Revision Boot Camp: From Trash to Treasure

“Much of writing,” to quote J.B. Priestly, “might be described as mental pregnancy with successive difficult deliveries.” And while, yes, we writers must labor alone initially, the truth is that writing in the end is a collaborative effort. “Everyone, at every level,” says instructor Andy Touhy, “needs a second pair of eyes, a guiding hand, and an array of re-visioning techniques when it comes to next steps with raw or overcooked material.”

So in this five-week course, we’re going to have a re-vision party. We’ll talk personal roadblocks, and we’ll visit early and polished drafts by published writers, with an eye on the whys and hows of their revision choices. Most importantly, we’ll build up a toolbox of strategies and approaches designed to clear the smoke from the fire of any of our work at any stage. Expect to get hands-on—from word choice to narrative restructuring—with a range of material you generate or bring to class. The final week will culminate in a reading or soft workshop of one revised piece per participant.

Andy says: “The goal of this class is threefold: to debunk myths about the writing process (it’s a messy business); for students to gain a clearer understanding of the decision-making process inherent to the practice of revision; and for everyone to walk away with a handful of resuscitated if not rescued treasures to work with going forward. And—of course—to have fun while we're at it.”