How to Start a Writing Critique Group (Part 1)

Many people ask about critique groups–are they important, how do you find a good one, and how do you start your own? I’ve already addressed the importance issue in a previous post, so today I’d like to talk about how to start your own.

I struggled for years trying to find a group I could physically meet with to review my work. Because of small children at home, scheduling conflicts, and not wanting to drive across town every week, I gave up. Then I was presented with an opportunity to get involved in an online critique group. That was over a year ago. The group started getting so big, that we had a wait list. Once the wait list got long enough, I broke off from the original group and formed my own. I now facilitate this group, which is a children’s writers’ critique group, called Picture This.

From my experience with this, I’d like to discuss several considerations when trying to start a group:

1. Choose the genre you want your group to focus on. This will probably be a natural byproduct of what you are forming a group for in the first place, but if you have several writer friends who want a critique group, but you all write in different genres, you’ll find yourself with two options: either leave the group open to all genres, which can get tricky if you have too many people who have no experience with certain ones, or choose just one or two you can focus on.

2. Decide on an online or in-person group. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Online is obviously great because you can connect with people anywhere. We currently have a member who lives in the UK, which offers an excellent perspective and insight on the UK publishing  market. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts or not making it to a meeting because you’re snowed in (like I am right now). Being able to meet in person is good because you can have in-depth conversations with your members about their work and share critiques in person, which eliminates email “tone” problems.

3. Finding group members. Good places to start when you’re looking for critique group members are local writers’ workshops, writers’ conferences, writer friends and their referrals, mentors, and online writing forums or blogs. One note of warning is to be careful when inviting friends into your group. You may have a great relationship now, but once you start prodding in their manuscripts, you may see a side of your friends that you didn’t know existed!

Another tip is to try to find members who have a similar experience level. It’s helpful to have a couple of members who are more experienced if they’re willing to serve as mentors for the group. If possible, find people strong in different areas of writing. For instance, in my children’s critique group, we have a couple people who are amazing at developing rhyming texts. Others are very strong with plot development; others in word choice or character development. You may not know strengths until you are in a group together, but it makes for a very well-rounded critique group if you can find such members.

Next time we’ll talk about how many members is best and developing group guidelines.

 

Do I Really Need a Writing Critique Group?

In a word, YES. Whether you’re just starting out as a writer or are already a veteran, critique groups can provide many benefits. Let’s face it, critiquing your own work is useless. You’re either going to love everything you write, or you’ll be so hard on yourself that you’ll never make any progress. You’ll stay stuck in the mud, constantly revising your work. Critique groups can provide just the jump start you need to give stale ideas a breath of fresh air, help you figure out an ending to your mystery story, or find just the right word to appeal to the four-year-old audience for your picture book.

Good critique groups offer the perfect balance of constructive criticism and encouragement. In addition to editing and critiquing each other’s work, they are also great places to network, gain new leads, and learn about market trends.

Some words of wisdom when hooking up with a critique group: don’t be in the same group as writer friends, unless you are very good friends who are able to be honest with each other. It’s not worth ruining a friendship over differences in plot line. Also, learn to be open to constructive criticism, and don’t take negative remarks about your work personally. Remember, the idea behind critique groups is that your work will be critiqued! Get used to it!

Once you start looking, you’ll realize that many critique groups exist. If you’re part of a writers’ group, that’s a great place to start your search. If your group doesn’t have one, considering starting your own. You can also check with colleges, libraries, or bookstores in your area.

Another great option is finding or starting an online group. I used to be involved with a local critique group that met twice a month at a coffee shop. But with kids’ activities and my own busy schedule, it didn’t last long. An online group was perfect for me. I now facilitate an online picture book group with members from all over the U. S. We even have one member from the U.K.!

One other tip for being involved in critique groups. Most will focus on a particular genre: children’s, youth, nonfiction, fiction, sci-fi, etc. Even though you may classify yourself in a certain genre, it may be worth your time to check out a critique group that’s outside your niche. I’m pretty much a nonfiction writer, but I once joined a fiction group to learn about writing dialogue, how to pace a story, and how to liven up boring facts! This one group added invaluable tips for my nonfiction writing.

Be adventurous and try something new. A critique group is the perfect, safe place for doing just that!

For aditional tips on starting or being a part of an effective critique group, check out these articles from Chip MacGregor’s blog and Blogs about Critique Partners.