Critique Groups: Why Writers Need One

You’ll get by with a little help from your friends.

My bag is packed. I’m ready to go. Sorry, John, I’m not leaving on a jet plane. I’m meeting my critique group at the coffee shop soon.

In my writer’s bag I carry folders of notes for my critique group members, my lastest work to submit, and extra copy of my book (you never know who might want one…) a notebook, and my favorite black sharpie pen. I also pack a sharp #2 pencil with a good eraser. Sometimes, I change my mind about a critique.

Oh Babe, I need to go. But first, let me tell you why this meeting is important to me.

My Critique Group Makes Me a Better Writer

So, this is the obvious reason I need my critique group. There comes a point in my writing when I needed to give my work to another set of eyes. That line that I thought was so, so beautiful, turns out to be a cliche. It goes without saying, at the end of the day, I need to think outside the box and grab the bull by the horns… Did you realize I switched verb tenses in this paragraph? And where was I going with this part? See, I need my critique group even now. Group members provide fresh perspectives and offer ideas when I’m stuck.

Besides this, the give and take during critique sessions sharpens my writing skills. Looking closely at someone else’s work helps me to turn the same critical eye to my own writing.

My Critique Group Keeps Me Accountable

Our group has committed to meeting on a regular schedule and we make these gatherings a priority. We’ve established a deadline and agree to submit anything we want critiqued a week prior to each meeting. This motivates me to keep writing. My group also encourages me to “write it real” and they hold me accountable when I my writing strays from my true voice. http://seamslikeastory.com/write-it-real/

My Critique Group Provides Emotional Support

Sort of like a therapy dog, my group leads me in the right direction, calms me when I’m terrified, and picks me up when I’m feeling down. How does this work for a writer? Oh, let’s say you get your first one-star review on Amazon and think the world is ending or you thought you were on the right track, then discover you want to go in a whole different direction with your story and you have to throw out a month’s worth of work or you’ve submitted to many, many places only to learn it’s not the “right fit” and you are certain you are the worst writer in the world and…yeah. Our writer’s egos are fragile.

Where Can You Find These Amazing People?

So now you’re convienced that you do indeed need these people in your writing life. Where do you find them? For me, it started with a writer’s group that meets at our local library. I saw their meeting schedule posted on a flyer and joined in. From there, friendships and common interests developed and five of us formed a critique group. We’ve been meeting regularly for almost four years now. In addition, I partnered with a friend I’d known from my teaching days who is an accomplished free-lance writer. We meet now and then for lunch and exchange thoughts about our latest works-in-progress. Her insights are invaluable to me.

Here’s where I should mention that it takes time for a group or a partner team to establish the kind of trusting relationship that will survive intense, honest feedback. I’ve been lucky enough to have this, but it may take time to find the right group.

Also, keep in mind that groups evolve. Sadly, one of my group members is moving, but not too far. We will need to adapt, but we are committed to finding a way to keep writing and supporting eachother. When you open your writer’s soul to another, deep friendships develop.

If you are looking for a resource for establishing a critique group, check out Telling Tales and Sharing Secrets : Twenty-four Years of a Successful Critique Group co-authored by my friend Diana Kinared.

But now, gotta go. My group is waiting!