The gift of books
A book flood of love for authors. Seasonal reminder to: read, rate, review, share, recommend, buy, borrow, subscribe, follow, like, comment or cite the writers in your life.
Happy Midwinter’s Eve
In a panic at my lack of Christmas shopping, I sent an email to my local bookshop with a list of books for my family. The next day I got a message to say they’d arrived. I collected them from The Book Case in Hebden Bridge (I may or may not have snuck a book for myself into the shopping basket).
The tradition of gifting books
I was interested to find out that books are the most gifted presents in Iceland at this time of year with everyone receiving at least one. This is down to the tradition of Jolabokaflod,1 translated as ‘Christmas book flood’ where families gather together to exchange books to be read on Christmas Eve.2 3
Buying books supports the authors you love and the shops in your community. Publishing relies on the seasonal surge in sales and with high streets struggling, shopping local can make a huge difference.
If money is tight, there are second-hand bookshops and charity shops specialising in books. I ordered an out-of-print childhood classic for my mother-in-law from Oxfam online.
⚡Final call for our January Writing RESET course - just a few places left. Find out more and book here. 👈
The gift of reading
There are some amazing charities that support reading. I always donate to the Book Trust’s appeal that gifts books to children in care. Check out its affiliated charities across the world.
Supporting authors
While it’s great to buy books, there are lots of different ways to support writers too - many of which are free and quick to do. You could:
📖 Read - buy, borrow from a library, download, listen to an audio book
❤️ Rate & Review - pop online and leave a rating or a kind word
⭐ Recommend - word of mouth is everything, so tell a friend, or share it on your socials4
✅ Subscribe - follow authors you love, subscribe to their newsletters, like their posts, leave a comment
💬 Cite - shout-out to the writers and thinkers who influence your writing by quoting them
Writing can be a lonely business so let the writers who have kept you company this year know you appreciate them.
Thank you for supporting us this year, for reading Breakthroughs & Blocks and our book Written. It’s been a joy writing for you and helping you to write.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to snuggle under a blanket (or build my own hibernacle - see below) and begin my own personal book flood.
Happy Jolabokaflod, see you in the New Year.
Bec
⚡ Final call out our January Writing RESET course - just a few places left. Find out more and book here. 👈
Introducing the Hibernacle from lexicographer Susie Dent
In case you missed them, a few seasonal posts
🎄 Harness that finishing feeling
🎄 Find your writing peaks at the end of year
🎄 Let the restivities commence
🎄 All our writing tips in one place
Order the hardback in time for Christmas
Pre order the paperback in time for your January writing push
Jólabókaflóðið to give it its correct spelling. You can find out how to pronounce it here.
Facts! Speculation? Iceland is the third most literate country in the world. It produces more books per capita than any other country, according to the World Economic Forum. I was fascinated to find out that it is also number three in the happiness rankings. Coincidence or correlation?
Jolabokaflod is a far more wholesome tradition than the annual ‘Mad Friday’ celebrations which will hit the UK this week as workplaces empty out, pubs fill up and the emergency services get called out.
I was just reading about the Icelandic 'book flood' this morning! Such a great tradition - and a great gift to give at this time of year - a sharing of experience as well as a 'product'. We've a lot to learn from the Icelanders, I think...