“I now have a plan which allows me to look at different aspects in my writing without having to revert to chopping up every single sentence… Thank you for creating a safe environment, as always. And thank you for being open, for being helpful and, more than anything, for turning me back to my work.”
Meredith, September 1, 2014
“One of the main points I took away with me this weekend was how to more effectively use praise and criticism when revising. Instead of reading a piece of writing and declaring – “Wow that was great!” or “Goddamn, that really sucked,” I learned to change those declarations into “That worked well” or “That didn’t work well.” Once these were identified I learned how to grow and nurture what did work well and how to weed out what didn’t… What I learned this weekend will help me to view my writing with a more objective eye.”
Ian, September 1, 2014
“How will the experience impact the way I revise text? Revision is an opportunity to go deeper into each character, into the details, the setting….
The surprise was that the way I thought about revision process roughly matched the class.
The hand-out information is very organized and useful–contains practical suggestions.”
Sun Tian, June 16, 2013
“What did I learn about the revision process? To treat text like a car and fix mechanical problems. The course made revision a faster, easier, and more technical process.”
Marie-Jeanne, June 16, 2013
“What did I learn about the revision process? Most importantly, to first examine the context before doing anything else. Also, that revision is not only about cutting, but definitely also about adding the ‘unpacking’ of ideas.
How will this experience impact the way you revise text? – The metaphor of being a car mechanic, of getting ‘under that car’ and applying tricks of the trade to make the car/text work, will really help me to revise in a more systematic manner, with a ‘healthy detachment’ and more confidence (I will be less afraid of making radical decisions).”
Christien, June 16, 2013
“Among other things, I learnt that there is more than one way to revise, and you can use multiple revision techniques on the same text if you choose to.
The hand-out is very elaborate and helpful. And it’s good to have a reference to come back to later. The one-page summary is also a great tool.”
Andrea, June 16, 2013
“What did I learn about writing during the class? For starters, some new ways to look at revision, of course. I also picked up a few things about my current writing style. The hand-out is nice to have for reference after the workshop, when you start revising your own texts.”
Mark, July 6, 2010
“I really thought the content of the Revision Course was excellent. I learned a lot about how to make a revision plan. I’m appalled that I’ve never encountered this idea before…amazing. The hand-out is always a wonderful added bonus to the worshop. There’s a lot of material not covered over the two afternoons that I can use as inspiration later on. Thanks so much.”
Kate, July 6, 2010