Creative Writing Workshop Two

1. Meeting in Pairs

a) Read through:

- Read the manuscript carefully once, without writing commentary.

- Stay aware of what your reactions are. What are you feeling and noticing as you read along?

b) Marginal Commentary

- Return to the manuscript, and mark in the margins those lines, images, turns of phrase, and moments of excellent writing that struck and impressed you.

- Use “I think…” statements that are descriptive and non-judgmental. Be positive!

- Mark those places where you lost interest or where the picture in the writer’s eye is not clear in your own imagination.

- The purpose of the marginal commentary is for you to engage in a running dialogue with the manuscript.

c) Feedback paragraph

- At the end of the manuscript, write a full paragraph of feedback to the writer.

- Cover both the strengths and weaknesses equally.

- What has the writer done particularly well and why?

- What, to your mind, is the story or essay really about?

- What was the writer’s intention? Is the writer successful in achieving his/her goal?

- Be gentle and respectful. The purpose of giving feedback is to help the writer revise and write a better piece on the next go round.

2. Full Class Workshop Format

a) Read-through:

- The writer gets a chance to say a few words before reading, and then he or she reads the work out loud.

- The group comments upon the piece after the writer has finished reading the story/essay

- The writer remains silent during this comment period, taking notes.

b) Commentary:

- The group first discusses the story’s strengths.

- They then discuss what this story/piece seems to be about.

- They then identify particular strengths and weaknesses in the piece.

- They propose questions for the writer.

c) The writer gets the last word.