Notes from the introduction to wsff

  • History of the course
  • Focus on the nuts and bolts of writing
    • Plot
    • Setting
    • Character
    • Business
  • Writing - learning to communicate and sharing the stories in your head is good for you.
  • Be realistic, but this is not out of reach
  • Can you really teach people how to write?
    • Write a lot
    • Write consistently
    • Work hard at it
  • 2 Camps of Writing Styles
  • The best thing you can do to be a better writer
    • Make good habits for writing consistently
  • Writing Groups
    • Works for some, but not others
      • But when it works, it’s very useful
    • Workshop tips
      • Don’t make their story “yours”
      • Help make the story a better version of itself
      • The wrong advice might be more detrimental to a Discovery Writer
      • Giving advice
        • Try to be descriptive not proscriptive of your emotions
          • Ok to say
            • I was bored
            • I was confused
            • Tell them what worked!
      • Receiving advice
        • Stay silent
        • Listen and try to understand
        • Try to get where the comment is coming from
        • Don’t defend
        • Don’t explain