Today I have some questions for YOU:
- Are you currently in / have you ever been in a critique group?
- Was it online or face-to-face?
- What worked? What didn’t?
I ask because, well… I’m starting a very small local critique group, and I feel a bit like I’m jumping into the deep end before learning how to swim.
Why would I do this? The writing group here in town isn’t a ‘critique’ group per se, and the writing group in the next town is a social club rather than an actual writing group (says so on their Facebook, actually…).
It looked like a case of “if I don’t start this, no one will”. I don’t want to be in charge of something else (and hopefully once this gets going, I won’t be “in charge”, it’ll be a group effort), but I desperately need to progress with my edits and get feedback. I want to be querying in September, at the latest. I’ve put it off for far too long.
But since my only experience with critique groups has been online – and in those cases, as lovely as the people were, the actual ‘critiquing’ didn’t pan out on a regular basis – I’m looking for words of wisdom from people who’ve been a part of critique groups that have worked (or not)!
I’m armed with some general knowledge and a copy of The Writing and Critique Group Survival Guide… but what else should I know before this train starts moving?!
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