In this blog post, we will be thinking about author critique groups, or writing groups. These can often be of great benefit to you, helping your growth as an author and improving your writing. However, there are also some downsides of being in a critique group, such as other members feeling that they need to support you, meaning that they don’t give any negative feedback on your writing, which doesn’t help you in the long run.
This blog post will look at some of the many advantages of being part of a writing critique group, with the next blog post looking at the downsides of these groups. This should help you to make an informed decision on whether to join a critique group and when it is time to leave. First of all, however, we will quickly go over what a writing critique group actually is.
What is a Writing Critique Group?
A writing critique group is a number of people who all enjoy writing and would like to get feedback, as well as being prepared to read other people’s work and give detailed feedback on this. They will meet at regular times (for example, monthly) and discuss and give critiques at these meetings.
Writing critique groups are almost always free and, if you live in an urban area, there are likely to be ones for each genre and sub-genre. Alternatively, you will be able to find more options online, but this will depend on how much you value speaking to people in person. If this is not important to you, online groups may end up being a lot more convenient.
What are the Advantages?
Getting Feedback
Of course, the primary advantage of joining a critique group is exactly what you would think – getting feedback and constructive criticism on your work. A writing group can help you work out where you are going wrong, as well as what works brilliantly. You can exchange notes on how you can all improve your writing, then try to incorporate some new ideas into your book to make your writing shine.
As you are all working towards the same thing and would presumably all like to have a book successfully published, you know that your fellow members will be truly invested in the process of giving honest, carefully considered feedback. Hopefully, this means that they will put time and effort into preparing their critique, helping you to grow as a writer. In addition, they might be more likely to be honest than a friend would if you asked them for feedback, as they know the importance of this rather than just compliments on your writing.
Motivation
Joining a writing critique group can also help you stay motivated through the exhausting writing stage. Other authors in the group will know exactly how hard it is to not slow down and understand your dilemma if you do find yourself lacking motivation. They can offer you encouragement, especially as they will have read what you have written so far. All the group members may find themselves swapping stories of times when they struggled with writing.
In addition, just being part of a critique group can give you motivation, as it makes you accountable to someone else for your writing. If you are expected to bring in at least some new writing (maybe several chapters, or perhaps a specific number of words), this alone can often be enough to give you that extra boost to keep going. Knowing that other people are waiting for your next piece will put enough pressure on you to make sure you carry on writing.
Variety
Another great thing about writing critique groups is the sheer number of options available for you to join. Take some time to figure out your preferences and what you want from a critique group before you choose one to actually join. Do you prefer an online or offline group? Online means that there will be greater variety and flexibility, but you won’t meet the other members in person.
On the other hand, an offline group can make it easier to form connections with the members as you will be meeting them in person. You may also find it easier to give and accept constructive criticism in a face-to-face situation.
There is also a wide variety of critique groups to suit every genre. It is often more effective to work with other writers in your genre, or even sub-genre if possible. This means you are all aiming for the same thing and know what is required for it. If you would like to be in as narrow a group as possible, it might need to be online to find enough members, although you may be able to find one if you live in an urban area.
Meeting other Authors
Joining a critique group also means that you will meet other writers. This can be lovely just from a social point of view, but it can also help you to improve your writing. Different authors will all have their own experiences and views that they can talk about to you, giving depth to your writing. They may also be able to suggest resources that you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Wrapping Up
As you can see, writing critique groups can greatly help you as an author. However, there are also some downsides to this, which we will be looking at in my next blog post.
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