Lindsey's Response to Chapter 6.

[Sondra Perl]

#363

The dictionary‘s definition of “workshopping” states “a place where things are made or repaired, a class or series of classes in which a small group of people learn the methods and skills used in doing something.” The operative words ‘made” and “repaired” are appropriate for understanding what happens in workshopping. Workshopping strategies such as active listening and group responses are incredible useful when first coming out as a writer. I use the word coming out here to stress that sharing work, at least the first time is a very daunting and at times a vulnerable position to be in especially when hearing your work read out loud.

My take away is that hearing your work read out loud is imperative to grow as a writer. It is much different than reading your own work. As writers we assume that the reader hears the nuances and little bits that are bouncing about our heads and not on the page. By hearing our work (words) out loud, those missing sentences/words are often truly felt as being “absent” and the active listener will search for those “missing” words and question the writer. This process comes from workshopping, helping the writer uncover the buried words. Many times it is those buried words that are essential for the work and if not read aloud within a workshopping class could be left out of the piece.

I once belonged to a group of “writing friends.” We met once a month to read and “critique” each other’s work. In our innocence, we thought that the mere act of passive listening was enough participation. While this worked for a few months, I found that there wasn’t the required energy necessary to keep a group such as this fueled. Further, we lacked a “facilitator” or an experienced member to reign members in when we scattered or drifted off topic. The lessons learned from that experience was twofold; first there is some risk involved when you share your work and secondly the responsibility is on the writer to make certain that the group feels safe enough to participate.

• This topic was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Sondra Perl.

[Website Services Admin]

#404

Lindsey,

Although you mentioned in another post that you haven’t workshopped yet, your description of what workshopping can offer and how one can feel when going into this experience is exactly – and eerily – how I feel when going into this experience. You mention the vulnerability and risk one takes in letting others in on your writing, and you really capture that emotion when you describe what you want to get out of the workshop – that missing piece or that perfect word that just makes your writing speak; that’s a very real stake when in a workshopping group. I’m also really interested in the idea of coming out as a writer, and how that term can be used to further flesh out the workshopping process.

[Author]

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