Yesterday was the day my manuscript got workshopped at the writers’ conference. The interesting thing that happened was that after a week of informative discussions about fiction, how to construct a novel, create a dramatic arc, build suspense, and draw in the reader – the comments at the table were more like icing rather than meat and potatoes.

Our workshop leader shared a new phrase with us – more frightening if possible – “I want you to go FACE DOWN.”

Now, she wasn’t invoking a 2LiveCrew song, she was suggesting that some of us needed to turn our manuscripts over and begin our stories again. (Turning it over, look at the back of all those printed pages, hence, face down).

Well, this of course is a frightening concept to many of us because there were a few people who had 300+ page manuscripts.

I resisted at the beginning of the week (mine being only a measly 100 odd pages in comparison) but by week’s end I was excited about the possibilities of telling this story again – sharper, more infused – this time much better.

Writers can not have egos or be closed to what others have to say about their work. It’s tough but you have to hold it loosely and be open to feedback and brainstorming. These are the two key things I’ll take away from this week. That you have to take your work out into the world and let it walk around and get knocked down.

After all – writers write. Whether it’s revising or doing something new – writers write.

Which is why I’m excited, not discouraged about going face down.

Mohana Rajakumar

Mohana has a PhD from the University of Florida with a focus on gender and postcolonial theory. She is the creator and co-editor of five books in the Qatar Narratives series, as well as the Qatari Voices anthology which features essays by Qataris on modern life in Doha (Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, 2010). Mohana has published several ebooks and academic titles. Check out her Amazon.com author page

    

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