A writing workshop can be a massively useful and inspiring for a writer.
I’ve just recently started the Cotswold Women’s Writing Group near where I live and I’m planning on offering a writing workshop in the Cotswold’s in a gorgeous venue this September.
I am also thinking of offering an online writing summer school where we get together on Skype each week over the school summer holidays for a series of workshops to write together.
This can be to help you with blogging, guest posting or fiction writing.
It will be at a specially reduced price as it will be the first run of the summer school workshops.
Writing is such a solitary thing and perhaps that’s why a lot of us introverts are drawn to it in the first place. Having work that you can do in your yoga pants and no make-up definetely has its pluses.
The truth is though that writing is not the solitary pursuit that it once was.
I’ve really been enjoying the You Tube videos of Robin Stevens author of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries, which is detective fiction for children.
Robin has a keen sense of who her readers are and is keeping them in touch with her writing as she writes her novels. I also love her reading recommendations. Through these videos Robin demonstrates that in these days of social media it’s really important to be connected with your audience.
For self-help authors you only have to look to Hay House to see how the books the publish are only part of what they offer. The ‘I can do it!’ events are an important part of their business model.
I have worked though part of Danielle La Porte’s ‘Big Beautiful Book Plan’ and part of it concentrates on the fact that publishers are now really interested in authors who already have a platform. The platform that they have build is the solid base on which the marketing of a book is planted.
So maybe you don’t have an online social media platform, maybe you’re at the beginning of your journey as a writer. How can a writing workshop help you to grow your own writing?
- You learn to be in community with your writing which is something that you will need to be on account of the way books are promoted these day. Really come to think of it, it’s not even a new requirement of authors. Dickens performed readings of his writing which were hugely popular.
- You don’t feel so alone. Even if you are an introvert it can be helpful not to feel on your own with your writing all the time. You can gain encouragement to keep writing even when it gets tough.
- It helps you claim or reclaim that you are a writer. When you doubt that you are really a writer because you are critical of your work your participation in a writing workshop can help you to reclaim your identity as a writer.
- You may gain inspiration from someone further along in their writing craft or from different viewpoints that help you to look at things in a different way.
- You’ll get feedback on your work. Be sure to sound out the workshop that you join to check out whether they get the balance right. You don’t want somewhere that the sharks will eat your words and equally you don’t want a group where you will always be patted on the head and told ‘that’s wonderful dahling.’ (said in Zsa Zsa Gabor tones)
- You’ll learn new ways of priming the writing pump. Lots of workshops help you by practising writing prompts with you.
- You might be encouraged to try a different kind of writing to the one you thought was for you. I once went to on a crime writing course and was surprised just how much I loved it.
- You’ll build in consistency. I found when I had weekly piano lessons it really helped me to practise much more often. Having a regular writing workshop to attend can help you as you have a short term goal to work towards.
- You learn that there’s no right way to write. You’ll see that each writer in your group has there own writing pattens and habits. In hearing your written voice alongside others you will also gain more of a sense of who you are individually as a writer with regards to how you write and what you write.
- You’ll have fun, make friends and have people who know our writing to celebrate with at your book launch!
The Sunflower Days Online Writing Workshops for Women take place over the months of July and August. email me at deborah@deborahchalk.com if you’re interested in taking part.
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