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D.A.
(new)
Jan 01, 2012 09:45PM
I'm a newbie on here and have spent a good part of the day reading over many of the group discussions and topic folders. One thing I'm seeing quite a bit of throughout is request for help with editing, clean-ups, etc. and wondered if anyone here has ever had luck with critique groups in your area(s). The critique group I've been involved with since 2002 has been fabulous and extremely helpful. Has anyone else here had good luck with localized critique groups?
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I live in BumLuck Arizona and there is no "decent" or otherwise critique group down here. That said, I've worked hard to collect 3 to 5 really talented authors who write mystery and we exchange manuscripts. These authors are from all over the country. Thank God for the internet!
I've talked to some others who've said (with their schedules) that they also have found internet critiques to be more to their liking. Personally I love the in-person interactions of my group, though we've had a few oddballs in the midst at times over the years. We finally decided to close our group to newbies and stick with our six solid attendees.
I live rurally and there are no critique groups in my area. I belong to Critique Circle, an online group where you can start out for free in the public queues and can pay for a premium membership and join private queues with other writers. It has been invaluable for. I've been a member for two years.
What do you all appreciate the most about your online critique groups? How do you interact and is it really possible to build a trust factor with the other members? I'm just wondering because I've never been involved with an online group.
With the internet, it's hard at first. I tried with a couple of people that I met through She Writes, however, most of them didn't work out as they didn't have any completed manuscripts to trade, or they didn't write mystery so I didn't feel qualified to critique their work. I also needed to work with authors who'd been in the industry for awhile as I had. Finally, I decided to pick some authors whose work I admired--ok not Sue Grafton--but Indie or small press authors who were published (as I had been also with a small press). I went on-line, downloaded their e-books, then did comprehensive reviews, and some of them have become (virtual) friends and we now exchange manuscripts.
Yes, trust can be a factor. I've heard horror stories of people stealing other writer's ideas, etc. I was in the public queue for about 4 months when I came across a writer who invited me into a private queue. We came to trust each other and I felt at first that I wasn't qualified to critique their work, but we draw on each other's weaknesses and strengths and aren't afraid to admit if we feel out of our realm.
I'm part of a group called Warrior Writer Boot Camp. I actually go to their meetings, but I know they do some online camps as well. It's a great place to meet other writers to help you. I had already published my first book when I started, but the relationships I've formed with people I trust would be good for finding a critique partner. There is a twitter hashtag of #WWBC and #myWANA where a lot of great people hangout.
If people know of great groups on-line, that would be a good topic on this page. Maybe we could all start one?
"She Writes" is a good site for women writers. It's like a big house with lots of rooms in it. Everything from Memoir to mystery.And they have critique groups too.
I have never heard of that website. I will have to check it out.
I think I'll check it out too - thanks R.P.! In the "real world" critique group I'm with, we actually all write in various genres and even if we're not that "into" the particular genre we acknowledge that with one another and still critique for perhaps spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. But since we've all been together so long, we've actually come to appreciate all of the variety we get exposed to in our group. It's been so wonderful - we're actually getting ready to celebrate our ten year anniversary as a group later this year. :-)
Elle, I'd be interested in working with you and some others on here to put together our own Authors Lounge online group, if that's possible. However, I'm not sure how to go about doing so. Any ideas?
Jillian wrote: "I'm part of a group called Warrior Writer Boot Camp. I actually go to their meetings, but I know they do some online camps as well. It's a great place to meet other writers to help you. I had alrea..."I have been an on and off member of www.critters.org and have had a very positive experience with them. You might want to check them out.
D.A. wrote: "Elle, I'd be interested in working with you and some others on here to put together our own Authors Lounge online group, if that's possible. However, I'm not sure how to go about doing so. Any id..."I am not sure how to do that either, but if you find out, I would love to be involved.
I would like to be a part of a critique group as well. I write fantasy and an occasional mainstream. Perhaps we can bundle together by genres? By the way, I just read an interesting exercise. I was trying to come up with some ideas and I think every writer should try this one (see below). I found it on WritersDigest.com. It might make a good beginning for a critique group here, if we all try this. Maybe a separate discussion though.
Peter Selgin:
"...
My favorite exercise is to ask my students to write two pieces, one at a time, each about a minute long. Piece 1 should rivet the reader; Piece 2 should bore the reader stiff. Each student reads both pieces out loud.
Whenever I’ve done this experiment, in almost every instance the result is the same: The “riveting” piece bores, while the “boring” piece holds interest. There are several reasons for this. In their effort to grip us, beginning writers tend to rush: They equate their own adrenaline with that of the reader. Conversely, when trying to bore, the same writers take their time; they don’t hesitate to lavish 250 words on the subject of a wall of white paint drying. And—to their consternation—the result mesmerizes. At any rate it holds our attention.
But far worse than rushing, in trying to interest us, most writers abandon sincerity and, with it, authenticity. They choose sensational subjects on the basis of little personal knowledge and no genuine emotional investment. They do so on the assumption that their own stories aren’t interesting enough, that what they have to offer isn’t suitably “sensational.” In fact, every human is in some way unique, and this in itself makes us each “sensational” in our own ways.
In pretending to be anyone other than themselves, writers sacrifice the very thing we most crave from them: authenticity.
..."
Mod
By the way, I just read an interesting exercise. I wa..."
Wow, that's interesting.
The Peter Selgin quote was fantastic, Olga! Thanks for sharing.With critique groups, I've found that when I've exposed myself to a variety of genres, it brings more flavor to whatever I may be working on at that time. The critique group members I'm with presently (live and in person) all write in varying genres and yet it helps each of us bring more to the table in our own writing. Case in point - the horror writer in our group is the one who pushes me hardest of all, and thus I've discovered more depth in my charcters, whether I'm writing a thriller or fantasy novel. I've come to believe that when we limit our involvements to just one genre, we limit our voice. Does that make sense?
D.A., you might be right. Sometimes, different genres work better in a critique group. But sometimes they don't, especially with speculative fiction. Fantasy has its own terminology, which more often than not writers of mainstream fiction don't know. For example, in one of my stories I used a witch's familiar. A lady who is a mainstream writer read it and asked me what a familiar is. Then she criticized my magic system. It wasn't really a critique. She just didn't get the genre conventions. But maybe it was just an unfortunate experience. I'm still looking for a critique group.
Olga - sounds like you had a witch in the critique group who didn't understand the purpose of a good critique. I've known a few of those over the years. Keep searching for a good bunch. I guess my comment was more toward not limiting yourself by looking for a group based solely on similar genres. Whatever kind of group you find, be sure and look for those who desire to receive constructive criticism of their own work before dishing on someone else's, especially if they don't give allowance for differences in genre.
