Dee Savoy

I was talking with an aspiring writer the other day who mentioned my dislike for critique groups. And I thought, where have I ever said that? Turns out it’s on my own website. Oh. It’s true, sort of. Most people who ask me about critique groups are greener than grass. They’ve barely put two words down on paper and they want someone else to pass judgment on what they’ve written. It’s at this stage a critique group can be a hazard. Any good critique group is going to give some honest feedback that the newbie writer’s ego and sense of themself as a writer may be too fragile to withstand some frank commentary. In all likelihood what they’ve written isn’t very good and someone out there will have the guts to tell them. I’ve seen quite a few potentially good writer stop writing at the first intimation that their work is not ready for the NYT bestseller list.

How to make a critique group work for you:

1. Have some work to show: Not just a page or paragraph or even a couple of chapters. Get halfway through the book at least before you show it to anyone. Work out a few kinks in the story on your own by reading craft books and scouring the web for advice. Get a feel for who you are as a writer before you give anyone else a chance to define you.

2. Be open to constructive comments. A critique group is not the place to go for unadulterated praise. You’ve got your family for that. Accept that your work probably needs help and be willing to listen to ways to improve.

3. Join the right group: A cut-throat group of published authors may not be the right place for a newbie author (if they let you in their group to start with). You might need a more nurturing environment.

4. Take the good and leave the bad: Not all advice needs to be heeded. Often in a critique group the advice given may even be contradictory. Learn to implement only those suggestions that resonate with you and leave the rest aside.