Work Room - Week 2
The Week 1 results are up: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/717791.html
and the new Topic is coming shortly. edit to add link: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/718214.html
I usually post the new topic first, and then the Work Room. Most weeks, you will see that formula. This week though, I’m changing it up a bit!
Why? Because I want to mention a couple things before people start posting:
(1) It’s not a race. Regardless of any gimmicks out there, you should take the time to work on your entries until you are satisfied with them. (Well, within the allotted time period!) If you can bang out something awesome - great! If you just want to do something for the sake of getting it done, well, OK. But they say that every week is someone’s first time reading you.
That’s especially true in the first couple weeks of Idol.
If you pick up a book from an author you don’t know and it’s not something you want to read, will you check out the second? Maybe. But if the second one isn’t either, I doubt you are going to give the third a glance on the shelf.
Which isn’t to say that some people can’t do great things in a short period of time. Of course they can - a glance at any given week’s Topic post has tons of great stuff on the first couple of pages. I just want to make sure that I’ve said it. Hopefully you will keep that in mind.
(2) if you have to write “the topic is” or “when I saw the topic” in order to get to where you are going, OK. But it had better be the best damn thing I’ve ever seen. Because you’ve pretty close to losing me at that point. Let the topic guide you - not handcuff you to a spot. These are your entries, in your voice, in that moment, make me forget there is a writing competition at all, and I’m just there to enjoy what you have to say.
You do that, and you’re going to be in a good position to keep me coming back for more.
(3) Have fun. Don’t let any of this get to you. Because at the end of the day, it’s about you having a good time doing something that you love.
***
What gave you the biggest problems during Week 1? How do you think you can overcome them for Week 2?
and the new Topic is coming shortly. edit to add link: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/718214.html
I usually post the new topic first, and then the Work Room. Most weeks, you will see that formula. This week though, I’m changing it up a bit!
Why? Because I want to mention a couple things before people start posting:
(1) It’s not a race. Regardless of any gimmicks out there, you should take the time to work on your entries until you are satisfied with them. (Well, within the allotted time period!) If you can bang out something awesome - great! If you just want to do something for the sake of getting it done, well, OK. But they say that every week is someone’s first time reading you.
That’s especially true in the first couple weeks of Idol.
If you pick up a book from an author you don’t know and it’s not something you want to read, will you check out the second? Maybe. But if the second one isn’t either, I doubt you are going to give the third a glance on the shelf.
Which isn’t to say that some people can’t do great things in a short period of time. Of course they can - a glance at any given week’s Topic post has tons of great stuff on the first couple of pages. I just want to make sure that I’ve said it. Hopefully you will keep that in mind.
(2) if you have to write “the topic is” or “when I saw the topic” in order to get to where you are going, OK. But it had better be the best damn thing I’ve ever seen. Because you’ve pretty close to losing me at that point. Let the topic guide you - not handcuff you to a spot. These are your entries, in your voice, in that moment, make me forget there is a writing competition at all, and I’m just there to enjoy what you have to say.
You do that, and you’re going to be in a good position to keep me coming back for more.
(3) Have fun. Don’t let any of this get to you. Because at the end of the day, it’s about you having a good time doing something that you love.
***
What gave you the biggest problems during Week 1? How do you think you can overcome them for Week 2?