Monthly Rewind: August 2017

I'm unsure who first created The Monthly Rewind, but I first discovered this series over at The Perpetual Page-Turner. I love reading this series on so many of the blogs I follow, so I decided to incorporate it into My Literary Lenses as well. 

You know when you feel like everything is up in the air with absolutely no sight of it all falling into place? That's what I feel like lately. Without going into too much detail, I'm basically at a point where I want to be is literally just within reach, but I can't quite grasp it. I know I'm being completely vague, but once everything falls into place (and I do believe it will eventually) I can be more open about it.

Despite feeling a bit MEH, some good things happened this month for My Literary Lenses! I've received some ARCs (stay tuned for more reviews), I'm going to a VERY EXCITING event on Sunday (hint: it has to do with YA lit...) and I've almost reached 400 followers on Instagram!

1. I went house/apartment hunting (kind of.)
I'm not quite ready to move out just yet, but I've been preparing for my first big move for years now. By preparing, I mean scouring Instragram for decor ideas, saving up literally every penny and just daydreaming of an apartment filled with delightful colour pops. Taylor and I drove around a neighbourhood my mum suggested and we reaaaally like it. We're hoping it all works out once we're ready to move out next year.

2. I donated a lot of my belongings.
I like to go through my things every month and donating things I no longer use or don't really love anymore. Again, I've been doing this in preparation for moving out next year.

3. I finally watched Wonder Woman.
Honestly I didn't love Wonder Woman as much as everyone else did and I feel like a complete weirdo for it.

(Shameless plug: @myliterarylenses) 

 

"Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn 

"Crushcrushcrush" by Paramore 

1. My new course.

I am starting a new online course next week. Even though I'm officially done full-time schooling, I love learning and can't get enough of it. (Nerd life.)

2. Word on the Street.

Toronto hosts a massive literary festival each year and I intend to go this time around. 

3. Stranger Things 2.

Wait, didn't I say I was excited about this last month? Still accurate. 

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

Pinterest: /myliterarylenses

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer — Feiwel and Friends

This isn't your ordinary fairy tale. In Cinder: The Lunar Chronicles, a futuristic Cinderella retelling by Marissa Meyer, you won't come across a magic pumpkin or a fairy god mother. The book follows a teenager named Cinder, a mechanic in New Beijing who is part cyborg-part human. With the threat of an intergalactic war looming and a plague spreading across the planet, Cinder finds herself at the centre of the chaos—with a dash of romance, a quirky robot sidekick and an evil queen.

I'm not usually this blunt when it comes to writing reviews, but I need to put this plainly: I LOVED THIS BOOK.

I haven't had an enjoyable reading experience like this in a long time. One where I dreaded having to put the book down, one where I was extremely ecstatic each time I was able to get back to reading the story. From the very first paragraph of the book (which describes Cinder screwing her new robotic foot into place...how's that for an opening?) I was completely absorbed and obsessed with the world of New Beijing.

Although Cinder is a fairy tale retelling (and there's nothing wrong with that), for the most part I completely forgot I was reading a story that wasn't 100 per cent original. Even with its ties to Cinderella—and even with a handful of predictable "twists" and reveals—the story felt utterly original and new. 

I'm so excited this is part of a larger series, The Lunar Chronicles, which melds the worlds of other fairy tale characters (including Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel) into a larger narrative of good versus evil.

Follow me on Instagram (@myliterarylenses) for more photos and reviews!

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com 

Review: The Break by Katherena Vermette

The Break by Katherena Vermette — House of Anansi — $22.95

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of the book whatsoever. 

Thematic spoilers ahead. 

Timely, needed and overall a brilliantly written debut novel, The Break by Katherena Vermette is a masterful portrait of a family tragedy that unravels painful memories of the past.

The story follows several girls and women in Winnipeg's North End, each interconnected in some way and brought together again after a horrible crime takes place. A major thread holding each story together is the pervasiveness of sexual violence, how it is a strong force that pushes Indigenous girls and women into a lifelong cycle of silence, trauma and shame.

Vermette alludes to this silence and how it permeates the everyday lives of Indigenous women—from the dust covering Kookom's home to the black bandana hanging out of a young son's back pocket. Throughout reading the novel, I caught myself repeatedly thinking: "There are so many painful things in our lives that we silently agree to acknowledge among each other but never say aloud." That not only includes sexual violence, but also the small doses of shame women collect, bury and attempt to conceal throughout their lives—until the trauma builds up and becomes too unbearable to ignore.

The piece of land nicknamed the Break becomes its own character, representative of the vast ground society has yet to cover in combating violence against women. The giant "robots" (electric towers) stand tall, peering down, always watching. A constant reminder. It's there and it is seen, but we continue to pretend that we don't.

In return, Vermette shows what happens when women show up for each other when they are ready to address their pain. The love and empathy expressed by these characters, especially Kookom, who has lived through it all, glow like a ball of hope.

"These details, the story, what happened. They both know what happened well enough anyway. It's the big dark thing in the room, always there. They don't have to see it to know it, to know they don't want to look at it." 
— The Break by Katherena Vermette, page 191

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com

My Writing Insecurities

When I was 16 years old I entered a national creative writing competition that was way out of my league and outside the realm of reality that I existed in. I have no idea where that confidence came from, but the fact remains that it lead me to bold places.

Naturally, I didn't win, but all these years later I'm left wondering: where did that confidence disappear to?

I lost some of the confidence I once had in my writing around the same time I studied journalism and later creative nonfiction. Studying "the craft" (unrelated to Hogwarts) is a huge privilege, but I unfortunately began to scrutinize my work and obsess over whether or not I was doing this whole writing thing properly. I became insecure about the length of my sentences (20 words max, I learned in j-school), my dialogue (does anyone talk like this?), and my character development.

As writers, we are so often pressured to discuss our accomplishments—but what about our insecurities? Being more open and honest about the challenges writers face, especially the inner battles we experience, may make other writers feel less alone.

These are mine.

"No one cares and everyone will laugh at you."
It's a very deep fear of mine that what I have to say is unimportant and that no one will be interested in what I write about. It sounds very narcissistic and superficial (it probably is) but it's impossible to sell a book that no one will read. I have a handful of stories I mull over, but I always end up convincing myself they aren't important.

I overthinking e v e r y t h i n g.
I've never been very good at sitting down, letting the words "flow" without interrupting myself to revise a sentence or think of a better turn of phrase. While I'm very slowly (like glacial, turtle pace slowly) getting better at it thanks to writing a blog, I'm worried that I will forever doubt myself, my words and constantly be stuck in draft one limbo.

I'll never publish a book.
If I do not write and publish a book by the time I must depart the earth, I will feel like I have failed myself in some way. It's always been my dream, my number one goal in life to be a published author. Even though I'm still relatively young and I have time to accomplish this goal, I hear a constant clock ticking in my head that I can't seem to shut off.

I've learned that the more time I spend kicking myself over these insecurities, the less time I have to actually work on them. But I like to remind myself that, just like our stories, we are always a work in progress.

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com

How to Successfully Pitch an Article

When I started freelance writing in 2012, I felt lost. I'd taken courses in university where I learned about writing pitches, longform journalism and writing for print, but I hadn't yet found my voice when it came to pitching.

Despite having a working knowledge of pitching, I feared doing the wrong thing when it came to contacting editors. But as I wrote more and more pitches, I developed a go-to formula and a set of guidelines that worked well for me.

While many pitches were rejected—and others ignored—many were successful and resulted in getting published in places like Teen Vogue, HelloGiggles, The Mary Sue and more.

The process of writing a pitch can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours depending on the subject matter you want to write about. Regardless, it's best to treat every pitch equally—you never know who's reading your work and what kind of effect you will have on them.

There's no right way to pitch and I'm certainly not an expert. But I do want to share the few tips and tricks I learned over the past couple of years.

TIP #1: Find the right editor's email address
It's best to take some extra time to research the magazine and find out which editor oversees the section your article will fit best (i.e. entertainment, culture, sports, etc.) Not all editors display their email publicly—after all, they receive thousands of pitches a year—but many include their email address in their Twitter bio. Many editors post call-outs for pitches on Twitter and will often include their email address when they do so.

Can't find the editor's email? Find the email address of another editor at the magazine. Chances are, their email addresses with follow the same formula (i.e. first initial followed by last name.)

TIP #2: Introduce yourself
Now that you have the editor's email, you're ready to craft your pitch. Some writers introduce themselves at the start of the pitch, especially if it's an editor they've never worked with before. It's also a good idea to end your email with a longer (2-3 sentence) description of who you are and where you've been published before with links to your articles. If you haven't been published before, don't worry. Editors can tell from your pitch if you're a good writer and if your idea is solid.

TIP #3: Mention important dates
If your article is tied to an upcoming date—a movie or book release, for instance—mention the date very early on in the email. In fact, it's best to mention it in the first 1-2 sentences. That way, the editor knows what kind of a timeline you'll both have in terms of accepting the pitch, writing the article, and sending back edits.

TIP #4: Keep it concise
Unless the publication's guidelines state otherwise, keep your pitch short and sweet at 3-4 paragraphs. If you're pitching a feature article, especially for a print magazine, then your pitch will probably be longer and more in-depth.

TIP #5: Know the audience
Toward the end of your pitch, state why the magazine's readers will be interested in this story and why your article is the perfect fit for the publication.

TIP #6: Why you?
If there's a particular reason why you're the best person to write this article—perhaps you are an expert in the subject or you have a personal angle that's appropriate to explore—mention it! Keep in mind that if there's a conflict of interest (i.e. the subject/interviewee is your friend), then the editor may have a problem with that. It all depends on the outlet and the kind of article you're writing.

TIP #7: Explain why the article is important and timely
If your article is tied to an upcoming television show, a major news story, or a trendy subject, it's a good idea to tie this in to your pitch as it demonstrates to the editor that the topic is prevalent and that you're aware of its importance today.

BONUS TIP: If your pitch is timely, many writers will begin their email subject line with "PITCH: TIMELY" to grab the editor's attention.

I hope this post was helpful! If you have any questions about pitching and freelance writing, feel free to tweet me @literarylenses. If I receive some questions, I will definitely put together a follow-up post.

 

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com

Monthly Rewind: July 2017

I'm unsure who first created The Monthly Rewind, but I first discovered this series over at The Perpetual Page-Turner. I love reading this series on so many of the blogs I follow, so I decided to incorporate it into My Literary Lenses as well. 

I'm not going to lie: I'm pretty excited for summer to wind-down. I realize I'm not a normal human, but I write better when the weather is cooler and the promise of candy, costumes and Treehouse of Horror marathons is looming. Despite my strong feelings toward summer, I had a productive month. I re-launched my blog (finally) and I'm slowly working out how I'd like it to look and what posts I'd like to do. Ultimately I want this to be a space for fellow writers, creative people and book lovers to unite.

1. I saw Dunkirk. 
It was incredible and I highly recommend it to any film buffs out there (maybe not so much to history buffs.) I was sitting on the edge of my seat the entire time.

2. I went wedding dress shopping and found my dress.
I wasn't expecting to find something so quickly but I was very lucky enough to find something that had everything I was hoping for. 

3. I visited Ozzy and Sully.
My mum's dogs who will, no doubt, make many guest appearances on my blog.  

(Shameless plug: @myliterarylenses)

"Butterfly" by Grimes

"Electric Love" by Borns

1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

This is going to be on my list until December. I am literally counting down the days (144.)

2. Stranger Things 2

Pass me the Eggos, please.

3. The Science of Orphan Black 

While I'm extremely sad Orphan Black is coming to an end this summer, I'm so excited for the pop science exploration of the show in ECW's forthcoming The Science of Orphan Black by Nina Nesseth and Casey Griffin.

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com

Mid-Year Book Freak Out! 2017 Edition

When I look back on the year so far, I feel my stomach sink and my cheeks redden. I haven't accomplished all of my lofty reading goals for 2017 (see: read one Stephen King book a month, read a book a week, read all the classics I can get my hands on, etc.) Yeah, that didn't happen.

To be fair, I've dealt with a lot of curve balls this year that changed my reading schedule and habits. There were a solid few months when I didn't get any reading done at all. I'd be so tired by the end of the day that instead of reading like I usually do, I'd hop onto BookTube and live vicariously through other people's book reviews.

With that said, it's still possible to make up for lost time. I don't consider this a failure or an embarrassment—it's just a testament to the fact that things don't always go as planned and that is okay.

I came across the Mid-Yead Book Freak Out by Chami (ReadLikeWildFire) and Ely (Earl Grey Books) on BookTube. While answering the questions, I was reminded of all the reading I've done this year and how it's still a step up from last year. I consider that an accomplishment, no matter how small.

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2017:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2017:
I haven't read one (yet.)

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to:
Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year:
The Science of Orphan Black by Casey Griffin and Nina Nesseth.

5. Biggest disappointment:
...I plead the fifth.

6. Biggest surprise:
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour.

7. Favourite new author: (Debut or new to you)
Julie Murphy isn't debut by any means, but I'm so glad Dumplin' made its way into my life.

8. Newest fictional crush.
I don't have one so far.

9. Newest favourite character:
Willowdean Dickson of Dumplin' by Julie Murphy.

10. Book that made you cry:
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour.

11. Book that made you happy:
It's not necessarily a "happy" story, but The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern certainly conjured up some whimsy.

12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year:
I re-watched Room recently and I am still in awe of it and Brie Larson.

13. Favourite review you've written this year:
Honestly? I'm still working on finding my voice when it comes to writing reviews.

14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received):
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher. It's by far one of my favourite book covers.

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
I'd like to read some books that have been on my shelf for a while but I haven't gotten to yet. I'd like to read at least 2-3 more Stephen King books by the end of the year. I also really want to read The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wallis ahead of the movie adaptation release because, if you couldn't already tell, I'm a huge Brie Larson fan.

 

Find me in a galaxy far, far away:

Instagram: @myliterarylenses

Twitter: @literarylenses

 

Graphics by LePetiteMarket @ Etsy.com