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So, today was our last workshop, and I have to say that, as enlightening as they could be at times, I am more than happy to have them over with. The clash of personalities, the differences of literary tastes and styles, and the range of stories made for some interesting, if not always helpful sessions.
Though I am really not sure how much the workshops really helped me with my actual writing, I will say that they did serve wonderfully in another function; coaching me in how to quietly and gracefully take criticism. I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say that it is really, really hard to sit there and listen as your peers rip apart a story that you put time, effort, and love into. This is doubly hard when the story is one that you either are getting conflicting responses on—both from between you peers, and between your peers and your professors—or one for which you really don’t think that people were getting the point of. However, considering that writing is a profession that means you will face a lot of rejection, and some of it quite vehement at that, I have to say that learning how to take that rejection with humor, accepting what they say and what you feel at the same time, is perhaps one of the most important lessons a aspiring writer can learn. It was always interesting in the workshops because you could tell who was more receptive to criticism, and who wasn’t. I’ll be the first person to admit that I wasn’t always the most receptive person to criticism about my own stories, but I like to think that I got better by the end of the semester.
Work-shopping will always be my least favorite part of any writing course, though a necessary evil it may be. Hopefully, however, one thing this semester has given me is the thicker skin that every writer needs to be successful. Here’s hoping!
Good luck on finals, and Happy Holidays everyone!
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