read Poindexter, Chisala, or Kaur? Let me know in the comments below!

Thumbnail photo by Andres Molina.

—Payton

Immersion Reading - Audiobooks and Ambiance

Woman wearing headphones while reading. Photo by Karolina Grabowska

Audiobooks aren’t really books. Or are they? While many argue that listening to an audiobook doesn’t really compare to reading a book, there’s something to be said about immersion reading -or reading text while listening to an audiobook simultaneously. By using two of the five senses, readers gain a richer reading experience and find it easier to get into the story.

So, if reading tackles one sense -sight, and listening tackles a second -sound, then shouldn’t this foster a better reading experience?

Not exactly. Many readers argue that audiobooks are distracting to the story, or their reading pace differs from the reading pace of the voice actor, or the narrators read in strange voices for each character. These are all issues authors face when considering having their manuscripts formatted as an audiobook. While these are real issues to readers and authors alike, they still receive an overwhelming positive response, and here’s why:

1. There’s a new trend in the reading community called immersion reading. As defined above, immersion reading is when a book (or e-book) is read in tandem with an audiobook. This has helped many readers better get into the story and has fostered, for many, a richer reading experience.

2. Not all voice actors read character voices. If you’ve listened to George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” the first book in the Game of Thrones series, you know how fun/annoying character voices can be to listen to. This is an issue for some because it doesn’t allow the reader’s imagination to create the characters’ voices, but instead provides them with a narrator-interpreted voice. However, this isn’t always bad; readers who want to focus on the writing and the content of the story won’t have to waste their time imagining voices if they hear them while they’re reading. A quick check in the reviews of your audiobook will tell you if the narrator used character voices.

3. The pacing. Readers often read at their own pace and many argue that audiobooks don’t read as fast/slow as they’d like. If you’re using the Audible app, there is a slider that allows you to change the speed without butchering the narrator’s voice.

Another way for readers to experience immersion reading is by playing music in the background of your reading space. No, I don’t mean Lady Gaga should be blasting while you’re reading your next high fantasy novel. Instead, you should put on music from the Slytherin Common Room at Hogwarts, or something fantasy-based. This helps drop the reader into the setting of the story and makes for a richer reading experience. A great place to find music like this is Ambient-mixer.com or on the Ambient Mixer app. This app allows the listener to create different sound loops and has a variety of looped tracks for any genre/setting.

A quote from the Ambient Mixer site describes what the site offers to listeners:

Ambient Mixer Slytherin Common Room slider volume controls. Photo by Payton Hayes.

“Ambient-mixer.com is a community driven project offering you some unique quality soundscapes with different atmospheres for chilling, relaxing or your recordings using our endless audio loops. You can further effectively mix and create your own sounds absolutely free, with no software installations required. You can begin listening to our sounds by clicking on the images above, which are based on different themes. All atmospheres are royalty free audio files and you can use them even in your commercial projects, thanks to the Creative Commons Sampling Plus license.” (Ambient Mixer, Homepage Footer, Para 1).

While not everyone supports the use of audiobooks over reading tangible books or even e-books, immersion reading is gaining traction and becoming more popular throughout the reading community.

Thumbnail photo by cottonbro.

—Payton

Oversaturation In A World of Overconsumption (There's No Such Thing)

Laptop displaying site analytics. Photo by
Carlos Muza.

If you’re a creative you may have heard someone say this before, or even said it yourself; The market is over-saturated.

This statement has been discussed widely in many entrepreneur circles and how its a major roadblock in many people’s road to success. However, its just not true. Yes, the idea of over-saturation is a roadblock, but over-saturation doesn’t really exist, especially not in 2019, where over-consumption of media is a prominent part of society.

One great example of this is easily found in your own YouTube subscriptions. Most, if not, all of us have been in the scenario where we’re left waiting for our favorite YouTube creator to come out with a new video. If they stick to a regular posting schedule, then we know when to expect to see their videos out, but it doesn’t mean that in the meantime, we’re not eager for those notifications. This is also true for other social media platforms, primarily Twitter and Instagram.

Here’s the tea. There’s no such thing as over-saturation in a world where viewers and subscribers are consuming content faster than it is being created. Creators often describe the process for videos, podcasts and even blog posts such as this and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into crafting content that will only be viewed for a few short moments. It’s hard to think about pouring all of that time and energy into a project that might not even capture someone’s attention for more than a few seconds.

This isn’t entirely a bad thing, though. While it can be a challenge to create compelling content that will engage an audience in a world filled with hand-held distractions, it can also be an advantage. In this digital age, people are consuming content faster than ever. It only takes a few minutes to watch a YouTube video and even less time to read a new Twitter post, which means that consumers are devouring content so rapidly, that the demand for new content is at an all time high. If you’re going to start your YouTube channel or your motivational podcast, there’s no better time than now, to do it. Social media markets may seem over-saturated due to the vast amount of creators posting on platforms, but this industry is still in its infancy. Over-Saturation doesn’t exist.

Gary Vee even supported this argument on Matt D’Avella’s podcast, saying, “…fragmentation of attention across all of these mediums has created a scenario where you can't have overexposure." -Gary Vee on content over-exposure in Matt D’Avella’s Ground Up Show, episode 101. Click here to hear the full episode.

Let me know what you thought about this hot take on oversaturation! Do you think it exists? Why? Have you ever experienced the dread that comes with oversaturation? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton

Disability and Spectrum Representation in Books

Girl standing next to a person in a wheelchair. Photo by Josh Appel.

One incredibly world-changing element of reading is the ability for readers to connect with and imagine themselves in the shoes of the main character. Readers absolutely must make these crucial connections to the main characters to find a deeper immersion and foster a more enriched reading experience.

Unfortunately, not everyone can make these connections so easily. Accurate and respectful representation of both physical and mental disabilities in books is not nearly as prominent as it should be. In fact, that’s an understatement. The majority of books out there, are usually set in the viewpoint of a non-disabled individual, so, readers with disabilities may not find these characters easy to build a bond with. This should be concerning for everyone, because not only do accurate and respectful portrayals of disabled people help educate and inform the readers, it also helps to teach them about compassion.

We begin teaching kindness and sharing at a very, very young age and nurture those values all the way into adulthood, so, why shouldn’t we also be teaching compassion and understanding, especially for those with disabilities. Inclusive stories provide an incredible sense of joy and providing children with these works is critical in fostering an empathetic, compassionate and understanding new generation.

While inclusiveness is incredibly important, it is likewise important to look beyond the disability and see the person. This way of thinking is often referred to person-first, where people don’t simply identify disabled individuals with their disability. Disabled people are people too, and should be treated with respect and dignity, no matter the situation.

This isn’t all to say that accurate and respectful representation of disabilities don’t exist, but in the vast amount of books that we have, there should be way more representation and way more inclusion. As I mentioned before, inclusion provides a great sense of joy and is vital to the way readers experience a story. It’s imperative that these representations find their way into more books.

Likewise, most of these representations are found in non-fiction or informative books, but those books aren’t for everyone, and don’t provide readers with a main character to connect with. We need to see more fictional stories where disabilities are accurately and respectfully portrayed. A few that come to mind are listed below. Please comment any that you feel should be added to the list.

Books that have successfully and accurately portrayed disabled individuals in a way where readers can connect with the characters:

• Wonder by R.J. Palacio

• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

• An Oath of Dogs by Wendy N. Wagner

• Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

• Lupine Road by Cal Matthews

More can be found on Goodreads, at https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/disability-themes

—Payton

Editing Misconceptions - Editors Are (Not) Monsters

Black eyeglasses beside a notebook and candle. Photo by Marissa Grootes.

Many people tend to think of editors as the snobby grammar police with their red pens, monsters bent over their keyboards ravenously devouring manuscripts in search of every possible formatting or grammatical error…

Okay, maybe that’s not quite the image that comes to mind for you, but editors are usually not painted in a flattering light, because many creatives don’t know how to take (constructive) criticism. However, these depictions are just simply not true. When it comes to your manuscript- we get it. It’s your passion project, your lifelong dream, your baby. It’s precious to you, and the idea that you’d entrust it to someone else’s eyes is almost mind-boggling, let alone leaving it up to critiquing- that’s downright unthinkable (and brave).

Here’s the truth: editors are not in it to tear your manuscript (and your dreams) to shreds. Yes, there might be some uncomfortable things that need to be addressed in the process of editing your manuscript, however editors aren’t here to just shoot you down, they’re here to help you.

Think of it this way, for an effective editorial process, writers must view their editors as their partners. Editors are like those friends that tell you about the lipstick on your teeth.

You may not always want to hear the comments editors make, but ultimately, we’re here to help you. We want to see you succeed. We want you to be able to connect with your readers. We want to watch a beautiful creation emerge and to see your passion project come to fruition.

Want to know why you need an editor? Click here to learn more!

What did you think about this hot take on editors? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments below!

—Payton

Alternative Book Buying - How to build your home library at a fraction of the cost!

Woman standing on a ladder in a vintage bookstore. Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz

Libraries are always great. Well, except for when they don't have that one book you've been looking all over for! Someone has had it checked out for weeks, or maybe your library just doesn't have the book anyways. Sometimes you have to pick up the book, yourself, but books can rack up quite a bill if you're a prolific reader.

If you're looking to get great reading material at low cost or maybe you're building your personal library, here's a few places to go book shopping for less:

• Dollar Tree. This one might not seem like much, but depending on the Dollar Tree near you, it could have a wide selection of books. I've found books from best selling authors, and decorative books as well. And for a dollar, these books for certainly worth checking out!

• Half-Priced Books. There's tons of these kind of stores around. The best part is at most of them, you can trade your old books in for a value towards new books!

• Amazon & eBay. Sites like these carry a huge selection of books. They come in both new and used conditions. On Amazon, you can even find books for less than a dollar!

• E-books. These aren't tangible copies of books, no, but they're still readable, nonetheless. Usually e-books are considerably cheaper than their physical counterparts.

• Thrift Stores. This isn't always reliable if you're looking for something specific, but you can bet they'll be cheap. You can find filler books for decoration in your growing library, or find used books you've never heard of before. I once found the entire Warrior Cat series, most of the Harry Potter series, and several Alyson Noel books in one trip to my local thrift store!

• The Library. Sometimes libraries do book giveaways when they’ve have books that sit on the shelf for too long without being check out on occasion. Check with your local library to find out if they do free book giveaways and when their next one is expected!
  

  Some of these ideas may seem obvious but are often highly underrated. Not only are these great ways to purchase books for a fraction of the cost, but stores such as half-priced books, libraries and thrift stores are a more sustainable way to collect books. If you know of any other alternative means for collecting books, comment below!

  Let me know what your thoughts are on this list! I’d love to know any new tips or tricks that I didn’t mention! Comment below and let’s chat!

  Thumbnail photo by Denniz Futalan

—Payton

Freelancing Basics

Freelance editing can be just as rewarding and fulfilling as editing for a traditional publisher, but likewise, it can be just as difficult getting started. I’ve compiled a few lists to help you get started with your freelance editing business. (If you’re not into freelance editing, that’s okay! Many of these tips can be applied to other industries!)

Getting started as a freelance editor:

• Apply to internships while still in school and even after, to build your real-world experience in the industry, as well as your experience working with industry-standard programs and editing techniques.

• Take masterclasses specializing in the different degrees of manuscript editing, grammar, and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS.)

• Aim for editing certifications to show your education and qualifications.

• Join editorial associations to build connections with other editors in these networks and build your repertoire of resources in the editing industry.

• Read all the books you can—on industry, writing, style and everything in between. Seriously. (And novels in your specific genre too, of course!) I have an ever-growing list of my favorite craft books. These are so helpful, not only for becoming more familiar with the editorial industry, but they will help you read and think more critically as an editor as well. Click here to view the list.

Notebook next to black eyeglasses and a cup of pens. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

Finding work as a freelance editor:

• Collaborate with other editors online and in-person to gain new perspectives, techniques and successful practices of others.

• Connect with literary agents and other editors for their “reject” clients to build experience and make connections with artists who are just getting started. (reject clients may include clients the other editors and agents simply didn’t vibe with our didn’t have time to take on the projects of and does not necessarily;y refer to clients that are incompetent or lacking.)

• Offer services both online and in your community to increase your experience.

• Apply to any business or person with an online presence. Writing online copy is just as important as manuscript editing, especially in the digital age.

• Specialize. Don’t try to do everything when you’re just starting out. Try a couple of different types of editing to see what you like and stick with that for a while. You’ll hone your skills and be more experienced in that niche.

Brown suede couch draped in leopard print throw blankets. Photo by Erik Mclean

Working from home as a freelance editor:

• Time batch similar tasks. Freelance Editor, Mollie Turbeville, from Molliereads on YouTube, and bestselling author, award-winning speaker and entrepreneur, Amy Landino are both uber-successful boss ladies, living their best lives and managing their time with time-batching. The key to this is to schedule similar events and tasks on the same days, to eliminate wasted time. One way they use this practice is on days when they film for their channels, they will film several videos in one day while their “film-ready” or they’ll schedule several meetups in one day at the same coffee shop to cut down on time spent getting ready and travelling.

• Keep looking for work. While your schedule may dance between being busy and slow work days, it’s important to keep multiple projects lined up. In this industry, its best to prepare for situations out of our control, such as when a writer backs out of a project.

• Plan realistic hours for your work. It’s important to keep busy, but it is likewise important to create a meaningful and sustainable schedule for yourself. As an editor, burnout comes more often and destructive than for other occupations. Similarly, it is important to remember that when it is time to work, you must be responsible for yourself and your time. Editors cannot wait for motivation or creativity to strike because most projects are time-sensitive. Set realistic hours and stick to your schedule.

• Create a workspace conducive to successful business practice. Environment is everything for freelance editors. For the same reason it is important that students don’t sleep where the study or study where they sleep, freelancers need a workspace that can be differentiated from their home environment. In the student example, it’s easy to see where the mental lines become blurred if one studies in their bed. This has been proven to decrease study effectiveness and degrade students ability to stay on task and alert in an area they associate with sleep. Similar to this example, freelances must be able to separate work life and home life to avoid burnout and to avoid blurring the lines between work and play. This may mean implementing a physical distinction, such as a divider or even setting up a home office separate from sources of entertainment. This distinction should make it so that when you’re in your workspace, you aren’t distracted or tempted to procrastinate and when you’re in your home, you don’t feel the pressure of work when it’s time to wind down.

Looking for more? Freelance editing workshops are projected to come out in 2020! Check out the classes planned for 2020, here!

Thumbnail photo by Kelly Sikkema

—Payton

Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour : OKC Concert Recap

Gaga performing “Dancing In Circles” at the start of the show. Photo by Guin Holland.

Hi creatives (and Monsters, of course!) This was an article I wrote for the 6420 back in 2017, following Gaga’s Joanne World Tour. I went to the concert with my sister and we had an absolute ball. Of course this article is completely biased because I am a HUGE fan of Gaga, but I tried to be as objective and level-headed as possible when looking back over my concert footage. This article did not make it into the magazine due to time-sensitivity and the nature of the article being more of a review than newsworthy. Regardless, I hope you enjoy my recap of the concert.

      Third to last, in the long lineup of world-wide shows for the Joanne World Tour, Oklahoma City welcomed Lady Gaga with open arms. Although the show started over an entire hour later than originally scheduled, Gaga did not disappoint. She opened the show with “Diamond Heart,” a stunning performance filled with rocking theatrics, killer vocals and fabulous costumes that could only scratch the surface of the night to come.

     The Joanne World Tour Concert featured throwbacks from “Pokerface,” to “Just Dance,” to “Bad Romance,” and many more. Fans danced, cried, screamed and sang their hearts out with Gaga, on December 9th at the concert which, like many others in the lineup, was sold out.

  Towards the middle of the concert, Gaga took a slight political turn by asking the audience who was and wasn’t part of the LGBTQ+ community.  She told concertgoers that they may have been dragged to her concert by someone and that they might lean over and whisper, “hey, Dad, I’m gay, this is Lady Gaga,” or “hey, Mom, I’m gay, this is Lady Gaga.”  This earned her a collective chuckle from the audience.

Lady Gaga performing "Come to Mama" at Joanne World Tour in Tacoma. Photo by Ronald Woan.

      She said that it was okay because “we’re all family here.” She began reciting the lyrics to “Come to Mama,” the 9th track on Joanne and fans chimed in, supporting her and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Before she jumped into the song, however, she paused and added, “to all of those here, who don’t believe in equality, I’ve got something to say. Come to Mama.”

     After the upbeat tune, Gaga took a moment to say a few kind words about the families suffering the rampaging fires devastating southern California. Following her speech, she sang and played the piano, treating fans to a special performance of “Edge of Glory.”  Fans cried and sang along as the star poured her heart out in song. “Put on your shades, ‘cause I’ll be dancing in the flames,” she sang, then paused. “Man, does that have a different meaning, tonight?” she said, referring to the California wildfires.

Lady Gage donned Jayce Green’s hand-painted jean jacket while onstage. Photo by Katie Pennington.

      Later on, fans tossed gifts onto the stage and the star shrugged on a fan-made, custom jean jacket with her face painted on the back and read a heartfelt fan letter before treating fans to a spectacular performance of “The Cure.”  She danced it out, belting even the highest notes of the song, whilst continuously moving to the music.

“Million Reasons” was one of the most emotional and heartfelt songs of the entire show, not only because fans knew as soon as the song came to a close, so did their time with the singer, but also because of the meaning behind the song, itself, and Gaga’s phenomenal piano playing and extraordinary vocals. Even at the end of a show, she was able to hit each and every single note in the song, seemingly effortlessly.

Lady Gaga is nothing short of an entertainer and she did just that -she entertained among many other things including speaking out on issues such as the status of the LGBTQ+ community and the amount of hatred in the world. She also spoke about loving each other and spread an overall positive message to fans and non-fans, alike. She flawlessly interwove old and new songs, costume changes, pyrotechnics, electronic, rock and western music and put on an incredible show that concert-goers will remember for the rest of their lives.

THANK YOU to everyone who allowed me to use your photos for this article. I know this concert was a pretty spiritual experience for everyone who could attend and it means everything that you not only capture some of the most iconic moments of the show, but that you’d let me use them to show others what a wonderful time we all had. I hope to see some of you at her next tour! #chromatica

Lady Gaga singing “Million Reasons” at the end of the Joanne World Tour concert in OKC. Photo by Jasmine Turner.

Didn’t get enough of Gaga? Well, good news for you, I have another article that made it into the 15th Street News, which you can read here. I covered Gaga’s Five Foot Two Netflix documentary, and you can read all about it here! If you enjoyed this article, please like and consider leaving a comment below!

—Payton