No one can edit their own work. Well, there’s probably a chosen few, but we wouldn’t classify them as what we call “human.” Our writers workshops are a collaborative effort by aspiring and experienced writers. Many who come (or at least entertain the thought of coming) to one of our workshops are intimidated by this. Don’t be. If you plan to have your work under the public eye at all, it’s a good idea to run it through a group of like-minded people who offer honest, constructive criticism. That would be us, by the way. And if you should join the fold in one of our writers workshops, that would be you as well. There are no restrictions on the work we’ll review–it can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screen plays or even just blogs or articles. We can’t promise experts in a form of writing at any time, but the input you receive will in all likelihood be valuable. Of course, you aren’t obligated to bring anything with you to attend a workshop. But you will be expected to at least give input on other people’s work.
When you come to the workshop for the first time, it may be a good idea and sit in on a session without bringing in a piece to be critiqued. That way, you’ll get to know the process, how we work, and you won’t feel under the gun. In fact, feel free to contact me if you’re thinking of joining us. I can answer your questions and help ease you into the madness fun. You can reach me at christopherkwapich@yahoo.com.
What Happens at a Writers Workshop
Whoever leads the group decides which work we’ll review. The chosen writer then passes out copies to everyone in the group and they read it; making comments and corrections with their red pens (or whatever color they deem eye-catching) as they go. After everyone is done reading, each has a turn to critique what they’ve read. This could include technical corrections, general plot points or even simply what they thought of the piece. After everyone is finished, they pass their marked copies back to the writer. We continue through this process until we’ve (hopefully, if time permits) reviewed everyone’s work.
What you should Bring to a Writers Workshop
If you don’t have anything ready for review, you only need yourself, your opinion, and an editing pen of your choice. If you do have a piece you would like reviewed, you should bring enough for the rest of the class–10 copies, as a rule of thumb.
It’s also a good idea to bring a thick skin. Granted, no one is going to thrash you and call you names. But if you hear terms such as “plot hole,” “two dimensional” or “cut this in half,” you should be able to take it as constructive criticism. Our goal is to help each other get better–and have fun.
Writers Workshop Details
We meet at 6:00 PM every Tuesday at the Panera Bread on Central in Sylvania. Session usually run until 9:00 PM (when they close), and on some occasions earlier. Here’s a convenient Google Map for you: