It's time for me to go through some of the important rules when workshopping someone else's writing or having your own writing workshopped. It can be a very tense time for budding writers; this may be the first time they've received criticism, and this can feel like quite the shock to the system. That's why it's so important to remember our twin guiding principles of respect and sensitivity. For those who take their work very seriously, a workshop can feel like as vulnerable a place as a group therapy session, so it's important to keep that vulnerability in mind. At the same time, everyone's time will be wasted if we hold back and don't say what we really think about the work. Here a few rules of thumb to keep in mind if you've been asked to comment on someone else's work, or if you're on the chopping block yourself. (Read more »)