Get Immersed in Your Reading: Writing With The Five Senses
In the writing world, we always hear about ‘showing instead of telling’ but what if we, as readers helped bring the stories to life, ourselves. I’ve talked a little about immersion reading, on this blog before, but this takes it to a whole new level.
This blog post was written by a human. Hello readers and writerly friends!
In the writing world, we always hear about ‘showing instead of telling’ but what if we, as readers helped bring the stories to life, ourselves. I’ve talked a little about immersion reading, on this blog before, but this takes it to a whole new level.
Sight
Of course, first and most impactful sense is that of sight, and it makes sense that we’d use that sense in our reading immersion. However, what might not be so obvious is that readers can create an environment in their minds, in the tangible world around them, and online to bring the stories their reading to life. First, I would create or save an existing pintrest board that is made specifically for your story. This is something I’ve been doing as a writer and it helps make my fantasy worlds more real and believable when I have something to actually look at.
Sound
The next most important sense is that of sound. You might be listening to an audiobook which definitely employs this sense. But if your reading a hard copy or e-book, you can also enjoy this kind of immersion. You can listen to playlists made for the genre of the story your reading, such as “Celtic Woods” for fantasy or “Dungeon Music” for a thriller. I really enjoy listening to video game soundtracks, and two of my favorites are the Assassin’s Creed Origins Soundtrack and the Ashenvale Soundtrack from World of Warcraft. Likewise, you can also create ambient soundscapes to play in the background while you’re reading. There are tons of ready-made mixes, such as “The Slytherin Common Room” or “Rivendell” on Ambient-Mixer.com!
Smell
The third sense, and one of the easiest to employ is that of smell. When I really want to feel immersed in the story I’m reading or writing, I will light a candle or put oils in my diffuser to give my environment a new scent and pull me deeper into the story. If you want to feel like you’re in a fall environment, you can burn a pumpkin-spiced or apple-cinnamon candle
Touch
This is one of the lesser-used senses for immersion reading but it can be incredibly effective, especially if the story is set in a certain season. (And even more effective if that season is active while you’re reading the story!) Touch sort of ties in with Smell in that if you want to feel like you’re in a certain season, you can manipulate your reading environment to match the conditions of the story! So, the story’s set in a frozen wasteland? You can just turn the A/C all the way up! (…or not.)
Taste
While not altogether impossible, this is easily the most difficult of the five senses to employ when immersing yourself in a story. Consider the setting and characters in the story and what they might eat or drink and try to recreate it. If you enjoy snacking while you read, then make something from or inspired by the story. Consider making fictitious dishes. Perhaps the characters drink tea or coffee? Brew yourself a cup, cozy up and get immersed.
What do you think about immersive reading with the 5 senses? Have you ever tried this? Let me know in the comments below!
Bibliography
Further Reading
Check out this article about ficticious dishes by Maria Popova.Immersion Reading: Audiobooks and Ambiance10 Times I Was Attacked by The 5 Senses While Reading10 Times A Book Made Me Hungry
Related Topics
Active Reading Vs. Passive Reading: Using Psychology-Based Critical Reading Skills To Increase Information Absorption & RetentionRead Like A Writer: What Analytical Reading Can Teach UsQuestions You Should Ask Yourself As A Reader or CriticHow to Read More BooksHow I Read A Book: My Book Reading RoutineHow I Got Started Reading When I Hated ItReading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers
Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
My Current Faves (of 2019)
Below is my list of my favorite poets and recommendations of a few of their books. These poets have taught me do much about writing thought and feeling-provoking poems as well as many interesting truths about the world and those in it. Their writing is so inspiring and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to get into more modern poetry.
This blog post was written by a human. *This blog post was originally three separate blog posts that I’ve condensed into one to save space on my blog. “My Favorite Poets of 2019” was initially published on June 15, 2019, “My Favorite Podcasts of 2019” was initially published on July 23, 2019, and “My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019” was initially published September 12, 2019, "My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books" was published on 2019, so I’ve decided to set the “published date” for this post to the earliest original posting of June 15, 2019 for simplicity. *I am not affiliated with any of the poets, podcasts, publications, or musical artists listed in this post. If I have mistakenly platformed a problematic fave in this post, please comment or email me directly at Hello@PaytonHayes.com to let me know. Hi readers and writerly friends! Thanks for joining me in the Current Faves category of the blog. This week, I’m sharing my list of my current faves from 2019, including my favorite podcasts, poets, and musical artists.
My Favorite Podcasts of 2019
Working long shifts every day means I have plenty of free time to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts. I’ve found a few podcasts that I really enjoy and I’ve left them below so you can enjoy them, too. I also organized them into categories so you can see the different types I’ve been into.
Bookish Podcasts
No Thanks We’re Booked with Mollie Tubeville and Katie
The No Thanks Were Booked podcast logo.
The No Thanks We’re Booked Podcast is hosted by Mollie and Katie, two girls who look at life through a bookish lens. On the show, they discuss all things books, author interviews, and their own reading journeys and how books have helped them grow into the women they are today. The sound of clinking cocktails and sizzling La Croix can be heard in the background of this bookish podcast where Katie and Mollie usually end up gushing over Anne of Green Gables, or referencing the Enneagram. These two bright, inspiring individuals share their favorite books, love for reading, and love for Jesus, in every episode.
Books In The Freezer with Stephanie Gagnon
The Books In The Freezer podcast logo.
Stephanie, host of the Books in the Freezer Podcast lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, beagle and cat. She’s an avid horror fiction reader and shares her love for the genre in her podcast and on her YouTube channel. The books in the Freezer Podcast discusses the deliciously disturbing world of horror fiction and actually got its name from Episode 13, Season 3 of Friends, where Joey hid his book, The Shining, by Stephen King, in the Freezer, because it was too scary. Stephanie uses this to rate her books from room temperature reads, to fridge books, and freezer readings.
Entrepreneurial and Motivational Podcasts
Detail Therapy with Amy Landino
The Detail Therapy podcast logo.
Award-winning YouTuber, public speaker, time-management maniac, and published author of her best-selling book, Vlog Like A Boss, Amy Landino hosts the Detail Therapy Podcast, where she discusses her tips and tricks for staying organized, minimizing chaos, fostering time-management skills, and what it means to go after the life that you want. She interviews all kinds of different entrepreneurs and successful people and nerds out over calendar-blocking and her beloved Prosecco. She co-owns Aftermarq with her husband, Vincenzo and cares for her blind beagle, Lucy. Amy always stresses the importance of work/life balance and how crucial self-care can be to a successful, healthy lifestyle.
The Gary Vee Audio Experience with Gary Vaynerchuck
The Gary Vee Audio Experience podcast logo.
The Gary Vee Audio Experience Podcast is hosted by marketing legend, Gary Vaynerchuk, himself. He is an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, vlogger, public speaker and social media wizard. He’s all about authenticity and keeping it real and his podcast definitely shows it. He’s got hundreds of episodes from answering fan questions, keynote speeches, marketing and business DailyVee segments from his video series, interviews, and fireside chats. Gary is inspiring and motivating, but over all, he is unapologetically himself. He gets into the nitty-gritty of what it means to have a great idea and how to bring it to life through actionable advice.
The Ground Up Show with Matt D’Avella
The Ground Up Show podcast logo.
Minimalist, filmmaker, YouTuber, and entrepreneur, Matt D’Avella hosts the Ground Up Show, where he interviews other successful entrepreneurs, and discusses what it means to go from 0-100, from the ground up. Matt provides listeners with the lessons he’s learned over the years from getting out of student debt, starting his business and building a life around what he loves. He and his interviewees explore humble beginnings, business start-up struggles, and inspiring transformation stories. He asks probing questions and dives deep into the real-life journeys of entrepreneurs in many different industries and walks of life. He discusses what it means to be a minimalist and to live with intention.
Lifestyle & Entertainment Podcasts
Kalyn’s Coffee Talk with Kalyn Nicholson
The Kalyn’s Coffee Talk podcast logo.
Kalyn’s Coffee Talk, is hosted by Kalyn Nicholson, a creative, published author of Catcher, life-style YouTuber, and online blogger. She is noted for being aesthetically pleasing and having an excellent eye for detail. An upbeat (multiple coffees not included) and uplifting podcast to start your morning, or wind down your afternoon with - covering everything from wellness, mental health and learning to live your best life free from self-judgment and doubt.
Previously Gifted by Tiffany Ferguson
The Previously Gifted podcast logo
Tiffany Ferguson, known as Tiffany Ferg on YouTube is widely interested in social and political issues and media and uses her platforms to share critical viewpoints of the day-to-day internet news. She also talks about her life as a “cusper” millennial/gen-z kid and what it has been like paying off student loans and credit card debt, studying abroad, and living in the big apple. She also half-analyses and half-jokes about having been ‘previously gifted’ and a member of the GATE program as a child and how that has affected her life thus far.
The Jenna + Julien Podcast by Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita
The Jenna + Julien Podcast logo
Iconic comedy YouTubers and meme-supreme king and queen, Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita are the hosts of the Jenna + Julien Podcast. They often discuss popular topics and play fun podcast games such as “Nuclear Winter,” or “Don’t Even Get Me Started.” When they’re not guessing song lyrics or discussing who would get the proverbial boot in an apocalyptic scenario, they’re petting their problematic, yet precious pups, or tending to their plethora of plants. They always keep it real on the podcast.
Do you listen to any of these podcasts from my list? If so, let me know in the comments below! Keep reading to see who made it on my list of favorite poets and list of favorite musical artists for 2019!
My Favorite Podcasts of 2019 - Round Up
No Thanks We’re Booked with Mollie and Katie
Books In The Freezer with Stephanie
Detail Therapy with Amy Landino
The Gary Vee Audio Experience with Gary Vaynerchuck
The Ground Up Show with Matt D’Avella
Kalyn’s Coffee Talk with Kalyn Nicholson
Previously Gifted by Tiffany Ferguson
The Jenna & Julien Podcast by Jenna Marbles and Julien Solomita
My Favorite Poets of 2019
These poets have taught me do much about writing thought and feeling-provoking poems as well as many interesting truths about the world and those in it. Their writing is so inspiring and I'd recommend them to anyone looking to get into more modern poetry.
Upile Chisala
Born in 1994 and raised in Zomba, Malawi, writer Upile Chisala hopes to tell stories from the margins and, through her work, to help others and herself come to terms with pasts, celebrate presents, and confidently dream beautiful futures. She writes truthful, yet beautiful poetry and prose from the lens of an immigrant, African American woman.
Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born Canadian poet, writer, illustrator, and performer. She immigrated to Canada as a child and has since settled in Toronto. She writes prose and poetry about beauty, pain and survival. Her poems reveal truth in the human existence and the pain and love that can be found along the way. She is a bestselling author of two books and a beloved poet in the digital age.
Christopher Poindexter
Christopher Poindexter is a bohemian poet who began writing poetry on a rebellious trip to California when he was 18. He considers himself more of an observer, trying to make sense of the human condition in all of its grit and glory. He currently has three books, Lavender, Old Soul Love, and Naked Human, all of which I would recommend. He is the poet that first got me into reading and writing poetry and his poems are beautiful and terrifying at the same time. He writes about the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.
Leah J. Stone
Leah J. Stone is a poet and memory recorder popular on Instagram for her punchy, short poems that pull at her readers’ emotions. She has one book called Dig Yourself Up, a collection of poetry and prose; a written form of self discovery. A home for those who believe in magic, and the diversity of what it means to be human in this abstract world. Stone’s poems always have me thinking, man, I wish I would have written that, because they’re so lovely and provocative. Stone’s poems make you feel something—be it good or bad.
Another favorite poem of mine is actually a found poem from the more than 150 years’ old seminal scientific text, Gray’s Anatomy, by Henry Gray. I stumbled on this poem from an online slideshow, by Christopher Anthony Leibow, called Grays’ Anatomy: The Poems. I’ve included the screenshot of the poem below as well as the link to the slideshow on Slideshare.
Another poem worth mentioning in this list is Howl, by American beat poet, Allen Ginsberg. Howl is seen as a game-changer primarily because it expressed for the first time a modern psychological angst, an urban existence fueled by drugs, jazz, sex, travel, and expansion of the mind. Love or hate it, Howl is important because it is of urban birth, the language simultaneously surreal and vulgar, jazzy and foul, yet full of real life, sensitivity and hope. Today Howl is acknowledged as a literary classic in the sense that it broke through cultural barriers, challenged establishment and encapsulated the anger and frustrations of a generation. I’ve included this poem because we just covered it in one of my American Lit courses and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since!
What do you think of these poets? Do you read Poindexter, Chisala, or Kaur? Let me know in the comments below!
My Favorite Poets of 2019 - Round Up
Upile Chisala
Rupi Kaur
Christopher Poindexter
Leah J. Stone
Christopher Anthony Leibow
Allen Ginsberg
My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books
Motivational, entrepreneurial, or self-help books have grown immensely in population over the past five years and its easy to see why. While these kind of books aren’t all in the same category, they have three things in common and that’s that they’re helpful for everyone in any industry, they help jump-start the process of building better habits, they re-engineer the idea of taking charge of your day, and they show readers how to start going after the life that you want. This is a list of my favorite motivational books from 2019.
The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins
The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends, and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?
Using the science habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment." Then, she'll give you one simple tool you can use to become your greatest self. It take just five seconds to use this tool, and every time you do, you'll be in great company.
More than 8 million people have watched Mel's TEDx Talk, and executives inside of the world's largest brands are using the tool to increase productivity, collaboration, and engagement.
Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn
Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn
Stop rushing into businesses born from half-baked ideas, misguided theories, and other forms of self-delusion. A lack of proper validation kills more businesses than anything else. As Joel Barker says, 'Speed is only useful if you re running in the right direction.' Will It Fly? will help you make sure you are clear for takeoff.
It answers questions like:
Does your business idea have merit?
Will it succeed in the market you re trying to serve, or will it just be a waste of time and resources?
Is it a good idea for YOU?
Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer
Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer
Vlog Like a Boss is the complete guide to video blogging. Amy Schmittauer is the Vlog Boss. As a new media triple threat -- YouTuber, keynote speaker, and bestselling author -- she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen. Creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, her channel boasts a global community and millions of views. Now, in her first book, she will show you how to Vlog Like a Boss and get the attention you deserve.
A collection of strategies and tactics from years of experience in online video, Schmittauer shares time-tested, proven methods to creating brand awareness with vlogging that will build a loyal community for years to come. This complete guide will show you how to:
overcome the 3 major fears that hold many people back from making videos
create your most engaging vlog every time with the Authority Video Formula
achieve your on-camera talent (and no, you don't need to be a natural )
leverage the "secret" to video success that creates fans for life
and much more
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.
With painful honesty and fearless humor, Rachel unpacks and examines the falsehoods that once left her feeling overwhelmed and unworthy, and reveals the specific practical strategies that helped her move past them. In the process, she encourages, entertains, and even kicks a little butt, all to convince you to do whatever it takes to get real and become the joyous, confident woman you were meant to be.
With unflinching faith and rock-hard tenacity, Girl, Wash Your Face shows you how to live with passion and hustle--and how to give yourself grace without giving up.
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, bestselling author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.
By the end of You Are a Badass, you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.
I hope you enjoyed this list of my top 5 motivational and entrepreneurial books of 2019! I know this is kind of early to be p putting this list together but as of now it is my current top five list. If it changes before the end of the year, I will update as needed.
My Top 5 Must-Read Motivational and Entrepreneurial Books - Round Up
The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn
Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schimmitauer
Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero
My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019
I’m somehow, simultaneously the kind of person who listens to the same song over and over again until I hate it, someone who listens to playlists (by artist), someone who listens to a song from one genre such as rock and then one from future bass and then another from the folk music genre, and ALSO, someone who can listen to two different songs at a time (don’t ask me about that one—I don’t even know how or why.) The point is, I clearly have some strange music habits and a diverse music taste with over 5,000 songs in my musical repertoire and across almost every genre (excluding country—not even sorry.)
But one thing I’ve got in common with most people on the internet is that my favorite musical artists are constantly in flux. I remember being really into the harder side of alternative music from classic rock all the way to screamo and death metal, back in middle school and high-school. And in my early years of college, I was super into rave music, dubstep and all things electronic.
Now, I’m more into pop, r&b, rap, punk rock, and pretty much everything else I used to listen to because—what I’ve noticed is that once I am done listening to a song on repeat so many times that I will never need to hear it again, it eventually makes its way into my usual rotation.
Basically, once I’ve burned myself out on a particular song, artist, album, or genre, I will give it a break and then bring it back, later. However, I am still in the “repeat” part of that process for several artists, and I’d argue they’re my favorite musical artists of 2019, because the replay count is still increasing.
The 1975
It’s no surprise that a coffee-drinking, creative gal like myself is OBSESSED with the 1975. Some of my favorite tracks from them include “Somebody Else,” “I Like America And America Likes Me,” “Ugh!,” “Mine,” and “Sincerity is Scary.”
Carly Rae Jepsen
Known, unfortunately, for her single “Call Me Maybe” Carly Rae Jepsen is one of the decades most talented pop artists, but she doesn’t get nearly enough of the recognition she deserves. She’s known as the Call-Me-Maybe-Girl and she has tons of records that easily surpass that one viral hit. Even more heartbreaking, her song, “Run Away With Me” a musical masterpiece that was turned into a meme in 2015 during the popularity of Vine is something I will NEVER forgive the world for letting flop. “Run Away With Me,” “Automatically in Love,” “Fever,” “LA Hallucinations,” “The One,” “Higher” “Cut to the Feeling,” “I really Like You,” and “I Didn’t Just Come Here To Dance” (and just about every other one of her songs) are my favorites from Carly Rae Jepsen.
Børns
Børns is a colorful, multinstrumentalist, singer and songwriter known for the songs, “American Money,” “Fool,” “10,000 Emerald Pools,” “Past Lives,” and “Electric Love”—all of which are my favorites.
The Color Grey
Moving on from alternative music, I’ve also been really into rap, hip-hop, and r&b. One of my favorite, yet lesser-known rap artists is The Color Grey, or Grey, the Antwerp based rapper and hip-hop artist. His music caught the attention of other music-lovers, rappers, and critics due to his unique mingling of important messages woven in with jazzy background music. Some of my favorites by The Color Grey are “Silence Speaks,” “Need to Know,” “Options,” “Sins” and “Vibes” in that order.
Tinashe
One of the most talented, yet underrated artists of our time is Tinashe. Her wordplay, vocals, dance skills, and musical wizardry is so incredible I am genuinely surprised she isn’t as big as other artists in her genre. At the time of writing this blog post, I am listening to my all-time favorite Tinashe song—”Bet” Some other favorites include “Feels Like Vegas,” “No Contest,” and “C’est La Vie.”
Purity Ring
One of the most obscure, yet ingenious bands I’ve ever stumbled across is Purity Ring. The band combines pop, rap, r&b, and old poetry to create music that touches you on multiple levels from lyrics, to tune, to overall composition. I find myself marveling at their lyrical genius and kicking myself, thinking, why didn’t I come up with that? My favorites from Purity Ring are “Asido,” “Crawlersout,” “Lofticries,” “Obedear,” “push pull,” “Repetition,” “Stranger than Earth,” “heartsigh,” and “begin again.” Not to mention, their album cover art is stunning.
Sickick
I won’t expose him here, but if you know, you know, Sickick has been on the music scene for yeeeears. He is gaining popularity on YouTube, but is widely known for his covers of popular artists songs and mash-ups. He’s gained attention for his insane ability to keep complex rhythms, natural vocal control, and skill in making and mixing fresh, new music unlike anything the trap/rap/pop scene has seen yet. Some of my favorites by Sickick include his “Jason Derulo Mashup,” “Sean Paul Mashup,” “Kill Me Slowly,” “Mind Games,” “Infected,” “G.M.O.D,” and “Don’t Catch Feelings.”
Bring Me The Horizon
Last but not least, we’re bringing it back around to alternative music, because how could I not? BMTH is doing something phenomenal in weaving multiple genres together with their new music. Some fans will argue that those who are into their newer music aren’t true fans, but I have always enjoyed their music, and as I’ve chilled out over the years (and so have they,) I’ve come to appreciate their slower, more laid-back tracks. Some of my favorites include “Mother Tongue,” “In The Dark,” “Mantra,” “Blasphemy,” “True Friends,” “That’s The Spirit,” “Throne,” “Doomed,” “Follow You,” and “Happy Song.”
A Day to Remember
While we’re on the topic of punk rock music, I figured I should mention one of my favorite bands of all time—A Day To Remember. Some of my favorite songs from A Day To Remember include “End of Me,” “Sometimes, You’re the Hammer, Sometimes, You’re The Nail,” “Best of Me,” “Colder Than My Heart, If You Can Imagine,” “My Life For Hire,” “I Heard It’s The Softest Thing In The World,” “You Should’ve Killed Me When You Had The Chance,” and “Life @ 11.” Can you believe those super long song titles!
I Prevail
Taking it back to my roots in rock—and more specifically, punk rock—I’ve been listening to I Prevail almost non-stop, lately. Some of my favorite tracks are from their newest record, Trauma, including “Every Time You Leave,” “I Don’t Belong Here,” “Breaking Down,” “Gasoline,” “DOA,” “Low,” “Let Me Be Sad,” “Rise Above It,” and “Hurricane,” not necessarily in that order. (I know I almost named the entire list of songs from that album but 1) they’re really good! and 2) Jeez, can this list get any more emo?
That wraps up my top 10 favorite musical artists for 2019. It was hard to compile such a short list since I listen to such a diverse range of music, but those are definitely my favorites. Some honorable mentions include Juliet Simms, Lady Gaga, Deadmau5, and Ghost Town however, I chose not to include these artists because they fall into my all-time favorites lists and I didn’t want too much overlap. Clearly the biggest genre present in this list is alternative, and specifically punk rock—which isn’t surprising—after listening to punk rock exclusively during my formative years, it makes sense that the artists I listened to then would still hold meaning for me now.
My Favorite Musical Artists of 2019 - Round Up
(Not in any particular order. Many of these songs weren’t released in 2019 alone, but I decided to count them because these are my all-time favorite songs by bands I listened to for most of 2019.)
The 1975
Carly Rae Jepsen
Børns
The Color Grey
Tinashe
Purity Ring
Sickick
Bring Me The Horizon
A Day to Remember
I Prevail
If you made it this far in the post—wow, you’re a real one. I doubt anyone is reading this in the year of our lord 2025, but if so, drop a comment to let me know you’re here! Who was your favorite poet or musician of 2019? Did you have a favorite podcast back then? Let me know!
Bibliography
Brian-O. "Poetry Selections: from ‘Soft Magic’ by Upile Chisala" (Author portrait image). Black Lit Blog, May, 6, 2020. Accessed September 1, 2025.Chisala, Upile. Nectar (Author bio). 2019. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.Chisala, Upile. Nectar (Cover image) 2019. Goodreads. Accessed June 15, 2019.Chisala, Upile. soft magic. (Cover image and author bio). 2015. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.D'Avella, Matt. "The Ground Up Show" (Podcast logo image). Soundcloud, Accessed July 23, 2019.Ferguson, Tiffany. "Previously Gifted Podcast" (Podcast logo image), Apple Podcasts. Accessed September 1, 2025.Flynn, Pat. “Will It Fly?: How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money” (Book cover). Amazon, 2016. Accessed July 25, 2019.Gagnon, Stephanie. "Books in the Freeze - A Horror Fiction Podcast" (Podcast logo image). PodBean. Accessed July 23, 2019.Hollis, Rachel. "Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be" (Book cover). Amazon, 2018. Accessed July 23, 2019.Kaur, Rupi. The Sun and Her Flowers. (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Accessed June 15, 2019.Kaur, Rupi. Milk and Honey (Cover image and author bio). 2015. Accessed June 15, 2019.Landino, Amy. "Vlog Like a Boss: How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging" (Book cover). Amazon, 2017. Accessed July 23, 2019.Landino, Amy. "Detail Therapy" (Podcast logo image) Spotify. Accessed June 15, 2019.Leibow, Christopher Anthony. 2012. Gray's Anatomy: The Poems. (Screenshot of page 5). SlideShare. August 24, 2012. Accessed June 15, 2019.Marbles, Jenna and Julien Solomita. "Jenna Julien Podcast" (Podcast logo image) . Spotify, Accessed July 23, 2019.Molina, Andres. A cup of coffee and a notebook on a table.” Unsplash photo, uploaded on November 23, 2021. Accessed June 15, 2019 (Thumbnail image).McClurg, Jocelyn. “'Milk and Honey' author Rupi Kaur plans second helping.” USA Today, May 24, 2017. Accessed June 15, 2019 (Portrait of Rupi Kaur used in the gallery above).Poindexter, Christopher. Lavender (Remastered) (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.Poindexter, Christopher. Old Soul Love (Cover image and author bio). 2017. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.Poindexter, Christopher. Naked Human (Cover image and author bio). 2018. Amazon. Accessed June 15, 2019.Robbins, Mel. "The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage" (Book cover). Goodreads, 2017. Accessed July 25, 2019.Sincero, Jen. "You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" (Book cover). Amazon, 2013. Accessed July 25, 2019.Stone, Leah J.. Dig Yourself Up Cover image and author bio section. Amazon, accessed June 15, 2019.Studio71. “Kalyn’s Coffee Talk” (Podcast logo image). Castbox, Accessed July 23, 2019.Tubeville, Mollie and Katie. “No Thanks We’re Booked” (Podcast logo image). Accessed July 23, 2019.Vaynerchuck, Gary. “Podcast - Gary Vaynerchuck” (Podcast logo image). Accessed July 23, 2019.
Further Reading
Click here to view soft magic. by Upile Chisala on AmazonClick here to view Nectar by Upile Chisala on AmazonClick here to view Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur on AmazonClick here to view The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur on AmazonClick here to view Dig Yourself Up by Leah J. Stone on AmazonClick here to view Lavender (Remastered) by Christopher Poindexter on AmazonClick here to view Naked Human by Christopher Poindexter on AmazonClick here to view Old Soul Love by Christopher Poindexter on Amazon
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
Immersion Reading: Audiobooks and Ambiance
Audiobooks aren’t really books. Or are they? While many argue that listening to an audiobook doesn’t really compare to reading a book, there’s something to be said about immersion reading -or reading text while listening to an audiobook simultaneously. By using two of the five senses, readers gain a richer reading experience and find it easier to get into the story.
Woman wearing headphones while reading. Photo by Karolina Grabowska.
This blog post was written by a human. If you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by, and if you’re a returning reader, it’s nice to see you again! In this post we’re discussing the practice of immersive reading with audio. Does listening to music or white noise interfere with properly encoding information? Are audiobooks really books? While many argue that listening to an audiobook doesn’t really compare to reading a book, there’s something to be said about immersion reading—or reading text while listening to an audiobook simultaneously. By using two of the five senses, readers gain a richer reading experience and find it easier to get into the story.
So, if reading covers one sense—sight, and listening tackles a second—sound, then shouldn’t this foster a better reading experience?
Not exactly. Many readers argue that audiobooks are distracting to the story, or their reading pace differs from the reading pace of the voice actor, or the narrators read in strange voices for each character. These are all issues authors face when considering having their manuscripts formatted as an audiobook. While these are real issues for readers and authors alike, they still receive an overwhelmingly positive response, and here’s why:
There’s a new trend in the reading community called immersion reading. As defined above, immersion reading is when a book (or e-book) is read in tandem with an audiobook. This has helped many readers better get into the story and has fostered, for many, a richer reading experience.
Not all voice actors read character voices. If you’ve listened to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire the first book in the Game of Thrones series, you know what it’s like listening to a narrator tell a story with character voices. Sometimes they nail the different character voices perfectly in timbre and tone. And at other times, it can be totally distracting and annoying. This is an issue for some because it doesn’t allow the reader’s imagination to create the characters’ voices, but instead spoon-feeds them a narrator-interpreted-and-performed character voice. However, this isn’t always bad; readers who want to focus on the writing and the content of the story won’t have to waste their time imagining voices if they hear them while they’re reading. Likewise, people who struggle with aphantasia may benefit from immersive reading with audio. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Aphantasia, or image-free thinking, is a cognitive characteristic that makes it difficult or even impossible for individuals visualize images in their mind. (Cleveland Clinic 2023) Since traditional reading often relies on mental imagery to enhance comprehension and engagement, those with aphantasia may struggle to create vivid mental pictures of scenes, characters, or abstract concepts. Readers who experience aphantasia may not be able to fully imagine the events of a story clearly in their mind, much less how each character looks and sounds. Want to learn more about aphantasia? Check out the Aphantasia Network resources in the Further Reading section at the end of this blog post.
By pairing text with audio narration, immersive reading provides additional sensory input, helping readers process and retain information through auditory cues. The tone, pacing, and emphasis in spoken narration can bring stories to life, compensating for the lack of mental visualization. Additionally, sound effects and background music in audiobooks can enhance emotional depth and atmosphere, making narratives more engaging. This multimodal approach can improve comprehension, memory retention, and overall reading enjoyment for individuals with aphantasia. That being said, a quick check in the reviews section of your audiobook will tell you if the narrator used character voices and if their performance overall was positively or negatively received.
The pacing can be changed to fit your natural reading speed. Readers often read at their own pace and many argue that audiobooks don’t read as fast/slow as they’d like. If you’re using an audiobooks app, there is typically a slider that allows you to change the narration speed without butchering the narrator’s voice.
Another way for readers to experience immersion reading is by playing music in the background of your reading space. No, I don’t mean Lady Gaga should be blasting while you’re reading your next high fantasy novel. Instead, you should put on music from the Slytherin Common Room at Hogwarts, or something fantasy-based. This helps drop the reader into the setting of the story and makes for a richer reading experience. A great place to find music like this is Ambient-mixer.com or on the Ambient Mixer app. This app allows the listener to create different sound loops and has a variety of looped tracks for any genre/setting.
The description of the Slytherin Common Room details what it’s like to listen to this audio:
“You are a 5th year at Hogwarts and you're sitting in the Slytherin Common Room trying to stay awake and study. But, you have never been a very studious person so your eyelids are getting heavy and you find yourself falling asleep in a brown recliner while two other Slytherins are able to stay awake with the aid of coffee. There aren't any windows for you to see outside, but since the common room is submerged under the lake you can faintly hear the sound of water just on the other side of the walls.” (QuoteRaven)
A screenshot of the Ambient Mixer Slytherin Common Room volume control panel. Photo by Payton Hayes.
A quote from the Ambient Mixer site describes what the site offers to listeners:
“Ambient-mixer.com is a community driven project offering you some unique quality soundscapes with different atmospheres for chilling, relaxing or your recordings using our endless audio loops. You can further effectively mix and create your own sounds absolutely free, with no software installations required. You can begin listening to our sounds by clicking on the images above, which are based on different themes. All atmospheres are royalty free audio files and you can use them even in your commercial projects, thanks to the Creative Commons Sampling Plus license.” (Ambient Mixer)
While not everyone supports the use of audiobooks over reading tangible books or even e-books, immersion reading is gaining traction and becoming more popular throughout the reading community.
Bibliography
Ambient Mixer. “What is this website all about?” (Homepage footer, paragraph 1).Pavel Danilyuk (@pavel-danilyuk/). “A young woman with white headphones looking at a planner.” Pexels photo, March 12, 2021. (Thumbnail photo).Grabowska, Karolina (@Kaboompics.com) “Woman Sitting on the Armchair and Reading a Book While Listening to Music.” Pexels photo, January 28, 2021.Hayes, Payton. “A screenshot of the Ambient Mixer Slytherin Common Room volume control panel.” Payton Hayes Blog, May 3, 2019.“QuoteRaven. “Slytherin Common Room.” Ambient Mixer Audio and Description, accessed May 3, 2019.Cleveland Clinic. “Aphantasia.” Cleveland Clinic Definition, last reviewed on August 21, 2023.
Further Reading
“What is Immersion Reading?” by Connie Pan, August 8, 2024.“What is Immersive Reading and How Can It Help Me to Read Faster?” by Darren Van Soye, Nov 8, 2023.“Listen Up! Why Audiobooks Count as Reading.” by Pernille Ripp, June 17, 2024.“Is Audiobook Listening Considered “Reading”?” by Dianne Coan, accessed March 14, 2025.“4 Powerful Pros and 4 Cons of Immersion Reading.” by Mark El-Ayat, May 16, 2024.“What Is Aphantasia?” by The Aphantasia Network, accessed March 14, 2025.“5 Ways to Enjoy Reading with Aphantasia.” by Bartholowmew Lander, May 15, 2021.“Imagination Without Images: Aphantasia and Science Fiction Readers and Writers.” by Kim Zarins, November 4, 2022.“Writing Fantasy Without a Mind’s Eye.” by Frank Shultz, June 11, 2024.“Describing What You Cannot See—A Horror Writer With Aphantasia Explains His Process.” by Chad Anctil, October 31, 2024.“How to Write with Aphantasia.” by Dustin Grinnell, June 30, 2021.“Being a Writer When You Literally Cannot Visualize Scenes.” by Alexandra Oliva, April 8, 2021.
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Active Reading Vs. Passive Reading: Using Psychology-Based Critical Reading Skills To Increase Information Absorption & RetentionRead Like A Writer: What Analytical Reading Can Teach UsQuestions You Should Ask Yourself As A Reader or CriticHow to Read More BooksHow I Read A Book: My Book Reading RoutineHow I Got Started Reading When I Hated ItGet Immersed in Your Reading: Writing With All Five SensesReading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!Self-Care Tips for Readers and Writers
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This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
Disability and Spectrum Representation in Books
One incredibly world-changing element of reading is the ability for readers to connect with and imagine themselves in the shoes of the main character. Readers absolutely must make these crucial connections to the main characters to find a deeper immersion and foster a more enriched reading experience.Unfortunately, not everyone can make these connections so easily. Accurate and respectful representation of both physical and mental disabilities in books is not nearly as prominent as it should be.
Girl standing next to a person in a wheelchair. Photo by Josh Appel.
This blog post was written by a human.Hello readers and writerly friends!
If you’re a returning reader, welcome back and if you’re new to the blog, thanks for stopping by! In this blog post we’re taking a peek into the world of representation in the publishing industry. One incredibly world-changing element of reading is the ability for readers to connect with and imagine themselves in the shoes of the main character. Readers absolutely must make these crucial connections to the main characters to find a deeper immersion and foster a more enriched reading experience.
Unfortunately, not everyone can make these connections so easily. Accurate and respectful representation of both physical and mental disabilities in books is not nearly as prominent as it should be. In fact, that’s an understatement. The majority of books out there, are usually set in the viewpoint of a non-disabled individual, so, readers with disabilities may not find these characters easy to build a bond with. This should be concerning for everyone, because not only do accurate and respectful portrayals of disabled people help educate and inform the readers, it also helps to teach them about compassion.
We begin teaching kindness and sharing at a very, very young age and nurture those values all the way into adulthood, so, why shouldn’t we also be teaching compassion and understanding, especially for those with disabilities. Inclusive stories provide an incredible sense of joy and providing children with these works is critical in fostering an empathetic, compassionate and understanding new generation.
While inclusiveness is incredibly important, it is likewise important to look beyond the disability and see the person. This way of thinking is often referred to person-first, where people don’t simply identify disabled individuals with their disability. Disabled people are people too, and should be treated with respect and dignity, no matter the situation.
This isn’t all to say that accurate and respectful representation of disabilities don’t exist, but in the vast amount of books that we have, there should be way more representation and way more inclusion. As I mentioned before, inclusion provides a great sense of joy and is vital to the way readers experience a story. It’s imperative that these representations find their way into more books.
Likewise, most of these representations are found in non-fiction or informative books, but those books aren’t for everyone, and don’t provide readers with a main character to connect with. We need to see more fictional stories where disabilities are accurately and respectfully portrayed. A few that come to mind are listed below. Please comment any that you feel should be added to the list.
Books that have successfully and accurately portrayed disabled individuals in a way where readers can connect with the characters:
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
An Oath of Dogs by Wendy N. Wagner
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
Lupine Road by Cal Matthews
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.
Alternative Book Buying: Build Your Home Library With These Affordable Options
Libraries are always great. Well, except for when they don't have that one book you've been looking all over for! Someone has had it checked out for weeks, or maybe your library just doesn't have the book anyways. Sometimes you have to pick up the book, yourself, but books can rack up quite a bill if you're a prolific reader. If you're looking to get great reading material at low cost or maybe you're building your personal library, here's a few places to go book shopping for less.
Woman standing on a ladder in a vintage bookstore. Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz.
This blog post was written by a human.Hello readers and writerly friends!
If you’re a returning reader, welcome back to the blog! And if you’re new here, thanks for stopping by! In this post, we’re taking a look at a few different ways to acquire books secondhand so you don’t have to pay full price to fill your bookshelves. Libraries are always great. Well, except for when they don't have that one book you've been looking all over for! Someone has had it checked out for weeks, or maybe your library just doesn't have the book anyways. Sometimes you have to pick up the book, yourself, but books can rack up quite a bill if you're a prolific reader.
If you're looking to get great reading material at low cost or maybe you're building your personal library, here's a few places to go book shopping for less:
Dollar Tree. This one might not seem like much, but depending on the Dollar Tree near you, it could have a wide selection of books. I've found books from best selling authors, and decorative books as well. And for a dollar, these books for certainly worth checking out!
Half-Priced Books. There's tons of these kind of stores around. The best part is at most of them, you can trade your old books in for a value towards new books!
Amazon & eBay. Sites like these carry a huge selection of books. They come in both new and used conditions. On Amazon, you can even find books for less than a dollar!
E-books. These aren't tangible copies of books, no, but they're still readable, nonetheless. Usually e-books are considerably cheaper than their physical counterparts.
Thrift Stores. This isn't always reliable if you're looking for something specific, but you can bet they'll be cheap. You can find filler books for decoration in your growing library, or find used books you've never heard of before. I once found the entire Warrior Cat series, most of the Harry Potter series, and several Alyson Noel books in one trip to my local thrift store!
The Library. Sometimes libraries do book giveaways when they’ve have books that sit on the shelf for too long without being check out on occasion. Check with your local library to find out if they do free book giveaways and when their next one is expected! Some of these ideas may seem obvious but are often highly underrated. Not only are these great ways to purchase books for a fraction of the cost, but stores such as half-priced books, libraries and thrift stores are a more sustainable way to collect books. If you know of any other alternative means for collecting books, comment below!
Let me know what your thoughts are on this list! I’d love to know any new tips or tricks that I didn’t mention! Comment below and let’s chat!
Bibliography
Futalan, Denniz (@denniz-futalan). “Person Holding a Brown Old Book.” Pexels photo, July 16, 2020 (Thumbnail photo).Macavei-Katócz, Noémi (@noemimk). “vintage bookstore 2.” Unsplash photo, October 14, 2019.
Related Topics
I Visited The Full Circle Bookstore In OKCHow to Read More BooksHow I Read A Book: My Book Reading RoutineMy Bookish Resolutions (2023)Book Wrap Up & Rating All The Books I Read This Year (2022)Bookish End of The Year Survey (2022)Bookish End of The Year Survey (2021)21 Bookish Resolutions for 202120 Bookish Resolutions For 2020The Do I Have That Book? Challenge3 Bookish Things Tag20 Bookish Facts About MeHow I Got Started Reading When I Hated ItQuestions That Readers or Critics Should Ask Themselves10 Tips For Planning Your Reading Challenge (2020)Reading Slump Emergency Kit: 15 Surefire Ways To Break Out of a Reading Slump!
Recent Blog Posts
This blog post was researched, written, and published by a human author without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI). Gen-AI models are trained on text written by humans, therefore, the presence of specific punctuation, verbiage, tone, or predictable, marketing-style phrases alone are not sufficient indicators of gen-AI usage. I implore readers to use context clues, critical thinking, pattern recognition, research, and employ their best judgement when determining the validity of human authorship of print and digital media today. If you want to learn more about my stance on gen-AI and it’s role in media and the publishing industry, I plan to release a blog post on this topic very soon, so stay tuned for that. This disclaimer will be updated once that post goes live. In the meantime, I will continue to be transparent about which tools and resources I use in my work.