It has been a week for me of illness and trying to muddle through. I think we all have these weeks. Unfortunately, it significantly shortened the amount of time I had for reading (there’s nothing like a snuggly baby who wants to ninja kick your book away). But I did get some in.

Reading Social Media News

The first article I want to call out is from Content Marketing Institute and it’s about defining what you’re doing. So often we get into a production loop and forget about the basics and our whys. This article reminded me that giving a definition to the most basic of things we do can significantly help the process.

HubSpot published a post about the de-influencing trend. I’ve been watching this trend develop in a few different ways, but the fact is that fans are not as aspirational as they once were. They are more likely to call influencers out when they are recommending the ridiculous, and the influencers are starting to respond by being more practical than they once were. That changes how we as marketers should approach them and how we guide them.

Reading Books, Books and More Books

Past

The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken was an odd book. I liked it in a strange way, but I have no desire to revisit it. That doesn’t mean I have any kind of hard feelings towards it. It unfolded in a beautiful, unexpected way and it was a great testament to grief. It’s just a book I only feel the need to sit with once, and then I’m more than happy to move on. Score: B.

Present

I am in my guilty pleasure stage as I curl up with Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff. Is it challenging? Nope. Is it a good popcorn book? Yup. It’s a great book for a sick house, and even though I am so far finding the romance in the first seventy pages totally unbelievable, I am here for it.

Future

Next up is the Fantastic Strangelings Book Club pick, Maame by Jessica George. It’s another book that involves grief, and I have mixed feelings about that. But it will get me out of my comfort zone, so I am always here for that.

So what are you reading? What books are you looking forward to?