My desire to provide the type of workshop I do stems from my belief that while the typical critique-based writing workshops found in most academic writing programs (and outside academia as well) certainly have their place, they should not be the only choice available to people looking for a writing group or workshop. Critique-based workshops employ mostly criticism as a way to discuss one another's work, and they usually focus on reworking completed manuscripts rather than on generating new writing.
For many writers and would-be writers, there are three main stumbling blocks: 1., the initial paralysis that comes from not knowing what to write about, or having an idea but not a clear sense of how to start; 2., that relentless and merciless inner critic who tells us what we've just written is terrible; and 3., a simple lack of free time to write.
Thus in my workshops it is my goal to address these three issues: the first by providing exercises to generate ideas and jumpstart creativity; the second by giving writers the chance to hear encouraging feedback about their work immediately after writing it, before their inner critic has a chance to sneak in; and the third by simply providing regular, structured writing time.
The Written Word workshops are based on the workshop method developed by Pat Schneider, founder of Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA). I took a workshop-leader training with Pat in 2000 in Massachusetts, and I've been leading workshops based on that training ever since. The Amherst Writers & Artists method emphasizes a supportive writing environment, the importance of generating new work, and a lack of criticism for this new work.
In order to create a comfortable place where writers feel free to write whatever they want, whether it be truth or fiction, the group abides by four practices:
1. We treat ALL writing as fiction, even if written in the 1st person,
unless the writer specifically tells us otherwise.
2. No one ever is required to read aloud.
3. We do not criticize writing done in the workshop exercises.
4. It is understood that everything written and discussed in our meetings
is confidential.
I do like to provide an opportunity for critique of writing in the later stages of editing for those who want it. Therefore in my workshops there is always the option to sign up for a critique date, when the group will have a week to read and write up comments on a writer's essay, story, group of poems, etc., then will discuss the work in the group with the writer present. This is the only time in the workshop where criticism is permitted.
