Constructive Criticism: Really?!
How to Survive & Thrive in a Writing Community

By Lezlie Christian

The new platform Fellowship Writers promises to offer all writers the opportunity to receive substantive feedback on their writing, regardless their level.

This is one of the most effective ways to improve your writing. The National Writing Project is a non-profit organization that has existed since 1974 when a man named Jim Gray, who had worked as a high school teacher then earned a PhD in education, decided that there had to be a way for teachers to teach other teachers their best practices for teaching writing.

He realized that in teacher school, they expect teachers to write, but they don't teach them how to teach writing. As we all know, writing itself is a challenge, and learning how to do it on one's own is daunting.

This movement spread across the country, with my local branch in Oklahoma starting in 1978. They have worked tirelessly and continue to do so, evolving and growing as the atmosphere around education changes.

Becoming involved requires an individual to commit to between three and five weeks during the summer, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants receive a small stipend, but what they gain is lifetime membership in one of the most established, successful programs with the goal…