Writing Workshop Guidelines
The purpose of the workshops is to hear what your peers think about your writing, to explore ways of improving the writing, and also to get a sense of who your audience is. Doing this requires a continuous act of mutual respect and trust. The writer must trust that the group will take his work seriously and seek to improve it in good faith. The group must trust that the writer will write honestly and carefully and at least listen to their criticism.

What to Bring

Please bring four copies of your draft to the workshop, one for me and three for each member of your group. You may wish to make a copy for yourself as well.

Starting Steps

1. One member of the group can volunteer to 'go first'; or the group may choose if no volunteer is forthcoming. In any case, begin by passing out to all members a copy of your essay.
2. Everyone in the group now silently reads the essay. I suggest 5-10 minutes, but please take all the time you need to read the essay. Feel free to write on the essay, marking passages or making notes.
3. After everyone has read the essay, one member of the group (a volunteer?) must 'summarize’ the essay by summing up, in a minute or so, the 'plot' and message of the essay. (The summarizer can refer to the essay while summarizing.)

After summarizing, the essential criticizing of the essay can begin.

 

The Criticism

Anyone may begin the criticism, but everyone should take part as much as possible.

Always start with positive comments. Spend time discussing the strengths of the paper. What is good, interesting, or effective about it? What do you like about the essay?

Always be as constructive in your criticism as possible. 'Criticism' does not mean simply negative analysis, but close careful thoughtful analysis. Your task as a critic is to find ways to improve a paper, not destroy it. It is quite easy to describe what is 'bad' in writing. It is very difficult to provide helpful comments that a writer can accept and think about when revising. Ask not "what is wrong with this paper?" Ask "how would I make it better?"

Be specific as possible and avoid general comments. Try to focus on one section or paragraph when making you comments. When making any comment, positive or negative, can you point to a specific sentence, phrase, or paragraph? Do you have any specific suggestions on how the writer may improve specific passages in the essay that you think could be stronger?

Ignore all grammar mistakes and typos. In general, criticism of a writer's poor spelling or incorrect verb conjugation is rarely accepted graciously. Only comment on such mistakes if they confuse meaning or if they are so abundant as to completely distract from the writers intentions.