Children's Writing Workshop

September 21-23, 2007

Stories for Children in Words and Pictures with Debra Frasier and Ed Edmo was a huge success. Below is feedback from the participants.

Summary of Evaluations

Total evaluations received: 19 out of 22 participants

1. How did you learn about the workshop? From living here; RW email; mailing list; Hepworth; JC email; RW email; Hepworth; "visiting the home lodge"; RW email; Hepworth; word of mouth; RW email; called; word of mouth; word of mouth; word of mouth; RW email & word of mouth; RW email; RW email.

2. Have you been to previous Fishtrap events? 11 Yes, 8 No

3. Facilities and logistics: Need more table space. Perfect size room. Only thing missing was honey (smile). Awesome. Would pay more to include breakfast. Very accommodating. Good food, good digs, good people, good vibes, good art. Wonderful, except annoying flies. Good food, comfortable setting, friendly staff. Great. Delightful house, friendly environment. Delicious food, love this house, felt nourished by the whole experience. Very good. All great! Excellent facility because the sessions are intimate and offer unlimited access to the presenters. No complaints. Great. Everything was great. Worked well, great food, need directions to local cafes!

4a. How did workshop meet expectations? Exceeded expectations, learned tons, made great connections, very warm environment. Lots of great stuff to take back for teaching, from both Ed and Debra. Exceeded my expectations. Really impressed with the caliber of the presenters and organizers. A great organization! Expectations met. I was encouraged. Very pleased! Excellent detail on the structure/process of picturebook making, creative process of observation... Loved the quality of the storytelling, Native American iconography.

Debra was inspiring both technically on how to physically put together a book and spiritually as to the content. Ed is clearly a master of presenting his Native American culture to the world. The visual presentation of paper cutting was inspiring and eye opening. I hoped to get a seed on an idea-I got much farther! Nicely sidestepped my expectations and exposed me to new things, working within the limitation of number of pages for instance. Excellent! A lifetime of things to think about and try. Very productive and fun! Actual illustrator organization was a much needed guide, thank you to the presenters!

Debra gave me the information I've been seeking to move my picture book project along; Ed helped me to understand voice; both of these are invaluable to me. Lots of great information about process. It met all my expectations, very informative! My expectations were exceeded. I always enjoy the level of creativity at Fishtrap events. The presenters were interesting, excellent insights, gave some good exercises. Didn't think I could do pagination.

4b. How could workshop be improved? Could last longer. More writing together. Could last longer. Longer. More writing activities. Shorter exercises would give more opportunity to hear from each other. More time for the creative process. More time for "work," but having said that I appreciate the planting of seeds that can grow when I go home. More time-always more time. I was hoping for more nuts and bolts about publishing, i.e. once you have a story, what are the next steps towards a published work? I loved that we got to work with both presenters. I think a little bit longer would be nice, especially for slower writers. Got tired of watching Powerpoint.

5. Recommendations for future: More writing and visual combination. Paper-cutting workshop. Publishing workshop. Working with paper by Debra. Eve Bunting. Young adult lit workshop. JK Rowling. Writing workshop for children writing for children. Children's play writer. Workshop on putting together a web book. Small classes for 4-6 participants. Debra Frasier-cutting paper. Keep doing them. Sometimes an editor or publisher would be a good addition to further the publishing education. I would like a longer workshop. Haven't been disappointed yet, your choices are wonderful. Would like to have an illustration workshop with different techniques, stages of prep.

6. Other things Fishtrap can do for children's writers? Teach other communities how you do ALL you do. I am so impressed by this organization and its palpable integration into the community; I live in an "art" community but it is as though the varieties of organizations are stuck onto the surface of the community, competing, egocentric, exclusive; your concept and outreach and artistic quality is admirable, thanks. Publishing connections. We just need lots of guidance on how to seek publishers. Get us together more often.

Click here for general information on the workshop.