ENG 205: Introduction to Creative Writing

Workshop Protocol

Workshop is where we practice judgment—the same skill you use in Dialectical Prompting. We talk about craft, not personal lives. We assume good intent. We ask questions, not prescribe fixes.

Workshop Norms

• Craft-focused: We discuss POV, pacing, image systems, tension—not grammar or personal advice
• Assume good intent: The writer made deliberate choices (even if they didn't work)
• Ask, don't prescribe: "What if you tightened the psychic distance here?" not "You should do X"
• Point to moments: Use page numbers or line breaks—don't talk in generalities
• Author stays silent: Writer listens, takes notes, doesn't defend. You can ask clarifying questions at the end.

Workshop Letter Format (250-300 words)

Due: Day of workshop, before class (upload to Brightspace)

Structure

1. What's Working (1-2 sentences): Be specific. Not "I liked it," but "The image system of broken clocks reinforced the theme of missed time."
2. Craft Levers (2-3): Identify the big craft questions in the piece (POV, pacing, image system, claim ledger, etc.)
3. Open-Ended Questions (2-3): Not yes/no. Not leading. Ask the writer to make a choice.
4. Specific Moments: Point to exact spots (page numbers or line breaks) where craft choices matter most

Example Letter Excerpt

What's working: The after-image ending (the daughter's hand
on the doorframe) stays with me. It complicates the moment
without explaining it—exactly what the piece needs.

Craft Levers:
1. Psychic Distance: The close POV in paragraph 3 ("She thought
   about her mother's hands") feels explained. What if you stayed
   external and let the gesture do the work?
2. Micro-Tension: Paragraph 5 loses tension—no obstacle, no
   stakes. Could you add object pressure here (something the
   character has to physically manage while emotionally struggling)?

Questions:
- What's the function of the flashback on page 2? Does it
  complicate the present-moment conflict, or does it explain it?
- Could the image system (hands, doors, thresholds) carry more
  weight if you cut some of the internal monologue?

Fiction Workshop Checklist

Use these questions when reading a fiction piece for workshop:

Desire & Obstacle

• What does the character want? (Immediate, not abstract)
• What's stopping them?
• Do the stakes escalate, or do they stay flat?

POV & Distance

• Is the POV consistent? If it shifts, is it deliberate?
• Where is the psychic distance close? Where is it far?
• Are there filter verbs ("she felt," "he thought")? Do they weaken the prose?

Image System

• Do recurring images/objects create a pattern?
• Does the image system reinforce or complicate the theme?
• Are images doing double duty (literal + symbolic)?

Pacing & Tension

• Does every beat have micro-tension? (If not, where does it sag?)
• Are scene transitions motivated? (Time jumps, location shifts)
• Does the ending leave an after-image, or does it over-explain?

Character

• Do gestures contradict words? (Gesture-against-words moments)
• Do characters talk past each other? (Misaligned desire in dialogue)
• Is the character's internal life shown through action, or told through exposition?

Creative Nonfiction Workshop Checklist

Use these questions when reading a CNF piece for workshop:

Truth Discipline

• Are details verifiable? (Proper nouns, specific times/places)
• Are there "I don't know" moments where memory fails?
• Does the writer avoid composite characters or compressed timelines without flagging them?

Claim Ledger

• What claims (implicit or explicit) does the essay make?
• Are there at least 5 distinct claims?
• Do later claims complicate or contradict earlier ones?

Reflection

• Does reflection deepen the story, or does it explain it away?
• Where could the writer cut reflection and trust the scene?
• Is there a Domestic→Policy Pivot? (Personal experience → larger social/political stakes)

Scene vs. Summary

• Which moments are rendered in scene? Which are summarized?
• Should any summary be expanded into scene?
• Should any scene be compressed into summary?

Specificity

• What's the proper-noun specificity ratio? (Aim for 40%+)
• Are there vague gestures ("things," "stuff") that could be made concrete?
• Does the image system carry thematic weight?

What NOT to Do in Workshop

• Don't grammar-police. This isn't copyediting. Focus on craft.
• Don't give personal advice. ("You should see a therapist" is not workshop feedback.)
• Don't prescribe fixes. Ask questions that help the writer decide.
• Don't talk about your own life. ("This reminds me of when I..." is not helpful.)
• Don't defend your feedback. Say it once, then let it go.

Workshop Day Procedure

1. Upload workshop letters to Brightspace before class
2. Author reads aloud (optional 200-word excerpt—your choice)
3. Class discusses (author stays silent, takes notes)
4. Author asks questions (last 5 minutes—clarifying only, no defending)
5. Move to next piece

Time per piece: ~20 minutes (in a 75-minute class, we workshop 2-3 pieces)

📌 Workshop Etiquette

• Come prepared—read all pieces before class
• Be present on your workshop day (missing = automatic 0)
• Respect content warnings (if a piece has one, honor it)
• What's said in workshop stays in workshop

✅ Good Workshop Feedback Sounds Like...

• "The psychic distance on page 3 felt too close—what if you pulled back and let the image system do the work?"
• "I'm curious about the claim on page 5 ('I didn't belong there')—does the rest of the essay complicate that, or confirm it?"
• "The micro-tension sags in the middle section—could you add object pressure or a physical obstacle?"
• "What's the function of the flashback? Does it deepen the present moment, or does it explain it?"