The document outlines plans for a creative writing workshop that aims to improve students' writing and speaking skills through practice and feedback. It details how the workshop will be structured, including beginning lessons on literary concepts and giving writing assignments. It also discusses producing an anthology from students' work and holding a public reading event to share their writing.

2. Belgrade Public Reading

3. Belgrade Public Reading

4. Part 1: Creating the Workshop

5. Writing Workshop Project
Primary goal: To improve students’ skills in
creative writing
Secondary goal: To improve students’ speaking
and organizational skills
End Result: To produce a published anthology
of student writing and hold a public reading.

6. Writing Workshop Profile
Size: Between 10-15 participants per workshop
Language ability: All participants should be of a
similar level
Meeting Times: Workshop should meet once or
twice a week.

7. Beginners Workshop
• First several workshops focus on teaching and
practice using core literary concepts like:
– Plot
– Setting
– Description
– Characterization
– Dialog
– Conflict
– Resolution

8. Beginners Workshop
• Give writers short, specific writing
assignments like:
– Flash fiction
– Poems
– Poetography
– Personal narrative assignments

9. Advanced Writers Workshop
• Students sign up to workshop their writing on
a particular day.
• Students submit their short story or poems a
week in advance for others to critique
• Depending on time limits each student who
submitted that week should get approximately
30-40 minutes for feedback from the group
and teacher

10. The Art of Feedback
• Be sensitive
• Be specific
• Be Positive
• Be critical
• Give your impression

11. Giving Feedback: Plot
• Does it have a strong storyline?
• Is there too much or too little drama?
• Should the plot be developed with more
complexity and depth?
• Is the plot too complicated and would benefit
from being streamlined?

12. Giving Feedback: Pacing
• Does the story feel rushed?
• Does it feel too slow?
• Is the pacing inconsistent?
• Do the actions progress and create drama in
the most effective way?

13. Giving Feedback: Characters
• Are these characters fully realized three-
dimensional people?
• Do we know too much or two little about them?
• Do we care about them? Why/why not?
• Do they develop sufficiently from the beginning
to the end?

14. Giving Feedback: Literary Mechanics
• Themes and Imagery: Should some
words/images be highlighted more? Are some
words/images overused?
• Style: Is the writer’s voice consistent?
• Length: Would the story/poem benefit from
being expanded or condensed?

15. Giving Feedback: Literary Mechanics
• Mood: Is the intended mood achieved?
• Tone: Does the writer’s style effectively
compliment the plot/setting/mood?
• Point-of-view: Is the story told from the most
effective point of view either 1st/3rd person
or from the most effective character?

16. Giving Feedback: General Procedure
1. Plot
2. Pacing
3. Characters
4. Literary Mechanics

17. Part 2: Producing the Product

18. Form an Editing Committee
Workshop members take on certain roles with
real duties and responsibilities including:
– Proofreader/editor (prepares final text for pub.)
– Graphic designer (covers, photos, etc.)
– Format designer (formats the text in book form)
– Publication editor (coordinates print and
electronic publication)

19. Get it Out There
• Work with local printers to produce copies for
workshop members, family, and friends.
• Upload and electronic copy to smashwords.com,
amazon.com, nookpress.com, etc.

20. Part 3: Going Public

21. Organize a Public Reading
Find a venue partner to host a public reading. This
could be at a
– Local school or university
– American corner
– Library
– Bookstore
– Café or restaurant

22. Plan the Event
Workshop members take on certain roles with real duties and
responsibilities including:
Event coordinators:
• locate the venue
• arrange food/beverages
• plan the reading schedule
• print participation certificates

23. Publicize the Event
Media coordinators:
• Prepare press releases
• Contact local print, TV, and online media to cover the event
• Contact embassies/consulates for intercultural exchanges
• Contact local English teachers, professors, English language
fellows, English teacher assistants, etc.
• Hang posters/fliers in key locations (schools, libraries,
culture centers, literary cafes, etc.)

24. Hold the Event
Proposed Public Reading Model
1. Opening Speakers:
– Teachers/professors/cultural liaisons give opening
comments
– Project coordinator gives comments
2. Readings
– Writers read poems or selected passages of their works
3. Conclusion
– Project coordinator awards certificates
– Closing comments
– Reception with refreshments and mingling with the writers

25. Opening Speaker: Drew Giblin
(cultural affairs officer to Serbia)

26. Opening Speaker: Prof. Ivana Trbojevic
(vice chair of Eng. dept., Uni. Belgrade)

27. Writers Reading Selected Passages

28. Writers Reading Selected Passages

29. Reception

30. Creative Writing & Breaking Barriers
Serbian-Kosovar Artistic/Cultural Exchange
Pristina, Kosovo (2015)

31. Creative Writing & Breaking Barriers
Serbian-Kosovar Artistic/Cultural Exchange
Pristina, Kosovo (2015)

32. Creative Writing & Breaking Barriers
Serbian-Kosovar Artistic/Cultural Exchange
Pristina, Kosovo (2015)

33. Creative Writing & Breaking Barriers
Serbian-Kosovar Artistic/Cultural Exchange
Pristina, Kosovo (2015)

34. Creative Writing & Breaking Barriers
Serbian-Kosovar Artistic/Cultural Exchange
Pristina, Kosovo (2015)

35. Short Writing Activity
Character Description
1. Imagine the villain of a story and the crime or
bad thing they have committed.
2. Briefly describe that villain.

36. Short Writing Activity
3. Rewrite your character description in 1
sentence using as few words as possible.