To Critique Group or Not To Critique Group

It's the age old question for every burgeoning writer. Should I join a critique group or should I not? The benefits are many fold, camaraderie, consistency, fresh eyes and possibly wine to boot.

But the downside of critique groups can also be challenging to new writers. Who's advise should you listen to, what if you have a bully in your group, what are the skill sets of the participants? Integrating yourself in an already existing group can be a daunting task.

So how do you find the right partners for you?

There are a number of options:

1) Start one with like minded friends

Groups don't have to be large. Sometimes it might just be two or three participants. The goal is to come together to support each other and push your writing forward. Sometimes knowing that you have to meet to read five pages the next week is enough to push you to continue to write.

2) Meetup.com

There are a number of groups that meet to write or critique in your local community and the best way to search them out is through Meetup.com. It can seem a bit daunting to put your writing out there to strangers but the benefit of this is consistency (there is usually a specific day each week that the group meets) and fresh eyes. Participants can also choose when they want to participate so if you can't make it one week, it's not going to hurt you the next.

3) Faculty Led Critique Groups

For those that have a little extra cash to spare, the are critique groups out there that are lead by seasoned writers and editors. I am currently participating in one and it is by far the best critique experience I've had to date. Not only do you get feedback from fellow writers but you also get the structure and technical input that you would not from a regular critique group. Organizations such as San Diego Writers Ink. offer these types of critique services.

The most important thing to remember is that everyone in the group is there to help. The goal is to push everyone's writing to make it better (in a constructive and mature manner). You don't have to take the feedback that individuals provide but if you're getting the same input from several writers, then you know, there's something in your writing that you need to revisit.

Happy Writing and Critiquing!

Twenty Thousand Words and Counting

Now that Nanowrimo is behind us, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Whether you made your 50,000 words or fell short a word or two, the Canadian in me salutes you. You tried, you did your best. No go forth and continue writing!

For me, I've started to see a pattern. One that blogmate Lauren has been helping me to overcome. 

It's the "Twenty Thousand Words" mental barrier. That fifty foot fence that creeps up as you hit that word count and all of a sudden nothing seems good, everything you've written is crap and oh my god there's so much more to write but this is all so fricken boring!

It's that point that Lauren pointed out where you've either reached or are about to reach the end of the first act and that gosh forsaken mother of a second act looks like a never ending ocean with no third act in sight. 

And let's not forget there's that new shiny toy in the window. That whimsical idea itching your brain that's going to be the next NY Times Bestseller.  It's sitting there, cute as a puppy, begging you to play with it instead.

We've all been there and I'm still trying to break that barrier. Luckily I have great blog mates with great tools to help me out. Here's a few that might help you.

Pow Wow with Your Writer Friends

Coffee time, chocolate time, or happy hour.  This is when you need your writing buds the most. Maybe they're going through the same thing or have suggestions on how to overcome it. More importantly perhaps they have ideas that may push your project forward. Worst case scenario? A great night out with the gals (and guys).

Plot with Help

During my pow wow with Lauren, she recommended The Plot Whisperer Workbook by Martha Alderson.  During Nanowrimo, we right like hell, but sometimes we need a break because we're worried we're going in the wrong direction.  But we have no time, cause it's Nanowrimo for gosh sakes! But now it's December and we have some time and this is a good way to plug into some exercises that may help jog your brain or give you a new perspective on your manuscript.

Take a Break! 

Seems counter intuitive but your brain needs a breather. Go to the beach or the skating rink or spend time with family and friends. Your brain is still subconsciously working on that book, I guarantee it. 

Seek Deadline Motivators

Groups like San Diego Writers Ink have page review sessions with professional writers that meet once a week. This might be just the deadline driven motivator you need to make it to that next five pager. Can't go to a professional meeting? Meetup.com is a great place to find like minded individuals in your area who already meet weekly to do the same thing. 

Keep Writing

Self explanatory. It's hard but it's going to feel real good when you write "The End". Then it's onto revisions, yay!

Kicking Writer Butt

First off, congratulations to blog-mate Lauren Monahan and her gorgeous weekend wedding.  I'm hoping that she will blog about it soon but if ever there was a wedding full of beautiful literature and for the lovers of books, this was the one! Wishing her and her wonderful husband Dale an amazing start to a new life together!

Now back to the touch stuff.  I've been back at this writing thing for a few months now and yeah, it's just like I remembered it...hard as #$%#!.  But now that I've started, I'm determined to see this through to the finish line.  Being a part of San Diego Writers Ink has been invaluable and taking Tammy Greenwood's course has been a great re-jump starter.  But the last session was at the beginning of June and the next one doesn't start until the end of July.  So what's a girl to do in the meantime?

Luckily, I'm part of an online group who've attended the Donald Maas Breakout Novel workshop run by Free Expressions' Lorin Oberweger.  We're embarking on a July NanoWriMo or what I like to call July-o-ramo-wrimo, and the peer pressure and goal setting has been just what I need to keep pushing the writing along during this hump time.  Keeping it simple is the only way I'll make it through, so here's a few tips that I've found incredibly helpful to keep the ball (or pen, or keyboard) going.

1) Set Goals and Consequences

Lorin, who is leading our July-o-rama-wrimo had us all input our goals for July and also our consequences for not attaining those goals into a group excel spreadsheet.  I've tried to keep the word count realistic at 20,000 words and also will be reaching out to at least tow subject matter experts as part of my research.  When two weeks sans Facebook and wine are on the line, you bet I'm working my ass off to make that happen. 

2) Setting Daily Word Count Targets

I never thought that this would be such an effective motivator.  But when you see those little words add up while you're typing, it really helps to push things forward.  I use Scrivener and love keeping the tracker on the side.  It allows me to see how much of my daily goal I've attained as well as how close I am to my monthly goal of 20,000 words.

3) Hanging Out With Like Minds

I'm thankful to have July-o-rama-wrimo compatriots who share their daily wins and struggles honestly and without ego online.  It's helped me to say "I can do it to!"

4) Write, Write, Write!

It doesn't have to be perfect.  You don't need to be in front of your laptop with a coffee in hand and scrivener all set up.  It can be a few lines in your notebook ap while out and about or on your iPad at night, with your baby sleeping beside you.  Once the ball's rolling, the most important is just to make sure it doesn't stop. 

Are you in the process of working on a draft?  How do you continue to motivate yourself? 

Climbing the Writing Mountain

It's been a few weeks since I've jump started my writing again and while things are slow (well, compared to NANOWRIMO, slow), I can't help but feel invigorated.  I count myself lucky to be living in a city with a resource like San Diego Writers, Ink. and I'm now in week four of T. Greenwood's Novel II: Intermediate Novel Writing course. 

I've taken a number of classes and workshops previously and it did cross my mind 'am I taking a few steps back?'  But that idea was quickly wiped out as I immersed myself in the course and my writing.  Some of you may be in the same boat.  You may be asking yourself 'should I take another course when I've taken workshops before?' 

In my case, the answer was yes.  Having taken a break from writing, I needed to be reminded, to exercise my brain, and listening to others talk.  Reading John Truby's The Anatomy of Story and following the exercises and experiences of others in class helped me to think and build my own story in the process. It made me think about things that I wouldn't have thought about and in a way "forces" me to think.

Next week I submit the first four pages of my new manuscript.  Wish me luck!

In the meantime, I leave you with this great article about filter words by Suzannah Windsor that was forwarded to me by another great writer/editor Lorin Oberweger. 

"Filter words are those that unnecessarily filter the reader’s experience through a character’s point of view." 

It's one of the most useful articles I've come across in recent history.  How many of these can you find in your own work? 

Jump Starting Your Writing After A Break

The other day I was chatting with a friend whom I hadn't seen in awhile.  We had the usual catch up. Work, kids, vacation.  Then the dreaded question "so, how's your writing coming along?" I stumbled through it as usual.  Have a few ideas on the go, the kid (just turned 9 months Saturday) takes up a lot of time.  We meandered onto other topics and had a grand old time. 

Truth be told though, aside from a few premises and a page here and there, I've pretty much been on hiatus since I was three months pregnant.  Life, just got in the way. 

So now, the kid's a bit older, life's more stable and I'm itching to get back into writing.  Only problem is I'm rusty. The noggin just hasn't been exercised in that way in awhile and I'm in desperate need of a recharge.

So where to start? I've got a few ideas I'm noodling on and the manuscript I left part way through in early 2014.  I'm like a deer in headlights.  

Just write. Right? That seems the logical starting point.  Getting those words on the page is half the battle. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who just needs a bit more.  I need a little inspiration. 

The first thing I did was check meetup.com to see if there were writing groups in the hood.  I'm new to San Diego, so this was a great way to find some kindred spirits.  I signed up for one called "Shut Up And Write". With a lack of material, I'm not ready for critiques so this is the perfect way to be in the same room with other writers, no distractions and just write. 

The second thing I did was check on some refresher courses.  Something to remind me of what baby brain forgot.  I was lucky to find San Diego Writers, Ink. A great resource for our community with great workshops that have just enough to push me along. 

Finally, I reached out to my writing buddies and they are awesome.  Hopefully, we'll be reviewing each other's writing again soon!

So have you taken a break from your writing?  How did you jump start your writing?