C is for Critique Groups by Susan Barclay

  

I have to admit, it's been a while since I was part of a critique group. The one I'd been in for over a dozen years fell apart after the death of one of our members in 2018. Before it could be resuscitated, Covid hit and had all of us taking cover in our homes. Still, I think writing groups are valuable in helping us grow in skill, and the well-aimed critique makes us think and gives us tools for improving.

As I reflected on this topic, I came across this website, which raises a number of helpful points on how to critique well. I won't go into all of them here but simply highlight a few:

1. Make your feedback actionable. If you're vague in identifying problems, the writer may not know how to resolve them, leaving her frustrated and uncertain. If you're clear, the writer can more easily move forward, assuming she agrees with your suggestions and corrections.
   
2. Balance criticism with kindness. Accepting criticism is easier if it is done with the right attitude and delivered in the right tone. Our writing often feels like our "babies," and we can feel hurt when people point out flaws. So don't just identify what's wrong with a piece, notice what's right with it too. Explain what's lacking, convoluted, or incorrect, but also gush about what you loved.
   
3. Keep it honest. If you want someone to say they love everything you've written, don't join a writers' group; show your work to your family members! To develop as an author, though, it's essential to receive honest critiques. Maybe you'll discover you need to work on grammar and punctuation or learn how to ask the right questions; maybe your issue is that you have trouble seeing the big picture; perhaps reading other writers in your preferred genre will prove helpful. Listen to what your writing friends tell you, sift through their suggestions, set your work aside for a bit, come back to it; trust your gut.

My old writing group has gotten together a couple of times for socials over the last two years but it hasn't revived to fulfill its original purpose. An attempt to rekindle a second former group is off to a faltering start as a couple of us are in seasons that make it difficult to write or to meet. At some point it will happen but that time isn't yet. Maybe it is for you.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on critique groups if you've been, or are, part of one. With online options, they no longer have to be in-person. What have you found works for you? 

________________________

For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit her blog: https://susan-barclay.blogspot.com/

Belonging to a Writing Group by Sharon Espeseth

In one of her recent Fellowscript columns, Glynis Belec mentioned that we all have a need to know our work is read, received, and respected. Where could you better have this longing met than in a writing group?

I am a founding member of the Women Word Weavers in Barrhead that started about 25 and 30 years ago. In our case, we are now a group of 12 to 15 women, with average attendance of about 8 to 10. Some of us started getting together when our kids were small. Over the years, we have individually weathered many of life's high and lows: divorce, depression, death of a spouse, job changes, midlife crisis, grandparenting, achievements, rejection, publication . . . Well, you get the idea, and we have supported each other through all of this.

Not only writing colleagues, but friends, we look forward to getting together once a month. If we need help with our writing in between, we meet face to face, e-mail or phone one another. We try to keep our whole operation simple--no membership fees, no budget, and no slate of officers. Instead of having one chair person plan all the meetings, we take turns preparing and chairing the meetings, although we give newcomers a break at first. We also take turns bringing a basic snack, nothing fancy. A cup of tea or coffee and a cracker is nice, but secondary to our writing agenda.

A fancier lunch for an overnight retreat at Audrey's house

For several years we met at Carol Stewart's basement. And it was Carol who was our initial connection with InScribe or ICWF. When Carol was no longer able to host, we held the meetings in my basement. Last year when our son moved home, we took turns meeting in other member's homes for a while. Then Shirley Williams, another InScriber, asked permission for us to meet in the fireside room of the church she attends.

The chair person for each meeting prepares prompts for free writing, warm-up writing exercises, focussed writing, sharing any of the day's writing, sharing and critiquing writing from home, business ideas and brags. Yes, we encourage you to tell us of your stresses, but also of your successes. At our last meeting, we celebrated Susanne's acceptance for having a poetry chap book published by her publisher of choice. Yeah!

We invite each writer to bring a piece of writing to share. Critique can be a harsh word and may sound scary. Really, we tell the reader what we like about the piece, what we'd like to hear more of, or we may mention a suitable market. If the reader tells us this is a first draft, we listen and make general comments. If the person has done two or three drafts of her piece and is asking for more serious critique, we offer more precise observations. For detailed editorial comment, we suggest the reader bring enough copies so each listener can follow along.

For a year and a half, I've been Satellite Group Liaison for ICWF. InScribers refer to these groups as Satellite Groups, InSpiration Groups, or Critique Groups. Then each groups makes their own name for their group. Members ask me if I know of anyone writing in the area where they live. Non-members discover our groups at inscribe.org, and send queries. For me, it is rewarding to connect people who are looking for writing comrades. Through InScribe, however, they are pleased to find other writers who have the same faith. Whether one writes Christian or secular material, it is good to connect with others who have a similar world view.

Through our groups, we are encouraging, supporting, and honouring other writers who feel passionate about writing and who believe they need to use their talents to honour the One who gifted them in this way. I am pleased to say we are getting two Satellite Groups started in Edmonton, a second one started in Calgary (south), and more recently a new group in Whitecourt will be starting in June.

Congratulations, thanks, and blessings to the people taking the initiative to begin a group in their area.