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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Hi all,</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Well it seems we are getting close to breaking the
<st1:place w:st="on">Champagne</st1:place> bottle. I expect there will be some
lists in the way this ship floats, at first. The closer we get to launch, the
more I find the devil in the details. So we’re making adjustments as we go, and
I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t find the need for more changes on our first
sail.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">At this moment, one of my poems is in the evil hands of
one of the toughest critics I know. When she gets finished slicing and dicing,
I’ll put it in a form hopefully you can understand, and send it off to you, so
you will have one example of how a really intense critique might look. I’m
choosing to send a poem because it is the most intensively critiqued genre. If
you can deal with one of those, you can make it anywhere. Poetry may be the most
compact form of communication, so the critiques need to be the most intense.
This example will be appropriate for prose as well as poetry. Remember this is
just an example, and you don’t have to emulate it. </FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">The sessions will be closely moderated. The time limits
for each person to deliver their critiques will have to be based on how many
pieces we will have to deal with, which in turn depends upon how many people are
participating. Since we have 6 members in each group, that would mean 6 pieces.
5 people will be giving a critique for each submission.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The author will also have a say. That’s
6 critiques.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I was hoping
to have sessions that would last only 1 ½ hours. But 6 times 6 equals 36
critiques. That is unlikely. The math will determine what the maximum time
allotment will be for each individual in any session. I’ll do the math and let
you all know how much time each person will have at any given session. I
apologize in advance. I must be ruthless in maintaining the time rules. If I
don’t, the sessions will degenerate into a discussion group. So I’ll have to be
on the verge of rudeness at times.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Since the format is for us to go around in some form of
round-robin, only one critic will be speaking while he holds the floor.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Therefore, it is recommended that
everyone who is not speaking at that time go to mute. I’ll stay unmuted so when
it is time to go to the next critic I can facilitate that. The last person to
speak, if they choose to, will be the one whose work is being critiqued. We can
all unmute at that point, but if the discussion, if there is any discussion,
deteriorates into<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>a contest of
whose point of view is the best, it will be time to move on to the next
critique. </FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Some critics may have little to say and thus leave us
with extra time.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">We can save up that extra time for the end, when we can
spend it discussing some principles of writing, critiquing and procedure.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We could also take a little bit of time
on a given critique to make open phone comments.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Presentation order: It is important that every group
member knows which submission will be critiqued first, second, etc. at any given
session. So that will be identified in advance. I’ll find some random way of
doing that. We probably don’t want to use the same order every session, because
people get tired of always going last, first, etc. I’ll get that information out
well in advance. </FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">There is also the order of who gets to give their
critique first, second, etc. That, too, will be randomly decided in advance and
the information disseminated well before the critique day.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">I will identify each submission by the first name of the
author, their e-mail address, and number assigned.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">At first, I thought everyone would need to present a
written critique so that there would be a record for the writers to consult. But
we will have a telephone line very similar to what is used now in our
teleconferencing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And the sessions
will be recorded. So a writer will be able to access the recording to find their
particular interest.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thus, except
in some extenuating circumstances, you need not send anything in writing. But I
strongly recommend that you have something in writing for yourself for all the
critiques you do. This will facilitate a serious, well-thought-out critique when
it is delivered, in whatever form it is delivered. In some cases, people might
be working off their notes. In other cases, they might make a recording to be
played at the session. That recording could simply be the reading of the
critique by your screen readers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I
hope, in that case, that the electronic pickups are adequate. All the more
reason that everybody else be on mute.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Don’t be afraid to be inventive.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">All critiques should have topological relevance. By that
I mean, the author should know what you are referring to in your comments.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>So, you might say, “paragraph 3, line 5,
where you say, blah, blah, blah,, you left out a comma. Or, “You’ve used ‘the’ 3
times in one run on sentence.” Etc. </FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">We can learn as much about writing from the comments made
on pieces that are not our own. Sometimes more. We also learn how to write by
reading other writers’ writings.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Please point out how you might do this process
differently, or ask questions, etc.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Leonard</FONT></P></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>