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Copyright (c) 2002-2007 David B. Axelrod |
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WORKSHOP RULES Rule #1: Do no harm! Rule #2: Try to help your fellow writer! NOTE: I realize that there is a chance you may not receive any comments from your fellow students. Don't feel bad. I think, to begin with, your fellow students will probably be responding to those who send their work out relatively early in terms of due-dates and deadlines. You'll have a better chance of getting comments if you are one of the first to send out your work! Also, I'd encourage you all to wait a bit to get a better selection of student works to select from for your workshop comments. Finally, you can, of course, write to more than any two students telling them how to improve the writing. You'll get extra credit for any extra comments you make which should help make a case for your own higher grade at term's end! WHAT TO SAY AND WRITE Procedure for the writer: In a workshop, your fellow students provide a test to see if your writing gets the desired effect. Prepare by considering every detail, every word to be sure you "mean it." Prepare your work as professionally as you can, with no typos or grammatical errors. Take care, take pride in your work. Please don't introduce your poetry or talk about what it
means when you email it. The idea is to let other students react to the
material entirely on their own so you can see if your words mean the same
thing to them as to you. Don't tell them what it means or try to influence
them. Procedure for the reader/recipient: Participants are asked to write and email their comments on each work to both your fellow student and your professor. There is a link for you to read how to "explicate" a poem: http://www.poetrydoctor.org/explication.htm Basically, comments should be directed not at what some might call "taste," but to what is best or what can be made better. It is not important, for instance, that you agree or disagree with a piece of writing. The craft--the style and structure--are what you are critiquing. For instance you may wish to comment on the following: 1. What is your favorite line, phrase or even word? Saying "I liked it," isn't enough. Say why. 2. What is your least favorite thing or least favorite line in the poem? Clearly you don't want to be insulting but a good critic can encourage a change. State why you feel the work needs revision or change. 3. Are there any grammatical errors or questions? Any typos? Any spots that need a discussion or question of technique? 4. Can you summarize in clear, factual statements, what the poem is about? In a poem, explication allows you to write a summary, line by line, in your own words. A. Who are the characters? B. What is the setting? C. What is the central action?
D. How much time passes? 5. Can you say what style or tradition the poetry follows? For instance, is it an imagistic poem (one which you can close your eyes and picture)? Or, is it a didactic poem, one which seeks to state a point? Does it follow a form, a pattern of its own or a set, named poetic form? 6. Consider the overall effects of the writing. For
poems, of course, the sounds and rhythms, line lengths, even typographical
appearance can matter greatly. In stories and scripts the sound of the
language or rhythm of conversation is also significant. 7. How does the writing make you feel? Explain what it brings to mind. Talk about theme. What does it "teach?" You may comment on whether it is a likable work or whether you believe it is provocative, even "distasteful." But remember: Rule #1: Do no harm! Rule #2: Try to help your fellow writer! NOT ONLY WILL YOU GET CREDIT FOR PARTICIPATING, IT'S A FUN WAY TO LEARN! BE A SPORT! GIVE IT A TRY! |