By Guardian staff reporter
Publication Date: 2026-05-10 13:00:00
I have been teaching fiction writing at MIT since 2017. Many of my students last wrote fiction in middle school, and very few have experienced an actual workshop. That’s why, at the beginning of each semester, I offer this guide for writers and readers alike:
Read the story at least twice. Mark what works and what doesn’t – underline good sentences, flag clunky syntax, gaps in logic and unrealistic dialogue. Ask yourself: Does the story work? Why or why not? What could improve it? Respond in a signed letter to the author attached to his story. Give your honest opinion. Remember that effective peer review requires close reading of the text and a courageous spirit.
As the instructions indicate, most of the time we discuss why we didn’t like the story covered in the workshop, because even under the best of circumstances, writing a good story is enormously difficult, especially for stem-oriented students who thrive in a structure of quantitative…
