Practice Writing Workshop

OPENING
THOUGHT
S
 “Learning to read as a writer means focusing on
craft, the choices, methods, and techniques of
the author.” (Burroway, WF, p. 18)
 “Once you have thought your story through,
drafted it, and worked on it to the best of your
ability, someone else’s eyes can help to refresh
the vision of your own.” p. 204
 “Revising is like cutting your own hair.” —
novelist Robert Stone. “While you may sense the
need for improvement, it’s hard to get right
what you can never entirely see for yourself.”
(ibid, p. 205)

INSPIRATI
ON...
 Freewriting: Getting your ideas out on paper
where you can look at them
 Exercises: Generating content, characters,
images by exploring
 Cultivating inspiration through habit, planning
and revision

THE
WORKSHO
P
PROTOCO
L
 “The hardest part of being a writer in a
workshop is to learn this: Be still, be greed for
suggestions take everything in, and don’t
defend.” — Burroway, Writing Fiction

WORKSHO
P AND
REVISION
 The purpose of workshops is to gather attentive
feedback and critique you can use to revise your
work
 That feedback is not subjective in nature
 We break down the elements of craft in fiction
writing to give the writer places to go next and
questions to try to answer
 You can love something that is poorly crafted
and you can detest writing that is skillful.
That’s why subjective feedback isn’t that useful
for the writer.
 We keep the emphasis on the work itself, not the
author or the author’s intentions.

THE
TRADITIO
NAL
WRITING
WORKSHO
P
 Workshops have several elements, which can be
new to folks who haven’t done it before.
 Rule #1. The writer doesn’t speak
 Rule #2. Everyone contributes feedback based
on the craft criteria
 Rule #3. The writer decides how to implement
the feedback.
 Rule #4. We treat the work with respect and
evaluate it as fiction, not as commentary or
personal history
 The goal is not to tell the writer what to do, but
to provide observations and critique that can be
used as the writer sees fit.

KEEP THIS
IN
MIND…AL
WAYS
 “The trick to making good use of criticism to be
utterly selfish about it. Be greedy for it. Take it
all in. Ultimately you are the laborer, the
arbiter, and the boss in any dispute about your
story so you can afford to consider any problem
and any solution.’’ (p. 204)
 Creative work can require a different attitude
than other types of endeavors. It isn’t about
winning or losing, being right or wrong, or
receiving approval. Learning to take feedback
ends up being as important as creating the work
in the first place, at least when it comes to
publishing.

WORKSHO
P
PROTOCO
L
FIRST
THINGS
 Each discussion begins with one person in the
group stating what happens—the simple
actions—in the piece.
 This role should rotate.
 After this, use the critique sheets to guide the
discussion. Each member should discuss the
piece’s use of: sensory imagery, characterization,
sense of place, POV and plot and share their
observations with the writer.
 The writer’s job is to listen. That is all. The
writer can ask questions or for clarification after
everyone else has spoken.

WORKSHO
P GOALS
 Workshops are intended to help the writer see
the work with fresh eyes
 Understanding how writing is being read helps
the writer decide how to revise the work
 What is the difference between editing and
workshopping?
 Using craft elements to break work apart
 By analyzing what is on the page and what is
not on the page, the writer can decide where to
go next
 Stuck? Hone in on feedback.
 Lastly, one of the learning outcomes of this
course is for students to grasp the concepts of
fiction and be able to apply them to their own
work and others.

REVISION
VERSUS
EDITING
 The revision process involves re-seeing your
work, evaluating the major elements of craft,
honing imagery, evaluating your scenes, your
plot, your characters.
 Editing involves cleaning up prose, reading for
language and rhythm, typos and punctuation.
 They are both important processes, but the
workshop shouldn’t take up time correcting
typos and the like. Workshop is the place to
discuss big issues and questions about the work.

THIS IS A
WARM-UP
 After spring break, we will move onto the full
workshop.
 In the full workshop, the entire class together
will critique a few stories each week.
 I will discuss this more after today’s practice
run, and have you sign up for your workshop
spot.
 Note: First workshops, like first anything, can
take time to become comfortable. That’s why we
practice.

PROTOCO
L
1. Form groups and decide which order you will be
reviewing stories
2. For each story, one person summarizes the action
to make sure everyone agrees on the simple “what
happens” in the story
3. Using the critique sheet criteria, discuss the
story’s use of craft elements. After discussing the
craft criteria, also offer any general comments or
feedback.
4. After the full critique, the writer can ask
questions or for clarification.
5. Repeat!
I will be circulating and eavesdropping to ensure
things are going smoothly.
We will have a break afterward.
Let’s review craft criteria for a minute before we
start.

SENSORY
IMAGERY
 Does the text include sensory language to show
the material world of the story? How do objects
look and feel? How does food taste? Where are
spots in the story that do this well? Let the
author know. Where are spots that would
benefit from more sensory language?
 Let’s quickly review craft criteria. Ask any
questions you have.

CHARACTER
IZATION
Does this story make good use of the elements of
characterization? Does it include: appearance, dialogue,
thought and action? Cite specific instances in which the
author employs characterization to good effect, as well
as places in which characters could use greater
development.

POINT OF
VIEW
Is the POV in this piece appropriate to the story, and
used consistently? What observations can you offer
about the use of POV?

PLOT
Does the story have a sense of rising action and
complication? Does it include a Crisis action and, if so,
what do you pinpoint as the crisis action? How do you
experience The pacing in the story?
And: scene versus summary. Remember that scenes—
action happening in real time—are the building blocks of
fiction. Is the action of the piece rendered in scene? Are
there places of summary you think should be fleshed out?
Are there scenes that might work better compressed?
For the sake of this shorter piece: You might adapt this to
ask if the conflict is clearly put, if the stakes are high,
how you think it might resolve itself.

PROTOCO
L
1. Form groups and decide which order you will
be reviewing stories
2. For each story, one person summarizes the
action to make sure everyone agrees on the
simple “what happens” in the story
3. Using the critique sheet criteria, discuss the
story’s use of craft elements. After discussing the
craft criteria, also offer any general comments or
feedback.
4. After the full critique, the writer can ask
questions or for clarification.
5. Repeat!
I will be circulating and eavesdropping to ensure
things are going smoothly.
We will have a break afterward.

WORKSHO
P
PROTOCO
L GOING
FORWARD
 Full workshop stories must be no fewer than 5
and no more than 10 pages, typed and free from
typos. They should attempt to be a first draft of
a completed story.
 You are required to have copies for the entire
class and me the class one WEEK before your
workshop to distribute. *
 Everyone else is required to use the same
critique sheets to evaluate each story.
 You will turn in copies of the critique sheets
each week to the writer who is being
workshopped and to me, just like for this
practice.
 * let’s discuss distribution

WORKSHO
P
SCHEDUL
E
I am passing out a sign-up sheet. Your
manuscript is due to the class in class THE
WEEK BEFORE your workshop date.
April 2 (manuscript due March 26):
April 9: (manuscript due April 2)
April 16: Student reading (more on this after
break)
April 23: (manuscript due April 16).
April 30 (manuscript due April 23)
We will plan on four people per workshop, but we
can always carry forward a class if needed. I don’t
think we will.

STERN
(ISH)
REMINDE
RS
 We are at mid-term and the nature of this class
is shifting from craft lectures and readings to
full workshops. Your participation in workshops,
turning in your work to me, along with critique
sheets, are an important part of your grade.
 Attendance also is part of your grade. Per the
syllabus:
 Assignments are due in class. Attendance at
class is mandatory. More than one unexcused
absence may result in a lower grade. More than
three absences may result in a failing grade.
Late arrivals will be considered one-half of an
absence. Early departures must be discussed
and approved ahead of time.
 Now, more than ever, check your school email
regularly. If you use email to send assignments,
particularly to me, you will always receive a
response.

POV
EXERCISE
 Re-write a few paragraphs from your story
today from a different point of view.
 If your story was in first-person, perhaps try
limited third from a different character or first-
person from a different character.
 If your story was third person, perhaps try first
person.
 Mix it up.

Practice Writing Workshop

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