Draft Share. December 2025. 3 weeks. {for POC/BIPOC}

This workshop meets for 3 consecutive Mondays.

December 08, 15, 22.

7 - 9. PM. EST.

You've taken generative workshops. Your writing has received praise and encouragement. You have drafts of stories you'd like to develop. You're actively working on edits. You'd like feedback.

What now?

DRAFT SHARE

In this workshop we will share our drafts and receive balanced feedback. Hear from fellow POC/BIPOC peers: what is strong, what is working and what is unclear, what causes confusion. You will gain insight on how to strengthened your draft for its next iteration.

WHO / criteria:

• Person of Color / BIPOC
• Previous participant of Illuminating Our Voices (IOV) generative writing workshops Rise Write or Unwind Write.
• Participation limited to 5 writers (+ facilitator = 6 total)

WHAT / criteria:

• A typed draft ready+ for feedback
• Length: up to 1000 words, approximately 4 standard typed pages; or 2-3 poems.
• All genres welcomed & encouraged.

+”Ready” is relative and personal. Only the writer can make this determination. Suggestion: the writer has already given the draft thought, energy and edits. It’s not a “raw” first draft.

WORKSHOP FLOW:

Two drafts will be shared each week. Each draft will be given approximately 45 minutes.

i) Reading

ii) Feedback

iii) Response

After this process has been completed for the week's drafts, if time allows, we may engage in related discussion or continue work on our drafts.

YOUR FACILITATOR:

Isabella Moreno is a Nuyorican author, storyteller and workshop facilitator from The Bronx living and blossoming in Cleveland, Ohio. She is the founder of Illuminating Our Voices, and has curated creative workshops for POC/BIPOC communities for 15+ years. Her writing, published and forthcoming, has been included in: storytelling events & festivals; print & online anthologies; print & online literary journals. She was a 2024-25 Breakthrough Writing Resident with Literary Cleveland. She is an Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) certified facilitator and affiliate. She has led workshops for: public libraries; conferences & festivals; colleges; and non-profit organizations. She has 30 years experience in education from K-12 teaching to non-profit management and college administration. She believes joy can always be found in collective spaces of shared creation.

This workshop is limited to 5 participants.