Around
a Table and Online
All the writers in my group have a
passion for journaling. We share personal stories, encourage each other’s work,
and question unclear prose. It’s a low-pressure group meant to stretch our
literary muscles.
In order to become a published
writer, I needed a critique group that challenges me to write a marathon. As a
member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), I found
writers dedicated to the craft of writing children’s books.
Thus my online critique group keeps
me on pace to complete stories and make them shiny. We agreed to accept picture
book manuscripts through young adult.
For picture book manuscripts, every
syllable needs to be scrutinized and edited a dozen times. Okay, that’s me. But
nothing written well is written once. Middle grade and young adult novel are a
bit more forgiving. That doesn’t mean a weak plot or flat characters are acceptable
to readers.
Organizing
a Writing Group
1.
How many members will you accept into the group? Consider how much time you
wish to commit to the group. A writers’ group requires give and take from every
member.
2.
Will you accept newbies to the group? Or do writers need to have a work in
progress? Or one publishing credit?
3.
Whether your group meets in-person or submits online, maintaining a regular
schedule is crucial. Like Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is
showing up.” Of course you need to show up with writing tools and plenty of
paper.
4.
What age group and genres will your group critique?
5.
What is the maximum a writer can submit each session? The submission amount
could be a chapter or 10 pages.
6.
How much time may pass before critiques are completed each session?
I will discuss how to give and take a critique next time.