Favorite Reading Spot?

This is just a personal thought, but what location do you consider to be your favorite place to read graphic novels or books of any sorts? I can mention that I have just about two spots that I always find myself reading comfortably, as  my mind zones into the world of the fiction.

One: My bed with the sun shining into my room as a natural light.

Two: Moving subway car. Since my commute is often an 45 minutes to an hour. If I had my iPad, then I  am set.

Without a doubt, you can read anywhere you choose, but definitely places where you can find confort, ususally ends with a stack of manga being read. As Spring hits this hemisphere, how about reading outside spots?

Reviewing and what is there for it…

Informally and without pay, one aspect I do is I review. I usually review because I feel that it can improve my writing, and as a consumer and information professional, I feel it is a responsibility to actually be able to recommend works for anyone who would be seeking a variety of resources.

Reviewing is a topic that can be broken down under the umbrella of two sides. One as a consumer/bibliophile, and another as an information professional.

As a bibliophile, reviewing  is actually a way I can,  for saving money on materials I usually spend a lot of money on. Not everyone can be paid like Ebert, or any professional reviewers, but it would certainly help if a consumer would have a say in the validity of a purchase. I usually see this on Amazon.com product reviews.

As an information professional though, it helps with developing contacts with publishers, or authors. It is usually a win/win situation, since reviewers can usually provide for writers, and publishers a source of advertisement. Also I can vouch, from the many print publications I consult, there is a demand for librarians or educators to continue to consult reviews to view if it is purchasable or not.

Advantages of Reviewing

• It leads the reviewer to be more well-rounded in seeing what publication are currently out.
• You can try to as a reviewer see what will interest or appeal to you.

Disadvantages of Reviewing

• Getting burnt out, quite easily.
• Your voice will probably be lost, but try to think of areas where there is good and bad spots. What would interest potential readers/consumers?
• Can get monotonous, if you’re consistently writing with a formula.

How to probably alleviate disadvantages.

• Take time between reviewing.
• Set a quota/deadline to try and make reviews.
• Continue to read a variety of reviews.
• Seek out a group of fellow reviewers.

At this point, I usually keep an eye on some aspects of Twitter, and is happy to have met other reviewers. While I don’t know if other reviewers feel the same as I do, I usually like the informal/informative atmosphere that there is.

In the variety of conferences, and conventions I have attended. There has been a underlying tone of people writing, and so the premises of this entry, is to just continue writing. What else would you imagine to reviewing? Also do take a look at these other entries.

Reflections of a Rookie Reviewer by Ed Sizemore

Tips on Reviewing Manga – part 1 and part 2

Happy Reviewing if I do say so myself.