MA in Book Publishing

[Oedekerk]

So I'm applying to a few publishing programs around the US and I'm a bit nervous about my intro paragraph to my SOP. I've tended to use a quotation to begin an essay's intro in the past and I've never really gotten any negative feedback from my professors about it at UC Berkeley, but a few SOP-centric sites say that doing so is "hackneyed." Can someone check it out and see if it's acceptable? I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks

[augustquail]

So I'm applying to a few publishing programs around the US and I'm a bit nervous about my intro paragraph to my SOP. I've tended to use a quotation to begin an essay's intro in the past and I've never really gotten any negative feedback from my professors about it at UC Berkeley, but a few SOP-centric sites say that doing so is "hackneyed." Can someone check it out and see if it's acceptable? I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks

I use a quote to open my sop (phd english lit), and I like it. That being said, the quote I use is relevant (it's from the text I write about in my writing sample). I think it really depends on the quote and its pertinence to 1) your field 2) what your approach to said field is. Is your quote about textual problems/writing/editing? It's probably fine. Is it from a giant book of quotations, like "shoot for the moon, the worst that can happen is you land among the stars"? don't use that.

A lot of people on this board seem to think quotes are cheesy, but I think it definately depends. At its best, opening with a relevant quote can show how well you are able to work citations/info into your writing, and that you're familiar with some important text, and that you have a particular point of view/approach.

[shepardn7]

So I'm applying to a few publishing programs around the US and I'm a bit nervous about my intro paragraph to my SOP. I've tended to use a quotation to begin an essay's intro in the past and I've never really gotten any negative feedback from my professors about it at UC Berkeley, but a few SOP-centric sites say that doing so is "hackneyed." Can someone check it out and see if it's acceptable? I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks

I used a quote to open mine, too. But, like augustquail's, it is also highly relevant and I talk about it for the rest of the opening paragraph. You can PM it to me if you want.

[Oedekerk]

Thanks for the help everyone, I might use a quote from Seamus Heaney instead of Victor Hugo since I'm using my thesis on Heaney for my writing sample...great suggestion!