The 555 Reviews

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image courtesy of AllPosters.com

In thirty days, according to my widget down there in the right column, it'll be my blogoversary. Now, to prevent me from getting sentimental and maudlin, which I occasionally get when I have an opportunity to look back on the past, I shall endeavor to turn a blind eye to how I've been keeping this blog (badly...) and look toward the future! (cue Back to the Future soundtrack)

And so, on to explaining what I intend to do (God help me, God help me)...

My main goal for this year is to read 100 books. Then, because I like listing things down and, really, because I had time, I started this blog to note down the books I read and the thoughts I had about them. So, eventually, my covert goal became to read 100 books and to blog about them. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way--let's say around June--I couldn't keep up with the blogging regularly. Now, it has come to the point that I have 37 books that are read but unreviewed.

My temporary-though-by-no-means-original solution: 555 Book Reviews

5 categories, maximum of 5 bullet points per category, then a 5 star rating system

Ok, I tried to make it pithy, but this is the best I could come up with. I figure given this short, hopefully stress-free structure, I can make up for those reviews and actually go back to blogging.

So, the five categories are:
  • How I got it...
  • Why I read it...
  • What's the story?
  • What I liked about it...
  • What I didn't like about it...
And by "it," I refer to the book itself, and not just to the plot. I plan to write simply bullet points under each category. Each bullet point should be worth one sentence, for brevity's sake. Of course, I sort of reserve the right to make it a long or short sentence. Also, I reserve the right not to make the make the maximum number of bullet points. Because, really, how many bullet points can I place under "How I got it"? This might reveal a structural flaw in my 555 design, but I'm willing to live with it.

Finally, the last 5 is just the usual 5 star rating.

What I plan to do is to finish my review backlog by the time my blogoversary comes tripping along. So that amounts to at least one review per day. Wish me luck and take this kiss I send you, because, Blogosphere, I missed you, as usual.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love the short, sharp, pithy format. Congrats on the blogoversary!
December 22, 2009 at 6:38 AM
Aarti said…
Yay, glad you're back! I had just about given up hope :-)
December 22, 2009 at 1:25 PM
fantaghiro23 said…
@Book pusher - Thanks! I needed something short and hassle-free to catch up on my reviews, and do justice to my blogoversary.

@Aarti - Hope springs eternal!:)
December 22, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Peter S. said…
Yehey! Coffeespoons is back! And the 555 method is just brilliant!
December 23, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Peter S. said…
Yehey! Coffeespoons is back! And the 555 review method is just brilliant!
December 23, 2009 at 5:50 PM
fantaghiro23 said…
Hi, Peter! Yep, I'm back on the saddle. Thanks for the encouragement.:)
December 23, 2009 at 6:59 PM
Anonymous said…
peter is right. the 555 method is brilliant! it should catch on the blogosphere. i may try it one of these days (will credit, of course).
December 29, 2009 at 12:52 AM
fantaghiro23 said…
Hi, Mich! Sure, feel free to steal. I don't know if it'll catch, but it's an easier way for me to deal with my review backlog.:)
December 29, 2009 at 9:58 PM
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