10 Most Common Workshop Fallacies, Problems, Counterproductive Comments

Each of the following kinds of comments are typical among beginning writers. They all have some validity. They also, however, invite or promote a number of troubles in any discussion of your poems or stories. One way or another, they are each a drag, a cop-out, an evasion; a discussion-stopper, a thought and feeling-stopper, and a reflection of inexperience.

1. “I meant for those lines or that passage to be confusing.”
   
   

Or: “I wanted it to be vague and general on purpose.”

2. “I like this poem because I too had a red bicycle when I was 10 years old.”

Or: “I didn’t care for this story. The characters are all late-middle-aged lawyers and CEOs in Manhattan and I’m a 19-year old livestock management major in North Dakota.”

3. “I don’t revise. My poems [stories] come out a certain way the first time and they’re done.”

4. “This story [poem] is stupid.”

5. Teacher: “Offer some observations about and insights into this poem."
   Student: “I didn’t like it.”

6. “I don’t think we should criticize this poem. Everyone’s got their opinion and poetry’s about whatever you want it to be.”
   
   

Or: “This story means whatever you want it to mean.”

7. “Poetry is writing that has no rules. You can punctuate, spell, talk, and break your lines however you like.”
   
   
8. “This poem is about a heartbreaking experience and so we shouldn’t criticize it.”
   
   
9. “I just whipped this poem out right before class.”

Or: “I wrote this story in about 5 minutes and don’t really care about it.”

Or: “I had to get something in by the deadline so I turned this poem in. Ha ha.”

10. “This poem was hard to understand so I stopped reading it.”