Find Perspective on Your Novel with a Critique Community

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Scribophile, a NaNoWriMo 2017 sponsor, asked writer Shannon Burnette to share her experience with their extensive online writing workshop and writer’s community:

If you’re like me, you signed up for NaNoWriMo on a whim because a story had been building in your chest that you couldn’t quite shake. It burrowed itself deep inside your gut and refused to let go, demanding to be told. You dedicated precious time and effort in committing that story to words, be it on a screen or on paper, and whether or not you “won,” you left November with a more completed story than when you entered it.

If you’re like me, you looked up from your messy and complicated and beautiful first draft and thought: Wow, I did it. Immediately afterward came: Now what? I knew I was going to need readers and critique partners, but I had no idea where to begin looking for those connections. My story desperately needed more love and attention, which I could certainly give it, but deep down I knew I was already too close to my draft. I needed perspective. I needed other writers, both fledgling like myself and more experienced, to help me improve.

Enter Scribophile, stage right. I joined after winning Camp NaNoWriMo last summer. If you’ve been around the NaNoWriMo website before, you’ve probably noticed the name Scribophile floating around. For those of you that don’t know, Scribophile is an online writing workshop and writers community. It’s populated with folks from all stages in the writing journey, from those of us toiling away at our first novel all the way up to real, published authors.

“It really helps to be a part of a group where everyone is trying to help each other succeed.”

Scribophile is based on a karma system. When you critique other people’s works, you gain karma points. Once you have enough karma, you can post your own work for critique. The insights I’ve gained really cannot be overstated. Apparently, I really enjoy writing flowery, run-on sentences. While fun to compose, it turns out that they aren’t always so fun to read. Getting advice can be scary, but every person I’ve met through Scribophile has been kind and encouraging. It really helps to be a part of a group where everyone is trying to help each other succeed.

Although I am fairly new, I’ve already picked up a common theme: people join for the critiques, but they stick around for the community. There is so much collective knowledge available in the forums for writers of all levels. I find myself trolling the posts in the Publishing forum despite the fact that I am nowhere close to be thinking about publishing; however, it makes my dreams feel attainable when I can see that others have done it before me. Somehow, the whole process of writing becomes less isolating and intimidating. Plus, who wouldn’t want the chance to connect with like-minded folks from all over the globe?

Oh! And there are writing contests! Just saying. I have yet to win one, but that is definitely on my list of 2018 #goals.

If you have been sitting on the fence about whether or not to join, here is my advice: do it. I am the first to admit that I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to this whole writing thing, but I signed up for Scribophile on a whim (are you noticing a pattern here?) and wholeheartedly recommend you do the same. Sharing my work was (and continues to be) intimidating, but at the end of the day, we are storytellers––and stories are meant to be heard.

You owe it to yourself, and the tale that hums in your bones, to give Scribophile a shot.

Shannon Burnette is a software project manager by day and an aspiring novelist by night. Follow her journey through her first novel at shannonburnette.com and at @scburnettewrites on Instagram.