Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

Workshops and Critique Groups

Writer’s Workshop at Anticipation 2009, Worldcon

Montreal – There will indeed be a writers’ workshop at Anticipation 2009, Worldcon, in Montreal this August. The workshop sessions are two hours long and scheduled at various times on various days. SFWA members participating as workshop leaders include: Delia Sherman, Mary Robinette Kowal, Catheryne Valente, Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Rich Chwedyk, Lawrence Schoen, David Levine, Nancy Kress, Tony Pi, as well as others.

Tags: Catherynne M. Valente, David Levine, Delia Sherman, Lawrence Schoen, Mary Robinette Kowal, Mike Shepherd Moscoe, Nancy Kress, Rich Chwedyk, Tony Pi, workshop, Worldcon

Critiquing in a Workshop Context

by David Alexander Smith
Critiquing in a workshop context is a skill worth learning. Some tips for the novice:

Before you begin. Familiarize yourself with workshop procedures and etiquette. Take some time with the Glossary of critiquing terms and become familiar with the jargon; we use it frequently, especially in the verbal critique, and it is efficient [...]

Tags: critique, david alexander smith, workshop

Links to Writers’ Workshops

Online Workshops

Critique Circle is an online writing workshop for writers of all genres. It has both free and paid memberships and is populated by aspiring writers. (Note: SFWA does not endorse paid writer services.)

Critters Workshop is an on-line workshop/critique group for serious Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror writers. Several thousand members, from aspiring to award-winning pro, with a friendly [...]

Tags: critique, critique groups, workshops

Writers’ Workshops

by James Patrick Kelly
© 1988 by James Patrick Kelly, First published in The Bulletin of The Science Fiction Writers of America
You don’t believe in writers’ workshops — never have. Maybe you had a bad experience in college. Some reedy creative writing type sneered at sci-fi and said you probably ought to think about a career [...]

Tags: critique, james patrick kelly, workshop

Turkey City Lexicon – A Primer for SF Workshops

Edited by Lewis Shiner
Second Edition by Bruce Sterling
NOT COPYRIGHTED
Introduction by Lewis Shiner
This manual is intended to focus on the special needs of the science fiction workshop. Having an accurate and descriptive critical term for a common SF problem makes it easier to recognize and discuss. This guide is intended to save workshop participants from having [...]

Tags: bruce sterling, critique, lewis shiner, terms, workshop

A Checklist for Critiquing Science Fiction

by David Alexander Smith

Theme and meaning. Does the story move us? So we emerge from our fictional journey emotionally engaged, or wiser than we went in? Do we remember the story after we’re done? Along the way, does the story force us to think? Do we re-examine, or see afresh, things we take for granted [...]

Tags: critique, david alexander smith

Some Notes on Critiquing Method and the CSFW Critiquing Manifesto

by David Alexander Smith
Those of us who’ve been in the Cambridge SF Workshop for some time have developed an approach to critiquing that we find serves us well. These principles — our Critiquing Manifesto — help us work together to create the best fiction we can.
1. Why Are We Here?
Often workshops founder because the people [...]

Tags: critique, david alexander smith, workshop

Being a Glossary of Terms Useful in Critiquing Science Fiction

by David Smith
This is only a partial list of the terms we have found most useful in critiquing sf. The glossary is issued now and then … but it is a living document. Amendments are welcome. If you use additional terms, or have better examples than those listed here, please suggest them.

Action outline presents the [...]

Tags: critique, david smith, definitions, glossary, terms

TANSTAAFL and the Novice Writer

Article by Elizabeth Moon on advice for novice writers. Novice writers have to take some responsibility for their own careers. The good information is NOT that hard to find. The novices who don’t find it–and don’t find it repeatedly–are resisting the truth.

Tags: Elizabeh Moon, Intermediate, Moon, writing