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TWO DAYS LEFT TO CRITIQUE!

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The More Metaphor, Please! Workshop closes for submissions, with a final count of 64 participant entries. You've probably seen these entries popping up in your devWatch folder, and now...it's time to do something about it.

Critique Week:

The workshop is far from over, guys. Last week, we wrote and read and commented and wrote some more. This week is all about workshopping! All members are strongly encouraged to participate, even if you don't have something in our gallery for this workshop. The idea is to spend the next seven days reading and critiquing.

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The deviations submitted!

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The Way This Works:

Members enter their deviations into the #Writers-Workshop with the goal of developing and exploring their writing skills. How will they be able to do that? With feedback.

The challenge:

1. To return the favor to all the wonderful workshoppers who stopped by your entry and left their thoughts.
2. To leave two or three comments (or more) for every one you receive. On your honor!
3. To thank commentators and critics for their time and sincere enthusiasm.
4. To go that extra mile and comment on entries that challenge you, and on the entries that do not have all that many comments yet.

You guys create the workshop experience! Make it a good one.

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"Well, what if I don't feel like I can give a good critique? What if I can't think of anything to say? I can't critique -- it's art! The writer will hate me!"

Firstly, anyone can give great feedback. All it takes is reading carefully and being thoughtful. If you're confused somewhere, say so! If something strikes you as strange (or wonderful), tell the writer! A "critique" is often a fancy and intimidating word for "opinion". Point out the things you liked, the things you didn't, and why and how you think they could be changed.

And no, the writer won't hate you. Far from it! Every writer who entered the workshop entered knowing there would be critique and revision involved.

Here are a few resources that can be a great help if you're still nervous:

How to Revise or Critique by ^SparrowSong
CRITIQUE by `tangledweb
A Guide to Good Critique (Literature) by `lovetodeviate

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So what are you waiting for?

Work-shopping is as much about the revising and critiquing as it is about the writing. A few critics and workshop submissions will be featured in the closing journal.

Meanwhile, for the next week, I and the wonderful #Writers-Workshop staff and contributors will also be reading through the pieces and offering up our own thoughts and feedback.

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Miscellaneous Notes:

I realize that I may not have made something clear at the beginning of the workshop and this may have led to some hurt feelings or misunderstandings. A decline is not a judgment call on the quality of the submission. Nor should it be seen as anything but a normal part of the workshop and the submission process. I've declined quite a few deviations that were amazing pieces of writing, but just did not quite fit the parameters of the workshop.

If you're didn't get a chance to submit before the deadline but would still like to use this workshop as a prompt, feel free to leave a link in a comment on the journal entry. It won't be part of the workshop proper, but it's still a nice way to share what you've written. These are only to share. Feedback priority goes to the entries in the workshop gallery.

If you revise your piece during the workshop, please include the original (first draft) version in the same deviation (I.e. use your artists comments section or the bottom of the deviation.) This will make it easier for you to see progress and for the critics to help you out and not repeat themselves.

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On Accepting Critique

Always thank the critic. Even if you do not like the critique, remember that the critic has taken time to offer his/her sincere opinion on the piece.
If you do not like the critique, it is not necessary to mention so or be otherwise hurtful. Simply thank the critic and move on without making a scene of it. You can always ignore suggestions -- after all, that's all they are.
If you are unsure of what the critique means, just ask the critic what s/he meant. Building rapport with your critic is one of the best ways to survive in a workshop and to learn. If you want examples, ask. Similarly, if you like the suggestions given, mention it. Critics have feelings too.
If you feel that the comment left by a critic or workshop host is inappropriate, please don't hesitate to contact #Writers-Workshop via a note.

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Onward to Critique Week! Let's stretch our fingers and get to typing. And most importantly, let's have fun doing it.

Thank you!
=nycterent

Hello there

Today marks not only a very poignant world remembrance day, but also the birthday of this very group.

Although you may be confused, as the group was founded on October 22nd 2006, the group did not actually launch until a year later on the 11th November 2007. It took a long time for the group to be planned and brought together, but it was completely worth it!

#Writers-Workshop was born out of a conversation between its original founders, `Beccalicious and `lovetodeviate. Aditi and I shared a mutual want for a workshop based challenge that got rid of that ‘competition’ element a lot of writing projects and contests dA drove. This was about helping a writer find ways to improve their own writing, to explore different concepts and challenge them in hope that some of the skills they found would be evoked in their non workshop pieces.

In 2008, sadly `lovetodeviate moved on to become a literature GM, and we welcomed ~batousaijin and `GaioumonBatou into our staff fold. With the groups function, we have been able to widen that team to include =nycterent, `poisonedrose, *GrimEden and ~Queen-of-Marigold. This team has worked so hard in building the new group. We have also had the chance to welcome back `lovetodeviate as a contributor.

The first workshop was hosted by former GM `GunShyMartyr and was on the theme ‘twisted stories’. The rest of the cycle (following our now old format of 2 weeks prose, 2 weeks poetry, 2 weeks free for all) was hosted by the other two GMs at the time, `PoeticWar and ^StJoan and since then we have had so many wonderful members of the literature community come along and host a workshop right up to =nycterent who is currently hosting this workshop on metaphor. What makes this current workshop significant is not only is it marking the 2 years, but it if the first in the new workshop format, the first where we’ve seen over 50 submission and of course the first using the new group function.

It is important not only to recall the past workshop hosts, but also our members- some of you have been here for the whole two year stretch which is fantastic. I personally cannot thank you enough for the continued support. We’ve also seen the welcome of now over 1000 members, most of you who have taken this workshop opportunity in your stride and I hope the enthusiasm continues for the future.

We were very lucky to have the opportunity to alpha test for groups and soon we will be promoted to a ‘super group’. This mean we shall have additional features and information to help you guys making this workshop as resourceful as we can for you.

When I opened the account in 2006, I never imagined 3 years on this would be such a strong and exciting group. I am immensely proud of this workshop and without any of you it wouldn’t be possible to have that pride.

Finally, I don’t want to end on a bittersweet moment, but we would like to mark this group as a permanent memorial for *kittyfantastic24. Nikki was a dedicated member of this group and she died unexpectedly on Sunday August 16th aged 31. Rest in peace Nikki.


Thank you everyone, here is to another 2 years of workshopping!

`Beccalicious

P.S. check out our new exciting 'about us' section in the members tab!

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ONE DAY LEFT!

The workshop closes for submissions at midnight GMT, November 9th! That's tomorrow!

So far we have a whooping 48 pieces written for the workshop, so if you've already submitted or aren't planning on participating in the writing part of our workshop, take a few minutes to check out the entries and leave a few comments. Work-shopping is as much about the revising and critiquing as it is about the writing. A few critics and workshop submissions will be featured in the closing journal.

I'm loving the enthusiasm and activity so far. You guys are amazing!

PS. Don't forget to read the instructions carefully if you're submitting!

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Welcome to our first, post-group-transition workshop! You've asked for a return to the basic elements of writing, and we heard you! This Workshop is also here to give you a taste for all the great things coming up.

How does a workshop work? As members, you will read the workshop description, and then, following all the instructions, write-write-write, scrub, polish and submit a deviation to our group gallery (detailed instructions below).

From there, all members (yes, I'm talking to you!) will visit, read, and comment&critique on each others pieces. Once the deadline creeps in, chasing the last few procrastinators over the finish line, the workshop hosts will take some time to go over all the entries and leave some constructive comments on them. This means critique.

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=nycterent will be the in-house host for this workshop.

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Now, our Taster Workshop, unveiled! --- More Metaphor, Please ---

"Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space."

- Orson Scott Card

The Task: Write a piece using an extended metaphor in 250 or fewer words.

Wait, wait, first of all, what's a metaphor?

Basically, a metaphor is a comparison of two different thing, saying that one is the other.

A = B

______ is _______

Example: An easily recognizable metaphor can be seen in the line "Hope is the thing with feathers" (from Emily Dickinson's poem by the same title). It takes "hope", which is an abstract idea and difficult to pin down, and uses a very real object (a feathery bird) help the reader imagine Hope and what Hope means in the poem.

_{Note: For the sake of this workshop, please be explicit in your use of a metaphor. Be obvious. Say "[something] is/was/etc [something]". Symbols ("this represents that") and similes ("this is like that") just don't cut it.}


That makes sense. But what's an extended metaphor?

An extended metaphor is when the metaphor continues in the piece, often developed at great length and recurring in different ways. To go back to that same famous Dickinson poem, Hope is compared to a bird. Throughout the piece, Dickinson continues the comparison, describing all the things "hope" (ie, the thing with feather) does, from perching to singing a sweet tune to not asking for a crumb. The reader can now imagine hope -- its selflessness and how it stays singing through difficult times in terms of a bird. The use of a metaphor strengthens the text and its effect on the reader.

In prose, we can also often see extended metaphors. Sometimes, they occur within a single paragraph, perhaps describing a city setting as a giant beast, breathing through the gutters, the sky-scrapers on the skyline its dragon-like spine, etc. Sometimes, the metaphor continues through a whole piece, reoccurring in different ways. Words like "symbol", "motif", "theme" and "conceit" may be used (among others) as literary siblings of the extended metaphor. But the bottom line is, one thing is compared to another at length, creating a richer experience for the reader.

It is also a shortcut to getting to the heart of an issue and underscoring what you, the writer, feel is most important about the item/idea you're describing. After all, describing a city as a beast creates a very different impression than saying "The city is a child's playroom". Hope as a bird is very different from hope as an alligator.


When should I use an extended metaphor?

It's truly up to you to experiment with the possibilities. You might find that you want to use a metaphor to describe an abstract concept like "love" or "hate", and make it tangible for the reader. You may find yourself writing a personal piece and wish to describe a character or yourself in a way that highlights some important characteristic (ie, being a mouse is very different from being a snake or a boat). You could use the metaphor to define your relationship to something (ie, the beach as an mp3 player, or the oven as a temperamental cat). A metaphor can create a mood, build description, define attitude, and just be plain fun! In the end, there's no limit to what you can imagine and how you can write this.


If you had to give me one bit of advice, what would it be?

Avoid cliches and don't forget that you have all five senses (taste, smell, touch, hearing, sight) at your descriptive fingertips. Okay, that's two bits of advice, but very important in writing.

Please, please, please, don't pair up common items, like love and a rose, hope and a rainbow, hate and fire. Me, I'd rather read about love being a paper bag, or hope being a chinchilla! Put time and thought into your choices and think outside that box. The reader wants to be surprised and startled, and to say "Wow, I wouldn't have thought of this myself!"

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The workshop task:

We will have both PROSE and POETRY categories in this workshop.

Your mission is to write a poem or prose piece of 250-words or less that revolves around one extended metaphor.

Note: _{When replying, I'll put critiquing priority on pieces that have "Critique encouraged" in the Author's Comment box.}

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How to Submit

1) After submitting your entry as a new deviation or scrap, please go to our gallery page and click "Contribute Art" button.
2) At the very top where it says "Choose A Deviation to submit to," please pick the current NOVEMBER workshop in the drop-down list.
3) Select the deviation from your gallery, and click "okay".
4) The deadline is midnight Nov 9th. All times are set for GMT. You have ten days! =nycterent will respond to the entries on/by Nov 16th.
5) You may only submit one piece from each category (poetry and prose). The submission must be new and submitted after the start of the workshop.
6) Make sure you have "_____ is/was _____" in the piece somewhere in the piece.

If you're not interested in work-shopping, but would still like to use this workshop as a prompt, please don't submit the deviation to our gallery. Rather, just leave a link in a comment on the journal entry or news article. You can also post a link if you make more than one deviation for this workshop (since you can only submit one per category).

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A note from #Writers-Workshop: This is both a POETRY and PROSE workshop, but we will only accept entries that are 250 words or fewer. Proofread your work before you send it in so that grammatical and spelling errors are minimal. And most importantly, have fun with it!

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On Accepting Critique

Always thank the critic. Even if you do not like the critique, remember that the critic has taken time to offer his/her sincere opinion on the piece.

If you do not like the critique, it is not necessary to mention so or be otherwise hurtful. Simply thank the critic and move on without making a scene of it. You can always ignore suggestions -- after all, that's all they are.

If you are unsure of what the critique means, just ask the critic what s/he meant. Building rapport with your critic is one of the best ways to survive in a workshop and to learn. If you want examples, ask. Similarly, if you like the suggestions given, mention it. Critics have feelings too.

If you feel that the comment left by a critic or workshop host is inappropriate, please don't hesitate to contact #Writers-Workshop via a note.

Thank you!
=nycterent

FAQs | Hosting a workshop | Writing Resources | Previous Workshops


Welcome to #Writers-Workshop!

Hi all!

First and foremost - groupies are no more! Hooray! We say this, because it felt so sad having to say no to so many enthusiastic people who want somewhere to write. Well, you guys are all watchers now, and will all be able to participate when you want to!

We are very close to launching two taster workshops, which are to give all those new and old members a chance to experience how #Writers-Workshop is adapting to the new groups system. There will be one prose and one poetry workshop.

Whilst we are waiting, why don’t you guys share with us the kind of workshops you would like. You can be as specific as you like (for example “I want a workshop on sestinas” ) or make some general comments about the kind of things you would like to get out of this workshop.

Also if you know of someone who perhaps is an ‘expert’ or a quality writer in some form, please feel free to suggest them as a host, and we will consider contacting them. We are also keen for those who are considering hosting a workshop to make themselves known. If you would like to do this to the group direct, please send us a note via the ‘contact us’ button.

We are very excited about our re-launch of this group, and hope you all are too!

Thank you

Becca

FAQs | Hosting a workshop | Writing Resources | Previous Workshops


Welcome to #Writers-Workshop!

Groupie News!

in the near future, anyone who is a current Groupie will automatically be converted to a Watcher. This is a sitewide change and affects all groups. It is scheduled to happen in the next few days (check out #hq for more information). But please, don't worry -- you do not have to be a groupie to be a member and to participate in our workshops.

This group is open for everyone; just watch us and jump aboard!

Workshop news!

This is what everyone has been waiting for. More details about our next workshop will be unveiled in the next couple days. Are you excited? I know I am!

Administrative news!

We are currently in a transitional stage, working out ways to make this workshop the best experience we can for you. Please bear with up during this period.

If you are interested in hosting a workshop or have an idea, issue, concern, plot-to-take-over-the-world, we'd love to hear about it! Please send us a note. Click that big yellow button at the top of our profile page.

The club is currently not accepting any moderator/contributor applications, but once things settle down, you know we'll want you. Keep an eye out.

The club has officially passed the 1,000 watchers mark!

We look forward to seeing you guys participate in future workshops.
More news will be coming you way very soon!

=nycterent