Fictionista Workshop -

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• The Workshop—General Questions
• The Workshop—Writer Questions
• The Workshop—Participant Questions
• Notes on Workshop Policy

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The Workshop—General Questions

What will be in the workshop?

For our organized workshops, Fictionista Workshop will launch with ten novella-length stories in our workshop; five creative original fiction stories and five derivative fiction stories. As the workshop and community develop, we will expand the number of workshops and offerings.

What dates should I look out for?

• Applications and manuscript submissions for both creative original fiction and derivative fiction for the Workshops are due by midnight PST, January 31, 2010.
• Workshops will open for the five derivative fiction novellas and five creative original fiction novellas on February 15, 2010.
• Submission periods for our next workshop rounds will be announced no later than March 1, 2010.

What are the criteria for participation and/or how do I apply?

Explore the detailed workshop position descriptions and submit your application for the position that is most appealing to you. If you’re interested in this community, but aren’t a writer, editor, moderator, or participant, see our volunteer applications (under the Community link).

There are four levels of Workshop participation:

• Moderator—Submit your application per the instructions on the application page.
• Writer—Submit your application, samples of work, and outline per the instructions on the application page.
• Editor—Submit your application and samples of work per the instructions on the application page.
• Participant—Submit your application per the instructions on the application page.

Note: Fictionista Community Volunteers may or may not be involved in the workshop process. For more information and to apply, see the Volunteer page.

In order to maintain fairness and give each writer an equal chance, workshop contributors are chosen by merit and suitability based on the information supplied in the completed workshop application. Pennames used in your respective communities are not listed on applications. Fictionista Workshop is an egalitarian community and is open to all who wish to participate.

How does Fictionista Workshop moderate?

All workshops are monitored. Whenever a disruptive post appears, we will contact the sender privately.
The possible results of disruptive actions are as follows, in order of increasing severity:

• The member is asked to promise and deliver corrective action.
• A moderation will be established.
• If the moderation is unsuccessful, the member could be removed from that workshop.
• The member could be permanently banished from the entire workshop.

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The Workshop—Writer Questions

As a writer, why should I workshop?

Feedback communities are highly fulfilling for writers, editors, and readers. We hope to expand that experience by incorporating education, positive environment, and a community-driven message, enabling readers and writers to share comfortably, improving the workshop/feedback experience for all.

The workshop style has a proven record of success. Readers feel more engaged and contribute to the development of their favorite stories, writers learn and grow, and editors see instant results for the contributions they make.

One thing you can look forward to is sharing your writing problems with sympathetic members within our forums who know just what you’re talking about.

As a writer, how can I be considered for the workshop?

Complete the application and submit your work based on the guidelines found under the Workshop Writer application. For derivative fiction (fanfiction), you must choose a story and plotline that you intend on keeping as derivative fiction. For creative original fiction, you should have hopes or designs on taking your manuscript to the publishing level. The Fictionista Workshop community is here to assist with that process, or to provide you with the coaching, expertise, and/or assistance to achieve publication should that be your ultimate goal.

Regardless of whether you will be writing original or derivative fiction, you must be prepared to submit your work for critique. You must also be serious about writing, and about meeting the regular goals you will set as part of the workshop process, as contributors, editors, and other workshop members will be devoting time to helping you to develop your work.

Effective participation in the writing workshop requires:

• a commitment to writing and to becoming a better writer
• constructive participation
• respect for others, for the workshop environment, and the willingness to cooperate with administrators if problems arise
• reasonable knowledge of email and of text formatting, in order to be able to post without difficulty
• reliable email access

We don’t want you to waste your time or ours. You’re here to get feedback and learn; that takes participation. We’re committed to helping you improve as a writer, but we also expect you to do your part.

Fictionista Workshop is an educational organization. Participation means posting submissions, critiques, and taking part in discussions. It does not mean:

• reading submissions solely for pleasure
• lurking

Finding thirty minutes a week to devote to the workshop process is not difficult. The greater problem is that you might want to do more than you have time for. That’s how it is with worthwhile vocations/avocations; they draw you in, and then you have to make decisions about how to balance your time.

If you find yourself overloaded, take a break, sign off from the workshop, and return another time. We won’t mind.

How do I copyright my material if the workshops are open?

Our workshops house both derivative fiction and creative original fiction. Please see our Terms and Conditions for details regarding our requirements for both.

Unfortunately, plagiarism can occur anytime writers share their writing with anyone else. Writers have had their works plagiarized by family members, friends, or writing instructors. However, plagiarism is not as common as some people believe. Remember also that a similarity in ideas or plots does not automatically indicate plagiarism — there are only so many ideas and plots around, after all.

As for the workshop environment and your concerns regarding plagiarism: under international law, all material is copyrighted as soon as it is written. Works posted here are automatically protected by copyright. You can also register a copyright with the country of your residence.

In addition, Fictionista Workshop offers these protections against plagiarism:

• Each workshop is either “closed” or “open” based on author determination. For open workshops, members can access the workshop and participate. Membership to the workshop is restricted to active members (no lurkers). For closed workshops, only contributors that were selected for that specific workshop are allowed to view content. All members/contributors are required to agree with Terms and Conditions, which prohibit such behavior.
• Anonymous or hidden members are not allowed.
• New members are subscribed only after reading and agreeing to the terms and conditions of our site.
• Since several people will see any given submission, this increases the chances any plagiarism will be discovered.

In the end, each writer must weigh the risks and benefits before sharing work with anyone else, in the Fictionista Workshop or elsewhere.

I am scared to have my work critiqued. I have thin skin.

Receiving critiques is hard. It’s not fun to have people point out the problems in our carefully crafted work. And sometimes people do miss the point, and not everyone likes everything. The first thing to remember is that a critique is an opinion to be evaluated in light of your own writing goals and preferences.

But, though it may not always seem like it, a critique is a gift. Take what is valuable, disregard the useless parts, and make note of questionable parts for possible future use. You don’t have to tell anyone.

Maxims in the face of critiques:

• The most important virtue in a writer is the will to write. If someone saps it, put their words aside.
• Critics want you to write like them. You don’t have to.
• If a critique angers you, save it. You may see it differently later.
• It doesn’t make any difference whether a critique is harsh, diplomatic, or complimentary. Use only what makes sense.
• Change slowly.
• You’ll probably get better advice from successful writers.
• Protect your will to write.

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The Workshop—Participant Questions

I already review and post on threads and forums throughout my own community, why should I critique?

• You should critique for the many benefits it brings both you and the people you’re critiquing. The insecurities you may feel about it will fall away when you experience its importance and depth.
• Besides helping others, it teaches you how to critique you own work.
• The benefit of being critiqued by a number of people is that some will see things you’ve never thought of.
• Critiques can range from detailed to broad. A broad critique focuses on how well the work conveyed its underlying message and the emotional or intellectual response it created. A detailed critique can delve into specific examples and can include corrections of grammar and spelling. Both kinds are valuable.

If I am critiquing derivative fiction, why spend time on something that is “just fanfiction”.

Selections chosen are based on their quality, so although the stories can be considered “just fanfiction”, they are creative stories that are based on your favorite characters. Not only does this help you explore and learn your favorite characters all over again, but you will watch a story develop from the beginning.

I’ve never critiqued before; I don’t know how.

Only choose the critiquing path if you have a passion for dissecting, analyzing or critically reading stories.

From there, we will guide you, providing both education and tips from professionals, experts and prolific critics in both creative original literature realms and in derivative fiction. However, if you are nervous about putting your ideas on paper, please rest assured that once in the Workshop environment, as a thinker and a natural critic, you will thrive!

For technique, it is best to write your critique before reading other critiques. That way you’ll be giving your own impressions. If you repeat something someone else said, so much the better–the more people make a point, the more seriously the author should take it.

Do you have rules for critiquing?

Yes. These will be explored later, but we have guidelines to share now.

Critiquing Etiquette

• Critique the written work, not the author.
• Be honest, but always civil.

As a participant, may I share what I am working on with others?

Not without the express permission of the author. Not ever. Absolutely not. If you do and we find out, we will kick you off the list. The author might sue you for copyright infringement. So don’t even think about it.

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Notes on Workshop Policy

• Membership on Fictionista Workshop is subject to approval. Administration reserves the right to decline membership.
• Membership or rules are not determined by administrators only.
• The decisions of the Fictionsta Workshop administrators are not negotiable.

Removal from the Workshop

The following behaviors are not permitted in the workshop:

• Personal attacks on members or administrators (flaming)
• Spamming or soliciting
• Plagiarism
• Showing posts to people outside the list without the writers’ permissions
• Registering for the workshop with a false name
• Storing members’ information for purposes other than improving your writing

Workshop Forum Courtesies

• You can post webpage links to our lists, but please don’t post copyrighted written material here without the copyright owner’s permission.
• Please also do not post calls for submissions to publishing venues, writing-contest announcements, posts with virus warnings, chain letters, etc.
• Avoid posting in all caps. It’s seen as shouting.

Abuse

If you’re bothered or offended by a member, we ask that you request a moderation. A moderation will establish an objective moderation between parties. If an offense takes place that is beyond moderation, we ask that you email an administrator immediately. All Workshop lists are monitored by moderators and fellow community members.