I've had good & bad workshops over the years. The good ones offer some degree of validation, although I admit I don't always know which comments to take to heart & which to ignore. The worst thing I ever heard in a workshop (and this was at a graduate writing program) was a well-regarded author telling a student that his writing was so bad he shouldn't have been admitted to the program! Two years later the student's novel was published with a full-page very positive review in the NY Times Sunday Book Review. On the other side of the coin, I once had a teacher who consistently praised a certain student's work, once even calling it "genius." Because I thought his work was average at best, I started wondering if they were having an affair (something that's been known to happen in writing workshops). Ultimately, I've grown wary, although I hope to find another good workshop at some point in the future. Thanks for your post!
I've had good & bad workshops over the years. The good ones offer some degree of validation, although I admit I don't always know which comments to take to heart & which to ignore. The worst thing I ever heard in a workshop (and this was at a graduate writing program) was a well-regarded author telling a student that his writing was so bad he shouldn't have been admitted to the program! Two years later the student's novel was published with a full-page very positive review in the NY Times Sunday Book Review. On the other side of the coin, I once had a teacher who consistently praised a certain student's work, once even calling it "genius." Because I thought his work was average at best, I started wondering if they were having an affair (something that's been known to happen in writing workshops). Ultimately, I've grown wary, although I hope to find another good workshop at some point in the future. Thanks for your post!
Love this! I’m in two workshop groups and recognized many of my own feelings in these points. Thanks.