Asimov on Writing

"The thing is: don't feel that any rule of writing must be hard and fast, and handed down from Sinai. By all means try them all out but, in the last analysis, stick to that which makes you comfortable. You are, after all, an individual." Asimov

Writing Excuses Season Two Episode Five: Writing Groups

Writing Excuses Season Two Episode Five: Writing Groups

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/11/10/writing-excuses-season-2-episode-5-writing-groups

Key points: when your thing is being workshopped, shut up. Heisenberg's Law of Writing Groups: whenever you interact with your readers, you are changing their reactions. When you are workshopping someone else's piece: Be descriptive, not prescriptive. Start with good things. Then talk about large issues that would make you put the book down and stop reading. Next talk about big problems. Last, if there's time, touch on the paragraph and sentence level issues. But make sure you let the writer know what they did good and how you reacted. Be willing to discard three out of four suggestions to find the real problems.
( many words )