by WB Intern Macy Lane
“Spend too much time alone with your own words, and your writing grows anemic, in dire need of a transfusion.” —Celeste Ng
I’ve never allowed myself permission to say “I”m a writer,” out loud. Until now. Recently, I decided to make some bold life choices to focus on my craft full-time. As I settled into my new normal, I quickly realized that one of the main ways to improve my writing was to be an active participant in a critique group.
A critique group is a small group of writers who gather regularly to share their writing with others. It is an organized, structured way to receive, as well as give, feedback on writing. The thought of sharing my writing with others to evaluate terrified me. Finally, I realized that if I ever wanted to share my words with the whole world, I definitely needed to be able to share them with a group of writers whose main goal was to celebrate growth.
Here are the steps I followed once I made the decision to allow critique groups into my writing routine.
Be Brave, Go Public
The writing community is robust and supportive. There are many places to turn when looking for other writers to help you along your way. To begin with, I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, or SCBWI. There are different levels of membership, as well as a wealth of knowledge about writing. It was through this group that I reached out and found one of my critique groups. I posted on their community boards asking if anyone would be willing to join me on this journey. In my post, I was clear about my level of experience, my goals, and my commitment to writing so that members with similar needs could reach out to me. There are other organizations that you can join as well to meet writers very much like you!
Be Open-Minded and Flexible
When strangers decide to form a group, there are many different viewpoints and people to consider. Members of the group work to find a common meeting time, then establish the structure and norms for how the group will be organized. In my limited experience with critique groups, I’ve found there is always a person who naturally slides into the role of the organizer. As the dynamics of the group are falling into place, it’s important to stay open-minded about protocol and flexible should any adjustments need to be made.
Research
Before the first meeting, it helped me to research critique groups. Specifically, I was curious about etiquette, guidelines, and how to navigate the sometimes rocky road of providing feedback on others’ writing. A fellow writer shared the SCBWI Critique Group Guidelines with me, and it truly helped a lot. Ultimately, once the critique group is established, you can finetune expectations based on your individual group’s needs.
Prepare
These days everyone is beyond busy. It is important to enter into a critique group prepared. There will be meetings scheduled, deadlines to reach, as well as the need to set aside time to critique others’ writing. Prepare yourself for that, both mentally and logistically. Keep your calendar nearby and update it often. In a critique group, everyone deserves a fair share of the attention. Essentially, you want to give as good as you get, and being prepared is what makes that work.
Be Vulnerable
It takes a lot of courage to share your writing with the world, especially with a group of people you have just met and whose primary purpose is to give you feedback. The manuscripts that we have labored over and loved for a long time are precious to us. But, they may not always receive the reaction you’d imagined. It can be uncomfortable to sit and have others go through your writing in detail, but I promise that if you are vulnerable and open to encouragement, you will come out better on the other side.
These are a few tips I’ve recently added to my writing toolbag. I hope you find them helpful. While I am still nervous about my critique groups, I am grateful that there are others who understand me and have many of the same dreams and goals.
Share your thoughts on critique groups in the comment section below.
About the Author
Macy Lane is a lifelong reader and writer currently residing in Austin, TX. Words have always been magical to her and the authors above are but a few who have genuinely and truly impacted her life. In time, she hopes to share her own stories with the world and perhaps spark the love of reading and writing in others. She plans to do this from the school bus she and her husband are converting into a tiny home so they can travel across the country!
I need to find a group and be vulnerable. Very informative.