What's Up Wednesdays: Pokemon Readers

Pikachu! We choose you! The thinking behind the title for this week’s speedlink will become a little more apparent as we make our way through today’s collection of blog posts. We have the healthy-minded Ian Lee starting things off with describing the first six weeks of rehabilitation following his Achilles tendon rupture. He’s anxious to get back on the court for some basketball, but the road to recovery is slow and painful.

Pitching into the “readers” part of “Pokemon readers” is Kristen Lamb and her response to people who say that real writers don’t self-publish. While it is not a path that she is necessarily interested in herself, she debunks several myths about self-publishing that many people might have. Fun fact: Beyond the Margins is self-published and I don’t feel like I’m any less of a “real writer” for doing so. Traditional publishing, as she says, is “not a meritocracy.”

On the subject of writing and publishing, Cathy Yardley offers a very important reminder for anyone who is interested in getting their words in front of eyeballs. Contrary to popular belief, there really is no such thing as the average reader. Even if your goal is for the elusive “mass market appeal,” you need to recognize that different demographics, different subject matter and different contexts are going to lead you to attract different readers.

Alright, let’s handle the Pokemon part of today’s title by diving into one of the most anticipated fighting games of our generation. Scott Posey of The Dadcade offers his opinion on Pokken Tournament for Wii U. This is the first Pokemon game, to my knowledge, where you are controlling the pocket monsters directly rather than through a trainer. It’s part Tekken, part arena fighter, and all kinds of fun. It’s even going to be featured at Evo this year.

Wrapping things up is Gillian Behnke with a very important message: you do you. All too often, we compare ourselves with the Facebook version of our friends, colleagues and acquaintances, feeling like we’re coming up short in life. I wish I had his money. I wish I enjoyed her travels. I wish I was as confident as he is or as funny as she is. Don’t worry about how you “measure up” against others. Just be yourself. That’s good enough.