Thank you for putting such good energy into the workshop today. I was reflecting on my experience. I only heard bits and pieces of each group, but what struck me was that there was a paradigm at work that I didn’t realize would be so powerful: the “assignment” paradigm. It makes sense, in retrospect. Assignments by definition are not really your own idea. They may not feel much like creating art. But actually, you are making choices and putting things together in order to communicate with a reader, and that is what creative writers do.
I revised the instruction sheet so that they more explicitly situate the essay as art. I would love it if you would read these over, and give me suggestions for how to make them better! Thanks
The Art of the Essay Workshop
Goals:
- to experience an essay as a work of art
- receive feedback that gets at the content and the heart of your essay
Instructions:
Give your critique partner a copy of your draft essay.
Read your partner’s draft.
Imagine you have just found this essay sitting on a table in your dorm and you picked it up to read it. Notice how you react to it as a reader. Would you keep reading all the way to the end?
Write notes to respond to Step 1 and Step 3 below. Each partner should take turns in role of writer and responder, and the pair should follow these steps for discussion:
Step 1. Statements of Meaning
Responder states what was meaningful, evocative, interesting, exciting, and/or striking in the work they have just witnessed/read.
Step 2. Writer as Questioner
The writer asks questions about the work. In answering, responders stay on topic with the question and may express opinions in direct response to the artist’s questions.
Ex: Did you understand what I meant by the title?
Step 3. Neutral Questions
Responders ask neutral questions about the work, and the artist responds. Questions are neutral when they do not have an opinion couched in them.
This step is one of the most fundamental, challenging, and misunderstood steps of Critical Response Process.
Examples: Can you say more about your interpretation of _____ ?
What does your title mean to you?
Step 4. Opinion Time
Responders state opinions, given permission from the artist; the artist has the option to say no.
Please leave feedback and suggestions in the comments.
Julia Dalmanieras
I thought it was help to get peer feedback that was a mix of constructive and positive. I thought having the guide was helpful because it steered us in the right direction for conversation and produced some good conversations.