In this news article: Results of ^ArtisticAunJuli’s Workshop: Fan Fiction | *Queen-of-Marigold’s Workshop: Seeing is Believing | Call for workshop hosts! | First time you've heard of *Writers-Workshop? This section is for you!

Results of the Fan Fiction Workshop!



^ArtisticAunJuli's Responses

I am unbelievably proud with the results of the workshop. When I was approached with the opportunity to host it, I was excited and nervous--how many people would take on the challenge? Better yet, how many people would take it seriously?

The answer is 10. Ten wonderful writers took on the challenge, and all of them did a wonderful job. The entries are both pleasing, entertaining, and all of them could be likely in an unlikely situation. I enjoyed the different voices from each of the writers and the approach they took to ensure fanfiction to be unique while still holding tight to the characters/world they borrowed.

I was impressed with the amount of entries that took the fan fiction element and spun it into an engaging story. Even if I wasn't on level with all of the fandoms, I was quickly pulled into the storyline, the amount of detail given (never too much, but always just enough) was refreshing and pushed me out of the monotonous description dumps that clutter most fanfiction.

If I had to pick a star from these ten, I'd quickly point out ~LunaticStar's Lost to the Wind God. From the get go, this fiction pulled me in and hauled me along for the ride. Flashback scenes can usually go one or two ways: Good or bad. This writer's usage of the flashback enhanced the story and gave us a lot of information in an interesting and timely way. I've never read any Star Wars fan fiction, but this one was great!

I encourage all of you to read the ten pieces. If you have little time on your hands, pick one or two. Get in there and leave these writer's with information that can help bring their writing to a different level. Fan fiction or not, it is writing, and good writing helps make good fan fiction!

To the writers who participated: Thank you for taking the challenge, and I will be sending you each a note with a personal critique!

*Queen-of-Marigold’s Workshop: Seeing is Believing


*Queen-of-Marigold - reader, writer and self-confessed sucker for a half-decent romance. During term she is a respectable citizen but holidays bring out her best and worst when the lack of a defined schedule allows her to keep crazy hours. Then in the depths of the night she commits her greatest grammatical atrocities, releases the plot bunnies and allows her inner fangirl to truly run wild. *Queen-of-Marigold believes that wording is everything and does not advocate sleep loss as a failsafe inspirational aid.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Every good liar knows that the key to a believable lie - other than its simplicity - is in its details, and this is true in writing too. This is the point where many writers (and liars) fall down, particularly as beginners. They go overboard on the detail, bombarding their audience with more information than they need, want, or will ever remember. Or they go to the other extreme, leaving their tale so bare that the reader has no idea what to imagine when it comes to setting, character and action.

A good description should be concise - long and detailed enough that the reader can create a clear mental image, and short enough that they needn't drift off partway through a paragraph. This is true for every genre, whether it be epic fantasy, historic romance or a space opera. How many people have seen a dragon, kissed a Civil War colonel, or felt the tug of a spaceship in hyperdrive? A good description will make the reader feel that they have. They will believe in, care about and want to continue with your story because of whether or not you effectively convey the experience to them.

Description does not serve only one purpose. While it is primarily used to create a visual for the reader, it is also the easiest way to make the story plausible. The phrase "seeing is believing" really does apply here, because it is the detail that allows the reader to relate to what they are reading. So even if they haven't ridden on a dragon's back they will know the feeling of scales and a strong wind in their hair. Even if they haven't fallen in love with an Edwardian librarian, they do know what it's like to be in love, and just because they've never left the planet's atmosphere they will know the sparkle of stars in a vastly empty sky.

Your Assignment...

... is to be convincing. Pick a scenario that your reader could not possibly have experienced, and make them believe that it is unfolding before them. All prose fiction is fair game here, Don't just write a panoramic description, but create characters and a setting and a sliver of plot. Reveal just as much as you must to make your reader believe, if not that they are living the situation themselves, then at least that you have lived it yourself. Consider how much you can tell without it being too much. Make your reader see and they will believe you.

How to Submit

After submitting your entry as a new deviation or scrap, send us a note with a link to your piece. Include the subject line "SEEING" in your note. The deadline is midnight 4 March 2009. All times are set for GMT. *Queen-of-Marigold will respond to the entries on 8 March.

A note from *Writers-Workshop: Please note that this is a PROSE workshop, meaning that we will accept ONLY prose entries. Proofread your work before you send it in so that grammatical and spelling errors are minimal. And most of all have fun with it!

On Accepting Critique

Always thank the critic. This gratitude must be as sincere as possible, even if you did not like the critique given, because the critic has taken time to offer his/her opinion of the piece.
If you do not like the critique, it is not necessary to mention so. Simply thank the critic and move on. You can always ignore their suggestions, while not making a scene of it.
If you are unsure of what the critique means, feel free to ask the critic what s/he meant. Building rapport with your critic is one of the best ways to survive in a workshop and to learn. If you want examples, ask. Similarly, if you like the suggestions given, mention it. Critics have feelings too.
In the unlikely case that a critic offers rude/sexist/racist/etc comments, feel free to contact *Writers-Workshop in a note and we will try to help you. A decision regarding the rudeness of the critique will be taken, and if we're not sure ourselves, we will consult with one of the GMs or anyone else high up on deviantART.

Call for workshop hosts!

We're looking for people to come along and host a workshop! Did you know that any member can partake in a workshop? If you have a good idea, then why not consider sending us in a proposal?

We’re looking for mostly Prose and Free for all workshops, but will accept poetry too. The wait for poetry is now for April.

First time you've heard of *Writers-Workshop? This section is for you.

*Writers-Workshop is a literature community that focuses on the development of a writer. We intend to provide a non-competitive workshop environment on dA, as well as to push good, polished writing over winning prizes or "networking".

Workshops will be conducted every fortnight; prose, poetry and free-for-all sessions will be rotated. For more information, read our FAQs section or note us with queries.

We have been working on a list of resources for our writers: Resources for Writers which we think is worth going through. We are open to suggestions as well.

Our Diary has a list of upcoming workshops.

You can host a Workshop, too.


Staff