Workshopping

From the whispers and murmurs I hear from the underground, the general consensus is that our workshop checklist is undoubtedly an entangling hassle. I have to agree with Gary when he says, “it seems (at least to me) that the workshop checklists are too geared for discussing every aching detail of a poem no matter how long it is, or if it is one of many.” Details can get lost and ultimately, a large majority of the workshop checklist is ignored or left disregarded during the workshop time.

However, I feel that the workshop checklist is a great starting point for developing thoughtful and provoking guidance for an aspiring poet. Indeed not every question on the checklist may be appropriate or of a good use for a certain poem, but often times one or two questions may be particularly useful for helping the author with valuable, constructive and in-depth criticism and/or worthwhile feedback. To the questions that I find most applicable, often times I find myself writing their answers directly on the poetry itself or in the margin.

A writing style is always unique—obtuse would be the word I would use to describe someone who does not support that claim—accordingly, the questions that stand out the most are unique to that author or poem. Nonetheless, the workshop checklist remains an active part of the poetry process and must be respected for the insights that it gives us. Perhaps what one student finds to be of use is not held in similar esteem by another, and vice versa.