If you want to get better at anything — playing the violin, swimming, building scale models of historic buildings from sticks of gum — you need feedback on your work. Blogging is no different; feedback on writing, photography, or blogger skills like layouts and editorial calendars helps you improve those elements. There’s a reason people studying writing and photography “workshop” their stuff.
Is it hard to open your creative output to direct, potentially not-so-glowing feedback? Heck yes! But you learn, and you get better. Why not try an informal blogging workshop? You’ll get helpful insight into your work and make some great connections along the way.
This isn’t Santa’s Workshop, this is BLOGGING!
First things first: what does it mean to “workshop” something? Basically:
- You write something.
- When you think it’s ready, or you want help with something you’re struggling with, you share it with a small group of other writers.
- They read it and give you candid, respectful feedback.
- You discuss the feedback openly, and toss ideas around.
- You revise, it gets better, and you publish it.
If it seems a little scary, remember: you already publish your thoughts for the world to consume, and let anyone comment on them. If you can do that, you can do this. The Editorial Team here at WordPress.com does it every day — everything we write is posted for the team for review before it’s published, and it makes us all better for it.
Pick your workshop flavor
So how do you actually workshop your stuff, if you’re not already part of a group in real life? You do it the way you do so many other things: on the internet.
- To get your feet wet, try something like the Community Pool here on The Daily Post. It’s filled with bloggers just like you who take the time to review your stuff and offer detailed, helpful reviews. It’s informal, doesn’t take much time, and is a great way to connect with other bloggers who care about their crafts.
- Go bigger at sites built around mutual support and feedback like Scribophile. You can post your work for review, review others’ material, and chat with other writers in their forums; they’ll also give you a crash course in how to review and offer feedback effectively. If the Community Pool is the vanilla of workshops, this is the Rocky Road.
- Become a full-on workshopper by building your own small group of bloggers. It’s the most intensive option, but it also gives you a trusted group of critics who are able to see your work as it evolves. Think of it as the banana split of workshops, with an extra cherry.
I’ll take chocolate; now what?
Once you’ve got a group, you have options for how you want organize things.
First, you’ve got to share your drafts. The simplest way is with email, either in the body of a message, or as an attachment. A step up from that are tools like Editorially, which keeps everything conveniently web-based and accessible for anyone with an internet connection. If you know and trust the bloggers you’re working with, you can also consider adding them to your blog as users so they can access previews of your posts — make them “Contributors,” and they’ll be able to see your drafts but not edit, publish, or take any other action on your blog.
Second, you have to talk. Again, there are lots of ways to do this online, with different time and energy commitments:
- Circulate comments via email. If you’ve got a blog, you’ve got an email address, so you’re all set. It also lets you write and respond on your own time.
- Start a private blog; a blog lets everyone see the discussion and respond when they can, and threaded comments make it easier to see who’s responding to that (which often gets messy in a long email chain). The P2 theme is perfect for this — in fact, that’s how we do all our collaborating at WordPress.com
- If you use a tool like Editorially, group members can leave comments, notes, and edits in your drafts while preserving your original version.
- Try the WordPress.com feedback tool to keep everything centralized on your blog. Send a feedback request and secret link to your draft to anyone, and let the comments accumulate right in your dashboard.
- With a tool like Skype, you can chat in real time either via voice, or in text. Circulate your drafts, and schedule a chat time where you can all sit down and hash out that tricky plot hole.
Ready to workshop? Let’s do it
To make it easy, go ahead and use this comment thread to get organized. Here’s our suggestion:
- If you want to create a workshopping group, post a comment indicating what you’d like to work on (writing, photography/visual art, or blog design and tools).
- To join a workshop, comment on someone’s reply.
- Once a workshop request has four or five comments, consider it closed — move to the next one, or post your own request.
- The blogger who posted the original request takes responsibility for contacting the other group members.
To make it easy to contact and be contacted, ensure that your blog has a contact method like an email address, or a contact form. After that, you’re on your own. Continue the conversation via email, start a P2-themed private blog, or open a forum thread to share ideas — that’s why the Ideas Forum is there, after all — and figure out how you want to organize yourselves. How much and how often you communicate it up to the group.
If anyone has other online resources they find helpful, please share!
Currently blogless? You’re a click away from sharing your story.
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Do you have to comment on this post to say if you want to join a workshop because i do!
http://thatmadmuslimah.wordpress.com/
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I’ll happily join up with you. I’m on Blogger though so I’m not sure if that will affet anything but I will link by blog anyway because I’ve been writing for about 2 years and I’ve never really gotten any comments on my blog or anything so I’m not sure what is the issue.
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okay cool, that would be awesome! would you consider joining wordpress?
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@themadmuslimah, quick tip — when you comment here (and in the forums), you name is automatically a link to your blog, so there’s no need to include the address in the comment itself.
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Oh sweet! I was having trouble when i first started because I created then deleted a blog and my profile was linked to the profile that was deleted so that is why I copy and paste my link so thanks for telling me, I just got used to it.
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Hi- me too! I haven’t written anything longer than a text message in years, but I love writing the blog. I feel a little rusty, and my time is very short, so any constructive criticism would be much appreciated.
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I would find a group useful too. I’m trying to improve my contributions to the online community and the feedback (giving and receiving) would be worthwhile.
Mel
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Sounds like y’all have a little group going here — get in touch with one another now, and start talking!
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OK, so how do we get going folks? Let’s do it!
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My blog covers sewing garments and quilting. While I only blog for fun, I would like the content to be good quality. I would also like to clean up and redesign my blog page. Anyone else with the same concerns?
Ramona
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I don’t blog about the same topic as you (but I do follow a lot of sewing and historical costuming blogs — living vicariously!), but I’m definitely interested in kicking my page into better shape and getting feedback about the blog itself. My current problems are layout, picture quality, and trying to make my posts more concise.
I’d join, if you don’t mind the blog topics being all over the board. Anyone else?
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That sounds good. Thanks for joining in.
Ramona
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Email me your email address and I will start a conversation regarding how we want to work together. rpsandbag (at) gmail (.) com
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I don’t blog about quilting but I do blog about sewing garments. And since I just started blogging I would love some review and feedback from an experienced sewer/blogger. So if you don’t mind having a opinion from a teenager then I’ll be thrill to join you! 🙂
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A young, fresh view is always welcome! I’ll let you know when we get out fourth member and can get started.
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Email me your email address and I will start a conversation regarding how we want to work together. rpsandbag (at) gmail (.) com
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Hi! If you guys haven’t filled up your feedback group, I would love to join – I’m also interested in streamlining my blog and making it more accessible/user-friendly. I primarily blog about food, cooking and restaurant reviews and that sort of thing!
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You will make our fourth! yay! We have a varied group, but I think it will work. Let me figure out how to contact all four at once and I will get a message out so we can decide how we want to comment and help each other out.
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Email me your email address and I will start a conversation regarding how we want to work together. rpsandbag (at) gmail (.) com
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[http://kingofstates.com/] Michelle, We seem to have our group together. Based on our comments, do you have a suggestion/preference for us when working together? P2 or Editorally??
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My blog is about a teenager that is from a small town and trying to fit in and market herself in a metropolitan area. Although I think my blog is FREAKING BOMB, I would really like some suggestions on how to make it AWESOME! Anyone else have this problem? Hit Me Up! lol
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I go through the same stuff. Loving the concept of this workshop.
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This is really useful, thank you!
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How true!! You have to know what’s working, what’s not, & if the impression/message people got is the one you intended to convey
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The SCRIBOPHILE site is great… though my objectives are on a different, less personal scale (Writing workshop teacher to bilingual mexican highschool students) the site’s Writing Academy will help me out a lot! thanks for the link, alexandra
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I would love some feedback on my blog!! Definitely looking to connect with don’t like minded people! I’ll check our these other links tonight after work.
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I love this post! Workshops– quickly assembled or permanent, light-level or intense– are great ways to make things especially shiny.
As an invitation…
My hubby and I host a “tough” writer critique group which acts as an ongoing workshop for more serious pieces of writing (blog or otherwise). Because of the taking-turns aspect, it’s not for pieces that you need edited immediately. There’s a sign up, just to make sure that everyone who joins understands what’s going on– but everyone is welcome so long as they’re looking for real-in-depth, non-placating edits. http://DiamondsOrDust.wordpress.com
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I would love to join DiamondsORDUST’s “tough” writer critique group — the same ole, same ole’s are getting tired of me lol. I going to write my first blog using a poem from a journal entry the other day. Thank you.
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@Rebecca – We’d love to have you. Just visit the link, and sign up, or send me an email – rarasaur@live.com
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@rara, thanks for sharing this — I’m sorry I didn’t include it in the post itself, so I’m glad you’re here 🙂
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@Michelle – Thank you! I wasn’t sure if it was okay to just paste in a link, so I’m grateful you chimed in. And no worries on the post inclusion, it’s a small group — and I have no idea how y’all keep track of all us anyway. 🙂
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I’m going for a swim in the community pool I guess!
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Same here, started writing about three months ago on fashion, food, natural hair and staying FIT in Ghana. I would definitely love some extra eyes and second looks on my work. Looking forward to connecting with the community! Blog is: http://www.fabfitfine.com
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If anyone would like to take a look at my blog and let me know what you think, I would appreciate it!
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I just started blogging and I would like some feedback as well. My blog is about self improvement and career development. Let me know your thoughts!
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I’m also keen! I literally just started last weekend and if someone could take a look at the basics it would be appreciated. My blog is based on local interest and I define it as a “travel within your own city” blog on which I plan to post photos of things from my city that I love and write articles on things of interest plus theatre reviews etc. Thanks! Keen to connect with people.
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Hey, some of my blog posts and interests are the same as yours. Would love to comment give feedback on your blog 🙂
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I had a trusted friend (who is a fantastic writer) edit one of my pieces – and I was amazed at how much better she made it! I’ll admit that I was skeptical of “editors” before – but now I am not only a believer, but a big fan.
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I’d like comments/constructive criticisms…this is my first blog – so I’m just learning!
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I just started blogging in November. Maybe we could join up together with others for a workshop. I would like to improve my writing/blogging/photography skills. If you are interested, my email is pricelessjoy@gmail.com.
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I’d love to be a part of a workshop. I do this kind of work with my students all the time, but I never considered doing it with my own blog. Also, I think it will help me get back on track so that I’m writing consistently. http://www.dissertationgal.com.
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If would like to be in a workshop with you if you are interest. I have contacted several other people who are interested in joining a workshop. Possibly with the two of us and them, we can have a workshop. I am fairly new at this, and need to improve my writing/blogging/photography skills. My email is pricelessjoy@gmail.com
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I’d like to be part of a workshop too. I don’t mind setting something up.
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I would like to join a blogging workshop. I would like to improve my writing skills, blogging skills, and photography skills. May have to join several to cover that, but my email is pricelessjoy@gmail.com. My name is PJ
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I just switched from blogger to WordPress.com and am still trying to figure things out. I am hoping my blog is user friendly. Debating on transferring content over, eventually. If anyone wants to check it out, I don’t have a lot of content yet here- it’s all over at blogger still. But, I would appreciate inout or feedback ! 😉 Thanks.
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I would like to do the community post thing but I am not sure exactly how to do it. I do need help.
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If you mean the Community Pool thread, just visit the post here on Sunday and leave a comment noting what kind of feedback/help you’re looking for.
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ok thank you. Didn’t mean to put it wrong.
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I too would like to join the Community Pool on Sundays. Thanks for the info!
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My blog is just for fun. But would like some feedback since I really am not a writer or much of an expert in anything.
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My blog is for fun, inspiration to others (hopefully), and to talk about my past mental illness. I also want to improve my writing/blogging skills. My email is pricelessjoy@gmail.com
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I would appreciate any feedback because cooking is my passion and through this blog I can reach so many different people
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I just started blogging and I blog about art and sewing! I would love some feedback/advice on my posts anyone want to join me? 🙂
icieice.wordpress.com
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I’m brand new to blogging, I’m a Life Coach and recently started sending out email blasts to my contacts (those who request the FREE e-book from my website) http://www.MPowerCoaching.org. Got a bunch of things happening and on the horizon and I need to begin a dialogue with my clients and potential clients.. READY FOR HELP & FEEDBACK 🙂
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this is my first time to join blogging ! we are required with our education technology teacher to have a blog account with word press. it’s quite difficult for me 🙂 what would be a good topic i should post?
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Are there anything you are particularly passionate about? Bullying? Education? Mental Health? Relationships? This is how I base my blog and many of my posts — things I am passionate about.
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I would appreciate any feed back on all the blogs I have been posting for a while so that I can improve my blogging.
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I blog about whatever is on my mind – typically books. It would be great to get some pointers on narrowing down the scope of my posts.
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Would love to get some feedback on my posts if anyone would care to swing by! Am a newbie too; have been blogging for less than a week. Am a doctor by profession but blog about everyday things,travel,sport etc in a light-hearted way. As I am of Indian origin but living in New Zealand, I hope to incorporate some humorous aspects of both cultures in my posts. Any feedback on what I have posted would be much appreciated!
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Would absolutely LOVE some feedback! I’ve always kept a journal, but this is my first time seriously blogging. I love encouraging others to be their very best!
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I would like if someone take a look to my posts. I write basically about statistics and programming.
Best regards.
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Please Help.
Today my blog failed to link to the Daily Prompt page. What should I do?
http://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/
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Check out the Url at the bottom of the Daily Prompts post and type that in exactly on your post. That should connect you correctly. (I always click on the Url just to make sure before I type it).
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