Chapter 1

The main message of this chapter seems to be on motivation and understanding the format that your are writing in. One issue that is stressed is the focus on confidence and "a personal investment" in the writing project. This resonated with me because that is something I have always followed. Whenever I write, whither it is for school or something personal, it always helps me to write about something I enjoy or am passionate about. Otherwise, I am NOT going to write. I will procrastinate until the last possible moment. Later one in the chapter, under "Take Ownership of Your Project", the author explains that even if you are not invested in the topic of your project you can make it more compelling by looking for links in between your interests and your writing projects. There are a couple paragraphs on sources. They go into intense detail to describe the importance of documenting sources and keeping track of which sources you use. A research log is recommended to record sources. This can come in the form of a notebook, a voice or tape recorder, or simply notes taken on your phone or computer.