Monday, November 7, 2016
Weekly Post #10: a letter to your writer
In keeping with our letter writing work, I'd like you to write a brief letter (think postcard) to your writer. Tell them anything you like. Something you dislike. Offer praise or suggestions. Keep it clean and appropriate. Be sure to include an opening and closing (that's the TO and FROM portion of the letter).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
18 comments:
Dear Richard Brody,
As a reader of your articles on a daily basis I am writing this letter to you in hopes of getting across the feeling I get when I look at your work as a young person. For me sometimes when reading your work I am incredibly blown away by the wittiness and whimsy by which you write sentences. Just recently in your review of Doctor Strange the phrase “She strikes him in a plexus less solar than galactic” in reference to a scene of epic proportions in the movie genuinely made me break into a smile and enjoy the review even more. This type of word play connects with me as a reader and is what draws me to your reviews as a whole. I think looking at all of your work, the way you twist words is cunning in a way that I wish to emulate. However as someone who is looking to get a comprehensive look at a movie when talking about reviews, it also bores me to see terms like “bombastically Wagnerian” thrown around. Looking at the way that many people approach reviews in this day and age, there seems to be an air of haughtiness that people associate with that type of profession and this does not do much to dispel that. All I wish to say is that I really enjoy your work and yet feel as though it lacks an ability to connect sometimes. I truly hope that you understand my criticism and wish you all the best.
A fan,
Sam Van Lokeren
Dear Krystal,
I have really enjoyed reading your pieces throughout the semester. You definitely have a clear subject and audience. You maintain a very light hearted spirit discussing your love for fashion. Your passion shines through, and you use emotional appeal and descriptive language to your advantage. As an example, in your piece on the magic bus, you state, "It’s a boisterous, larger than life laugh, one that lingers behind her on the street as we pass by quiet West Village stoops." While I am grateful to have read each piece you have written, after reading an article each week for months, I have become a bit bored with your writing style. Each piece has the same tone, audience and detail. I encourage you to try and mix your writing up next time you write. Perhaps you could take a more serious not, or add metaphors. I am not writing this to criticize you in any way, but only to encourage you to explore your creativity.
Best Wishes, Sophia
To Sydney Lupkin:
I have overall enjoyed your writing. I like your style and your word choice. Your tone always fits with the themes of each article. But I wish you would post articles more! And I wish you had stayed with vice. I felt that your articles for vice had much more interesting topics. I know that is simply a result of the motives of whatever company you end up working for, but I just wish you had stuck with vice. Although I haven't been as intrigued by your articles for ABC, I'm sure the audience that their articles appeal to have loved them. They seem to be on interesting and heated topics and are written in a very factual manner, and I know old people like that! Thanks for the great articles and keep it up!
Thanks, Mac
Dear Deb,
I have been checking your blog roughly once a week for a few months now. While it started as just an assignment for a class, it has evolved into checking your blog for fun and for new recipes. I love how with every new recipe comes an update from your life or just a little tidbit or story. It is very clear to me who your audience is, and of course, the subject is always a new recipe or food project. I love seeing your passion for your recipes and your excitement to explore the world of cooking and baking. While I am not a baker and can't do anything except make chocolate chip cookies, your post always make me want to try something new. It has been such a pleasure following your blog and getting to know a little bit about you through the captions and sentences that accompany your recipes. When this class ends I will definitely continue checking your blog and staying updated on new recipes and things in your life.
Best Regards,
Tatum
Dear Lindsay,
I have been following your blog for some time now and I have really enjoyed reading your posts. You have a way of captivating your audience through your unique writing style. I feel like I know you as a person, and even a close friend, through reading your blog even though we have never actually met. Your constant positivity and enthusiasm puts me in a better mood and your love for food is truly contagious. After reading one of your post about how to make protein pancakes or blueberry scones, it makes me want to get up and fire up the stove or whip out the mixer. Thank you for constantly inspiring me to get into the kitchen. It's been a pleasure reading your work and getting to know your personality. Thank you for opening up your world and taking me on a journey that has allowed me to see food in the same spectacular light you do.
Sincerely,
Katie
Dear Molly,
Your bubbly personality shines through your writing, and I am so grateful for the peace your blog offers in this time of national chaos. I often wonder how you developed your unique creativity and charm. What was your childhood like? What were your parents fond of? Your recipes and stunning photography never fail to impress me, and I hope that I get around to making one this weekend or any time soon! What camera do you take with you on your international trips?
Also, I think that you should be more transparent about not using capital letters. You claim it is because even after a college education, you feel you are unaware of when to capitalize, so you just omit them to avoid offending others or any humiliation. This seems slightly artificial as you have so clearly made writing a passion of yours, and you are more likely to just be doing this to be different. Don't get me wrong, I think your lower case vibe is really cool, I just wish that you were honest about it now that you can see how many people are following it.
Thank you for continuing to proudly be yourself, and for inspiring me to accept my quirkiness and love of food to the fullest extent.
Sincerely,
Anna Ramji
Dear Cathy,
I really love your work. I still can't remember how I found your blog, but as soon as I read the first post I was hooked. Your balance of political knowledge, great writing, and personality all combine to make articles that are immensely enjoyable to read. I particularly liked your post from November 8 discussing the election as I felt it brought a balanced viewpoint and comedic light to what has been a fairly serious election. However, I was not quite as fond of your post the next day. Whereas your post from election night did not seem to be extremely biased or divisive, your post following Trump's win was, generalizing his supporters and creating unnecessary tension. I hope you are able to overcome the emotional impact of the election and go back to the quirky and fun writing I have enjoyed up to this point. I'll be watching.
Sincerely, Samuel Spitz
Catherine Shoard,
I began to follow your blog when I discovered it under the News & Media genre of The Guardian. Your title as a film editor intrigued me as it is an interest of my own so I delved into your writing with compelling curiosity. At first your writing seemed very interesting, as you provided your own spin on things with the emotion you put in your writing. Your review on "Queen of Katwe" was both touching and inspiring. However, as I continued to read your posts, they became less descriptive/critical and more informative and bland. I have been let down quite a few times now by the lack of creativity in your writing I thought I had come to know so well. I hope that you can try and put more effort into your posts while they are currently 75% quotes and 25% report. Maybe your writing has become bland because you know longer feel the same desire to write, considering your posts have become sparse and short. I hope that you will rediscover your muse and continue to write as you did in September.
Sincerely,
Alice
Dear Kenneth Chang,
I chose to follow you as my writer for my english class at the beginning of the semester, and have been reading your articles for months. I chose to follow you because the topics that you touch on fascinate me. I find the prospect of space travel incredibly thrilling, and that is a main theme that you touch on in a lot of your writing. I really enjoy the passion you bring to these topics, sometimes making complicated and boring facts come to life. Other times you simply stick to boring facts, and I guess that makes sense too since you are reporting on events in science. We are currently in a very exciting time in space science, and based on what you've already written, I look forward to reading more of your articles.
Best Regards,
Julian
Dear Jessica,
This semester in my English class I’ve had the privilege of reading your articles ever week, and each one never fails to show me a new angle to think about. Your passion for the topics you write about is clear, and rubs off on me. Your strength as a female writer is astounding as well. Reading your comments section is a horrifying reminder of all the ignorant sexism believed by far too many in our country. Thank you for not letting that stop you. Thank you also for speaking from the I, and not making generalizations about communities, while also attempting to highlight diverse viewpoints and voices. I think you could take on a more intersectional lens of feminism in your writing though, because I know that it can be easy to forget to see things beyond a white feminist stance. You not only report the news of our country but put it in perspective by showing the significance. However, after several months of examining your articles, I’ve grown eager to see more new material. I’d love if you can tackle other issues that stray away from the constant political discussions mostly revolving around Donald Trump. I’m excited to continue reading your posts after this semester ends.
Thank you. Sincerely,
An inspired seventeen-year-old
Dear Bateszi,
The amount of sincerity and personality you put in your writing is something that amazes me every time I read one of your articles. It makes me a little sad to notice that you haven't posted in a while. I really wish more people would read your blog because your writing is something special. Maybe you should write for a more well known blog to get more readers, or maybe you just have too much going on in your life right now. You have a voice that for some reason or another I really connect with. The way you look at life and the thought you put into your actions, you seem to really take everything in and make an idea, one that is simple and that most people probably know, but have forgotten or have chosen to turn their eyes away from it. You write so freely, it almost seems like one beg poem sometimes. You make each sentence count, with great detail of a simple idea. Honestly I can't even remember how I found your blog, but for whatever reason this one caught my attention; I think it was because of the title of your latest post, "The older I get the more I realise the less I know". When I saw that, I knew I had found a writer that looks deeply into things, which is something I enjoy, because everything around seems so fake, its nice to read something so real. Plus, you make it seem like anime isn't such a waste of time.
One of your lone readers,
Tommy
Dear Kirsten,
I have been following your blog for about ten weeks now, and you never fail to impress me! Even if I am looking at your older posts, they are still eloquently worded and enhanced with your photography. I would love to hear more about your dance career and how that is going, because as a dancer myself I love hearing how others got to where they are today. I look forward to your new entries each week, and love the surprise when there’s more than one. I can’t wait to see where your career takes you and how your life will continue to develop.
Respectfully,
Bay Whitney
Dear Mike Pearl,
I am forever a fan of your whimsical and comedic style of writing. Thank you for not sacrificing your personality even when taking on serious topics, namely the election. Based on my observations, reading articles is not widespread in my generation, especially with the rise of social media where tidbits of news and headlines often pass for the full story. However, I think that if more young people knew about you, that would change. You keep me awake and engaged when I am reading your work. In the future, I would be very interested to read some opinion pieces from you since it seems you are so in tune with the world around you. Thanks for sharing your gift.
Sincerely,
Jordan Allums
Mr. Duffy,
It has been a pleasure reading your articles over the last few months. You take the time to strike a fantastic balance between entertainment and sports. The way with which you incorporate humor into your writing about sports has made reading your articles something I truly look forward to each week. It is particularly pleasant to read your articles because they are not only entertaining but also concise. Your ability to convey a message using only a few words is very unique and makes your writing really cool. I hope you had a fantastic Sunday watching football!
All the best,
Connor Scannell
Dear David Levobitz,
I always enjoy reading all of your new posts, and its always a nice surprise seeing what you write about each week, because it’s never predictable. I love how connected you are to the reader and how you always acknowledge — and really know your audience. I really admire your ability to describe a food or a place so simply but so effectively, and every time after I’m done reading one of your posts I want to try out the recipe or visit the restaurant in question. Thank you for sharing your stories and your talents.
Thank you,
Claire
Dear Nicole,
I am a fan of your work both as a journalist and a writer. I think that the stories you choose are always interesting and engaging and the way you deliver them leaves me with no questions as to what happened. You have a very simplistic writing style that makes following your stories manageable and I really admire that. One thing that I'm curious about is why you choose not to add your own personal commentary or opinions in any of your pieces? As a consistent reader, I have never found any signs of biases in your writing which is very challenging to achieve in writing on news and I would like to hear how you do that and if it is intentional, why you do that. Thank you for always being so direct in your writing and for mastering the skill of conciseness. It is something that is my biggest challenge in writing that seems to come so easily and naturally in your words.
Warmly,
Maddie Crowe
Dear Bill,
Thanks for writing so much so frequently. You write about College Football in a way that very few understand, but yet you've never changed your style or substance. The only other people I've met that can talk so much bout the sport are some of my friends. Every week I wait for your recaps. They are informative and often times humorous as well. That is something very rare in a sports writer. I honestly don't know how I'd get in depth info on teams from North Texas to Idaho to Syracuse without your yearly previews. Thanks again,
From,
-Kraz
Jon,
I’ve been reading your work for quite a while now. Your articles captivate me as much as the music you write about and your passion for music and artistic expression is infectious. Your commanding vocabulary and thoughtful analysis are a welcome presence every time I open up the NYT website.
A lot of times, I find music critics end up informing the way that I hear music— I appreciate the fact that you do not tell the reader what to hear or what to think, but you provide the context for them to make that decision on their own. Can’t wait to read hear what you have to say about a few of these upcoming releases.
Peace,
Matt Geffen
Post a Comment