Have you ever wished you could obtain an honest second opinion about your writing? Do you know you are weak in punctuation or grammar and wish you had someone to help you strengthen your skills? Would you benefit from the advice and input of other writers? A critique group can provide assistance in all these areas and give you the boost you need to take your career to the next level. But don’t make the mistake of joining the first group you find. Take time to select a group suited to your needs and interests. This handy CRITIQUE list, which identifies the qualities that make a critique group productive and beneficial, will help you evaluate potential groups and decide which one best suits your needs.

Critical

While critiques should always be given in a respectful, helpful attitude, they should also be honest. Critical means “able to analyze or judge in a detailed way.” Good critique partners look at your work and identify both your strengths and weaknesses. Pat-on-the-back feedback feels good, but it doesn’t help you improve your skills. If your writing needs more polish, better to hear the truth from a critique partner than receive a string of rejections from editors. If you’ve written a terrific piece, critique partners can inundate you with compliments. But if the writing is still a little rough, the members are responsible to offer constructive criticism.

Relative

Critique groups are as varied as the writers who join them. Choose one that relates to your writing interests. If you are working on a biography, don’t expect constructive feedback from a poetry critique group. Find a group that caters to your specific genre or style. If you write for several different genres, consider joining more than one group. I participate in three groups, each with a specific focus.

Informed

The more your critique partners know about your target audience and market, the better their feedback will be. Fiction or nonfiction, adult literature and children’s books, poetry and trade journals—each area has its own set of rules and guidelines. Since all the members of my fiction critique group target the same market, we are familiar with the publishers who print our genre, their guidelines, and other market-specific information. We are able to offer one another informed suggestions. We also keep our ears attuned to market news and swap information. Finding a critique group that knows what to look for in your work can help you write for a specific market.

Timely

The only thing worse than no critique partners is slow critique partners. I find that obtaining a second opinion increases my chance of a sale. However, I’m often on a deadline and can’t wait indefinitely for a critique. Good critique groups set a reasonable time limit in which members need to return their comments—usually about one week.

The frequency and volume of critiques are other time factors to consider. Some groups swap critiques once a week while others limit the submissions to once a month. Does the group limit the amount of work you can send? How much critique work will you be expected to do each week? Be sure the group operates at a pace you can handle.

Instructive

A critique group should be more than a free editing service. The feedback you receive should help you identify your common mistakes and learn how to correct them. In an ideal situation, critique partners mentor and teach one another. My critique partners and I take time to explain grammar and punctuation rules, ways to improve sentence structure, writing concepts, research tips and more. By pooling our knowledge, we have improved our writing skills tremendously.

Qualified

Anyone can offer an opinion, but can they substantiate it based on education or experience? While critique partners might mean well, they can do more harm than good if they offer you bad advice. Don’t be afraid to ask about the groups’ credentials and experience. Each of my partners brings a strength to the group—a degree in English, editorial experience or years of freelance writing. Their individual skills combine to provide one powerful critique that polishes my work to a shine. Don’t settle for ignorant advice or even an educated guess. Find a group that knows their craft.

User-friendly

Giving and receiving critiques should be easy. Some groups meet in person while others operate via the Internet. Find a format that suits your preferences. I appreciate the convenience of sending articles and chapters through cyberspace, but once a month I meet with a face-to-face group for some personal interaction.

Encouraging

While struggling to break into a competitive market, writers usually endure some tough blows to the ego. You need critique partners who will offer you support and encouragement. Because my critique partners help me prepare my writing for submission, they feel partly responsible for the success or failure of my work. When I sell a piece, we celebrate together. When I bomb, we commiserate. I know if I’m feeling low, I can contact one of my critique partners and she’ll give me a pep talk, and I do the same for her. Knowing they are always there, believing in me and cheering for me, helps me to press through the tough times.

The right critique group can impact your writing career in a wonderful way, so if the first few you investigate don’t appear right for you, keep searching. If you find a group that shows potential, don’t be afraid to ask for a trial period in which you can observe the workings of the group before you commit. Once you experience the benefits of belonging to a great critique group, you will be glad you made the effort.

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Looking for a critique group?

Libraries and Bookstores frequently host meetings for writers. Call to see what’s available.

Colleges and Universities organize writing clubs for their students. The head of the English department or writing program should be able to provide further information.

Your local Chamber of Commerce or the county’s Visitor’s Center carry information about a variety of activities in your area. They may be able to direct you to a group meeting in your city.

A Local Writer’s Conference will give you the opportunity to network and ask about groups available in your area.

Some online writers groups or listservs organize online critique groups. Run a search and check your options.

Published authors, especially those who live in your area, may participate in or provide information about local groups.

Start your own! If all else fails, round up a few writers and schedule a meeting.