Which of the following would you call a school club? Writer's Workshop Writers' Workshop Writers Workshop My problem is that based on a google search, it seems to be done in all three ways. In addition, I can't change the initials "ww," because a logo has already been made, and the club website is already up. What absolutely confounds me is that in America (I live in America), it looks like the majority use "apostrophe+s," while almost everyone everywhere else uses "s+apostrophe." But the most famous American writing workshop, the Iowa Writers' Workshop, uses the "s+apostrophe" rule. But at the same time, the Iowa Writers' Workshop was created a very long time ago, and American grammar rules could have changed since that time. Help?
Writer's Workshop implies that there is a single writer, while Writers' Workshop implies many writers, so is more correct for a club, I'd say. Writers Workshop is just laziness/ignorance on the part of whoever did the naming. And in general, "apostrohpe+s" and "s+apostrophe" aren't the same thing: when you see something like (man it took far too long to think of an example :S) doll's house, it means there is one doll, and the house is hers. If you see dolls' house, the house is for many dolls. So its singular noun/collective noun + ' + s, or plural noun + ' .
So what would you suggest the club name be? (I ask because I'm discussing this exact same thing with another writing forum, and they're telling me to use "Writers Workshop.")
I'm not sure exactly which one is right, but I'm pretty sure you at least need to use a possessive (ie you need an apostrophe).
Writer's Workshop implies that it is a workshop a writer may want to join. Writers' Workshop implies that it is a worshop writers may want to join. Personally, I prefer the first, because it places more emphasis on the individual writer. However, the distinction is pretty nitpicky. Either is acceptable. Writers Workshop is either meant to imply a workshop comprised of writers, or a cop-out for indecision.
Like I said, I'm discussing this with a couple other forums as well, and the people who seem the most definite about their opinion are the people who say Writers' Workshop is the only correct way. With that mind (seeing as though this is a writing club after all), I think I'll use "s+apostrophe." Thanks to everyone who helped!
cog's explanation is the correct one, imo... i was just getting ready to write the same thing, but he beat me to it, as usual, since i'm out in the middle of the pacific and he gets here ahead of me, every day... hugs, m
Ye Oldde Writerre Workshoppe The Word Factory Writers 'R Us The Office Pendamonium The Write Right Workshop Or, you could call your group "The Writer Apostrophe 'S' Club," and you'd have a cute story on how your group got its name from the originating post of this thread!
Because it is implying the phrase, "A writer's workshop". Edit: Bah, that's what I get for not reading the whole thread before posting.
