I'm still pumped from the overall success of our first workshop as OWAIC. EVERY person surveyed answered YES to the question, Was the workshop beneficial?
Here are a few excerpts from those surveys:
About the workshop in general...
"It made me think of writing in ways I hadn't thought about before."
"Lots of info and great advice."
"Always good to be with other writers. I liked the variety & that it was geared for not just beginners."
"Quite a varied menu--I am not a beginner & I enjoyed the program very much, but I think the beginners did, too."
About "Coffee with Vicki Grove and One Writer's (Messy) Toolbox"...
"Charming as always--very helpful--entertaining & left having come away with a few ideas I will try-- "
"Coffee with Vicki was superb! Great, great information--personal! Very good 2nd session gave insight into another's method."
"I found her funny and informative. I left inspired. A wonderful experience."
About "Sweatin' the Small Stuff" with J. B. (Janie) Cheaney...
"I don't write childre's---Ooops---I DIDN'T write childrens...Janie tatally inspired me!"
"Good stuff. Great reminders & new information on ways to improve & make our fiction "real"!"
"Excellent--Great handouts--nicely oganized--will really use what I learned--good give and take with the group."
About "Believable Characters" with Louise Jackson...
"Loved Louise Jackson! She made me think a little deeper to have a great story."
"I leaned a lot and I liked the writing excersize."
"Wonderful lady. Very animated! Solved a problem I had."
About "Getting Your Foot in the Door with Non-Fiction" with Liz Hardman...
"Awesome! We could have gone an hour more and still been getting terrific information."
"Time went very quickly because of all the information--very interesting!"
"She was well spoken--enjoyable--clear voice--bright eyes."
Lorri Cardwell-Casey and Beverly Crandell joined J.B. Cheaney and Louise Jackson in reviewing our First Page Submissions. They poured oodles of time into our First Page Critique submissions and gave wonderful advise. Our surveys said:
"Great fun--listening and wishing the writers well"
"I really like this. It didn't bother that it was long, but a possibiility would be to take fewer 1st pages for critiques so the panelist wouldn't be hurried..."
"Love it! Published work is polished. This was rough with needs of improvement and things to look for. This was like my work--and now I have ideas to polish."
"Excellent wisdom from well-published auhors. Liked this last time & this time, too."
"Fantastic--Thanks!"
We finished the session with all of our speakers on a Q&A panel who also received rave reviews.
I want to add my thanks to our gracious hosts, the Ozarks Pen Masters Guild of Lebanon, and the Lebanon Laclede County Library. I want to thank our generous donors for a super selection of door prizes, and Maria's Cafe for a terrific lunch.
Bonus time--We can afford decent name tags for next year! It was a great day (understatement) and profitable to all.
Thanks to all of you who came and made it so.
Naomi Shaw
