Is A Writing Workshop Right For You?

July 28, 2022

By The Book Professor -

Writers rarely produce perfect first drafts that are ready to publish. Even famous authors like Ernest Hemingway and Virginia Woolf joined writing workshops to polish their prose.

A writing group or workshop is basically a meet-up for writers. Workshops give you a chance to network with other authors and get feedback on portions of your manuscript. During the workshop, fellow writers will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript and suggest ways to improve it. You usually aren’t allowed to talk or defend your writing while it’s being critiqued — you just have to sit back, listen, and absorb the feedback.

In addition to critique sessions, many writing workshops include lessons on different aspects of storytelling, such as character development. There may also be designated writing time so you can respond to a prompt or work on one of your current projects. Some writing groups even invite guest speakers to discuss key aspects of writing and marketing books.

How to find a writing workshop

Whether you’re looking for a writing workshop in your area or one that meets online, there are a few ways to find groups to join. You can search on Meetup.com and Eventbrite for online or in-person critique groups, many of which are free to join.

Some local libraries and bookstores also host free community writing workshops. Your librarian or other authors in your area may know of writers’ groups that are accepting new members, so ask around.

If you don’t mind spending some money on a workshop, many writing centers offer classes you can attend in person or remotely, including Grubstreet in Boston and Gotham Writers in New York City. You could also audit a writing course that includes a workshop component at a university.

The benefits of workshopping your manuscript

Now that you know more about writing workshops, let’s dive into the reasons you might want to join.

Catch mistakes

Getting feedback on your manuscript from other writers can help you polish your work to a higher standard. As an author, you’re usually too close to your book to evaluate it objectively. Your critique group may catch mistakes you’ve missed beyond typos, grammatical errors, awkward sentences, or rambly paragraphs. You might catch character inconsistencies or find holes in your story you didn’t know were missing.

Dig deeper

Sharing your story is a brave act of vulnerability that can inspire readers and show them they’re not alone. But for your memoir or self-help book to resonate with others, you’ll have to dig deep and uncover the emotional truth behind your experiences.

A writing workshop is a safe place to share your work for the first time and gauge readers’ reactions. You’ll be able to see which parts of your book hit home with your audience and identify sections that aren’t landing or connecting as well.

Motivation

Struggling with writer’s block? Joining a critique group can motivate you to finish writing or editing your manuscript by giving you concrete deadlines. If you don’t have any new material ready before your group meets, you won’t be able to participate in the critique session and get the feedback you need. So you may feel a greater sense of urgency to make steady progress on your book if you’re part of a writers’ group.

The workshop setting itself can also be energizing. Meeting other writers who are all passionate about their projects can give you the inspiration you need to tackle your own manuscript.

Connect with other writers

Joining a writing workshop allows you to connect with other writers who may turn into friends over time. Writing is a pretty solitary activity that can get lonely if you don’t have a community. It’s nice to have like-minded people in your corner who you can go to for support when your book-writing journey gets tough.

Get comfortable sharing your work

Joining a writing group can help you get comfortable sharing your work with a an audience before you officially release it. Receiving feedback from other writers will teach you how to accept constructive criticism and prepare you for the reviews and feedback that might pour in after your book launches.

Drawbacks of writing workshops

Although workshops can help improve your manuscript, they’re not without drawbacks. Here are some potential downsides of writing groups and things to consider before you join.

Feedback quality can vary

The quality of the feedback from critique groups can vary. If the people in your group are newer, inexperienced writers, they may not know how to provide actionable feedback yet. You may get conflicting suggestions or unclear advice that you’re not sure how to implement.

Workshops that are led by a qualified writing instructor (like The Book Professor’s Executive Mastermind Group) usually provide the best critiques because there’s an expert present to guide the discussion.

Workshops aren’t always genre-specific

Authors looking to finish a book usually benefit the most from workshops that focus on their preferred style of writing. Every genre has its own literary conventions and stylistic guidelines, so you’ll get the best feedback from people interested in the same type of material as you.

You’ll also get more out of your workshop’s writing lessons if they’re geared toward your genre. As a nonfiction writer, a lesson on building suspense in a thriller or creating a fictional world isn’t very useful to you. But a class on crafting engaging dialogue, for example, will give you lots of new writing techniques to try.

You might not get much individual attention

Writing workshops, especially those online, don’t always have a cap on the number of participants who can join. It’s common for a writers’ group to have a dozen or more members. If your group is large and overcrowded, you may not get much critique time. Sharing your work with a big group can also feel intimidating, especially if you aren’t used to letting other people read your writing.

This post first appeared on The Book Professor Blog. Reposted with permission.