Writing is a solitary job. The author can spend days, months and even years working on a story. In the end, does the world that was perfect in your head make it to the page exactly as you intended? Is the story filled with complex living characters that breath, and commit or solve crimes? Or are you so close to them that you missed something. That’s where an outside opinion helps.
A list of links to resources and blogs is listed at the end of the article
1) Goal of the Group
It’s essential that all members agree with the overall goal of the group. Is the goal just to write stories for personal reasons and talk about writing? Or the critique group’s goal may be to write and get published. The main focus of the other members may be an issue if most are concentrating on short stories and one member is working on novels. The one person may feel that they’re not getting the advice they need.
2) Regular Meetings
The frequency of meetings should be something that everyone is comfortable with and can easily fit into their into their family, work or general life activities. Some groups manage once a week, others are more comfortable with bi-weekly, or monthly meetings.
Setting a regular schedule creates deadlines. Which makes you write. This exercises the brain and the “writing muscle” which improves your writing skills.
3) Size of the Group
Keep it small. Remember, you’re not only writing, but you also need to critique the others and provide equal time. If everyone is working on novels, a group of 4 is ideal. Keeping the group small also helps the author incorporate the comments into their work. Too many suggestions, especially if they differ from each other, can be overwhelming.
Adding new members: People will leave the group for several reasons, work or family commitments, moving out of town. Any new members should be added after a discussion and then consensus of the group.
4) Format
The best format would be to email copies to each other in advance. Set a deadline and adhere to it. The worst thing is to receive the material the night before. This will save time from reading the material aloud during the meeting.
Members can bring the printed pages for the next month’s meeting. Some people may prefer to do editing on hard copies.Comments are made directly on the manuscript (electronically or on hard copy) and returned to the author after the discussion at the meeting. This also means that minor typos or repeated errors don’t need to be dealt with at the meeting.
Once a novel is completed, the entire novel can be sent to the rest of the group so that it’s critiqued as a whole. An extra meeting is scheduled to workshop the novel.
5) Group Members
Some blogs suggest everyone should be writing in the same genre and be at the same skill level so that the experienced writers don’t waste their time.
I don’t agree. From my own experience and talking to members of other groups, I find that the opposite is true. The group benefits from having a variety of people of different writing backwards. Even if someone doesn’t read that genre, they’re still able to critique something, such as continuity, character development. In this way stories can receive unique perspectives and comments don’t become stagnated.
6) Be Honest
If a friend or relative reads your work and says that it’s wonderful, that’s very flattering and may even give your ego a boost. There’s nothing wrong with that for a writer. But if you’re part of a critique group, that’s not helpful to the author. If you find a plot hole, or something isn’t clear, or if characters are not fully developed, then be honest and say so. Remembering of course to be constructive.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with saying something is well written, if it is.
7) Critique But Remember To Listen
The purpose of a critique group isn’t only to improve the story but also sharpen everyone’s critical skills so that they can improve their own work.
When one person is commenting on a story, it’s important that everyone else listens. There might be something you missed or only half considered and didn’t write down. And if someone makes the same point as you, then you can say you agree with that comment and move on, rather than waste time repeating the same point.
Another very important thing to remember when critiquing is that this is not your story. You may not like reading cozies, hardboiled, thrillers, or hate violence, swearing or sex in stories. It’s hard to do, but you need to get past what you object to and look at the story elements. With time it does get easier.
8) Taking Criticism
It’s even more important for the author to listen. Wait until the comments are finished then ask questions. But don’t argue. Consider their point because maybe they see something you missed. Sometimes thinking about the comment that you vehemently disagreed with at the meeting becomes clearer with time. And sometimes it doesn’t. Another difficult thing to learn is which advice to take and which to leave behind. You need to keep the advice that feels right for your story, your style, and what you want to say. As with critiquing outside your genre, this also takes time to learn.
9) Facilitator
Though not essential, a facilitator is useful to keep order and chit chat to a minimum. They keep conversations from intruding on the commentary portion and going off on a tangent, if the group is to get through all the stories in time in an afternoon or evening. Sitting still and concentrating for 2 – 3 hours can be a challenge. Taking a short break with snacks can help recharge everyone’s concentration. Then it’s back to work.
10) Conflict
Writers are already a sensitive breed. It’s important that everyone in the group gets along. If there is one person that is loud, abrasive, or simply rude and can’t seem to get along with the others, the negative environment will eventually impact everyone. It may become difficult to critique the person’s work. A critique from them may become impossible to accept. Eventually the mounting pressure will break down the entire group.
The problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible.A good first step is to have one person to talk to them privately. This will feel less like an attack. It’s possible that they didn’t realize that their attitude was upsetting people. If the situation can’t be resolved, then that person may be asked to leave the group.
ON-LINE CRITIQUE GROUPS
There can be several reasons to join an on-line critique group. If you have a tough schedule where it’s difficult to fit in just one more thing into a busy life. Or perhaps you live in a remote area and find it difficult to travel into the city especially in the winter. Or perhaps you find the face-to-face critiquing just a bit overwhelming. Then an on-line group might be the way to go.
You can form your own on-line group. It’s best to start small with two or three people at first. You can always add more later.
The other option is to join an established one. There are countless on-line groups to choose from. Consider each one carefully, taking a few essential things into consideration. Make sure that the group has a moderator or facilitator, more important here than the in-person group. They keep order and ensure that rules are followed. They also should maintain a password protected site where members post their work and critiques. To guard against plagiarism, confirm that the archives are purged regularly. Check the rules for participation. It’s best if everyone is required to participate regularly. Life happens so missing one or two is not a problem. But you don’t want someone to just lurk in the background.
If after a few meetings you discover that you’ve made a mistake, you can always leave the group.
PROS AND CONS OF CRITIQUE GROUPS
Whether or not you want to join a critique group is up to you. Some of the pitfalls can include inconsistent quality feedback. Criticism maybe taken to heart and can increase self doubt. One person can be overbearing and dominate the group.
There are some advantages. A major one, is having a support system around you and being able to socialize with like minded people. The members support each other through the writing process as well as publishing nightmares. They can share market news, information about publishers and editors.
WHERE DO YOU FIND CRITIQUE GROUPS?
Generally anywhere there are writers such as writing groups
Capital Crime Writers
Ottawa Independent Writers;
Ottawa Romance Writers
Ottawa Writers Circle;
Conferences
Writing workshops run through conferences
Local Festivals
eg Ottawa International Writers Festival;
Creative Writing Classes (Universities, Colleges, Community Centres)
BLOGS & RESOURCES
Find the Right Critique Group
Dangers of Writing Groups
Rules for Starting a Writing Group
Critique Group Guidelines
Find the Right Online Critique Group for You