Wednesday, May 13, 2009

How Do You Find A Critique Group?

Litgirl01 asked us about finding critique groups. Critique groups (or writer's groups) can be a great way to combat the loneliness of writing. They also provide valuable reviews by a group that stays with you long enough to see the evolution of a long story or novel. And, a good group will keep a writer on a regular schedule.

Critique groups can either be online or in-person. Online groups allow you to work with your own schedule, and perhaps more importantly for your question, they are easy to find!

1. The Zoetrope Virtual Studio was started by Francis Ford Coppola in 2000. Over 10,000 members participate, which may seem overwhelming, but the site is organized so that writers can go to separate “buildings” like the Short Story building, the Novella building, and of course, the Screenplay building. Writers within a specific genre can also find each other in public or private offices. Within the main boards, a writer must review 5 pieces for every 1 that they post. Reviews include ratings, and the reviews themselves are rated by the recipient. Bestsellers and editors frequent the site, even F.F.C. himself, on rare occasions.

2. Critique Circle Online Writing Workshop was started in 2003 by Sigrún Erna Geirsdóttir and Hulda Bjarnadóttir. It’s smaller, with about 2,200 active members. Like Zoetrope, you can participate in public or private forums. There’s a point system to maintain the proper checks and balances in reviewing the posting. This site can be free or it can cost money, depending on the services you want to have.

3. You can set up private online groups using sites such as Proboards. I’ve been a moderator for one of these sites for a few months, so let me know if you want an invitation to check it out.

4. In-person groups are harder to come by, but a good group is well worth the effort. I’ve been a member of two in-person groups. They’ve typically had about 5-6 members. I started one myself, which I think is a great way to stay focused on the genres you’re interested in. I simply sent a sign-up sheet around at a local author reading and made some follow up calls afterwards. Some of my published writing teachers rely heavily on their groups, which include both published and unpublished writers.

5. While I’d recommend starting your own, sites like Craigslist often post ads looking for people to join writers’ groups. (Just be careful who you meet.) You can also check out libraries and bookstores to see if anyone has posted up ads. If you’ve got writer friends or classmates that live close by, I’d start with them.

28 comments:

  1. Great information and ideas, Davin! Thank you. Did you have a critique group in Paris at all?

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  2. Thanks for the informative post, Mr. Malasarn. My heart grew three times larger while reading it.

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  3. It's hard to find the right fit. But it's well worth it when you do. Critiques are invaluable and I know writers who are published that have never belonged to a crit group. But to me, you need those extra eyes. :)

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  4. Thanks for the post and thanks Litgirl01 for asking the question in the first place!

    The one thing that has always scared me about crit groups (other than putting myself out there for public humiliation) is the fear of someone stealing my idea. How do you protect your work in a online crit group? I know, I know, I should trust people more. : ) I just have this innate fear of someone stealing - so he writes with a big grin and a wink - my brilliance.

    I'll have to check both the groups you mentioned out. I also wouldn't mind checking out the site you moderate as well.

    Thanks again for the post.

    S

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  5. Who knew you could find a critique group on Craig's List. Is there anything you can't find there?

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  6. Great post....those extra set of eyes are very helpful. I might add the importance of recognizing the need to have a similar minded/yoked critique group. It does no good to be in a group if those writers do not write or understand what your genre is.

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  7. Thanks for the information. I've been wondering about this for some time now, so this is helpful.

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  8. Scott, that exact reason is why I do not participate in online critique groups. I am just too fearful. And it seems posters on online forums, have no problems giving downright nasty critiques... I don't need negativity. Constructive criticism is one thing, when it's given in a way that is honest without being harsh. But the rudeness I've seen online is wrong. I think people in face to face situations tend to be more respectful.

    I was incredibly lucky when I found my writers group. I did an online search for a writers group in my city and found a link for www.meetup.com. You can search for a group about anything- wine, dance, games, etc....and search by the city you live in.

    Our group has about 50 members, BUT, I'd say only about 25 are active. The average meeting has about 8 attendees. There are 4 meets a month, week 1 and 3, it's a weeknight meet, week 2 and 4, a weekend meet. You go to what you can, skip what you can't. Some people can only make weekend meets.

    I was one of the early joiners- the group formed in Sept. of 06 and I joined in Jan. of 07. At that time there were only about 15 of us. Out of that 15, there are 6 of us that currently meet privately once a month. They are truly my writing soul mates. I love meeting new writers and sharing my work in the other meetings. It's really great to constantly get new and different opinions, BUT, my core group are the ones I trust hands down.

    I truly hope all writers can find what i have found with my writers group.

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  9. Great post! I found my in-person group at a writing conference. I was eavesdropping on two ladies in the lunch line. Really. ;-)

    My online group(s) I've joined because of my participation in forums. Relationships were formed and after a period of months, friendship and finally critique groups. I've been so blessed to find my online group.

    I currently run a group using a RallyStorm forum to keep things private. It's fantastic!

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  10. I keep seeing this "I'm afraid someone will steal my ideas" thing. What's that all about? Does this actually happen in real life? Does anyone really have unique ideas that other people could/would run off with?

    I'll give you all the ideas I have for my next three books, if you like. Thing is, I still get to keep the ideas even after I give them to you. I really don't see this as a valid concern, really I don't.

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  11. Lady Glamis, I'm a member of Zoetrope, so I had the online support while I was in Paris. Through Zoetrope, I also connected with a Paris writer who ended up giving me one of the most helpful reviews of my book.

    Scott, I guess there is technically always a threat that someone will steal your idea. You do have some things working for you, though. First, you have a copyright on your work, and if someone should try to steal it, you have some legal actions you should take. Second, at least from my experience, most writers have big enough egos that they'd rather come up with their own ideas than steal someone else's. And, even if they stole a premise, I think the personal writing of the story will keep your work unique enough. I've gabbed on and one about my next book idea, and I've even had two people tell me that they are going to steal the idea. As soon as they tell me how they're going to write it, I see that their concept is completely different from my own. Now, I'm actually interested in having multiple people write the same story.

    Stephanie, Thanks a lot for your thoughts! I just wanted to mention one thing about the negativity. It is true that on Zoetrope you will occasionally get a very negative/inappropriate review. But, once that happens, you can complain to the moderator who often will remove that member. The majority of the writers will be on your side, so you will have no trouble finding a sympathetic ear should your feelings be hurt.

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  12. For anyone who writes science fiction, fantasy or horror, I strongly recommend the Online Writing Workshop. (Originally hosted by Del Rey). There's a small fee and you have to give crits to get crits, but it's an awesome group; many of the members have gone on to be published, and some agents who rep those genres even encourage you to mention you're a member. I also found my smaller more personal crit group through the OWW.

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  13. Thanx s for the informative post. Craigslist for writers sounds a bit sinister lol. I wish I truly understood the intrinsic value of being in one. I will explore...

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  14. Normally I'd agree with Bailey (darn you, other Scott), but he stole every book idea I ever had and replaced all the protagonists with characters from Shakespeare plays.

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  15. I like having small online groups. I'm in one based on the SCBWI list-serv and in one based on a group of friends who met after we all failed the first ABNA competition.

    But I also meet in-person. Our grous is small--just the two of us--but it got started when I emailed my local writer's group looking for members.
    There's something invaluable about meeting in person--asking immediate follow-up questions and really getting a feel for what works and doesn't.

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  16. Tara and Elana, Thanks for the group finding tips!

    T. Anne, a lot of the comments address some great reasons to be in a group. I think they're essential, but not everyone works that way. Maybe you're a natural loner. Some great books come out that way.

    Beth, I wondered if you and Robyn were the only two in the group. I think that's really cool. Talk about being able to help each other! Immediacy is definitely the best point in an in-person group. You can have a dialog, which helps to get insecurities out of the way faster.

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  17. Another way to find critique groups is through Yahoo. We have a writers' support group with close to 30 members so far (all 18 years and older). While this is strictly a support group, members are encouraged to contact each other off-loop for critiques. They can either create their own critique group this way or just match up with a partner from the same genre.

    If anyone's interested in joining, contact me.

    Lynnette Labelle
    http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com

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  18. Thanks for the links and the detailed information about them.

    I know I'd still be making the same mistakes over and over if I'd never taken the plunge and joined a critique group.

    And, can I add, I've learned so much by critiquing other writer's work.

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  19. I found mine through an online friend (heehee! you know who you are.)

    I've also found some great critique friends through blogging.

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  20. Thanks for the info Davin! That helps a lot!! ;-)

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  21. PJ- maybe we should avoid Craig's List...we don't want to come across the crit group killer! Hmmm...now that could be a story.

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  22. Litgirl, Re: Craigslist--"He steals your story, then he steals your life."

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  23. Jill, great point. You also learn from critiquing others. Yes!

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  24. Davin...LOL!!!! That really happened to MC. :-)

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  25. Thanks for the insightful and informative posts, Davin. I'll definitely need to look into some of the resources provided here.

    Cheers!

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  26. A trawl through the local papers may well list a writing group nearby. An internet search can help.

    Our writing group has gained several members who have found us via Google.

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  27. Scott, about the copying--I'm not sure it's the Big Idea that people fear will get stolen--it's so hard to take a novel from start to finish that the chances of someone else executing your idea are incredibly remote. But particularly for those who write literary fiction, the words you chose, the way you describe something, a particular metaphor you employ, etc.--the very way you string words together in a particular passage--that is your unique stamp on the story (think Arundhati Roy, opening of "The God of Small Things"), and a striking line or a phrase would be very easy to "steal" and use in any other story. That would worry me more than the plot.

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