Workshop & Haiku

Today please get into the following workshop groups and conduct a workshop. Before you rush into this, please read the following very carefully:

Workshop groups:
A: Amelia, Clara, Yuliya, Evan, Darren, Dominic
B: Sierra, Syasia, Lizbeth, Jack, Neriah
C: Raven, Hannah, Tim, Caleb, Taina

Workshopping a written piece is an important step in getting feedback about your writing. If a workshop group is knowledgeable, they can help a writer grow immensely in a short period of time.

Follow these steps to complete your workshop:

1. Get into your workshop group
2. If a writer has something to share, please print 5-6 copies of the work and distribute to the workshop group.
3. Each contributing writer should take turns reading their work out loud to the rest of the group.
4. The group should listen and read silently with his/her copy while the writer reads his/her work.
5. As the writer reads his/her story or poem, the workshop members should highlight or mark specific words or phrases or lines that he/she liked. Try the technique of POINTING. Go around the workshop circle and list and read the lines or parts of the author's work you liked best. (choose 1-3 sentences, phrases, or sections)
6. Consider the basic questions and techniques of fiction. (plot, character, POV, setting, theme, mood, voice, poetry, imagery, dialogue, characterization, conflict, suspense, etc.) Give the writer a WRITTEN critique of their story based on these questions. Write your comments on the story copy.
7. When everyone is finished writing, open the discussion to the writer’s specific questions. Writers should help this along by asking questions that they want to know about their stories. For example: Did you understand the point of my story? Are the characters clear and well defined or developed? Does the setting of my story distract you as a reader? Etc.
8. After you have discussed the writer’s work, please return your copies to the writer.
9. After the group has finished helping the writer, please continue around the group to help critique the other writers who submitted material as well.
10. Continue this until the entire group has had a chance to participate in the workshop.
11. When everyone has had a chance, writers may talk to each other about new ideas and share other writing they have written (in their journal, portfolio, or etc.)

When your workshop group is done, please go back to your seats and make revisions to your first draft, or write some more haiku.

Spring kigo:  (use these spring kigo to inspire your ideas):

balmy night, departing spring, tranquility, vernal equinox, lengthening days, muddy road, melting snow, lingering snow, slush, thin mist, haze, moon, flood, Memorial Day, Easter, Passover, kite, balloon, wild geese returning, any baby animal, nightingale, hawthorn, pussy willow, tulip, snow drop, plum blossom, cherry blossom, violet, Mother's Day, April Fool's Day