Back in 2007, when I was an itty-bitty, baby writer, I started a critique group. It began in a writing class, where I made a couple of friends and we decided to keep on meeting after the semester was over. For seven years, we met every other week and gave each other feedback on our writing.
There was an ebb and flow to our membership: new folks joined, and others dropped out as life circumstances changed. Overall, we had a core group of about five of us who stayed together throughout those seven years. We called ourselves “Quill and Coffee”, and this group played a huge part in my development as a writer.
What is a critique group?
A critique group (sometimes called “alpha readers”) is a group of fellow writers who read and workshop your book as you are writing it. You send them a selection of your writing, and they give you feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. They can see your book evolve from a fledgling idea to a completed project.
As you read their books, you learn to spot issues in your own writing and become better at editing yourself. Often it’s easier to identify problems in someone else’s work, where you don’t have as much at stake, and the feedback doesn’t feel so raw. By learning to give insightful feedback to others, you become a better judge of your own work.
Because critique partners or groups see your work as it develops, they have a sense of continuity with your project. They’ve seen different iterations of it and can tell you if the changes you make are actually working. Beta readers (who read your book front-to-back after it’s done) see a snapshot in time. They get the full picture because they’re reading the entire thing, but they don’t see the evolution that got you where you are. Critique groups are along for the ride the whole way, so they can give you feedback not just on your writing, but on how you are growing and changing as a writer.
How does a critique group work?
Critique groups can meet in many contexts and can take different forms. When Quill and Coffee was still going, we would meet in person at a coffee shop, but these days, with tools like video conferencing, you can form a group with people from around the globe and meet virtually.
The frequency of the meetings varies from group to group, but we found that for us, every other week was often enough to keep us accountable and productive, but not so frequent that we got overwhelmed. Not everyone submitted work for every meeting. Our group was small enough that each person could have a turn at critique at least every other session (so about once per month), which for us was just the right frequency.
In terms of the critiques themselves, we did not adhere to the “box” or “bubble” method, where the person being critiqued was not allowed to talk. Rather, the discussions were open conversations, with the author being able to participate and ask questions throughout their critique.
How do you start a critique group?
One of the best ways to start a group is by taking a class or participating in some sort of event or program (like a conference, online summit, or other situation where you might meet fellow writers). I’m personally partial to meeting writers through a class or workshop, because then you get a chance to see some people’s writing and also get a sense for how they give feedback. This way, you can decide whether they might be a good fit for you or not.
Once you’ve got a couple of people together, you need to decide on logistics and ground rules. Here are some questions to consider:
- How often will you meet and where? You want to find the right balance between frequent enough to stay accountable but not so often that you can’t make any progress in between sessions.
- Does the group have a particular genre or category focus? Our members wrote across various genres or categories, and we liked it that way. Some folks, though, might prefer collaborating with writers who play in the same literary sandbox.
- How many people will you have on deck for critique each session and what’s the deadline for submissions? We usually had 2-3 people each session, and submissions were sent a week prior to the session so folks had time to read and prepare.
- What format should work be submitted in? Also, how many pages or words should people submit at a time? We emailed each other Word documents of approximately 10-20 pages, which we then printed and handed back to the author with our written comments.
- How will you conduct the critiques? Will you use a “box” or “bubble” method, or something else? What role will the author have in the discussion?
- How will you add new members? Is it invite-only? Does a current member have to vouch for a prospective new member? That’s how we did it in Quill and Coffee.
The key with setting ground rules is that it be done early in the group’s existence. If you have parameters set, then as new members join, they simply follow what the current members are doing, and things tend to run smoothly. If you don’t establish those logistics early on, it can lead to misunderstandings and maybe even potential conflict.
What happens when it’s time to say goodbye?
As our careers grow and change, it’s natural for the group to evolve as well. Sometimes, if members are developing at a similar pace, the group can adapt accordingly. For example, if several members are getting published and launching books around the same time, the group might switch focus from critique to supporting each other in the publishing journey.
On the other hand, sometimes people’s lives change—some folks move away, change jobs, start families, etc.—and individuals step away, or the group naturally comes to a close. That’s what happened with Quill and Coffee. I had my son in 2012, but was able to juggle the mom-preneur life with my critique group for a while. When my daughter came along two years later, things got a bit more complicated, and I had to step away. Around that same time, other members moved away and were no longer within commutable distance. Still others had changes in careers and could not make the usual meetings. And a few of our members sadly passed away.
Nothing lasts forever, but the impact this amazing group of writers made on me and my work has had a ripple effect, and I still see the effects of it to this day. They were part of my life at a time when my writing was fragile and new. They helped to nurture and support my creativity while I was just starting to find my footing. Some of my best writing memories are of times I spent with members of Quill and Coffee.
This group also saw me through the traditional MFA program and in many ways had a deeper effect on my writing than formal education ever could. In fact, it was because of this group that I realized a lot of the MFA experience could be recreated outside the traditional classroom. I knew it was possible, because I had done that with my own critique group. In the end, you could say Quill and Coffee was part of what made DIY MFA possible, and for that I will be forever grateful.
Until next time, keep writing and keep being awesome!
P.S. For more info on Gabriela Pereira, the founder and instigator of DIY MFA, check out her profile page.
