Booktuber Channel?

Since discovering the booktuber community, I have sort of become obsessed with watching book hauls, reviews and various book-related discussion videos. I discovered them around the same time as I received my Kindle and they have just been a massive inspiration to start reading again after a bit of a book-related drought last year. As a further motivator to start reading, I have decided to add booktuber to my YouTube resume and dive into the style that I've been admiring from afar. But I need your guys' help with how you think I should do this. 

The thing about wanting to fit into a certain community on YouTube is that it won't always make sense to people outside of that area. I started an entire beauty channel because the format of those videos is just so specific, that it would be been awkward for people unfamiliar who are just tuning into a random video on my channel. Also, you know, I didn't want to alienate the small male audience of my videos (though a few of you boys have commented on my kayleyscloset videos, which is great! I'm happy I can be entertaining when talking about things that don't necessary pertain to your gender!)  So. Anyway. The point is that if I was going to do book related videos, I'd like to take on a specific format that is seen in booktuber videos. It's a bit like a book club. Basically, it'd be book hauls (where I should what books I've bought, give a summary and show you guys what I'll be reading), reviews (more in-depth, but spoiler-free) and then sort of book-related discussion. For instance, ChapterChicks have 'Novel Notions,' theReadables has 'Let's Talk' and CassJayTuck has 'Random Thought,' just to name a few. I'd like to develop my own style within that sort of format. But that doesn't really have a place on my owlssayhooot channel. 

Essentially, what I'm asking, is whether or not you guys would hate me for starting ANOTHER channel? I know it's annoying when YouTubers have liked six channels for their iPhone and blahblah. But I sort of like to think that all of my channels have their own purpose (except for kayleyhyde, which, um, is in hibernation at the moment.) I like being able to organise myself in that way. I'm sort of an organisational freak, so it's sort of like having folders of different videos, you know? Also, I'm sure I'll get "she probably just wants to make more money etc" comments, which, I just want to confirm, is far from the truth. By starting a new channel, I'm actually doing the opposite. I could just start doing these videos on my main channel, where I already have 40,000+ subscribers, but I just don't think it'd be fair to people who aren't really into that sort of thing and don't understand the format. So. Yeah. It's never been about money and never will be with me. I just really like talking about a wide variety of things and sometimes it just doesn't all fit in the same channel. I just really like things, you guys. And I like sharing them with people and if I can inspire other people who may be in a reading slump to read in the way booktubers have inspired me to start picking up more books, I would be ecstatic. 

SO YES. I have rambled a bit, I am sorry. I intend to mention this blog post in a video where I discuss this topic in an abridged fashion (or, if I get loads of positive feedback, I'll just go ahead and start the channel without asking in a video, who knows). Let me know your thoughts. I am posting this on my blogspot blog, which has still not resolved the whole can't-respond-to-comments thing, so if you really have any questions, you can ask on my tumblr. By the way, this blog post sounds like I take myself seriously. But really, I just want to constantly insist to people who enjoy my content, that I really don't take anything obnoxiously seriously. Except the temperature of my hot beverages. Once they are cold, they're in that microwave within seconds. I ain't messing around. 

Okay, right. I'm going to go now and READ, ha, see what I did there? You guys let me know if you'd like a channel for books and if not, why? Also, if the agreement is 'no,' than I'll probably try to work in short snippets of reviews, like I have in the past. It'd just be a very condensed format. 

Hope you're all having fantastic weekends and I'll talk to you soon. Thanks for reading x

Train journeys this year: 6.

Flights this year: 1. 

Videos posted this year: 12.

I think I'll post edits to things I want to respond to in the comments...

Edit: For the person worried about my not being regular with content. You have such little faith! :P I have uploaded consistent content for years and I've never really had a problem with that unless I just haven't had a video idea. No need to worry. I am busy, but videos are a thing I plan, just like I put time aside to hang out with friends or write an essay. I'd like to have one video for each of my three channels (owlssayhooot, kayleyscloset and this one) per week. Unless I haven't got something specific for one, of course. I never force content out of myself.

Also, to the person who is worried about it getting less attention, that really isn't a problem. If people don't want to watch, they don't have to. I'm not worried about it being less popular than my normal content. I just want to give the books justice and discuss books more thoroughly and in the format of my choice, which just doesn't fit on my main channel. I may not have a style on my main channel, but trying to squeeze in a specific format out of nowhere would be awkward, haha. It is totally selfish, but I want to be able to utilize the whole booktuber format because I think it would be fun. People on my main channel don't want to watch book hauls and an entire video on one book. The thing about having a channel with loads of subscribers is that you DO, to a certain extent, have to take into account that not everyone watches every video. I don't want people turned off from my channel that I have had for years because they start seeing this new, random format of videos that they aren't used to. Plus, as I stated before, it's just FUN to have different channels where I can organise things differently :)

In addition, I am considering using the playlist function on YouTube so that I can have a playlist of my kayleyscloset and book channel videos on owlssayhooot. So even if you don't want to subscribe, you could just go to my channel from time to time to see what's up and have them all collected there, if that makes sense! x

Man, I'm starting to feel like I'm repeating myself...Sorry if I am. Also this blog post is super weird. IT'S LIKE A LIVE STREAM BLOG POST. Anyway, like I said, I'm not decided. There are ways to incorporate it into my main channel, but it'd just be less fun and I'm selfish like that. I'll probably decide in the next week or so. We shall see. Thanks again for your input :) x

Fun Book Survey

Here's a super long survey that a girl I follow on tumblr named Lynsey posted that I had some time doing. Let me know what you're reading right now! :) x

1. Favorite childhood book?

Harry Potter by Jo Rowling and Holes by Louis Sachar.

2. What are you reading right now?

Shades of Grey by Jason Fforde.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

I don't use the library. Never really did, really. I always liked having my own books, as I enjoyed marking them up/highlighting/etc. 

4. Bad book habit?

Starting and not finishing. Awful. 

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

None.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

Just got a Kindle last week because books are too expensive in this country and it just isn't practical for me to have loads of books while I'm over here, even if I'll be here for a few years. The less, the better, much to my dismay. But I really like the Kindle!

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I prefer one at a time, but I have a habit of reading two or three. 

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Well, my blog is not devoted solely to books. But since checking out more book blogs and finding the booktubers community and things, it's reinvigorated my excitement for reading :)

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)

I haven't read enough books this year to have a least favourite, as it's only February, haha.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

I suppose not too often, but there are just so many books in the genres I like, that I like to stay on top of new books in those genres and such.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

YA, fantasy, sci-fi and bits of adult fiction here & there.

13. Can you read on the bus?

It's sort of hard on London buses, as they tend to be really jerky, but trains, definitely! 

14. Favorite place to read?

Long train rides, my bed or my couch back at my parents house in Seattle.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

I love sharing books. 

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

Not really, no. Unless it's a paperback and not something I love a lot or anything. 

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

Yup, but mostly I highlight.

18. Not even with text books?

…Still yes :P

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

English. I’m not bilingual, unfortunately.

20. What makes you love a book?

The characters. Or really, really good backstory. For instance, while I didn't find the characters in The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson particularly compelling, I adore the story and history so much that I love the book.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

Friends, hearing about it more than once, videos/blogs/etc.

22. Favorite genre?

YA fiction, especially dystopian. I was terrible at keeping up with releases last year and so it's SO incredibly thrilling to see how the genre has grown over the last couple of years when I've been "away," so to speak. The genre used to be so small and it's growth is daunting, but exciting. 

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Historical fiction.

24. Favorite biography?

I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles. I read loads of Elizabeth I biographies when I was about 14 and this one I remember fondly. 

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

Not that I can recall. 

26. Favorite cookbook?

I usually just use blogs for recipes, if I'm honest. My mom has a few that I've used, but nothing I cant think of.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I really haven't read enough books this year for this survey, if I'm honest. :P

28. Favorite reading snack?

Goldfish crackers, probably. Though I can't really get those here. Anything that doesn't make my fingers dirty/gross. I tend to 

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

A lot of the time, the hype has come after I read the books and made up my mind (HP, Twilight, The Hunger Games, etc.) But Confessions of a Shopaholic was so incredibly infuriating to me and I don't understand the appeal. I can watch a 20 minute fashion haul video, but that book was painful. :P

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I don't read critic reviews, really. 

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

I am really good at knowing what I like, so I don't read a lot of books I don't like. Therefore, I luckily rarely feel the need to give negative reviews. 

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?

French, or Russian. French just because it's a more practical language in general, though I'd love to read some Chekhov in the original Russian.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? 

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, especially because I was quite young.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. I really didn't like the show, but I've still heard great reviews of the books and I'd like to read them one day. 

35. Favorite Poet?

I do sound so uncultured when I say this, but I'm not a huge fan of poetry. I did a play about Dylan Thomas' life, so I grew fond of his writing, but other than that, I generally stay away from poetry. I'm awful, I know. It's just not a form of story-telling I enjoy.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

None.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

Yes! I just searched for it because I couldn't remember the full title. But it's The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill. I was so upset when I realised I had my libraries copy after leaving primary school, but I never returned it. Still have it back home. 

38. Favorite fictional character? 

Please refer to this blog post. 

39. Favorite fictional villain?

Sauron and Voldemort.

40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation?

Some of the YA in my to-read list.

41. The longest you’ve gone without reading.

God, too long. Last year, I went a couple months. 

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

More like a series, but (don't yell at me) Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights trilogy. I'm going to try again after I get through some of the YA titles I've got backlogged, but yeah. Read the first one, it took me like multiple start overs and have just never continued. 

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

Just my thoughts. Or thinking about things I "have to do" on the internet. 

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Lord of the Rings, Atonement and Hugo. Also the Princess Diaries because those books were PAINFUL and I couldn't put up with her whinging past the first one, while I adore the film.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

Into the Wild and Goblet of Fire. Ugh. I am not a stickler for the details in adaptions, it's all about the feeling and spirit of the book. The Into the Wild film was turned into an annoying romance with Kristen what-are-facial-expressions Stewart and just lacked the spirit of the book. Goblet of Fire was legitimately a film bulleted list of *some* of the major events in the book. The graveyard scene was alright, though I am in love with backstory and that was missing a lot, but just the rest was so bad. 

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

God, when I was younger and my family was more well off, my mom would take me to Barns and Noble and just randomly spend like $100 on new books. She has always been a huge reader and was such a massive support in that area, always buying me new worlds to fall into :) 

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Never. I read the blurb and make the first page before making a decision in a shop. Though I tend to go in knowing what I want, to prevent spending too much!

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Lack of commitment to the characters or just a really slow, nongripping plot. 

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

I have about fifteen books here, so just by size. At home, I reorganised all of the time. I would put authors together and then vaguely by genre, the size within each shelf.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

Keep, but lend.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

Not that I know of. Though I find Cassandra Clare books unappealing because of her history re: the Harry Potter fandom, as I remember that whole thing pretty clearly. (For more information, read Harry: A History by Melissa Anelli.) I just can't disassociate her from that. 

52. Name a book that made you angry.

Breaking Dawn. Though, I'll be honest, I didn't really actively dislike it, because that would be more than the book deserved and I read it, thought it was awful and moved on. Mostly I'm just angry that shit like that could get published and sell so much.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

I don't think I've ever gone into a book not expecting to like it. I don't waste my time on things I don't think I'll enjoy, haha.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

One Day. I liked some of it the writing, but I just found the characters really whiny. 

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

I never really feel guilty about liking books. I think that as long as I am reading and experiencing new forms of writing, new styles, meeting new characters, than it's worth it. 

Train journeys this year: 6.
Flights this year: 1. 

Videos posted this year: 10.

Also, it snowed last night.

Missed Opportunities

I really should be used to not being able to attend things or afford things. I spent most of my life living hundreds or thousands of miles from the events my friends were going to, be it a con or a gathering. I did not have time in high school for a conventional job, so I didn't go to too many things because I always wanted to save my minimal money for cinema tickets or travel. But somehow, I still get upset every time. IMATS was today. The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show is something I have always wanted to go to. There are panels from professional make-up artists, massive discounts on brands I'd love to try, but cannot afford and just loads of people who are interested in learning about make-up, which is a field to commonly patronised in my common environments. It was, however, £40. I have £40, but I do not care to part with it in favour of, you know, food for the next few weeks. I spent ages going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to just shell out the money on something I'd wanted for ages and in the end, decided that I just couldn't do it.

I don't know why I am writing this. I guess it's just a way of telling all of the people who are constantly telling me how jealous they are that I get to go to loads of things or that I live in London, that I still have to pick and chose my battles. Money sucks, man. Until then, I will watch videos from previous IMATS and patiently await the day when I'm ridiculously rich and can go to everything. (Speaking of picking my battles, I will very likely be at Vidcon this year, but no way will I be at LeakyCon. Just putting that out there.) (Also, to the person who commented on my last post saying how lucky I was to live near the National Gallery and MoMA, um, the MoMA is in New York City. Which is thousands of miles away from London. And I'm not really 'lucky' to live in London, because I worked VERY hard to get here. Just wanted to clear that up. :) )

Train journeys this year: 4.
Flights this year: 1. 

Videos posted this year: 8, but I'm exporting a new one right now for kayleyscloset.

Visit to the National Gallery

I am taking a class on art and society this semester. I'm not a typical conventional art fan, if I'm honest, and the class was a bit of a last resort as they decided not to let me know they'd never received my registration email with class selections. However, I'm really enjoying the class because I love history lectures and obviously, every piece of art is tied with its history. So I may not be one for art discussion or be able to really pull it apart, but these are a few of my favourites from today's visit to the National Gallery.

 

J.M.W. Turner. Ulysses deriding Polyphemus - Homer's Odyssey, 1829.

Honestly, if you can look at this and tell me it doesn't remind you of the Grey Havens, then you're probably lying. Into the West began playing in my head the moment I set eyes on it. Such beautiful brushstrokes and colours. 

John Constable. Cenotaph to the Memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1833-36.

This painting is nothing without the texture, really. I've known Constable for a while because he has a very unique style. This was my favourite because of the way it draws your eye in with the trees. So interesting. 

George Stubbs. Whistlejacket, 1762.

There were so many gorgeous depictions of horses. I think they are one of the most beautiful animals and this panting was just so lifelike. (The lifeSIZE nature of it helped, of course!) Stubbs spent loads of time studying the body of the horse for both sculpture and painting. Whistlejacket here was a well loved, incredibly skilled and fast horse. My favourite part of this painting was the lack of a background. The horse is the focal point and doesn't need a background to distract from it. There was apparently a rumour that the work was unfinished, but the shadow beneath his back hooves seem to prove otherwise! 

Bartolome Esteban Murillo. A Peasant Boy leaning on a Sill, 1670-80.

The placement of this painting was really interesting. It was in a room full of Spanish paintings, but about 90% of them were of religious idols or royal commissions. This still life of a young boy was so small, yet powerful, and definitely stood out. 

Henri Rousseau. Tiger in a Tropical Storm, 1891.

I haven't seem this picture since it hanged in my, I believe, fourth grade classroom. It was so strange to see it in the flesh! So beautiful. 

Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh's Chair, 1888. 

Many of you may have expected to see the famous Sunflowers here and while, yes, they are beautiful, this is one of my favourite Van Gogh paintings. This is one of the paintings Vincent painted to represent himself and that's why I find it so beautiful. He's always been my favourite artist since I was introduced to him through The Bedroom in that same aforementioned fourth grade class. I have seen loads of his works in the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in New York, but it never gets less powerful. 

Hope you enjoyed this mini tour of the National Gallery :P Have a lovely afternoon. x

Train journeys this year: 4.
Flights this year: 1. 

Videos posted this year: 8.