20 Words You Should Absolutely Know Before Workshopping
Essential Vocabulary for Serious Writers - 5 Part Series
Peer critique groups, workshops, hybrid educational programs—like Pocket MFA, or feedback sessions with a trusted friend or mentor; all fair better if you learn the workshopping language. Below are only 20 terms and ideas to add to the bank. They will help you articulate your critiques, and interpret the feedback you receive, with clarity, confidence, and good stewardship.
For foundational craft language (e.g., Voice, Tone, Diction, Syntax, Imagery, Pacing, Motif, Theme) please visit the following links before preceding. These core concepts inform every piece of feedback you give—and every revision choice you make.
SEE Craft Language Concepts for Fiction
SEE Craft Language Concepts for Poetry
Feedback Tools & Workshop Speak
Tension – The invisible pull that keeps the reader engaged. It can arise from plot, emotion, pacing, character conflict, or even sentence-level urgency. If it lulls, (i.e., you get distracted, lose interest) then this is great to note.
Clarity – How easily a reader can follow the plot, meaning, imagery, or emotional arc. Something may be too abstract, or too vague, or missing all together and excluding the reader.
Economy of words: Maximizing the workload of every word; saying more with less. This is vital in poetry, and important in prose.
Big-Picture Feedback – Feedback on structure, scope, POV, plot arc, character development, and major themes. The “forest” rather than the trees.
Line-Level Feedback – Sentence-by-sentence critique of language, grammar, rhythm, clarity, and diction. Usually best after a solid draft is in place.
Objective vs. Subjective Feedback – Objective: craft-based, observable issues (e.g., POV shifts, pacing inconsistencies). Subjective: based on personal taste or emotional response. Both matter! Just be aware and you can also name which is which.
Reader Response – Your gut reaction as a reader. “I felt lost here,” “This moment made me ache,” or “I didn’t buy the dialogue.” Typically subjective.
Critique vs. Criticism – (“This doesn’t work” vs. “This scene loses momentum because…”) A critique is specific, constructive, and clear. Criticism is vague, global, or dismissive.
Praise Sandwich – The—sometimes dreaded—format: praise → critique → praise. Works only when all three parts are authentic. Don’t force flattery; focus on specificity. This works when its sincere.
Unhelpful Praise – Vague compliments like “I liked it” or “This was beautiful” that don’t explain why. Praise is only useful when it’s specific, grounded in craft, and helps the writer understand what’s working. Try:
“This line works because it echoes the earlier metaphor and deepens the emotional arc.”
“The pacing here mirrors the character’s anxiety—it’s tight and effective.”
Writer Intent & Workshop Etiquette
Intent – What the writer is trying to do. Understanding this helps you avoid reshaping the work into what you would write.
Show vs. Tell – Showing invites the reader into the moment; telling provides information. A strong piece usually weaves both with intention and restraint.
Repetition vs. Redundancy:
Repetition: the sometimes deliberate reuse of words, phrases, or structures to emphasize or echo. Repetition should always be intentional.
Redundancy: repeating meaning unnecessarily. (She screamed loudly.) Breaches the economy of words.
Kill Your Darlings – The painful process of cutting lines, scenes, or images you love that no longer serve the whole.
Scope – The scale of the piece: how much ground it covers emotionally, temporally, thematically.
Revision vs. Drafting – Treat them differently. One needs the muse, the other is ready and hungry for “the critic.”
Drafting = discovery. You’re building the clay.
Revision = shaping the sculpture. You’re working with intention.
Common Types of Editing:
Developmental – Shaper: big-picture structure, plot, pacing, character.
Line – Polishes: syntax, clarity, and diction.
Copy – Technical Fixes: grammar, punctuation, and consistency.
Proofreading – Last Catch: typos, inconsistencies, formatting issues, etc.
Workshop Care
Workshop Fatigue – That feeling of burnout after too much feedback or revision. Listen to your mind and body. Rest is part of the process. Feel free to say that you’ve hit a limit on feedback, and ask go over the rest later.
Workshop Mythology – The false belief that consensus = correctness. Just because everyone agrees doesn't mean it's right, or right for you.
Holding Space – Asking the writer what they want help with, or advice on before offering feedback. Instead of fixing, ask: What were you hoping to explore here? As well as, respecting the each other when receiving feedback without assumption, interruption, or defense.
F I N A L T H O U G H T
Good workshop feedback isn’t aimed to fix a piece (or the writer) it’s to help the author return to the work with more clarity and control in order to improve it—or “to write a better 2nd draft.” The best critique expands the writer’s own vision, not your version of it.
Did I Miss Anything? Have a workshop phrase that changed the way you write—or teach? Share it in the comments.
Coming Next Week:
10 Words You Should Know Before Submitting to a Publisher
This is a 5-Part Series: All links will be updated and banked here once posted.
10 Words You Should Know Before Submitting to a Publisher
If this resonated with you, please tap a heart onto it, it’s a cute metric, but it really helps me grow as an artist.
