by Kathryn Zabawa

Created on: January 16, 2007   Last Updated: May 14, 2007

There are two reasons why a person would enroll in a writing workshop. First, they need the credit as a requirement for their degree, or are otherwise filling elective space and thought it would be a good way to pass the time. The other reason to sign up for this class is that you are an aspiring writer and you want to learn how to be the best you can be. If you are reading this article, I assume that you fall into the second category. So what do you really want to know? If you are anything like me, you want to know how to turn a writing workshop into a career in writing.

I graduated from college with a B.A. in English, with an emphasis in Creative Writing and am currently in graduate school for the same subject. I have been in more writing workshops than I can count, with a variety of teachers. I have had teachers who are local newspaper editors, playwrights, poets, graduate students, and novel writers in a multitude of genres, including one very successful author who has published several books with a major publisher. I've learned that no matter who your teacher is, the workshop is pretty much the same. That being the case, what can you expect?

Well, you can expect to write two or three stories in a semester. You can expect to have your stories distributed to your classmates to read and critique. You can expect to be mortified during the first workshop of the class, and again when it is YOUR first workshop. It is a nerve-wracking process. I still go through a sort of tightening of every muscle, starting in my stomach, and working its way to my extremities, the day before every workshop I have, even as a seasoned pro. You can expect to walk away feeling humbled by the experience. You can expect to learn a lot if you are open to new ideas and don't get stuck believing your first attempts at writing must remain the same no matter how many people tell you it isn't working. You must also be careful you don't get stuck believing you are so bad that you will never be any good, so why bother to try. If you aren't willing to try new things and work hard, no teacher or workshop will ever improve your writing.

I have found that the general rule in workshops is that you can't speak or give that tempting apology before the class begins. You know the apologies I'm speaking of: I didn't have time to finish the last part the way I wanted to; my computer died and I had to rewrite the beginning but it isn't the way I want it to be yet...or just the basic, I'm new at this, so

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