Reading and Writing as Workshop
I’ll admit it. I hate to be edited. Whenever I send a piece out for feedback, I cringe inside waiting for comments.
It’s not easy to let others read our work. But it’s not always easy to be on the other side either, in the role of commenter. So as writing teacher, I try to hold close in my mind my own fragile writer’s ego when I’m reviewing student work.
This month’s nonfiction know-how, expertly laid out by Rowan here, invites you to think critically about both those roles – as a writer asking for feedback on your work and as a reader providing requested constructive criticism.
I’d like to encourage you to embrace both of these roles.
Why? It’s worth putting aside our own insecurities about feedback in order to grow. Too often—especially in a close knit community like yeah write, where we get to know each other’s stories and personalities over time—the comment section can devolve into a back patting fest where people perfunctorily praise posts. As a writer, consider whether that’s enough for you. Is it helping you to improve or just making you feel good as you refresh your screen? Are you learning anything you can apply to your next story? If not, maybe you’re ready to take the brave plunge and allow public feedback that might not always be easy to read but just might be what you need to hear. Grab one of our snazzy constructive criticism badges and welcome readers to review your work in a deeper way.
And if you see one of those badges on a fellow yeah writer’s post? Remember that you’ve been entrusted with a task that is, not to overstate it too much, just a little bit sacred. Take Rowan’s guidance to heart as you comment, leading with the good, gently weaving in the constructive, and being true to your role as educator. The goal is a win-win dialogue between reader and writer, where the yeah write community opens itself up as a weekly writing workshop, with shared goals and expectations.
Yeah write super challenge
The third and final round of super challenge #3 is currently underway! Good luck to all of our participants as they eagerly await the results. Did you miss out on registration? Sign up for our email blast so you don’t miss out on any announcements.
Nonfiction know-how:
constructive criticism
Enough about writing; let’s talk about reading. For this month’s nonfiction know-how, we want you to take a little break from your own writing. We’re always harping on how being a better reader will make you a better writer. But how do you become a better reader, and what do you do with that reading skill once you have it? Well, it’s for those two little words that strike fear and joy into a writer’s heart: constructive criticism. Learn more from Rowan here.
Want more info?
Is this your first time here? Check out Sunday’s post which kicked off the week here at yeah write. Our email subscribers can also join us in the yeah write coffeehouse at its home on Facebook. If you’ve never taken the time to read them, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our submission guidelines. The rules are a little different for each of our challenges and we’d hate to have to send back great writing on a technicality.
Did you happen to end up here because you suddenly saw yeah write in your stats? Sometimes members of our community spot excellent writing and they send those posts on over to us. We hope you don’t mind. Take a look around and get to know our community. We’re sure you’ll be happy here.
Have questions you can’t find the answer to by poking around the site? Email us or find us on Facebook and Twitter and we’ll happily help you out.
How to submit and fully participate in the challenge
Basic yeah write guidelines: 1000 word limit; your entry can be dated no earlier than this past Sunday; nonfiction personal essay, creative opinion piece or mostly true story based on actual events.
1. In the sidebar of this week’s post, please grab the code beneath the nonfiction badge and paste it into the HTML view of your entry
2. Follow the Inlinkz instructions after clicking “add your link” to upload your entry to this week’s challenge grid
3. Your entry should appear immediately on the grid if you don’t receive an error message
4. Please make the rounds to read all the entries in this week’s challenge
5. Consider turning off moderated comments and CAPTCHA on your own blog
Submissions for this week’s challenges will close on Wednesday at 10pm ET. Voting will then open immediately thereafter and close on Thursday at 10pm ET. The winners, as always, will be celebrated on Friday.
Thank you for sharing with us your hard work! Good luck in the challenge…
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