Adapting the writeshop
process
Paul Mundy
Independent specialist in development
communication
paul@mamud.com
www.mamud.com, www.writeshops.org
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Writeshops
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Combines benefits of conference,
reporting and team writing
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
The standard model
Before
writeshop
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Identify audience
and objectives
Identify type of
materials needed
Identify theme of
book, break it into
separate “topics”
Prepare
guidelines for
authors, invite
authors to write
drafts
During
writeshop
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Introduce writeshop
procedure
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Each author presents
draft
Audience comments
Author and editor take
notes
Editor and author
revise manuscript
Artist draws
illustrations
Author presents draft 2
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Small groups develop
ideas
After
writeshop
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Editor revises
manuscripts and
checks final
queries
Final draft laid out,
proofread, printed
and distributed
Features of a standard writeshop
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Long lead-time for planning and
logistics
20–50 participants from different
organizations
Participants stay throughout
writeshop
Staff: coordinator, facilitators,
editors, artists, photocopying,
logistics
5–10 days
In hotel or conference centre
Relatively expensive
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Three processes in writeshop
Presentations
and comments
Information
exchange
Editing and
rewriting
Information
transformation
Small
groups
Information
generation
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Presentations and comments
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Like academic peer
review
Validate info,
expand on it based
on own knowledge
Horizontal
communication or
information
exchange
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Presenter
Authors
Facilitator
Editing and rewriting
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Critical, detailed look at
draft
Convert into form
suitable for audience
Simplification (or
elaboration)
Information
transformation
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Presenter
Editor
Artist
Two rounds of presentations and editing
Presenter
1
Presenter
2
Editor
Authors
Editing and rewriting
Facilitator
Presentations and comments
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Artist
Small groups
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Brainstorm new
information based
on presentations
and experience
Often used in
analysis or
recommendations
section
Information
generation
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
3 processes
Presenter
1
Presenter
Editor
Artist
2
Editing and rewriting
Authors
Facilitator
Presentations and comments
Small groups
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Adaptations to the standard model
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Sub-plenaries
Small groups
Resource persons
Participants as facilitators
One presentation
No presentations, no
comments: writing
writeshop
Multiple languages
No electricity?
Piggyback on another event
One organization
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
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Fewer people, shorter time
More spontaneous
More than one information
product
Scoping study before the
writeshop
Heavy-duty analysis after
the writeshop
Combine it with training:
training writeshop
No authors present
Using the cloud
Sub-plenaries
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Divide participants into
two or more subplenaries for
presentations and
comments
Quicker, more focused
comments
Maintains participants’
interest
Resource persons
1
2
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Resource person
helps author and
editor revise text
Participant as facilitator
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Possible in later
stages
May be needed in
sub-plenaries and
small groups
One presentation
1
2
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Reduces time
needed
Requires more
work after
writeshop
No presentation, just comments
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
People can read
faster than they
listen
Saves time
Useful for second
draft
No presentations, no comments
1
2
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Writing clinics
Presentations and
participants’
comments may have
little value – eg for
non-overlapping
subject areas
No initial manuscripts
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Devote first part of writeshop to
authors writing individually or in
small groups
Writing writeshop
Useful where sections are short
and have parallel content &
structure
Multiple languages
c

ж
‫ش‬
1
2
A
?
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Simultaneous
interpretation
Consecutive
interpretation
Whisper
interpretation
Software translation
(Google Translate)
No electricity
1
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Use notepads and
flipcharts
Piggyback on another event
Conference
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Writeshop
One organization
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Can hold meetings
in organization’s
own office
Can spread out
over long time
Fewer people, shorter time, less planning
1
2
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
More than one product
1
2
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Scoping study before writeshop
1
2
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Heavy-duty analysis after writeshop
1
2
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Combine it with training

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
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Lead authors
through the writing
and editing process
Combine training
sessions with work
on their drafts
Get them to critique
each others’ work
No authors present
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Review writeshop
Obtain drafts before
writeshop
Ask experts in
writeshop to review
the drafts
Use the cloud
Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Types of products
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Information kits
Source books
How-to manuals
Extension materials
Case-based texts
Policy briefs
Training curricula and
materials
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Paul Mundy
www.mamud.com
Conference papers,
scientific articles
Project design
documents
Project evaluation
documents
Video and audio scripts
Textbooks
Websites