Author: Vidya Prabhakar
Started in 1986, “The Internet Writing Workshop” is the oldest writers’ group on the internet. It is a one-stop shop if you want to learn the craft of writing. As the name indicates, the “workshops” are designed to let you discover you own style of writing while appreciating the style of others.
Basic features
The Internet Writing Workshop (IWW) has monitored critique groups for almost all genres of writing. The website also has groups discussing the art and craft of writing in general, creative nonfiction, speculative fiction and marketing. Membership is free and open to writers over the age of 18. You need not be a published writer to become a member – just someone who is serious about writing and wanting to improve.
How it works
IWW is a set of mailing lists (groups covering different genres) that communicate by email. It is a community for writers to submit and critique written work and get help on all aspects of writing. The workshop is open to all styles and genres of writing: literary fiction, genre fiction, poetry, children’s writing, essays, newspaper articles and scripts. Join the workshop by sending an email to the website with required details and the forums (lists) that you want to be part of. Voila! You will start receiving emails – the method of submission of material and receipt of feedback is organized under default subject lines suggested by each list (forum). Each forum has a compulsory minimum participation requirement for your membership to be live. Participation here refers to posting submissions, critiques, and taking part in discussions.
What does IWW offer?
Critique forums
IWW offers monitored critique forums for nonfiction, novels, romance, short prose, poetry and scriptwriting. By having a minimum participation requirement, all members get to play the roles of both student and teacher. All members are encouraged to come together, discuss and critique each other’s work in an open and fair-minded manner.
Practice workshop
If you are searching for a place to practice and hone your writing skills, look no further. This workshop has weekly writing exercises presented by the list administrator. The exercise is posted to the mailing list, and members critique each other’s work – feedback is from peers. While it is not a formal writing course, it is designed to benefit all writers, from newbie writers to published authors.
Discussion forums
The discussion forums on IWW are intended to help members discuss writing related issues, support fellow writers and share tricks of trade. Even technical aspects of writing such as marketing issues, queries, contracts and dealings with editors can be discussed here. You can expect the discussions to be focused on areas relevant to writing.
Blogs, Resources & Showcase section
In addition to the above, IWW also has a collection of blogs on the theme of writing and reading with useful information and tips. The resource section lists plenty of useful books on writing. A showcase section allows members to brag about their literary successes.
In summary, this is an interactive site for all those interested in writing and seeking objective feedback on work.
VITAL STATS
Site: The Internet Writing Workshop
URL: http://internetwritingworkshop.org/
Features: Active forums to learn the craft of writing and to discover one’s personal style while appreciating the style of others.
Summary: Useful website for those seeking objective and productive feedback on written work.
About the Author:
Full Name: Vidya Prabhakar – Vidya is a Chartered Accountant and a Psychology postgraduate. She has worked in finance, banking and the content development industry. Reading, writing, baking and needle crafting are among her many pursuits.
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Comments:
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Interested to know more and join the practice workshop
A nice review of the website.