Writing, editing, storytelling, and more from Jim Gibbons
I think this yearly list of “books I read” has always been more for me than any audience, but it’s a full-blown habit now, so…
Here we go again!
(All my previous Year In Books posts, if you’re so inclined: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.)
Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2018”
It’s that time again! Time to review the last year’s reading habits.
Each year, I track what I read. I post the list here. I jot down some thoughts, and then I rinse and repeat year after year. (I explain the reasoning and history of this habit a bit more in last year’s post.)
(Previous My Year In Books posts: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.)
No long preamble this time. Here’s the list… Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2017”
After nearly a decade working as a writer and editor in journalism, publicity, and comics publishing, shifting my skills to digital marketing copywriting has been a broadening experience. As a job, it utilizes all the same skills I’ve previously engaged as a wordsmith, but it calls on them in new and — sometimes — very different ways. And that’s a good thing: Diverse experience is essential to improvement. You could argue that continuing to write daily is the greatest way to improve, and I wouldn’t argue, but writing about subjects and in voices I’d otherwise never touch has forced a honing of my skills it’d be hard to replicate left to my own devices. Continue Reading “Resources for Copywriters”
I have a love/hate relationship with year end “Best Of” lists. I love them, because I’m curious to see what books, movies, TV shows, styles of yogurts, sweatpants, and cute puppy videos are among the year’s best and most loved. But I hate them because, as Powell’s Staff Picks Top Fives remind me, there are way too many good books that come out each year for me to possibly read a good amount of them, let alone read them all.
Back in 2010, knowing I couldn’t keep up with new releases well enough to do a decent “Best Of” list, I began simply listing all the books I read as a study in… myself, I guess. How much did I read? What did I read about? What time of year did I read most? This probably ends up only being interesting to me, but heck, I’ve been doing it for over half a decade now so I guess I’ll keep it up!
(Check out previous My Year In Books posts: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.) Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2016”
In my unending quest to continue improving as a writer and editor, I’ve been blogging haphazardly over the past two years when I come across great writing tips or storytelling resources. I love reading about writing and storytelling. It’s fascinating and enriching. I’ve witnessed things I’ve read come to life in my own work, improving my skills—you couldn’t ask for better results to time spent studying your craft. So, in the hope I’m not alone in this pilgrimage, I’ve tried to collect some those resources (plus, my thoughts) for others. An infographic about book facts created by Robert Brewer was part of the impetus behind all this additional study. Continue Reading “Recommended Storytelling and Comics Writing Resources”
Continuing my tradition of making a “Here’s What I Read Last Year” list instead of a “Best Books of the Past Year” list—I’m super envious of those folks who have the ability to consume loads of newly published content each year—here’s a list of what I read in 2015.
(Check out previous My Year In Books posts: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.) Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2015”
Last year, I read an article on XOJane entitled “35 Practical Steps Men Can Take To Support Feminism.” I consider myself a feminist, but being a male feminist often means regularly relearning that you have a long ways to go when it comes to understanding and supporting feminism. Thankfully, I’m lucky to have many amazing women in my life—my wife chief among them—who challenge me to consistently better my comprehension of feminist issues and struggles. So, I read lists like this hoping to push myself to even better understand the issues. Continue Reading “Diversifying my reading list”
Every year, instead of a “My Picks for Best Books of the Year” list, I make a “Here’s What I Read This Year” list. I’m way, way, way behind on this post … 2015’s been a busy one so far! But, in keeping with the grand tradition (Check out previous Years In Books, if you’re so inclined: 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013.), here’s what I read in 2014… Continue Reading “My Year In Books: 2014”
Because I’m so busy making books that I end up reading the best books of any given year after they’ve become the best books of last year, I’ve never been able to make a very good “Best Books of [Insert Year here]” list.
So, instead, I offer you (as I have in 2010, 2011, and 2012) a list of the books that I’ve read this year! Featuring both graphic novels and prose publications, this year—due to my move to digital comics—I added single issues that would eventually be collected to the list once I reached the end of a story arc. Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2013”
Because I’m too much of a punk to compile a “Best of” list—and never feel I’ve read enough of the year’s top contenders to make a decent one—I’m continuing what’s become a bit of an annual tradition… I’ve compiled…
…A LIST OF THINGS THAT I READ IN 2012!
Get excited! Continue Reading “My Year in Books: 2012”