Critique Groups

Someone (besides me) needs to read my work-in-progress manuscript. My self-editing helps to find most errors, but I worry my emotional attachment to the work might cause me to overlook a problem. I need a second opinion, with an objective eye to let me know if my intended message is coming through. The question is, who?

I won’t ask my husband. He’s a non-fiction kind of guy. My three children and parents have read my manuscript and loved it. The praise is great, but come on, as a new writer there must be a few necessary adjustments. Even if my family members did notice something was wrong they wouldn’t know how to fix it. I need an objective appraisal of my work and suggestions about how to make it better. I could hire an editor, but that would be expensive. Another option is to join a critique group. A critique group is a club of writers who read each other’s work for the purpose of helping one another improve. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but after attending a discussion on critique groups on Sunday I’m more motivated than ever to find a group.

The discussion was sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. The session was lead by published authors Hilari Bell and Anna-Maria Crum. The two of them belong to a Denver critique group that has been in existence for more than twenty years. They emphasized two key components to a successful critique experience are: the readers need to give constructive criticism and the author should listen without becoming defensive.

Hilari also suggested a larger group is preferable over a smaller one. That way if a few writers move, the organization can stay in operation, while they recruit new members. A second advantage is you get a better consensus about your manuscript.

Anna-Maria said she learns as much from analyzing other people’s manuscripts as she does when her own is critiqued. I hadn’t thought about that. I figured you would be reading theirs solely as payback for reading your own. Learning from their work is an extra bonus.

I enjoyed the discussion so much I’m anxious to join a group right away. Several other writers there were looking for groups, too. We exchanged cards. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to start a new critique group.

Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for. Socrates