Resource Short workshops on writing

Over the past 12 months, we've had several organized short workshops on writing (generally not lasting more than a couple of weeks)

These included:
Titles Workshop hosted by dianethx ? Sept 2007

Cliffhanger Workshop hosted by Luton_Plunder ? Oct 2007

Dialogue Workshop hosted by Valairy_Scot ? Nov. 2007

Lightsaber duels workshop hosted by DarthIshtar ? Dec 2007

Thinking Outside the Box Workshop hosted by RX_Sith ? Feb. 2008

Workshop for Excerpts for the awards hosted by NYCitygurl ? June 2008


The participation was mixed and I'm not sure if I should try and have more or not (it's a lot of work for the hosts). So I'm asking.

Should I organize more short-term workshops? We have a long list of topics and some people who have said they were willing to host them but I want to hear from potential participants. Should we?


FYI, here was a list of potential topics (that people can add to if they wish).
1. Drabbles
2. summaries
3. Story/plot exposition
4. Defining the characters' abilities
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
6. Endings
7. Beginnings
8. Paragraphs
9. When to use a loooooong sentences
10. Flashbacks
11. Skipping scenes in the story telling (but it still happens in the story)
12. Cliffhangers
13. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
14. physical description of characters
15. non-human workshop
16. When to break the grammar rules
17. Dialect
18. Paragraphs
19. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
20. Medical information and how to use it in stories
21. Culinary Ingredients and cooking in the GFFA
22. Serially presented storytelling. How can we find interesting ways of breaking the story up into post-sized bites?
23. Series

 

I'd certainly be interested in 5, 8, 13, 18, 19.
Might look into the other ones, but those I know I need to work on....

 

I'd recommend only having one workshop at a time. I was supposed to have done one last year, but that got derailed by my move and then other things. DRL makes it to get behind and drop out of workshops. Even easier for 2 workshops at the same time.

I like these ones:

2. summaries
3. Story/plot exposition
4. Defining the characters' abilities
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
8. Paragraphs
11. Skipping scenes in the story telling (but it still happens in the story)
12. Cliffhangers
13. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
14. physical description of characters
15. non-human workshop
17. Dialect
18. Paragraphs
19. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
20. Medical information and how to use it in stories
21. Culinary Ingredients and cooking in the GFFA

 

I was planning on having one workshop every other month.

That is, of course, if the writers want it. The actual number of people participating in the workshops wasn't overwhelming. So that's why I'm bringing it up first rather than just starting more. The hosts shouldn't go to all that trouble if people don't really want the workshops.

 

I thought the previous workshops were well done, so any of the list would do us all a world of good (although I'm particullarly interested in the following


3. Story/plot exposition
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
6. Endings
13. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
14. physical description of characters
18. Paragraphs
19. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
22. Serially presented storytelling. How can we find interesting ways of breaking the story up into post-sized bites?
23. Series

 

I'm definitely interested! These are the ones that caught my eye:

3. Story/plot exposition
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
10. Flashbacks
11. Skipping scenes in the story telling (but it still happens in the story)
16. When to break the grammar rules
19. Noun, verb and adjective phrases

 

I'm always looking for ways to improve. I would definitely be interested in participating in these:


3. Story/plot exposition
4. Defining the characters' abilities
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
6. Endings
7. Beginnings
10. Flashbacks
11. Skipping scenes in the story telling (but it still happens in the story)
14. physical description of characters
15. non-human workshop
22. Serially presented storytelling. How can we find interesting ways of breaking the story up into post-sized bites?
23. Series

Not so interested in grammar and syntax as I am in style.

 

I'd be interested in the flashbacks & medical information workshops.

 

All of these interest me, actually. This looks really good.

- Serena

 

I would like to know more about what is involved. I know that sounds somewhat stupid to say but it helps to know what you are getting into. I am juggling three fics, class work, numerous jobs, a relationship, and other various writing and while I would love a chance to improve any number of areas in which I am lacking. Time and workload are something I have to consider before jumping into something.

 

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll hold off a bit to see if anyone else is interested. I do have few hosts from a while back but would love others to volunteer as hosts.


Thorn058 - This is just to see if there is still interest. You would participate as much as you can on the topics that interest you. Most of the workshops were 3-4 very short exercises (a couple of paragraphs or a rework of something you had written before) and then suggestions of how to improve by your fellow posters. This would occur over 2-4 weeks. The titles workshop (which I hosted) went on far too long but it was the first one and we were kind of finding our way as to what would work best. Each host determines the topic covered and the exercises. I hope that clears it up. If not, check out one of the threads in the first post.

 

I think all of these would be helpful, but the ones that stand out at the moment are:


1. Drabbles
10. Flashbacks
14. physical description of characters
15. non-human workshop
23. Series

 

Don't let this die, dianethx!

I'm interested in:

5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
7. Beginnings
10. Flashbacks
14. physical description of characters

 

Please do this Diane -- Zara's workshop is too complicated for me and I prefer one that goes a little bit differently. I need help with plot elements and outlining type things as well as what I mentioned before.

 

I'm always willing to discuss and improve.

 

Don't worry. I'm not going to let it die. I've been having a lot of RL problems lately (watching my retirement savings vanish can do that) and it's been kind of interfering with the organization here. And my writing....

I'll try and talk (twist someone's arm) into getting a couple of these going. I'll look at the ones people have suggested and try and get one set up for early next month (yes, I know it's NaNo but the workshops tend to be short and fairly easy). If I can't find someone, I'll do one of them myself.


Apparently, 13 and 19 were the same thing.

Ones most requested in order were
5. how to plan a story beyond the next post.
14. physical description of characters
3. Story/plot exposition
10. Flashbacks
11. Skipping scenes in the story telling (but it still happens in the story)
13/19. Noun, verb and adjective phrases
15. non-human workshop
18. Paragraphs
23. Series
20. Medical information and how to use it in stories
22. Serially presented storytelling. How can we find interesting ways of breaking the story up into post-sized bites?
4. Defining the characters' abilities
6. Endings
7. Beginnings
8. Paragraphs
1. Drabbles
2. summaries
16. When to break the grammar rules
17. Dialect
12. Cliffhangers
21. Culinary Ingredients and cooking in the GFFA
9. When to use a loooooong sentences

If anyone were willing to host these, please PM me. I should be able to host #5. I actually had someone volunteer for #14 a while back but they vanished so I'm not going to assume that people who volunteered during the last round will still be able/willing to do it.

 

Sorry this took so long but only one person volunteered and then had to back off a bit because of RL. Me, too.

Frankly, I can't do them all myself. For one thing, it would take too long. For another, I don't have the expertise in some areas. So anyone else like to step up to the plate would be great and do one or more of these would be very welcome.

A workshop on what comes next is coming up momentarily.

 

I'd be up for most of these ideas. If anything happens, please count me in and keep me in the loop.

 

dreamshell - the workshop is up.

So what comes next?

 

Hey Diane, I just wanted to add real quick the ones I'm interested in.

5, 5, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, and 20.

Now I'm off to the workshop you just mentioned.

~Ari

 

Hello:

Of the potential topics for short workshops, these are the ones I'd love to see and participate in:
Story/plot exposition
Defining the characters' abilities
how to plan a story beyond the next post.
Endings
Beginnings
physical description of characters
non-human workshop
Culinary Ingredients and cooking in the GFFA
Serially presented storytelling. How can we find interesting ways of breaking the story up into post-sized bites?