This document provides guidance on writing workshops and the revision process. It discusses using freewriting and exercises to generate ideas and inspiration. Workshops are intended to provide feedback to help writers revise their work, not subjective opinions. Proper workshop protocol is outlined, including focusing discussion on the work and not having the author explain it. Revision involves reevaluating elements of craft based on feedback, while editing addresses language and mechanics. An assignment is given to write a scene involving character development and an obstacle. Workshop groups and critique sheets are also outlined. Midterm reminders are provided about participation grades.

1. Déjà vu (reading until 3)
 Write a scene in which a character experiences something significant, which reminds the
character of the first time he/she/they experienced: love, death, grief, something significant.
 Transition from the current experience to the past and back to present.

2. Inspiration, revision, workshop
protocols
Preparing for formal critiques

3. Inspiration...
 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

4. Workshop 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.

5. Workshop protocol
 Each person has a critique in which everyone is
focused on that person’s work. During the critique, it
is very helpful for the writer to refrain from explaining
his/her/their work. The point is to hear what others
thought, not to tell them what they should have
thought.
 Each discussion should begin by one person stating
his/her/their understanding of what has happened in
the work (what the simple actions were) to ensure
everyone is on the same page, before critique of
individual elements begin.
 This first workshop is a trial run, using a short exercise,
before we begin delving into longer works and more
in-depth critiques.
“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, page 18

6. Revision
 Revision is quite literally about re-seeing your work. A great quote to keep in mind comes from
Richard Valery, a French poet, who said: “In the first draft is the talent, in the second is the art.”
 This means that we use the specific feedback we get to step back and try to see what is in our
work that we didn’t recognize when it was flowing during inspiration.
 Revision can be a long process, and a hard one. But having the tools of revision is what separates
writers who start lots of things and don’t finish from those who persevere with their
stories/novels/etc.

7. 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. Mark
corrections for the writer to clean up later (I will be doing this as well!)

8. Assignment for Wednesday
Write a one to two-page scene involving the character from your déjà vu exercise. In this scene, your
character should:
 encounter a significant external obstacle that forces him/her/them to take action
 have an internal conflict that constrains him/her/them from dealing with the obstacle
This is a short exercise, but you should do your best to integrate all aspects of craft we’ve discussed:
characterization, setting, scene and summary, POV, significant details
(Adapted from Writing Fiction, Janet Burroway)

9. Workshop protocol
1. Bring in one copy of your
piece for each member of
your workshop, and one
me.
2. These pieces should be
one to two pages long,
maximum. They are
exercises we are using to
ease into the workshop
process.
3. In class, in groups, you
will each read one
pieces and discuss in small
groups, using the critique
sheets I will provide as
guides.
This is a warm-up for our
full workshops in which you
will use the critique sheets
to provide written
for the writer, and which
you will turn in to me as
part of your grade.

10. Workshop groups for March 6
 Group 1
Ashlinn, Feras, Savanna Leyba, Dante, Eric
 Group 2
Morgan, Tyler, Salud, AJ, Quellyn
 Group 3
Mary, Bill, Ruby, Mireya
 Group 4
Geoffrey, Anna, Joanna, Savanna, Jay

11. Critique sheets
The critique sheets will
ask you to evaluate:
Use of direct and indirect
characterization and
opportunities for
expansion
Comments on point of
view, tone and voice
Use of sensory detail and
opportunities for
expansion
Use of scene and
summary
Thematic observations
Questions and
observations
Your full workshop
pieces will also ask you
to evaluate plot

12. Stern
Reminders
 We are coming up on midterms. 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 two absences will lower
your grade, so use your absences sparingly. Late
work will drop one full grade. I will not accept
work that is more than a week late. Lateness to
class will also result in a one-point deduction for
each late class.