Workshop

Workshop was a very surprising experience for me to say the least. I have never much been bothered by other people's commentary on my life, whether said commentary regards me personally or academically. That's why I was surprised when workshop made me so nervous.  Throughout the workshopping of my poem, I found myself extremely tense. Not on the fact that I was being evaluated but because I was unable to offer any sort of explanation for my poem. It was unique to have to hold a certain confidence that your work will be able to stand on its own two feet. Being able to explain and defend your work when presenting it is a much different experience than having to offer something which you feel confident is transparent to your reader.
Another surprising thing about workshop for me is how much I thoroughly enjoyed helping my peers in the editing process. I found great joy from gaining an understanding of everyone's pieces and helping them prepare another draft. Analyzing the brilliant works of my peers and being able to offer assistance for their structure, wording, or even just a compliment enlightened me to the unique perspective I have to offer as a writer. I have found that I truly enjoy writing as a whole, not just the finished product but also the process of procuring something to be proud of.  This experience has inspired me to attempt to become involved in publishing, on both sides of the concept.
Finally, this experience in workshop has opened my eyes to the possibility of becoming published. I didn't imagine that publishing was such a tangible idea; I had always assumed that it instead was this impossible dream. Overall, I think that this workshop experience has been immeasurably beneficial to me as a writer.