Critique groups - good idea? Or bad?
Early in my career, I belonged to a critique group that got together twice monthly. It was great for me as a beginning because, I really didn’t know what the heck I was doing! Oh, I took classes, read books and wrote and wrote and wrote. But the beauty of a critique group is feedback. Your fellow critiquers can spot those spelling errors, those holes in logic and wacky character discrepancies. Yup, they’re great for that. I learned a lot from my first group – we all did because we were all beginners and we helped one another. And there lies the rub.
Be especially wary of groups that are harsh in their judgment. I’ve heard of more than one writer who gave up because of the group’s cruel criticism and stopped writing. That’s sad. So if you find yourself in a group that’s not working for some reason, quit! Don’t worry about hurt feelings. This is your career we’re talking about! Find another group or start your own, but for heaven’s sake, don’t stop writing. One thing that has always puzzled me – and maybe someone out there in cyber-land can help. Why don’t men join critique group????? I’d really like to know!
Tags: , characters, crime, critique, mystery, published author, writing