Writeshop

A Writeshop is an intensive workshop that brings writers, editors and subject matter experts together to develop a written knowledge product, such as a publication manuscript or a case study, in a relatively short time – from a couple of days to a week or longer, depending on the length and complexity of the product. By concentrating writing efforts within a fixed time, and by providing focused support (editing, peer/expert reviews, and access to resource materials), a well-run Writeshop can enable quality written products to be produced very quickly – in days, rather than weeks/months. It can also reduce the total amount of time required from the individual contributors. A Writeshop does require a significant chunk of dedicated time with few or no distractions, as well as appropriate facilitation and organization of logistics.

A Writeshop takes the solitary process of writing into a hyper-collaborative environment where several writers work simultaneously, each one developing selected sections of a publication from a proposed outline. The resulting drafts are then shared with everyone in the Writeshop for comment and critique using a facilitated process that is inclusive and respectful. Based on the feedback, the writers then revise their drafts over several iterations with the help of editors and subject matter experts to produce near-finished coherent final drafts that can be collated to create a seamless manuscript, ready for online or print publishing.

An effective way to document learnings from field experience, project results, and research findings, a Writeshop is also good for producing case studies, brochures, information briefs, training manuals, books or even websites.