Writing & critique groups -- To join or not to join?
I hear a lot about writing groups and critique partners, both from published authors and from pre-published. I've noticed that it can be a controversial topic. Should you join one? Should you go it alone?
It's all personal preference. For some writers, sitting at a desk can get awfully lonely; they thrive on interaction and feedback. For other writers, sitting alone at a desk is bliss; and while they may enjoy socializing with other writers, when they write they write alone.
I'm the later kind of writer. When I'm really digging into a project, my office door is closed, my headphones are on, my favorite writing music is playing. You can't get much more alone than that. I guess I work like that because way back when I started writing, I didn't know any other writers, and no writers equals no writers' groups. So I started working solo, and have worked that way ever since.
It's also rare for me to discuss plot details of a project I'm working on with anyone. And my husband and my agent are the only people who will see parts of a work in progress. My agent (Kristin Nelson) gives awesome feedback that is always right on target. She has never been wrong. Kristin is also my first reader once a project is complete. Unless I have a problem I just can't get past, the first time anyone reads a book I'm writing is when it's finished and as polished as I can make it. Then it's off to Kristin for review/feedback. After Kristin, it's off to my editor Anne Sowards at Ace Books. Nothing gets past Anne. ; ) She can spot a hairline crack in a plot from a mile away.
Once I have Anne's stamp of approval, I'll print a couple copies of the manuscript for select friends and family who've been waiting for a new Raine/Mychael/Tam story.
Coming up this week: A new contest (more details tomorrow). And an author friend of mine is having a booksigning this week (I'll be there), more details in tomorrow's blog. And later this week, music I listen to while writing, how I plot a book, analysis of my query letter for MLTF, and book writing is hard work. Who knew? ; )
Lisa
It's all personal preference. For some writers, sitting at a desk can get awfully lonely; they thrive on interaction and feedback. For other writers, sitting alone at a desk is bliss; and while they may enjoy socializing with other writers, when they write they write alone.
I'm the later kind of writer. When I'm really digging into a project, my office door is closed, my headphones are on, my favorite writing music is playing. You can't get much more alone than that. I guess I work like that because way back when I started writing, I didn't know any other writers, and no writers equals no writers' groups. So I started working solo, and have worked that way ever since.
It's also rare for me to discuss plot details of a project I'm working on with anyone. And my husband and my agent are the only people who will see parts of a work in progress. My agent (Kristin Nelson) gives awesome feedback that is always right on target. She has never been wrong. Kristin is also my first reader once a project is complete. Unless I have a problem I just can't get past, the first time anyone reads a book I'm writing is when it's finished and as polished as I can make it. Then it's off to Kristin for review/feedback. After Kristin, it's off to my editor Anne Sowards at Ace Books. Nothing gets past Anne. ; ) She can spot a hairline crack in a plot from a mile away.
Once I have Anne's stamp of approval, I'll print a couple copies of the manuscript for select friends and family who've been waiting for a new Raine/Mychael/Tam story.
Coming up this week: A new contest (more details tomorrow). And an author friend of mine is having a booksigning this week (I'll be there), more details in tomorrow's blog. And later this week, music I listen to while writing, how I plot a book, analysis of my query letter for MLTF, and book writing is hard work. Who knew? ; )
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
7:58 AM
3 Comments:
I agree joining a group is a matter of preference, but practicality comes in too. I've always had a hard time in this neck of the woods finding other SF/F writers; others don't always get the genre. I also had the experience of being in a short-story critique group, and being the only writer who'd sold anything. I rarely got the help I was looking for. Even if a group works for someone, I still think writers need to be their own editors.
Is that how you work?
I've always been my own editor. Since I'm an editor at an advertising agency in my day job, I'm used to it.
For me, online critique group is wonderful! It's nice to bat ideas round (there are private forums so you know who you're discussing things with), have a pickmeup when Isuckitis hits, have a laugh/cry and general support. It's making me a stronger writer :) And nice to know what doesn't work early on in the revision process.
It doesn't make writing any easier, in fact its harder when half the people would perfer a chapter to start one way, and the other half another way, but at the moment its workin well for me.
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