Putting together a Creative Writing Workshop

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Hello all,

I'm currently in the process of putting together a Creative Writing workshop for the next Autscape (2019, UK). Its going to be a 1hr session focusing on how to write Flash Fiction (very short stories). I'm hoping it will be quite an open and free-flowing workshop which will give time for participants to write following prompts which I will provide. I think it will be a group of people with mixed experience of creative writing - some will be new to it, some might do it regularly as a hobby or profession.

Can I ask: what sort of thing would you expect/like to see at a Creative Writing workshop designed for autistic adults? What should I avoid doing? Any other thoughts or tips?

Thanks!
David

Writing workshop... The only thing that comes to mind is in Laugharne... Dylan Thomas' writing shed. It is perched on the side of a cliff that have estuary views. It is a lovely area, so if he had peace and quiet he could explore his thoughts as he wrote.
I have rebuilt a nice little shed at a little shady area at the bottom of our garden. The shed was in pieces and was going to be cut up and burnt, but I rescued it and rebuilt it using reclaimed bits from an old dog kennel. If I make a surface to write on, it would be ideal. It looks good now, and I gave it a wooden floor from rescued old beach boardwalks which someone gave us a few years ago, and it has corrigated tin sheets from offcuts as the roof. It looks the part. I even found the origional glass window.

What would I like to see in a writing workshop? Pens and paper? A nice view? A quiet place to write from? Some sort of light to see what you are doing if it gets dark? Some sort of little heater for the winter?

I think I maybe off track a little. A group writing workshop? My first thoughts weee along rhe lines of a larger wooden shed! Umm. What is meant by a creative writing workshop?

Facilitators/Instructors who are both professional writers AND autistic.Talking down to attendees.Maintain a creative, yet professional tone. Keep the lighting diffuse, if not dim. Keep the noise level to a minimum. Keep the temperature on the cool side, so that those of us who need to wear heavy clothing to feel secure can do so without the risk of heat exhaustion.

Yes, sorry, I think my title was a little misleading! I mean the lesson itself: the teaching of Creative Writing. Fortunately, I already have a location for it - but your shed sounds idyllic...

I will be leading a class who will be learning how to write very short stories at this year's Autscape in the UK.

Thank you for your advice. I'm not sure yet what the room is going to be like but I'll do my best to make sure it has dim lighting and a cool temperature. And yes, I won't be talking down to the attendees. I will be facilitating the workshop (i'm not autistic), but if this goes well I'll be looking at ways to collaborate with autistic writers and facilitators in the future to enhance the workshop, hopefully.

Thank you for your input

It should be fun.

I took creative writing work shops in college, and I currently belong to a writers group, and I can tell you what to avoid is the snarky, hurtful criticism that I remember from college. Legitimate criticism is one thing, but doing it just to be cruel has silenced too many writers, forever.