Ever since my creative writing workshops at university (no, it's not as long ago as you think, I went when I was thirty-five), I have been a firm believer in the benefits of writers' groups. Having others read your work and offer feedback is a priceless learning tool. Not only do you learn what's wrong with your writing, you also learn what's good and worth nurturing. Putting your baby into someone else's hands can be terrifying at first, of course, but if you can learn to accept good, honest criticism in the spirit it was given, then you are on the way to becoming a better writer.
I've tried lots of online groups over the years and some of them have been extremely helpful. Critters is a particularly good one and has been going for quite a time. Unlike some out there, it's a non-profit site that relies on voluntary donations from fellow critters to keep going rather than charging a fee. It also doesn't encourage the kind of popularity contests that some others seem to favour. You can join in the community, or not and it doesn't make any difference to the quality or amount of critiques you receive. Of course, the more work you put into your critiquing, the more you get out of it.
Another site I tried was Scribophile. I made some really sweet writer friends there, with whom I stayed in touch afterwards. Scribophile is free to join, but to be able to post more than one or two works and get more focused feedback you need upgrade to their premium service, which last time I checked was $80 for a year. I was apprehensive at first, because it seemed to be one of those places where cliques form and had a bit of a popularity thing going on with being able to become someone's fan and so on. After a while, though, I found the community was decent, on the whole, and I received some valuable critiques. From what I can gather since I left, it has become the writers' version of Facebook in appearance, and in style, but the critiques are still as worthwhile as ever. I left because I spent far too much time on the social side of the site and didn't get enough work done.
In the end, though, you can't beat a good old-fashioned face-to-face group if you can find one. Since I moved to the Portland area I've been looking for such a group and I recently found one. We meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month in a Shari's restaurant and the really cool thing is that we are mostly fantasy and science-fiction writers, although open to any kind of writing. We exchange work by email and write critiques, and then deliver them in person at the meeting, as well as have a lot of fun just chatting. After only two meetings, I already find this group invaluable. Just to be able to sit and talk with other writers is something I've longed for ever since my workshop days at university. And the feedback and critical insights I've received in just two meetings have really helped me to see where I need to focus my attention while editing my work in progress. I hope I can be as helpful to them as they are to me.
So how about you? Who do you share the writing experience with?
10 comments:
I'm a HUGE believer in the value of critique groups. I tried Critique Circle for a while but didn't really like it. It was nice that the site forced you to critique other people in order to have your stuff critiqued, but sometimes that meant that people would read your stuff even if it wasn't their cup of tea. I had one fellow "give up" on my story halfway through, basically declaring that it was too ridiculous to continue - and he still got points for showing up!
I miss my critique groups in college. It was nice to be able to look each other in the face. There's a critique group in my area that meets once a month that I'm trying to join. I hope it works out, and that they're a good bunch.
I'm also networking with "like" people on the Internet - people who I think are good writers and might like my kind of stuff. I've been doing that through the blog and beta matches such as Ladies Who Critique. HIGHLY recommend that site btw!
It's time-consuming to beta people's work, but just as valuable as my own writing time IMO. Because I need those supportive connections.
I've never been a part of a critique group. I've always worked one-on-one with people instead. One reason I've never joined is I don't quite understand how anyone gets their entire novel critiqued in a group if you're only allowed to submit ten pages at a time. It would take a year to get the thing critiqued. Though I can appreciate the value of having several opinions at once on those pages.
I will check out that site Annalise. I could do with finding a critique partner I could swap an entire novel with.
LG that's a valid concern and I think you can't really use that method to get a whole novel critiqued unless you're doing it chapter by chapter as you write - which depends on how fast you write too. I think what I'm going to do with this group is take any problem chapters or stories I'm not happy with and have them cast their beady eyes over things like that.
The nano group in my town is a pretty active bunch and it's incredible what we can achieve when put together. There are only a few that remain active year round, but that's okay. I found an incredible friend and critique partner through the write-ins that were hosted and she and I share things all the time! It's wonderful to have another set of eyes! We both write very different things, but our editing style is similar, so we're a great match when it comes to critiquing. =)
I'm trying Critique Circle right now and I have to admit I like it better than Critters, I couldn't keep up with the once a week requirement for Critters, and I like that Critique Circle has templates for standard questions to answer/ask. I haven't been on there very long though.
I've taken a couple writing classes, which were nice, but have never been a part of a critique group in person.
I like the idea of finding novel swap buddies better.
Cheryl,
I'm up in the air about critiquing places. Usually I want my critics to be people I know when I first work on a piece. I like to know their specific interests, likes, desires, reading interests, etc. In the end, it's also these people that I can trust to really put it to me. They don't have to put up fake airs and pat me on the back. They can usually come out and say, "Rance, this really sucks a dog's chopped-off bollocks!" (I put that word in there just for you.)
(That being said, Katie and I are considering a novel beta-reading group after the Write Campaign is over. We definitely want you in if you think your novel'd be ready for other eyes! We have some ideas we'll run by you if you want to be a part!)
Rance, sure I'll send you my email address and you can fill me in.
By the way, you do realize that calling something 'the dogs bollocks' actually means it's awesome? :D
I share my writing experience with everyone on my blog and Twitter feed. Talking about writing just bores most people, including my family. And I just don't have time for writers' groups.
On that note, consider yourself tagged. See my latest post at scottswrittenwords.blogspot.com
Oh man. I miss having a writing group. With life the way it is right now there's no way I could fit one in. I'm on critters too, but can't seem to get there with regularity. *sigh* Another day and time eh? I just need to wrangle all my Florida writing friends over to my pool once a month. =)
I did a writer's group for almost a year and found myself going insane trying to please the group, so I had to step back and just write the book before I let anyone see it. You have to be very secure with your writing for a group to work (at least for me and in the beginning I was very insecure).
Now I let my daughter read it first, then make edits and changes as I see fit. I don't know if I'll do another writer's group, but am open to one. It has to be a good fit and my last one had a few, um, drama queens in it which made it uncomfortable.
Feedback, though, is invaluable and so there's that...
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