In part 1, I wrote about group formats. When you are searching for a new (or your first) group, you obviously want to ask about format and meeting frequency, and select a group that mirrors your style and amount of free time. I recommend a face-to-face group as more personal and social than critiques conducted via email.
Other questions to ask before joining:
- What type of writing is preferred? Is it all fiction, non-fiction, or a mixture of both? What about poetry? Many novelists find non-fiction or poetry extremely hard to critique. To be an effective critiquer (as opposed to a beta reader) you should possess a good understanding of the craft, and there are distinct differences between these types. I have never mastered poetry, for example, and would have little of any use to say.
- What about genre? You may prefer a group that specializes and is well read in your chosen genre. If you’re a hard-core sci-fi writer, you may be uncomfortable reading and critiquing a steamy romance. As a contemporary writer, maybe you just can’t grasp the unfamiliar names and bizarre concepts in high fantasy. On the other hand, it can be beneficial to hear from readers outside your genre, especially if you want a wider, more mainstream audience. Good plots and characters are universal, and flaws are sometimes easier to see when you can put aside your love for the genre. What if your military thriller is so chock-full of weapon specs that the layman can’t read past the first ten pages?
- Level of writing: Do you want to be in a group with folks of the same experience level, or do you like to mentor beginners, or garner advanced tips from an author with several books to their name? Make sure that the group is willing to reciprocate. It can be frustrating for everyone if members that have been writing for years have to be forever patient with a mess of a manuscript because it’s creator hasn’t studied their craft. I have witnessed great results where group members are at a similar stage in their writing careers.
- Group guidelines and rules: Every group should have guidelines, though let’s hope they don’t read like government Statutes. It helps to know up front the basic rules governing behavior, how or when members can be removed, who is expected to host, is there an owner of the mailing list, how few members must be present before a meeting is called off, etc. Most groups offer a probationary period for new members, during which either side can withdraw with no hard feelings.
- How often will your pieces be critiqued? Depending on meeting length and the number of attendees, it is possible that not everyone will have a chance to read their piece. Some groups keep membership at a level low enough for everyone to get a slot at every meeting, at the risk of cancelling the meeting if there are several cancellations. Other groups keep membership high to allow for folks not attending, but if everyone does then there is insufficient time for all. Ask what the group does in these situations. Those who missed out should be first in the queue at the next meeting. If you are getting too infrequent exposure for your material, ask yourself if this is the right group for you.
- Are you expected to bring pages every meeting? If you are a slower writer, you might be content to bring pages every 2nd or 3rd meeting, and simply show up to critique other members’ work in between. Is this allowable to the group, or do they prefer more active or prolific writers? If you take a short hiatus from writing, will you be asked to leave the group? On the other end of the scale, many writers like the motivation of creating material for every meeting, especially if it is weekly.
Writers group Etiquette
Here is a selection of do’s and don’ts that will make you a valuable and respected member of a group. Oh, if everyone followed these simple rules! If you find yourself in a group of domineering know-it-all’s that want to rip your work apart but expect you to love theirs… eject!
- DO be polite, sociable and friendly. This should be obvious. Leave behind the woes of the day – this is your special time to be with kindred souls.
- DO start with some socializing, but get down to business within 30 minutes.
- DO be prompt. Respect other people’s time. Call or text ahead if you are running late, so that the group can start without you.
- DON’T no-show. Give plenty of warning if you need to cancel. It’s a good idea for someone in the group to shoot out a group email or text a few days prior, to confirm who is attending.
- DO print ample copies if bringing hardcopy. The confirmations from the note above helps.
- DO critique the writing and never the person. Don’t judge the author but only what they put on the page.
- Even if you don’t like the genre, make your best effort to be objective and try to empathize with the target audience.
- DON’T be selfish enough to only turn up when you want a critique. Unless group rules say otherwise, always attend even if you have no pages of your own to bring. Every other member values your critique, so be fair and be there to give it.
- DO ask each writer for the level and type of feedback they require. It is extremely beneficial to tailor your critique. Do they want you to mark up typos, grammar, repeaters, etc., or do they want you to focus on flow and pace? Do they want you to pay attention to the dialog, or are they only interested in big picture comments? Ask.
- DO be honest but gentle. Lying so as not to hurt someone’s feelings is of no value. You must be honest to properly assist the writer, but tread softly. No one likes hearing how his or her hero isn’t believable, or the scene is just flat out boring, so take care in how you deliver the message. Be sensitive of their feelings. Explain carefully in a non-threatening tone and be clear. Never just say “it sucks!”
- DON’T only point out the bad. Balance your critique and draw attention to what you liked, what worked. If the writer knows what worked, he or she will be sure to preserve it when ruthlessly editing. It often helps to puts ticks on the page by every sentence or paragraph you liked.
- DO make suggestions. Maybe you have a tip or idea for solving the problem with their scene, but avoid the temptation to tell them what to do.
- DO make your pages readable. Pretend you are showing them to an agent or editor. Double-spaced with wide margins. Leave plenty of room for markup by pen (if using hardcopies). Don’t make members squint at an 8-point single-spaced font!
- DON’T attack fellow critiquers. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Never say, “Bob is wrong, he just didn’t understand your foreshadowing…” Instead, try “Bob raised a good point, but this reader thinks…”
- DON’T be defensive when people are critiquing your work. Don’t explain, complain, or fight back. No matter how clever your plot, or your research or backstory, the reader can only judge by what is on the page. If they missed your subtle phrasing and got confused, maybe you need to rewrite it.
- DO listen and take notes when your work is being critiqued. Try not to react emotionally (see above note), and instead make sure you are paying attention to the commentary – it’s all for your benefit. Anything repeated by several people is likely to be particularly noteworthy.
- DON’T interrupt. Let each person finish before butting in. Group rules should cover whether questions can be asked between each person or only after every critiquer has said his piece.
- DO ask questions of your critiquers. Clarify their comments. Maybe no one commented on a particular aspect of concern to you – ask. But don’t dominate the meeting. Everyone else wants a turn too.
- DO thank your host, and do contribute if it is customary to bring snacks and drinks.
Do you have any other nuggets of advice, or group experiences you feel compelled to share, good or bad? I’d love to hear from you.
