Workshopping is a valuable part of the creative writing process, as it gives you the opportunity to share your work with your peers (and vice versa). Your peers
may see something in the story that you were unaware of (everyone gets tunnel vision when writing), or they may offer tips and suggestions on how to tweak,
modify, or revise one or more writing elements so that your piece is that much closer to being a finished, publishable work. Workshopping can be intimidating
and worrisome, as you are “giving up your baby” to your peers who will offer feedback that you may not have expected. It takes time to feel comfortable with the
process, but it is a great resource that almost all writers, at one point or another, have used.
How Do I Workshop?
Here are six steps on how to effectively workshop a peer’s story:
1) Turn on the comment feature in a Microsoft Word document and take notes as you go along. Focus these notes on the elements of writing that have
been discussed in this course (e.g., character, plot, setting, attention to detail, voice, and dialogue). Do not worry about proofreading or editing your
peer’s work at this point. Grammar and mechanics can be fixed at a later time. For now, focus on what makes the story a story. Mark areas in which the
writer identified characters. Write feedback where dialogue first appears in the story. Mark passages where voice seems to change (and explain whether
or not this change is good or problematic). The options are endless here. Again, just remember to keep the focus on the elements of writing.
2) Mark areas of the writing that stuck out to you in a positive way. Discuss how the author effectively used character, plot, setting, attention to detail,
voice, and dialogue, and be sure to go beyond “great job” or “I like this” comments. Explain how the writer did a great job and explain why you like a
specific section of the writer’s work. Be sure not to offer only positive feedback though, as this can mislead the writer. All drafts need revision, and no
story is perfect in the first round.
3) Mark areas of the story where the writer may want to take a second look. Again, use the elements of writing to navigate your comments. If you see an
area where the character feels unbelievable, mark it and explain how and why it seems unbelievable. If you see an area where dialogue feels forced,
mark it and explain how it pulled you out of the story. Also, always try to offer a suggestion on how to strengthen this area of the writer’s work. Avoid
simply saying things like “This needs more focus.” Instead, offer advice on how the story could be strengthened. When doing so, always remember that
it is the writer’s story. Do not offer feedback on what you would do; instead, reflect on the writer’s intentions and offer advice that aligns with what you
assume their long term goals to be.
4) Write questions as you go along. If you are ever confused about a section of the text, mark it and explain why you are confused. These questions can
help writers fill in logical gaps during the revision process. Remember, no question is too big or too small. If you are confused or if you need clarification
on a specific area of the text, do not be afraid to ask.
5) Besides adding comments within the text, write a brief letter in the discussion board that addresses your feedback. When crafting this letter, start by
highlighting a couple of strengths of the story. Then, move on to discuss several areas of the story that may need more attention. Finally, post any major
questions you have for the reader so that he or she can consider them during the revision process. As with your notes within the text itself, it is very
important to provide rich, engaging detail in your letter. Be sure to list page numbers when you are pulling direct quotes so that the writer (and other
peers) can quickly reference that section of the text.
6) Finally, before submitting your feedback or letter, be sure to read over it for the following: areas that may need additional information or
development; areas where tone may come off as aggressive (even if it is unintentional); and areas in which the feedback focuses on the writer and not
the story itself. Remember, you are workshopping the story, not the writer. Even if the subject matter in the story is not your favorite (e.g., you are not a
fan of violence and there is a murder in the work), approach your feedback in a way that you are offering advice and suggestions to help your fellow
peer strengthen his or her story.
Using these six steps, you should be able to craft a strong, effective workshop for your peer (and receive helpful feedback on your story in return).
How Much Should I Write?
For in-line comments, provide two to three comments per page (or more, if you would like). Have at least one of these comments be positive, and the others be
either areas of development or questions that you have for the writer.
For the letter, provide at least one fully-developed paragraph (six to eight sentences) per section of feedback (one for positive comments, one where areas of the
story could be revised/developed, and one with any major questions you may have about the piece). More, of course, is encouraged.
If you have any other questions or concerns about the workshopping process, please do not hesitate to contact your instructor. Remember, your instructor is
experienced in the field and can give additional advice and support, as he or she once went through the workshopping process too.
Good luck!