Critique Groups, Part 2
How To Contribute Without Becoming 'That' Writer
Congratulations, you made it through your first critique meeting!
Now what?
Well, once you shake off the adrenaline and tweak whatever you sent in for critique, you'll probably have about four weeks to decide whether you want to stay with this group or keep looking. (If it's the latter, go back to Part 1 on this subject.)
If you've made your decision, or you've been in a group for a while already, then read on; this post is for you!
Moving Forward
By the time you've gone to a handful of meetings, you'll be fairly familiar with the other members of your group and their writing styles. You've probably started to settle into a rhythm, and even relax a little. This is good! But, it also means you can be tempted to run your mouth when offering advice (I struggle with this sometimes, even as an introvert.) Giving constructive criticism gracefully is just as important as receiving it, so let's take a closer look at the process at its best - and worst.
- Finding Something Good To Say, Even If You Hate It
You're not going to like everyone's writing. Not everyone is going to like your writing. That's just the way it is - but it shouldn't affect your ability to help make it better. The point of a critique group is to look at it objectively, even if it's not your preferred pleasure-reading genre. So whether you like a piece of writing or not, do your best to find something positive to say first. And don't pretend to be an expert on everything; if you write sci-fi thrillers and you're critiquing a contemporary romance piece, offer what you know and no more. It's okay to admit when you don't know a lot about a certain genre.
- Be Kind, But Be Honest
This is, in my opinion, the most important principle of critique. There's no need to be cruel - writers have fragile egos already, we don't need any help - but don't ever let something slide that really needs to be fixed, just because you don't want to hurt someone's feelings. If you don't mention it, then (worst case scenario) it could end up in the published version and be ripped apart in the reviews, and nobody wants that. So be warm, be supportive, but call it like you see it.
- Don't Be A Snob
I've known more than one writer who, in some way or another, did not respect me as an author or a person and made me question my ability, my confidence, and even my calling. Whether they did this on purpose or not, I'll probably never know - but it doesn't excuse them from making me argue with the shampoo bottles in the shower after every meeting.
We all struggle with both sides of this at one point or another, but do your best to keep any personal beef to yourself. Please, I'm begging you on my knees on behalf of the new or uncertain writers out there, please don't put on your high-and-mighty I-know-everything act.
The shampoo bottles will thank you.
- Nit-Picking
On that note, let's talk about how to point out spelling and grammar issues with class. I've been the Spelling Nazi of my family since second grade - which has helped my writing immensely, but it also means I have miniature strokes when I see errors in anything. It's taken some time, but with practice (and some help from the Suggestions setting in Google Docs) I've figured out how to nit-pick as painlessly as possible.
Chances are, if someone left a typo in whatever you're critiquing, they have no idea it's there. (Coming from someone who rereads every chapter five times before sending it in.) Point it out once, that's all you need to do, especially if there are typos in every paragraph. If that's the case, just go back to being kind and humble as you point things out. It can be awkward to do this for every single typo, but it's best to catch things now rather than later.
Grammar is a little easier to correct, since you can discuss multiple options for word choice and sentence structure. This can lead to some fun conversations, too. Again, stay humble - you're coming alongside each other, not telling everyone what they did wrong.
- Ending Each Conversation
There are two things I try to plug in to the end of the conversation over every piece of writing: Questions, and something I liked about it. I like to ask questions throughout, whether I'm offering or receiving advice, because it helps relax the atmosphere and helps the writer (me or anyone else) think more deeply about why they wrote what they wrote. But I digress. End with a question if you can, about the characters or the setting or whatever else caught your attention. Showing interest makes it easier to take criticism.
As for leaving a final positive note, make it sincere. Even if you have to go back to something you already touched on. Be simple, concise, and genuine, and be open to questions from the person whose work you're critiquing; they may need extra help with something you overlooked.
When The Water Gets Murky
For Christian Writers Specifically
There is going to come a point, if it hasn't already, when someone submits a piece of writing that makes you squirm. A homosexual relationship, or a magic system that borders on satanic - whatever it is, you're going to feel like you're on shaky ground. How much do you say? What shouldn't you say? How are you supposed to critique this writing when it contains something you believe is wrong?
I've had to deal with this every now and then, and the best I can come up with is this: Be professional. Unless you really know this person and communicate with them frequently aside from meetings, I would not advise you to get on a soapbox and explain why they shouldn't be writing about this. Instead, try to detach from the material itself and focus on sentence structure or spelling. Refrain from commenting on the part that makes you most uncomfortable, if necessary. When you're in the meeting, keep your head on and offer a calm, loving demeanor. You've got this.
In Conclusion
So there it is: My best advice on finding and navigating critique meetings. If there's something I missed, please comment below with any pointers you have on critique groups! Remember to subscribe to my mailing list if you haven't already, so you'll be the first to know about new content. Best of luck to you on your writing journey, mate!
- Lydia
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