Writing Workshop Ideas? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T11:24:39Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/writing-workshop-ideas?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A240907&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI once was asked (begged is m…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-11:537324:Comment:2413902010-07-11T22:52:06.854ZEDWARD C MORGANhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ECMorgan
I once was asked (begged is more like it) to teach a 6-week fiction writing course at a community center. Actually wound up doing it a couple times.<br />
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I wasn't really sure what I could offer that the participants couldn't find on their own online, so I went with the simple idea that at the end of the 6-weeks, they'd have a complete and polished short story to send out (if they desired).<br />
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Did the same for a non-fiction magazine writing course. We actually wrote query letters and articles (without…
I once was asked (begged is more like it) to teach a 6-week fiction writing course at a community center. Actually wound up doing it a couple times.<br />
<br />
I wasn't really sure what I could offer that the participants couldn't find on their own online, so I went with the simple idea that at the end of the 6-weeks, they'd have a complete and polished short story to send out (if they desired).<br />
<br />
Did the same for a non-fiction magazine writing course. We actually wrote query letters and articles (without knowing the results of the queries) in the six-week period.<br />
<br />
Of course, I have no books to try to sell, and mostly taught them to help a friend who was a new director of a community center and trying to bolster the center's programs. I made a few bucks, it was fun, and maybe I even helped one or two people.<br />
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That said, I've long thought that if selling books is the goal, an author is far better off rather than doing book signings, to instead speak before writing groups, writing clubs, reading clubs, classes, etc., and be sure to have some books on hand to sell.<br />
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<b>OR</b> do your book signing at the Barnes & Noble at Wolfchase in Memphis, TN, and let me know. Then I can tell mom and she'll buy a book and talk to you out of fear that one day it will be her little boy standing there all lonely at the table. I honestly don't think she's ever walked past a poorly attended book signing without stopping to buy the book and chat for a little bit. Credentials, credentials, cre…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-08:537324:Comment:2411522010-07-08T20:11:29.432ZBenoit AKoahttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BenoitAKoa
Credentials, credentials, credentials. If you are going to hold a seminar on creative writing, you unlike any professional educator are an artisan and your craft is the creation of stories that you put on paper.<br />
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I think that should be your platform. Your lessons should come from that part of you . . .The artisan part of you. I believe, the art of writing, like many art, comes from within and is innate. Like anyone sitting in a Calculus seminar, you'd hope they all have the mathematical…
Credentials, credentials, credentials. If you are going to hold a seminar on creative writing, you unlike any professional educator are an artisan and your craft is the creation of stories that you put on paper.<br />
<br />
I think that should be your platform. Your lessons should come from that part of you . . .The artisan part of you. I believe, the art of writing, like many art, comes from within and is innate. Like anyone sitting in a Calculus seminar, you'd hope they all have the mathematical background and natural ability to keep up. The seminar should therefore revolve around the rules of style, of creative writing, research methods, setting, characterization, blueprints of genre, outlining, viewpoints, pacing, suspense and the list goes on.<br />
I think because you would most likely be dealing with fledgling and advanced writers, it is best you set a topic or seed a discussion, ask for input from their experiences and guide from your experience as an expert. Correct me if I'm wrong, but…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409782010-07-07T23:17:52.692ZVichttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Vic
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not giving them a lifetime's experience in one hour here, just "entertaining" them so they'll say "that bloke was fun, let's buy his novels!" In my experience most keen writers have done this type of Practice Writing zillions of times before in various workshops = very familiar and runs the risk of being super boring which is prob not what you want to have them remember about you if the workshopping is a marketing tool! Don't just deliver information, have…
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not giving them a lifetime's experience in one hour here, just "entertaining" them so they'll say "that bloke was fun, let's buy his novels!" In my experience most keen writers have done this type of Practice Writing zillions of times before in various workshops = very familiar and runs the risk of being super boring which is prob not what you want to have them remember about you if the workshopping is a marketing tool! Don't just deliver information, have them find out for them selves in some type of fun innovative way so they remember you as being cool, engaging etc stuff you WANT them to link to your work.<br />
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Interaction can go both ways. Find the end point. eg you might want to demonstrate to them how to do an elevator pitch (which is short and can be very engaging). Have one ready as an example that links directly to your novel and make it very powerful. Make it into a quiz. Get them to write one, have them pitch it, get the group to score each, including yours. Highest score wins. Provide choc frogs for winner. Then have the group re-write each pitch so it's a winner. They'll go away smiling if you create the right energy and then they'll buy your book! Thanks guys.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409492010-07-07T18:24:03.760ZJohn Bairdhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnBaird
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys. Make THEM do the work. Give t…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409412010-07-07T17:50:29.212ZJack Getzehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JGetze
Make THEM do the work. Give them a prompt, then ask them to free-write (I've heard it also called "practice" writing) using the prompt. Give them 10 minutes to write a scene, then ask if anybody wrote anything that surprised them. Hands will go up. Pick people to read their free-writing...make generic, superfluous comments of praise ... the hour will fly.<br />
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Prompts:<br />
Have your protagonist (or antagonist) remember something...meet her first love ... or discover a secret. Whatever. Encourage…
Make THEM do the work. Give them a prompt, then ask them to free-write (I've heard it also called "practice" writing) using the prompt. Give them 10 minutes to write a scene, then ask if anybody wrote anything that surprised them. Hands will go up. Pick people to read their free-writing...make generic, superfluous comments of praise ... the hour will fly.<br />
<br />
Prompts:<br />
Have your protagonist (or antagonist) remember something...meet her first love ... or discover a secret. Whatever. Encourage dialogue, a scene, not description.<br />
<br />
People write all kinds of stuff. It can be fun. Also humbling (to some of us) when you hear what other people come up with off the top of their heads. In an hour you could talk abo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409322010-07-07T16:57:33.470ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
In an hour you could talk about basic thriller plot elements, maybe, and then have them rough-in a basic story line. Or you could talk about character and/or conflict. Who's your hero and what kind if trouble is he in? Let them help you make a list--you'll need a white-board; people will say funny things. The important thing is to get them talking and to have fun. Emphasis on the latter, since you're not getting paid.
In an hour you could talk about basic thriller plot elements, maybe, and then have them rough-in a basic story line. Or you could talk about character and/or conflict. Who's your hero and what kind if trouble is he in? Let them help you make a list--you'll need a white-board; people will say funny things. The important thing is to get them talking and to have fun. Emphasis on the latter, since you're not getting paid. Thanks Vic.
Let the goal dict…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409132010-07-07T14:39:46.741ZJohn Bairdhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnBaird
Thanks Vic.<br />
Let the goal dictate. I see.<br />
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On this occasion, what I want to achieve might have to fit around the best practice/session plan I come up with. The workshop is part of a writer’s festival but it’s difficult to know how involved the participants would like to be. Ideally, I want to lead a shared activity that will be fun and informative. Oh, and it must be specifically ‘crime’ based
Thanks Vic.<br />
Let the goal dictate. I see.<br />
<br />
On this occasion, what I want to achieve might have to fit around the best practice/session plan I come up with. The workshop is part of a writer’s festival but it’s difficult to know how involved the participants would like to be. Ideally, I want to lead a shared activity that will be fun and informative. Oh, and it must be specifically ‘crime’ based Duration = No more than an ho…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2409072010-07-07T14:29:37.315ZJohn Bairdhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnBaird
Duration = No more than an hour.<br />
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Often I talk about what I like to find in thrillers and how I structure my writing accordingly (I write plot driven novels – every hook and twist is set out before I begin). But this time I have offered to run a workshop, thus, interacting more with the audience.
Duration = No more than an hour.<br />
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Often I talk about what I like to find in thrillers and how I structure my writing accordingly (I write plot driven novels – every hook and twist is set out before I begin). But this time I have offered to run a workshop, thus, interacting more with the audience. Instructional design is mostl…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2408662010-07-07T11:37:14.434ZVichttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Vic
Instructional design is mostly about finding your end point and working backwards. Decide your learning outcome then decide how best to get there by interaction with your audience through exploring their experiences, exploiting their prior skills and forming, dissecting and reforming opinions via activities. Easy, huh?<br />
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What's your end point; what do you want to teach them?
Instructional design is mostly about finding your end point and working backwards. Decide your learning outcome then decide how best to get there by interaction with your audience through exploring their experiences, exploiting their prior skills and forming, dissecting and reforming opinions via activities. Easy, huh?<br />
<br />
What's your end point; what do you want to teach them? John--what's the duration? A…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2010-07-07:537324:Comment:2408172010-07-07T00:07:01.390ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
John--what's the duration? A day? A week? A month?
John--what's the duration? A day? A week? A month?