HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
March is a very special month! For one, it’s the anniversary of my birth!!! But more importantly, as an author and publisher, I’m excited for all the literary recognitions attributed to this month. Let’s talk about a few.
In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, March is designated as National Reading Month - a month to motivate Americans of all ages to read every day. Reading is fun and has many benefits, regardless of your age. Dr. Seuss’ birthday is actually on March 2nd and is designated as “National Read Across America” day. This day was created as an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association and is designed to encourage all children and youth in every community across the United States to celebrate reading. Many school systems across the country recognize this day by reading Dr. Seuss books and recognizing the impact his books have had on readers of all ages. Who should celebrate National Read a Book Day? Anyone! Public figures, schools, parents, students, and organizations can all join the celebration with an enthusiasm for reading.
But that is not the only reading-related recognition in March. Another very motivational national day is “National Write Your Story” day. Everyone has a story and on March 14th, National Write Your Story Day challenges everyone to tell their story in written form. Maybe you are not ready to write a book (or maybe you are), but you can write your story for others to enjoy, learn from or be motivated by. I wrote my first book, “If You Really Knew Me: The Life, The Lessons and The Legacy” as a way to tell some of the stories in my life, the lessons I learned from them and the legacy that I’ll be leaving for those who know me and love me. You can take this opportunity to do the same!
Here is a list of other reading-related “days” celebrated in March:
March 8 National Proofreading Day
March 19 International Read to Me Day
March 20 National Storytelling Day
March 25 National Tolkien Reading Day (author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”)
In addition to the “National Month’s”, and “National Days”, there are a couple of “National Weeks” in March. Next week, the first full week of March, is designated as “National Words Matter” week. Since 2008, the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors, (NAIWE) has sponsored National Words Matter Week. It has become increasingly popular in the publishing industry and among schools and libraries and it makes sense since words strung together make sentences, paragraphs, chapters and ultimately books!
Finally, the other “week” celebrated in March is “National Read an eBook” week. It is also celebrated the first full week of March. Most people still enjoy reading the old-fashioned hard copy way but many people have transitioned to eBooks. Research conducted by the Pew Research center has revealed that as of 2021 approximately 3 in 10 Americans have read e-books in the previous year. Even though paperback is still a clear favorite, the popularity of e-books is constantly rising from one year to the other. Next week will be a great week to indulge in an eBook, just for the fun of it.
As an author and a publisher, I have definitely stepped up my reading game. I have a preference for reading eBooks, especially if I’m reading fiction, but when I am reading a self-help, memoirs or non-fiction book, I tend to stick with a hard copy. This allows me to write in it and highlight something that I may want to come back to at a future time.
Whatever your favorite method of reading may be, or what genre you prefer, March is a great time to indulge in a good book. In fact, it’s also a good Month to recognize any authors you know and encourage them to continue to write so we can continue to have new books to read!
Denola Burton is the Founder and CEO of Enhanced DNA: Develop Nurture AchieveÒ, LLC. Through Enhanced DNA, Denola develops and nurtures individuals and organizations to achieve their Leadership, Communication and Performance goals and objectives. Denola is an author and publisher and created Enhanced DNA Publishing to assist new and newer authors in publishing their books according to the Independent Book Publishing Association (IBPA) publishing standards. Denola retired from Eli Lilly and Company after 27 years where the majority of her career was focused on Employee Relations/Human Resources. You can connect with Denola on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIN and Twitter at Enhanced DNA Develop Nurture Achieve or on her website at www.EnhancedDNAPublishing.com.