Paul Mundy Adapting the writeshop process Paul Mundy Independent specialist in development communication

Paul Mundy Writeshops Combines benefits of conference, reporting and team writing

Paul Mundy The standard model 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 Editor revises manuscripts and checks final queries Final draft laid out, proofread, printed and distributed Introduce writeshop procedure Each author presents draft Audience comments Author and editor take notes Editor and author revise manuscript Artist draws illustrations Author presents draft 2 Small groups develop ideas Before writeshop During writeshop After writeshop

Paul Mundy Features of a standard writeshop 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 Three processes in writeshop Presentations and comments Editing and rewriting Small groups Information exchange Information transformation Information generation

Paul Mundy Presentations and comments Like academic peer review Validate info, expand on it based on own knowledge Horizontal communication or information exchange Authors Presenter Facilitator

Paul Mundy Editor Artist Presenter Editing and rewriting Critical, detailed look at draft Convert into form suitable for audience Simplification (or elaboration) Information transformation

Paul Mundy Authors Presenter Editor Artist Presenter 1 2 Presentations and comments Editing and rewriting Two rounds of presentations and editing Facilitator

Paul Mundy Small groups Brainstorm new information based on presentations and experience Often used in analysis or recommendations section Information generation

Paul Mundy Authors Facilitator Presenter Editor Artist Presenter 1 2 Presentations and comments Small groups Editing and rewriting 3 processes

Paul Mundy Adaptations to the standard model 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 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

Paul Mundy Sub-plenaries Divide participants into two or more sub- plenaries for presentations and comments Quicker, more focused comments Maintains participants’ interest

Paul Mundy Resource persons Resource person helps author and editor revise text

Paul Mundy Participant as facilitator Possible in later stages May be needed in sub-plenaries and small groups

Paul Mundy One presentation Reduces time needed Requires more work after writeshop

Paul Mundy No presentation, just comments People can read faster than they listen Saves time Useful for second draft

Paul Mundy No presentations, no comments Writing clinics Presentations and participants’ comments may have little value – eg for non-overlapping subject areas

Paul Mundy No initial manuscripts 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

Paul Mundy Multiple languages Simultaneous interpretation Consecutive interpretation Whisper interpretation Software translation (Google Translate) A c ش ж ? 

Paul Mundy No electricity Use notepads and flipcharts 1

Paul Mundy Piggyback on another event Conference Writeshop

Paul Mundy One organization Can hold meetings in organization’s own office Can spread out over long time

Paul Mundy Fewer people, shorter time, less planning

Paul Mundy More than one product

Paul Mundy Scoping study before writeshop

Paul Mundy Heavy-duty analysis after writeshop

Paul Mundy Combine it with training Lead authors through the writing and editing process Combine training sessions with work on their drafts Get them to critique each others’ work

Paul Mundy No authors present Review writeshop Obtain drafts before writeshop Ask experts in writeshop to review the drafts

Paul Mundy Use the cloud

Paul Mundy Types of products Information kits Source books How-to manuals Extension materials Case-based texts Policy briefs Training curricula and materials Conference papers, scientific articles Project design documents Project evaluation documents Video and audio scripts Textbooks Websites