Critique Groups

If you're a writer who has been working alone, at your computer, on your manuscript, you may reach a point where you begin to wonder if you should have others look at your book.

You may be at the phase where you need a critique group.

Or you may not be.

Before you begin searching for a group, you need to ask yourself if you're ready to hand over your words to others and have them, not just read it, but discuss it, mark up your pages, and tell you what they think you're doing wrong. (And, hopefully, what you're doing right.)

Will you be able to handle that? Can you sit and listen without trying to argue or defend? Can you do that week after week?

Are you ready to read the work of others in your group and give them constructive criticism? A critique group is a two-way process. You take advice; you give advice. Do you have the time to critique the work of others in the group. You can't just get advice on your book, then walk away.

Do you have the time to meet with the group every week or once a month or however often they meet. You're making a commitment when you join a critique group.

Are you ready to share more than just your comments on their writing? In most cases, a critique group ends up being more than just discussion on someone's work. Members share tips and advice on writing. They share information they've found out about agents or conferences. You're joining a tight knit group that helps each other in more areas than just the pages submitted each week.

But most of all, are you ready to take the criticism? These are not your family members or best friends. Their job is to keep it real and give you their best advice. It's not always easy to take.

A Different Kind of Reader

What I'm writing about today is not your typical writers' group, nor is it a slam against those groups. I think being in a critique group and having your work read (as well as being motivated to get work ready to present) can be quite beneficial to a writer, especially a beginning writer.

But it's been my own experience, and that of others I've spoken with, that at some point for a lot of writers, you reach a level where you need something more. Or maybe the term should be something less.

Meeting weekly with four or five other writers who read and comment on each other's work can be educational. You can learn a lot about writing that way. You can also lose yourself and your voice that way.

Sometimes your group wants you to have a character do something else or believe something else. Or they re-write passages so that they sound "better."

You have to decide whether they're right, whether you'll take their advice or leave it as is. If you're struggling with sticking with your instincts, which may or may not be right, or going with the group, who may more closely represent the reading public, but who may also have become a closed circle of ideas, then maybe it's time to look for other readers or a different kind of reader.

If so, then consider what kind of readers you're looking for. There's a whole range -- those who write in your genre, those who don't, those who don't write at all but are avid readers, those who are great at line editing, those who see the overall picture and can spot inconsistencies, those who've read for you before, those who have no history with you at all....

If you go this route, then don't burn everyone on the first read. Have two or four read it the first go-round. Get their comments (a group meeting is a good idea), then decide what changes you feel comfortable making. If you've made some big changes, then have a second tier of different readers ready to read. If you need a third tier, then send it out to them after you've made other changes.

Each tier should be composed of new readers -- those who haven't already read a previous version of the manuscript.

Remember, though, the people who read for you have the reasonable expectation that you will read for them in this way. As you get, so shall you give.

Critique Groups

Thinking about starting or joining a critique group?

There are four women in Boston who seemed to have hit on the right combination of people and structure. A little over two years ago, they formed their critique group, meeting every two weeks. Now, two of them have sold books and the other two are poised to follow their path.

During their meetings, they not only critique for each other, they discuss the publishing business. They set out their guidelines and have stuck with them. Meeting every other Monday, they devote the first hour to verbally critiquing 20-page excerpts from two of the four women. The critiques are constructive and the one being critiqued remains silent. The second hour, they discuss business – agents, workshops, and other publishing news.

And they’ve stuck with this – even when one of them left Boston and moved to California. Yep, she’s still part of the group. She attends meetings via speakerphone.

A year and a half ago, they started a blog called The Writers’ Group to share their technique and inspiration.

Four women who wanted to realize their dream of being published joined together, stuck together, and are making it happen together.

Editing Your Manuscript: Stages 4-6

To recap: We’ve covered the first four stages of editing your manuscript –

• Stage 1: Put it aside
• Stage 2: Edit by steps, not marathons
• Stage 3: Let your baby go

On to Stages 4, 5 & 6:

• Stage 4: Re-write some more
• Stage 5: Read it aloud
• Stage 6: Synopsize

Stage 4: Re-write some more

Once you have all the comments, both written and oral, from your readers, work on the manuscript some more. Spend some time thinking about what your group has said and how you can incorporate their ideas and suggestions. Once you’ve decided what to change (and what not to change) and how to work those changes into the manuscript, then sit down and do the work. If you’ve thought it out ahead of time and even worked out the logistics of how to make the changes and have those changes flow smoothly, the work will be not only easy but fun (by fun, I mean enjoyable as you see the improvements you’re making).

If, after another draft, you feel you've made major changes in the manuscript, consider sending it back through your group or onto new, fresh readers.

Stage 5: Read it aloud.

Try reading your manuscript aloud. Either to yourself to get the flow of the dialogue and the pacing -- or onto tapes so you can play it back while you take notes.

If you tape the book, maybe you could give the tapes to a trusted friend or reader and ask them to comment on the flow and pacing, characterization, all those things you've labored over during the re-write.

Stage 6: Synopsize.

Write a logline -- condense the essence of your manuscript down to 20 or 25 words. Can you do it? If not, then spend some time thinking of the theme or major turning point of your book. Once the logline is done, expand it into a one-page summary. Then expand that into a three-page synopsis. Not only is this a good thing to do in terms of being ready to query the book -- agents often ask for a synopsis - it forces you to know the skeleton, the backbone, of your story. I put this as Stage 6, but it works just as well as Stage 2, before you begin the major re-write.

Editing: Let Your Baby Go!

Now, back to editing your manuscript. We’ve covered the first two stages:

• Stage 1: Put it aside
• Stage 2: Edit by steps, not marathons

On to:

• Stage 3: Let your baby go.

You've gone through draft after draft, re-writing, cutting, self-editing, molding your words. In other words, your original draft has grown up, matured. It's time to let it go out to the world. Give it to your critique group or trusted friends.

Some people like to test their work on a critique group or one-on-one readers as they write. That's okay. But what your group saw as you wrote is far different from the polished piece you now have. So, whether they saw the manuscript in its infancy or are reading it for the first time, you need their comments.

They'll find things you missed, even though you've read it so often you're sick of it. They'll misinterpret or not understand something that was perfectly clear in your mind (and the pertinent phrase here is "clear in your mind.") They may even tell you to start the whole thing 50 pages later.

When your group or reader gives you comments, it's important that you listen without worrying about how to respond to or counter their suggestions. It's probably best to even forego taking notes. Tape record if necessary. They will give you their notes, either on the manuscript or separately. That way, you can pay attention, ask them to elaborate or give examples. You might even find it helpful to brainstorm within the group.

But, if your manuscript is too precious to you to even let your group read it, then it's too precious to send it to an agent or editor. Your group or friends may be tough, but they care about you and your career. To an agent, you're just a name on a query letter.

Yes, there are some writers who work alone, like tight-rope walkers without nets. But I'd venture to bet that even they eventually let someone critique or edit. It might be another trusted author or a spouse or even their longtime agent.

More stages to come!