Novel Workshop Evaluation

Our 2010 Novel Workshop is now complete. READ our participant's evaluation on the value they received from this 8 month session.

This year's Novel Workshop provided information, support and an editing exchange for interested members of the Writers Foundation of Strathcona County. Four members signed up and, because life has a way of interferring with best laid plans, three members completed the 8 month run. 

Participants took turns hosting the two and a half hour meetings held the last Tuesday of each month, in Sherwood Park and Gibbons.

The timeline implemented, allowed authors to review each other's work on a chapter by chapter basis, while providing valuable input, constructive critique, comments, suggestions, shared research and marketing leads, and editing corrections for grammar, punctuation, typos, etc.  

Novel Workshop Review - Mandy Barnett

The result of my first ever NaNoWriMo in 2009, left me with a complete story, but no experience to draw from, on how to proceed. I turned to my fellow WFSC members for advice and the novel workshop was formed.

Over the next eight months, we exchanged chapters for review at monthly meetings and discussed each other's novels in great detail. I really enjoyed reading and commenting on my novel partner's work and through doing so, learned a great deal about the process of producing a publishable piece of writing.

I learned about structure, story arcs and how to write dialogue. With gentle encouragement, I came to understand I had to curb my exposition tendancies and to show not tell, my story. Every step of the way, support was given willingly. I discovered the need for editing and re-structuring which sharpened my story. The advice and guidance I received, has helped me 'grow' as a writer - step by step I am learning this new skill. I am sure without the novel workshop, my novel would not have been as honed a piece of work, worthy of submission.

My novel is now in the hands of a couple of publishers and I have to wait patiently for their replies. In the meantime, I am not resting on my laurels but have created my own writing blog and am planning NaNoWriMo 2010. I try to write every day and constantly visit other writer's blogs and web sites for inspiration and information.

Novel Workshop Review - Linda Pedley

Even thought NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) last November (2009) was an adventure into crazy - it really pumped up my writer's life and put another proverbial notch in the ol' belt. So, 50,000 words later and a long awaited novel idea complete - where to now? The workshop was an ideal follow-up with fellow novelists in order to push this project to completion. Instead of sitting on the shelf awaiting its fates and my time to consider them, it is now in the hands of two prospective publishers. "It" being my novel - "An Italian Son"- and, although it is not my first novel idea, it is my first completed one.

I appreciate the time the group took to read everyone's work, comment and make suggestions, and 'red pen' it for all those little writing annoyances that require a good editing. Through the process of exchange, review, and rewrite, I was able to bring this work to the point where I could attach the query letter and synopsis and sample chapters, and literally, hit "send."

Although one project might end - the journey is never over for a writer - I take up pen and continue on with the next, and the next, and... While I plan to enter the crazy 30 days of NaNoWriMo again this year, I, in the meantime, am catching up on some other projects, continuing with my blogs, and writing every day, in some way. It is my hope to get back to my first novel love, "An Elizabethan Affair" so its story may be told, too.

Most importantly, what I took away from this experience is a renewed appreciation for my co-writers and their work, and a confirmation to my commitment - one must never stop learning, sharing, and creating. It's the writing journey.