Why Participate In Critique Workshops
Participants in our workshops feel that the feedback has improved their writing. Additionally, listening to others’ comments on the works improves our personal ability to review, analyze, and critique.
Logistics
We meet the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month via Zoom, 6:00-8:00 p.m. AZ. In November and December, we only meet on the 2nd Fridays.
- Two weekends before each workshop, the facilitator will send a request for entries. Entries are due by the end of the day that Friday.
- The facilitator will send everyone the list of entries the weekend before the actual workshop. This gives them time to review and add their comments to each piece.
- The facilitator will send the Zoom link on the day of the workshop.
General Guidelines
- No one is required to submit an entry.
- No one is required to provide feedback on an entry. For example, some participants cannot get into the horror genre, so they respectfully decline to comment.
- No one is required to attend each workshop.
- If someone wants just to listen, they are more than welcome.
Submission Guidelines
- Text (not pdf). Word is most often used.
- Plain 12 point font – New York Times is common but not required.
- Double space preferred.
- Number the lines. We will show you how this is done if you are unclear.
- Limit the entry to under 3000 words.
- File name guidelines – title-author initials (or name)-# of words.
- We’re respectful in the pieces we submit so as not to offend anyone (e.g., Politics or adult content might easily become offensive). If someone has something they’d like for consideration, we suggest they bring it up in the prior workshop for discussion.
If your submission doesn’t follow the submission guidelines, the facilitator will likely fix it or ask you to fix it before sending it out. It does not disqualify the work. We’re very easy-going.
Feedback Guidelines
- Always start with a positive.
- Do not use negatives. We suggest that if you do not like a particular section, paraphrase with thoughts like, “I’m not sure I understand…” or “it’s probably just me”.
- With respect to everyone’s time, we tend to avoid repeating what someone else mentioned, other than “I agree with so-and-so”.
- Again, with respect to everyone’s time, we avoid pointing out punctuation errors. There are exceptions that we may address at the time.
- Use MS Word’s change tracking tool and comments in the author’s document.
- After the workshop, send the author your feedback. By documenting our suggestions, we free the author to spend their time listening instead of trying to keep up while scribbling notes.
- Our intent is not to rewrite or change the author’s style.
Author Guidelines
- Do not take comments personally. They are always intended to be constructive.
- Listen to the feedback. You don’t have to agree; however, it may benefit you to understand why the comment was made, especially if more than one person makes it.
- Try not to argue or justify what you wrote. Again, it falls back to listening to the comments. And, the comments may be wrong.
- Freely ignore the feedback as you choose. This is your work.
- If you don’t understand someone’s comment, ask for clarification. That’s what we’re here for.
- After your rewrite, feel welcome to resubmit for a later workshop. We often do.