Okay, so it was one of those afternoons when you are running late, getting frustrated, things aren’t working and…it was getting really close to the time for the writing workshop I’d signed up for and my computer was not cooperating. Isn’t that always the way?
But with just a couple of minutes to spare it seemed things settled down and I was left with existential terror about writing, meeting new people, and…yeah, you know…that stuff.
I signed in on Cary’s Webex site and no one was around yet, though Cary showed up in just a couple of seconds. He’s a very nice guy or at least he plays one on the web. I’ve seen pictures of him with dogs and they seem to like like him and I trust dogs.
And then the ‘room’ was filling up. Cary asked us all where we were from, but didn’t, and I think this is important, ask us much more. We didn’t have to explain why we were there, what our hopes were, what we thought this was about, or what we expected.
I think that’s a good thing. It would have eaten up too much time for one thing, and for another, it turns out this was really about the writing,not about the author. We didn’t have to expose ourselves so we could feel a little more comfortable. For a first timer like me, that’s good. I’d have hated to learn that everyone else, and there were only about six or seven us total besides Cary, was a published writer with years of experience. Not that I’d begrudge them a career, just that I’d have felt even more out of place.
Let me say this, Cary really had a way of making folks feel comfortable.
He opened with a some statements about the Amherst Writers & Artists method. He also stated that because they only certify in-person, live meetings he wasn’t calling this an AWA workshop, but he was going to use the same method (and he does do these in the flesh as it were as well). Cary then gave us the five essential affirmations of the AWA:
- Everyone has a strong, unique voice.
- Everyone is born with creative genius.
- Writing as an art form belongs to all people, regardless of economic class or educational level.
- The teaching of craft can be done without damage to a writer’s original voice or artistic self-esteem
- A writer is someone who writes.
Next came the basic workshop rules, as follow from the AWA site:
- Everything in the writing workshop is treated as fiction, to keep the focus on the writing rather than the personal and to minimize the vulnerability of the writer.
- The teacher or leader writes with the participants, and reads aloud along with the other writers.
These practices, along with keeping all writing confidential, responding to just-written work with positive attention on what is strong in the writing, create an environment that is non-hierarchical, honest, and safe. Accomplished and beginning writers learn from one another in a generous atmosphere that works seriously to develop craft and holds personal respect for the value of every voice.
Okay, I guess we were ready.
The process is pretty simple. We are given something to write about, we write for a few minutes, then we were given a chance to read our writing and folks responded in a positive manner.
I really can’t stress that enough. It must be positive and about the writing itself. I have to admit I was very nervous about my writing and sharing. You might think that’s odd given I’m writing a blog, have been an actor, speak in public on a regular basis, but it’s not. All of those things took time to learn and become comfortable with, this is another I suppose.
It would not be appropriate to share who the other participants were, what they wrote, or what they shared about each other’s writings, but I will say that two hours passed by much too quickly and I’m glad to have met them all and heard their voice.
I’ve said enough for the moment. I’ll be putting up two more posts following this, each with what I wrote. Remember, positive comments only. 🙂
Aloha!