Writing Workshops

 

   

I've talked a lot about the benefit of local writers groups--I learn so much more from being in the room than "just" whatever that day's program is about. But not all writers groups are local; there's value in distance groups too.

My MFA was low-res, which meant all the students and faculty got together for ten very intense days twice a year. But during the semesters, I submitted a packet of work (newly written or revised fiction + annotations on whatever I was reading) to my mentor every month. Then we'd meet via Zoom to go over their feedback on my work.

I'm also in several Discord writers groups--those can be great.

But my favorite non-local writing group is a group of 8-12 grads from my MFA program--some from my cohort and others from before or after I graduated. We spend a week together every summer doing intense workshopping. There are lots of ways to structure a group like this. 

For my currently nameless group, we all submit 50 pages of fiction (stories, novellas, portions of novels, screenplays) to the group in April. Optionally, you can also submit an entire novel. We all read each participant's 50 pages. If you submit an entire novel, you also read two other participants' novels. Then we rent a house and meet for a week in June--last year, we were in Portland, Oregon--and intensely workshop the writing we've submitted. Every morning, we workshop two people's 50-page submissions. In the afternoons, we break off into smaller novel workshops or present seminars for each other. Submitting to various short-story markets. World building. Character development. Querying. Building horror. Increasing tension. Whatever someone's become fascinated with over the past year. I cannot recommend a group like this enough, if you find writers whose work you respect and whose company you enjoy--and they feel the same about you. Especially if they're also good cooks!