First Workshop for Creative Writing II

I was very nervous about our first workshop for Creative Writing II.  I was the first person to be critiqued on my writing.  I have been critiqued verbally and on paper before with a few people looking over my work, but not the whole class focused on my work giving me both verbal and written feedback.

Other workshops I have been a part of in the past upped my anxiety.  Past workshops I have had, people either yawned at my work -which mortified me more than everyone say hating it since, at least, they had an opinion one way or another than just apathy- or like/hated it, but did not really give me any suggestions to change.

The feedback that I received from my everyone was both gratifying and helpful.  Everyone was constructive by giving me suggestions and made me feel like I should keep writing.   I did not get the feeling from others as I have in the past of "Why are you writing?"

The best suggestions that I received that were echoed throughout the workshop is that I need to describe the world setting more, describe the era/the happenings in the world more, and physically describe my protagonist and setting more.  There were several other awesome suggestions, but that was the real base gist.  I am still going over my notes and the notes everyone gave me.

I was supposed to sit and listen to the feedback of my peers as they talk about my piece.  This was actually a helpful exercise because I could get other people’s feedback without my influence swaying them.  I was good with that, except for the very beginning when one of my peers was talking about one of my character’s saying, “Squee!”  I responded that the character had really said it and that influenced what he said after.  I felt real bad about that.  So sorry!  I should have been quiet.  

I wish to thank everyone who read my story and gave me feedback.  I loved listening to you all and I loved seeing your reactions to my story.  It made me smile and feel better about myself as a writer.