I’m convinced that finding a critique group is harder than finding the perfect pair of jeans.
A friend (who shall remain nameless), gave me a copy of the book, The Wednesday Sisters, and said she wished she had a critique group that was as supportive as her knitting club.
Now before you roll your eyes, let me say that my friend is a serious writer. She can take criticism and dish it out. What she meant was that it’s difficult to separate dedicated writers from weekend hobbyists. Like dating, you don’t always marry the first person you meet.
I’m an active member of the Orange County Chapter of the Romance Writers of America (OCC-RWA) and the Chick Lit Writers of the World (CLW). Now that I’ve belonged to these groups for over six months, I’ve noticed that the first thing new members do is search for critique partners. Sometimes I read the e-mails from new members, and I sense their frustration. Many writers, like my friend, hear no response at all.
Joining an organization like RWA is just the first step towards finding a critique group. Getting involved with a local chapter is the next step.
One way to connect with members of your local chapter is through social networking sites, like Facebook and MySpace. Better yet, follow them on Twitter. Twitter is a great resource to learn more about someone. Just lurk for awhile. Figure out what you can offer a potential partner, and then answer any questions they have. Be helpful.
But what if your local chapter is hours away? Then try Meetup.com, or Friendster.com, which allow members to search by zip code, for everything from book clubs to critique groups.
Yes, social networking is time consuming, but so is rewriting. A critique group is like the perfect pair of jeans. You could spend your whole life searching, but once you find them, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
For more advice on critique groups, visit http://julieleto.com/advice_for_writers.html.
