#buuks

As tagged by @mrmissmrsrandom.

To sort of match Rand, I'll be reading "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Michael R. Katz translation) when it drops in July.

"Mussolini's Italy" by R. J. B. Bosworth

A book on the Russian Revolution. I'm torn between Russia in Revolution: An Empire in Crisis, 1890 to 1928 by S. A Smith or Russia in Flames: War, Revolution, Civil War, 1914-1921 by Laura Engelstein.

Reconstruction (Updated Edition): America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 by Eric Forner

Watership Down by Richard Adams

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

“Don’t run after success; run after passion.

Success might then chase you by pure jealousy.”

One should never stop chasing one’s dreams until these are fulfilled. But what if you don’t know if the goal you are pursuing is all worth it? Trying to accomplish one’s desire to be in a bestseller’s list is one such example. A bestseller’s list will undoubtedly add a feather in your cap, but will it help you establish as a famous author or gain the financial stability you had been longing for? Well, let us tell you that the concept of a bestseller is very vague and ambiguous due to the lack of standardization among various bestsellers lists. Various bestseller lists are based on different criteria and are highly subjective in their approach of nominating books. That is why making a place into a bestseller list is not easy and often a fluke.

There is no denying that a bestseller tag has its own benefits as it brings you status, recognition, and the authority to use it forever to market yourself further. Still, it doesn’t guarantee you the financial stability and the popularity that you seek as an author. That is why you should invest more of your time pursuing your passion for writing rather than chasing this ambiguous bestseller title and focus on the right approach that may eventually help you one day to be in one of these lists… Read More

Most of the writers aspire to be listed in the popular bestselling lists released by publishing and media giants like Amazon.com, The New York Times (NYT), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), etc. Well, why would they not, when nowadays many authors are seen bragging about their bestselling status. Amidst this rat race, you might be tough on yourself, thinking at times that why you have never been able to hit the bestselling list so far. Or, you might be thinking hard about how to accomplish it, without even examining whether it is worth it. Well, we are not discouraging you to aspire to be in the list of the best-selling authors. But, what we want is to make you understand that the reality of being a bestselling author might be murky. It is quite different from what you have been thinking so far.

Bestseller — What’s the reality?

Every publishing company has its own rules and requisites for getting into its list of bestsellers. The major players in the industry are The New York Times, Barnes & Noble (BAN), Publishers Weekly (PBW), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), WalMart.com (WAL), and Amazon.com. Though these are some of the best names to be in whose bestselling list every author aspires, the reality may be different.

The truth behind the bestseller hype

The truth behind all the hype surrounding bestseller craze is that the bestselling list is mostly a curated list prepared by a small number of people. This group of people selects these books based on their significance rather than anything else. Each of these lists has its method of measuring sales. Each list takes into consideration only a couple of places where the books are sold. One of the biggest examples is Amazon, which counts only those books that are sold on Amazon.com. So, these bestselling books are the best only within a narrow and restricted niche. And, this bestselling list is not an inclusive one which ignores all the other published books at a given time, for selecting the best among these. Another example is that of the New York Times, which recognizes only those books which are published by one of the big New York publishing houses. This is one of the major reasons why most of the self-publishing books that have sold lakhs of copies over the last decade have never made it on its list.

The final thesis is like a newborn baby for a researcher. The researcher would have spent many restless days and sleepless nights to bring it into its final form. What if this baby gets a name and recognition, and makes its creator immortal forever? Your research thesis can outlive you if you are ready to publish it into a book. But there are numerous other reasons you should know to understand why you should publish your Ph.D. thesis into a book.

Why you should publish your research thesis into a book?

To do an addition to existing knowledge – A Ph.D. thesis is an extension of an already existing knowledge. Then, why should you restrict it to only a handful of people? It deserves the attention of a much wider audience, and turning it into a book can make this happen.

You can become an author – That joy of seeing your name on a book cover can only be understood by an author. Publishing your thesis can give you this happiness, along with the name and fame of an author.

To be a part of the academic curriculum– Just imagine if your book becomes a part of some university’s curriculum, or is recommended by academicians to their students. This is only possible if you publish your thesis into a book.

To earn money – You would have spent years toiling on your research work. There is no harm in trying to make some money out of it. Your published book can generate revenue, but not an unpublished thesis.

It will benefit those working in similar areas– A book is much more accessible as compared to a thesis. Your book can help those students and scholars who are either already working in your area of research or who aspire to.

Your thesis will get documented with an ISBN – Your thesis will get documented forever with a unique ISBN (International Standard Book Number). It has its benefits.

It will help you extensively in your career – There is a huge dearth of creative people in industries. Having your book published, will not only earn you respect as an author but will also strengthen your resume.

You will be able to connect with a larger audience – Usually, a research thesis enables a researcher to connect to a restricted academic circle. But, if you publish your findings into a book with some modifications to your thesis, you can reach a larger audience with better chances of followers.

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How many of you have heard the term ‘born writer’? How many of you agree with the fact that writers are born and not nurtured? Well, it is not wrong to say that many people are born with the talent of writing. But many others dare to dream, initiate, and, take efforts to learn this art. Yes, writing can also be mastered by continuous efforts of learning new writing techniques, and the lockdown period is the best time to do this. It is a blessing in disguise for writers and aspirant writers who can unlock the ways to improve their writing.

Behind every good writer, there is a good reader

To write exceptionally well, you need to read voraciously. By reading others’ works, you get a lot of new perspectives, become aware of other writers’ narrative skills, build new vocabulary, learn new ways of sentence structuring and plot development ideas, and much more. It will also help you improve your language, which according to a recent poll conducted by BUUKS, is one of the most significant factors to make a book click. Two times Booker Prize winner Margaret Atwood, once said “Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be no older ones.”

Writing is a marathon, not a sprint

If you are assuming that you can be a good writer by writing whenever your mood commands, then you are wrong. To be a good writer, you cannot be a slave of your mood swings. You need to maintain a disciplined regime, that too a regular one. Write daily no matter what stops you. Be persistent and gradual in your growth, and don’t expect a sudden success. Many popular authors, including J.K. Rowling, could do it only because of their consistent efforts. After all, writing is a marathon and not a sprint.

You have all your time to start your blog

If you aspire to publish a book in the future or have already done it, then blogging can be one of the best ways to build and expand your fan base. And what can be the best time to start your blog than this lockdown period?

Build your network

Writing calls for a different community in itself as writers are specially gifted people. Joining such writing communities can help you build your network and connect with like-minded people. For this, you can join various authentic writers’ groups on different social media platforms, which can help in your mutual growth.

Learn and write online

With the world shut down within the four walls of our homes, there is a smart way to ensure that your writing journey continues. There are many online writing classes and contests trending these days, which you can join to maintain the rhythm of your passion.

BUUKS is also conducting an online writing contest. You can send us your entries to [email protected], no later than 30th April 2020.

Are you one of those who feel the urge to write a book? Whether you’re already a prolific author or just getting started in the industry, increasing your productivity can be a challenge. Writer’s block, daily distractions and nagging doubts can hold you back from meeting your writing goals. Try these tips for becoming a more productive author today.

Build a Habit

While it makes a striking mental image to think of a writer who only writes when completely inspired by a stroke of brilliance, building a habit of consistent, daily writing is far more common and likely to produce a large amount of work. Whether you work better in the early morning hours or in the quiet evening hours, carve out a consistent chunk of time to write daily.

Write in Short, High-Focus Blocks

Another key to writing productively is to remove distractions and use strategically timed breaks to maximize your focus. Some writers can focus for only 15 minutes, while others write for a solid two hours before taking a short break.

Whether you’re stressed out from a long week at the office, dreading an upcoming deadline or dealing with a recent tragedy, it can be hard to find ways to cope. If you need a way to heal from the past or de-stress, consider writing.

Therapeutic Writing

For many, writing can be therapeutic. A study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that writing, including expressive writing, journaling and many other forms, can have a positive impact on your emotional and even physical health. Here are just a few emotional and physical benefits that have been documented from writing:

Improved immune functioning

Decreased stress

Improved overall mood

Improving Your Writing and Your Mood

Of course, there are some caveats to this. When writing about a particularly difficult or traumatizing subject, the initial writing sessions can cause even greater levels of stress and anxiety.

A good way to not only amplify how your writing helps your mood but also improve your writing ability overall is to look for meaning in your content. Continue to practice your writing, work to create clear and concise content and focus your experiences or ideas to a meaningful purpose.

You have dreams of being an author, but your life keeps getting in the way. How do authors such as Stephen King and Danielle Steel find the time to crank out book after book? Simple – they sit down and get to work. Here are some tips to carve out the time you need to write.

Eliminate Distractions

The first step to creating a writing practice is getting rid of the habits that keep you from writing. Turn off Netflix, set your phone to do not disturb and log off Facebook.

Make a Schedule

You may have many obligations between family, friends and career, but it is possible to schedule some time for yourself. Maybe you wake up an hour earlier each day; maybe you set a practice of writing before going to sleep. Whenever works best for you, set yourself up for success by having a scheduled time that you devote just to writing.

Keep Consistent

Once you have a set time for writing, you need to stay consistent and adhere to this schedule. As with finding time to go to the gym, there will be many times when you’re tempted to skip your writing practice. However, the more you do it, the more likely you are to develop a writing habit that sticks.

Get Writing