Guidelines for Workshop Moderators

Columbia Fiction Foundry depends on volunteer moderators to convene and run the writing workshops. These guidelines serve as best practices for maintaining a positive and effective meeting flow so that the CFF members maximally contribute and benefit.

Opening

  • Begin with a warm welcome.
  • Set a relaxed and cordial tone.
  • Keep the workshop moving along and end on time.
  • Review the critiquing guidelines as necessary.
  • If new people are present, have attendees briefly introduce themselves and share relevant
    details, such as Columbia affiliation, writing background, what they’re working on.

Critiquing

  • When a workshop includes the maximum number manuscripts (six on Saturday, seven on
    Wednesday), each critique should last no more than around two minutes.
  • When a workshop includes fewer than the maximum number of manuscripts, feel free to
    allow more time for each critique and for conversation.
  • Critiques should focus on the big picture, not the line edits.
  • Following the critiques, allot authors around two minutes to respond, if they desire.
  • Midway through the session, check if people want a five-minute break.

Closing

  • Remind people to email their written comments to authors as soon as possible.
  • Mention dates for the next Saturday and Wednesday workshops.
  • Final comments and goodbye.

Sensitivity

Occasionally, when reading and discussing an author’s work, material may come up that is upsetting or offensive to other workshop participants, either in content or presentation. The following guidelines are intended to address how to handle these situations if they arise.

  • If an issue causes offense in a workshop, engage with it immediately in the workshop at that moment.
  • If, for example, a character in a piece of fiction uses offensive language, acknowledge the offensive material and ask the author to clarify whether the views are those of the character, or the author.
  • Provide ways to discuss the material that do not repeat the offense within the discussion.

CFF’s mission is to create a space where all are welcome, and where writers and readers come together to freely share and discuss their work in a respectful, collaborative environment.

 

For more details about the CFF workshops and workshop schedules, please visit the Columbia Fiction Foundry website.