Curate: Inspiration for an Individual Home

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So these two trailblazers created their own. Now you can share in the excitement of opening a box crammed with brand new literature and merchandise celebrating queer pairs (of all sorts!). Book boxes for literary littluns A romance about a love triangle (Two of Swords): the protagonist is hurt by the return of an old flame (The Emperor) but eventually chooses inner strength and independence (Four of Swords). In either case, children’s book boxes can be a terrific way to inspire kids to read, or keep reading, while also introducing new titles.

If you’re searching for book ideas to get started with creative writing, there’s no better place to start than with Reedsy’s plot generator. It asks only that you choose your genre, then randomly supplies a protagonist, a secondary character, a plot, and a twist! For example, if you generate a plot for a romance novel, it might look something like this: Deconstruct the “friends to lovers” trope by having one character base their actions and decisions on the hope that their friendship will become something more. Every three months — about as often as one typically wants to take a vacation — you can count on The Wordy Traveler to send you a traveler-approved book guaranteed to fulfill your wanderlust. You’ll also find some premium tea that evokes the book’s setting, as well as a fine art print to capture its beauty. You can even customize your travels by choosing to add more books to your box, or by switching up the genre, or by adding a selection of souvenirs, bookmarks, and charms. Build your own itinerary and get globetrotting! 27. Feminist Book Club Add a fictional twist to your journaling and look at it as a form of narrative storytelling rather than a laundry list of events. This will make it much easier to find inspiration in the mundane. Whatever you’re in the market for, from mysteries to social commentary to meet-cutes, Craigslist has got you covered.Many bestselling authors have found inspiration in works of art. Tracy Chevalier, for example, built her brand around historical novels that take a behind-the-scenes peek at iconic paintings. Of course, your book idea doesn’t need to feature a work of art or its artist: musing over a painting by asking, “who is that person, and what are they doing there?” can also be a fun way to generate book ideas. Jago has authored several books on teaching, including With Rigor for All: Meeting Standards for Reading Literature and Cohesive Writing: Why Concept Is Not Enough, as well as books on contemporary multicultural authors for NCTE. She has been an education columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and her essays continue to appear in educational journals and online forums. What’s in each box? Access to book clubs led by authors, leaders, and visionaries & a curated book, delivered. Carol Jago has taught English in middle and high school for over 30 years. She has served as president of the National Council of Teachers of English and as chair of the College Board’s English Academic Advisory committee. If you wanted to get something off your chest or initiate a conversation with a stranger, but you didn’t have the courage, then put it to paper and see where your imagination takes you — hopefully to your next book idea!

While most kids want to be astronauts or famous athletes when they grow up, I always wanted to be a librarian. I had my first home library when I was only eight. My grandma gifted me the entire Nancy Drew collection in a chest that I kept at the foot of my bed. By the time I was in high school, I had a towering bookcase filled with novels. And when I married a reader, my book collection nearly doubled. “How do actual librarians and literary experts organize their collections?” Here are a few character-related questions that may be especially useful in terms of finding a strong book idea:When you’re on the hunt for a book idea, society gives you a free pass to indulge in a bit of eavesdropping — and if you pay close enough attention, you’re bound to find the seed of an idea. But if you’ve been keeping your ears peeled and only tuning in to boring conversations, then it might be time to head to TED.com, where some of the most interesting people in the world speak on everything and anything from business, to activism, to personal growth. Here are few book ideas inspired by our favorite TED talks: A heartbreaking YA novel about a girl who gives up everything when she’s scouted by a modeling agency. Inspired by Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model. (Cameron Russell). Our world is hardly a simple place to navigate, even (and often especially) for kids. It’s huge, diverse, and filled with people who all experience life in different ways, facing different obstacles. The Equal Opportunity Book Box is all about preparing children to live in this bright, colorful world by sharing with them fun, engaging picture books about diversity. Whether they feature characters of color, LGBTQIA+ characters, and/or characters with disabilities, the picture books in this box will hugely help you in your quest to raise kind, open-minded kids. 32. Bookroo A person dictates who they will date based on quantitative measures, such as horoscopes, how they perform on a test, etc. A version of Don Quixote in which the main character travels across the United States instead of Spain.

I like to keep my to-read pile on my nightstand and carry a book with me throughout the day—this helps me keep up with my reading goals. You never know when you’ll have a few spare moments to read! While I’ve often donated my books to thrift stores, Fishmann encourages gifting to friends, too. “There is such joy in giving a book to someone else that you loved. So anytime (in pre-COVID days at least), someone would come over, they’d always end up leaving my place with several books in hand.” Each week, five nuggets of inspiration are delivered straight to your inbox. If a prompt takes your fancy, you have a week to write a short story, which you then pass under the noses of your fellow authors and Reedsy’s panel of judges. So not only are you getting your creative juices flowing, but you’re also taking those ideas for a test run with a ready-made pool of beta readers.

Armed with all the books, music, and art in the world, you may still find that your staunchest ally when it comes to inspiration is yourself. The notion of writing in a journal usually conjures up visions of high schoolers twirling fluffing pencils and scribbling, “Dear Diary.” Still, studies have shown that journaling is a great way to nurture your creativity. Ultimately, you’ll want to organize however makes sense for you and your home. And remember, you can always rearrange. For Williams, her books “tend to be well worn, usually dog-eared and graced with coffee stains”—which is honestly much more my speed. Some of my favorite books are filled with notes and highlighter markings from book clubs and graduate school. However works best! Alternatively, if paintings aren’t successful at coaxing out your muse, why not immerse yourself in music, watch a beautiful dance, admire your city’s architecture, or even soak up the mood, setting, and visuals of a film. Let’s take a look at a few examples to get the ball rolling:

What’s in each box? A book chosen by the community, 3-5 products, access to discussion groups and live chats. Lastly, and my favorite tip because it’s what really matters: Curate your home library so that it’s unique to you. It’s easy to get bogged down by social media depictions or think our libraries need to look a certain way. But who has time for that when there are so many wonderful stories to read? Reading is a deeply personal journey, and organizing your books should be the same. It is your home, after all. “It’s easy to think our libraries need to look a certain way. But who has time for that when there are so many wonderful stories to read?” Kayti Christian (she/her) is a Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside , a newsletter for sensitive people.Thankfully, I was able to speak with four industry experts who offered me a novel’s worth of tips (as only expected). Read on for practical advice on curating your own home library, as well as a few unexpected tips! A thriller that follows a psychopathic liar and the detective trying to figure him out. Inspired by How to spot a liar (Pamela Meyer).