Work In Progress

Yesterday marked the final session of the Ultimate Science Fiction Writing Workshop.  It was my first true workshop experience (outside of a couple college classes).  Across the board, it was a positive one.

The Format

The format was simple.  Each week, the instructors (Jeff Carver and Craig Shaw Gardner) covered a topic, such as plot, character, worldbuilding, etc.  They would assign several short stories as pre-reading.  We would start with a discussion of the short stories in the context of the topic, a brief lesson from one of them, and a short discussion of the topic.

Next, we would workshop our classmates’ submission.  In the beginning, we did writing exercises.  Later, we brought in our own material–short stories or excerpts from novels.  We would go around the table, each person providing feedback.  Jeff and Craig would go last.  You could not speak or respond until everyone provided feedback.

The Experience

I’ve read that it can be a real challenge to find  good writing group, and I can only think that I was very fortunate.

The quality of work is generally very high.  Each of us has our own issues–character, story, style.  But each also has strengths that make reading a pleasure.  With some peers, I know I’ll be treated to unique ideas, with others it’s prose more lovely than I could imagine writing, and with others it’s clear and fast-moving stories.

The quality of the feedback is even better.  Even at their most critical, it was clear that each of us approached the text hoping to help the writer make something good better.  No one needed to be reminded to say positive things first.  And some of the insights and suggestions were amazing.  It is a powerful experience to have someone “get’ what you’re trying to do and then suggest a way to do it better.

My workshop class intends to continue meeting as a group, and I’m looking forward to it.  I would recommend the experience to anyone.

And I’d make a special plug for the Ultimate SF Workshop, which has two key advantages over other workshops I’ve read about:

• First, it meets one evening a week for 10 weeks, so that it’s easier to attend and keep you day job.
• Second, it meets at Pandemonium Books and Games, the finest bookstore in Cambridge.
• Third, the instructors were two of the finest gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure of working with.  Always honest, always generous, and always with a warm sense of humor.