Writer's Retreat - Day 2

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Today we got to read two pages from other students and provide feedback. This was a great process and the teacher spent a little time discussing how we should critique the other's papers without harming or making them feel disappointed in themselves. She gave us three questions to think about before responding. The comments we would talk about in class and then add any other notes on their papers and return them back. We didn't get thru everyone's today which means I have to wait till tomorrow for my feedback.  Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to incorporate some things I learned today from others and edit my initial draft for folks to read.  She called it cheating.  Yea, I suppose she is correct, but I did make mental notes to how I can improve my story.

But I digress, here are the questions we were asked to think about in our feedback:

1) What we liked about the paper?

2) What we wanted more from the paper?

3) What point or what happened in the paper that bounced us out of reading? This was particularly difficult but the teacher encouraged us that this can be both positive and negative. In other words, maybe there was something that we didn't quite get or were able to follow. Maybe the tenses changed or perhaps there wasn't enough dialogue. Perhaps the paper seemed rush. Good points could be, maybe the reading of the paper made us recollect on something we experience for ourselves, etc.

I loved these questions because it really did serve to give positive feedback to the writers.

What I also liked especially today was that we learned about techniques we could use to make a narrative in non-fiction more creative. These are but not limited to the following:

Impacts or turning points (also called a reversal) that answer the question how did you that or how did you get through it? How about hooks? Thinking about what the reader is looking for.  This is also referred to as the arc of the story.

Adding tension which creates drama. This can also be done thru scenes (the moment by moment unfolding of action before our eyes). She added a unique analogy describing the writing process like cookie dough (rolling it out, kneading it, then taking the cutter to shape a specific piece that has the greatest impact or something the reader would remember or want to learn more about- pulling this out of the story).

Other things to think about regarding: Action = discovery, decision and recognition. Recognition is interpersonal she noted, this I found most helpful, it gave me a little more info to make my story better.

She also mentioned that when you write, think as if you are writing to what she calls your window character.  This is someone you would tell the story to, maybe a friend, a lover, about this experience. Window characters are not adversaries, they are people you can express yourself too in a positive way.

Finally, she spoke about Types of Narrators, in other words, perspective or point of view the story is being told from.  Narration refers to your voice in the story, is it lyrical, romantic, complicated, etc. Other types of narrators can be seen as a reliable source, maybe they seem unemotional, casual, or conversational.  Some may be very formal as in a biography with historical content or a limited observer who is briefly involved.  Finally, someone who is impassioned – trapped somehow or self-absorbed, shy or timid, a little cautious, etc.  Emotional writers she encouraged to think about setting up a premise to provide for their reactions and revelations. 

Despite all we did today, it still feels like I'm learning about the process vs actually writing the story.  I think the session is designed to help you in the process, concentrating on the making of a story, what works, how can you help it along, etc.  Another thing she wanted us to do is to read our stories out loud, which can help the pacing of the piece. It's also a good way to find errors or bits and pieces that may not seem to work.

Homework of course is assigned.  I really hate this because it does take me away from writing the actual story. However, in its defense, the homework is designed to kick up your thought processess.  Today she asked us to simply write for 5 minutes everything about our story, what's it about, scenes you want to develop or experiences that assist in the understanding of the story etc.  The exercise is designed for us to just free-think and not worry about editing, grammar, content or sentence structure, or simply making sense.  Sometimes she says that it is in these kind of ramblings that good ideas spring from.

So, I'm a little ok with homework, but eventually you have to get back to the actual writing.  Good thing I at least have a working draft.  Feedback I get tomorrow will be most helpful and I'm looking forward to it.

More to come...check out tomorrow to see how my feedback session went.