SaveAsWriters
Canterbury's Liveliest Writing Group
Our Monthly Writing Workshops
3rd Monday of the month, 7.00pm - 9.30pm.
Check All Events / Home page for session dates.
Canterbury: University of Kent (Rutherford extension RX11 - room may vary),
Here, SaveAs Writers group members can read their prose and poetry and will receive constructive criticism from other local writers. It's also an opportunity to share information on upcoming events, competitions and successes!
The SaveAs Writers group is always looking for new members who can bring something different and exciting to these regular monthly workshops - essentially writers who are committed to their own writing, but also committed to learning and developing through constructive critiquing of other writer's work. You're welcome to come along and check it out. Bring a pen and paper with you. Join us by emailing saveas@hotmail.co.uk
HELPFUL NOTES ON WORKSHOP CRITIQUES
1. What is the writing about? When reading a piece, try and interpret it. What is the theme, what do you think it is about? Summarize for the writer's benefit as much as yours. Have they communicated what they wanted to? If a piece is not understood properly, the author needs to know. It could be a misunderstanding on your part but there could also be areas which the author could work on.
2. What is working well? What is working well in the piece? Is it the imagery, the detail, etc? Point out the writer's strengths as they will then be able to absorb any criticism more readily.
3. What are the weaknesses? Any criticism must be constructive. Your job is to point out the flaws, not necessarily fix them. Don't just say this is ' no good', say it doesn't quite work for you and then explain why. Give specific examples. Be objective. The subject matter might not be your cup of tea, the theme might have some personal significance but you are not critiquing that, you are critiquing the work itself. You may have the opposite view to the writer, do not share their views on politics, religion, sex, etc but this should not cloud your judgement.
Kind words from a new Writing Group participant:
"I am very new to this 'writing group' game and submitting my prose (as distinct from poetry) to criticism by a group is something I've never done at all.
"Both times, after the group, I've been led to make reasonably significant changes to the piece submitted and this time I feel even more grateful for the improvements than last. I've rejigged the opening paragraph so as to remove the focus almost entirely from that pedantic quibble over 'puzzle' and 'mystery' – which has shortened the paragraph as a whole, which is all to the good."
Anonymous attendee. (2025)