After reading this week's pieces, I saw a recurring theme emerge from almost all of them: common sense. The advice and practices the readings promoted seemed to follow the basic rule of common sense, which is refreshing to see. Common sense and logic sound easy to practice, but they are more elusive than one might think. If everyone could easily practice common sense, we would see it everywhere. As it stands, I see glimpses of it, but describing logic as "everywhere" is far from accurate.
In "How to Write a Query Letter", the article itself was simple, easy to follow, and the perfect length. It did not drag on with unnecessary fluff, and it wasn't too brief. Some of the bullet points were very brief, but that's because they needed to be. The tips it lent readers were also quite logical.
With "9 first-sale mistakes to avoid", many of the steps listed were simple and logical. I was particularly impressed with the steps that went over how to handle a contract negotiation. Not only was the material logical, but it was also something I never really considered as a writer. In reality, contracts are hugely important, and when negotiated properly, they can make a writer's life very good.
"Bypass Obstacles to Traditional Publishing" promoted logic as well as hope. First of all, the approach taken by the author was easy to follow (essentially, the formula was "Here is another tip, here is a testimony as to how well it works, here is why it might be for you"). Additionally, the tips provided were new to me, and they seemed reasonable to be able to do alone. I had never heard of Amazon's CreateSpace or Mashable.com before reading the piece, but now I might seriously consider using them.
Most of the articles were very logical and straightforward, which I appreciated. It is an interesting dilemma writers face, having to be logical and calculating, but also creative and colorful enough to craft nicely written pieces. This seems like a particularly pressing problem for writers of fiction, and if you are a fantasy writer, god help you. Either way, the conclusion I drew from this week's readings is this: if you want to be successful as a writer in this day and age, you must wear two hats; one of a logical computer, and one of a creative storyteller.
In "How to Write a Query Letter", the article itself was simple, easy to follow, and the perfect length. It did not drag on with unnecessary fluff, and it wasn't too brief. Some of the bullet points were very brief, but that's because they needed to be. The tips it lent readers were also quite logical.
With "9 first-sale mistakes to avoid", many of the steps listed were simple and logical. I was particularly impressed with the steps that went over how to handle a contract negotiation. Not only was the material logical, but it was also something I never really considered as a writer. In reality, contracts are hugely important, and when negotiated properly, they can make a writer's life very good.
"Bypass Obstacles to Traditional Publishing" promoted logic as well as hope. First of all, the approach taken by the author was easy to follow (essentially, the formula was "Here is another tip, here is a testimony as to how well it works, here is why it might be for you"). Additionally, the tips provided were new to me, and they seemed reasonable to be able to do alone. I had never heard of Amazon's CreateSpace or Mashable.com before reading the piece, but now I might seriously consider using them.
Most of the articles were very logical and straightforward, which I appreciated. It is an interesting dilemma writers face, having to be logical and calculating, but also creative and colorful enough to craft nicely written pieces. This seems like a particularly pressing problem for writers of fiction, and if you are a fantasy writer, god help you. Either way, the conclusion I drew from this week's readings is this: if you want to be successful as a writer in this day and age, you must wear two hats; one of a logical computer, and one of a creative storyteller.
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