Authors Circle

... the reviewers are assembled SittingInaCircle, ready for the review process. The circle brings the full community in direct contact with the author and with each other.

It has become common practice to invite observers to writers workshops: where do they sit?

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Bringing non-authors into the literal and figurative inner circle might cause discomfort for the author, and can be contrary to a SafeSetting.

On the other hand, the WritersWorkshop is a good learning opportunity for those outside the literary community, and they should be welcome.

But just because they are in the room doesn't mean that they are part of the community of trust. If they are made part of the circle, they will feel like participating; yet they don't yet know the conventions for effective participation. Excluding them altogether is disengaging.

Therefore:

Arrange the room in two circles. The inner circle contains the authors and the moderator. The outer circle, or "gallery," is for non-authors.

Authors that wish to remove themselves from active participation should also remove themselves to the outer circle, rather than sitting passively in the inner circle: The author being reviewed (and the moderator, representing the author's interest) should expect participation from all members of the inner circle.

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This pattern strongly recalls WorkshopComprisesAuthors.

The circle makes it easy for everyone to see the author eye-to-eye during AuthorReadsTheWork, SuggestionsForImprovement, and ThankTheAuthor. All the reviewers can see each other during the dialog of SuggestionsForImprovement. The outer circle also provides a context for the FlyOnTheWall author to retire to (behind the AuthorsCircle) as the work is being reviewed.

NEXT: ReadingJustBeforeReviewing

-- JimCoplien 1996/8/26

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