Writer’s Tip #28: Join a Writer’s Community
When you read your story, does it sound off, maybe you can’t quite put your finger on it, but you know you’ve done something wrong? Sometimes–maybe even lots of times–there are simple fixes. These writer’s tips will come at you once a week, giving you plenty of time to go through your story and make the adjustments.
Today’s tip: Join a writer’s community.
In this internet age, it’s not as hard as it used to be to find a writer’s critique group. Try:
a bookstore
the local library
Goodreads under that category
the local community college
Online
I found mine through the local bookstore.
Here’s what’s important: Find one with writers whose work you like and who are supportive of each other. Lurk and learn by reading their comments and critiques until you are ready to write. Many agents want to know your work has been edited before they look at it. A writer’s group will get you started without spending the hundreds it will cost to have a mss professionally edited. They’ll get you close before the pros take over.
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Jacqui Murray is the author of Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. She is webmaster for six blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com , Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, Cisco guest blog, Technology in Education featured blogger, IMS tech expert, and a bi-weekly contributor to Write Anything. In her free time, she is editor of a K-6 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, creator of two technology training books for middle school and six ebooks on technology in education. Currently, she’s editing a thriller that should be out to publishers next summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
Filed under: editing, writers resources, writers tips, writing Tagged: critique groups, writer, writers groups, writers resources
