Being a writer is a very lonely job and that is often why we do it. We enjoy the solitude even though we are not hermits. Most writers I know are extremely social. We relish meeting people from all horizons and learning about them. Their lives, opinions, and experiences enrich our story-lines. However, socializing is not just a source of inspiration, it is also a well of support.
I’ve been part of a critique group for nearly a year now, and although we don’t meet often, knowing they’re there, willing to dissect my work and give me an honest opinion at a moment’s notice, is greatly comforting. Their advice has improved my craft to a degree I’m not sure I would’ve ever reached on my own, and giving them advice has made me a better writer too. We may not write the same stories, but we love turning words into sentences. And what an array of sentences we can come up with using the same words.
For those of you who do not have a writing group yet, create one. The members will become your coworkers, your teammates, the people you can bounce ideas off when no one else knows what the heck you’re talking about. They will pry you out of writer’s block and push you along the path you’ve decided to trek.
I’ve read many blog posts from other authors about their critique club. Most of them see it as a very serious vehicle with set goals and no allotted time for conversations unrelated to the craft. That is not my vision, nor is it that of my fellow members.
I agree that every critique group should have objectives, whether it is to write the next great American novel or an opinion piece for the New Yorker; that its members should all speak the same language and hover around the same writing level. What I don’t agree with is the avoidance of getting personal. I want to know where you’ve been and what you’ve done if I’m going to be interested in who you are and what you dream of.
And I believe the sentiment is mutual.
Roses can bloom without a trellis, but they will reach unimaginable heights with a little extra support. And so will you with a critique group.