by Barbara Ehrentreu

Created on: August 05, 2009

A writer, unlike the stereotype of the isolated person who writes their heart out and then sends out the manuscript immediately, needs a great deal of feedback on his or her writing. When someone starts writing seriously there are certain factors that must be considered. Anyone submitting their writing to a publisher should have a clean copy. Many times manuscripts are rejected because they have spelling and grammar errors. Therefore, all writing must be edited. However, even if your writing is perfect in grammar and spelling if it doesn't make sense that is a problem too.

All writers believe that what they are putting down on the page is going to be understood immediately by everyone. This is not the case. The only way to know if what you wrote is what you thought you wrote is by having another person read it. That is how the idea of critique groups began.

In the past editors and publishers formed the group that vetted the writer's work. But with the advent of the modern age of publishing editors have barely enough time to go through their pile of manuscripts and tend to existing writers. Unlike the editor who penned suggestions in the margins of a writer's work and called that writer in for long sessions where the two of them revised the work together, today's editors send their suggestions by email and barely see their writers until the book is ready to be published. Writers must revise their work on their own.

How can writers find out if everyone understood their work? There are several choices available.

One is to show it to a trusted reader who they know will give them the truth. Another is to send it out to a group of readers called beta readers. The third and most used alternative is to find a critique group.

Why is a critique group the best alternative for a writer? There is a group there for the writer where they know they will get several sets of opinions about their work.

There are two kinds of critique groups. The first is the in person group which meets locally either in a library or other public area or someone's home at least once a month and more likely once a week.

Pros of an in person group are that you get immediate feedback on your work. There is a chance for discussion so the writer can see the reasons behind each person's critique. Usually these groups are a great support for each writer whether or not the work is published.

The second type of critique group is the online group, which is usually

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>