Are Critique Partners Necessary?

Many years ago, I was a member of a fledgling writer’s group.

In this group were writers of various ages and professional backgrounds. Some were stay-at-home moms. Others were teachers, nurses, social workers, and office managers. We also had a company president or two and a smattering of business owners. Some were published authors.

While we were all at different stages in our writing careers, we shared a common interest and a mutual goal: our love for the creative arts and the desire to grow in our craft.

Our monthly meetings were a great time of fellowship, learning, and sharing. It was a “safe” environment where we could let our hair down and talk about our works-in-progress (WIPs), grammatical/plot issues, industry changes, and anything else related to the writing craft.

As our group began to grow in number, new friendships were formed. Some of us “clicked” with those who would become our critique partners.

In fact, that’s how I found my first critique partner. Though she eventually moved out of the area and away from writing, the time we spent working together was priceless. My writing improved and it stretched me in ways that I wouldn’t have been otherwise.

There are, of course, some authors who prefer to go it entirely alone; I just don’t know of that many. The creative process is challenging enough without wondering if our stories are connecting. Even seasoned, well-known authors use critique partners to peruse their initial drafts.

Does the plot make sense? Are our characters realistic? Are there any time discrepancies? And for Heaven’s sake, what about grammatical issues?

These are things that fellow writers (and critique partners) can spot easier than we can. When we’ve looked at our own work a thousand times we’re no longer objective, and often, we’re too bleary-eyed from the process to completely care. Well, we care, but the truth is we may tire of our own words. (There. I said it!) And too, we may recognize there are holes and issues within our stories, but we just don’t know how to fix them.

That’s where our awesome, stupendous critique partners come in. It may take some time to gel with the right folks, but eventually (through divine appointment, I believe) God will raise up those unique individuals. The ones who will become our coaches, our cheerleaders, our mentors, our friends.

 

Now that we’ve established why critique partners are necessary, what criteria should we look for in those connections?

 

• Are they like-minded believers? Are they Christians? Doctrinal issues aside, for me, since I write Christian fiction, that’s non-negotiable. It’s a personal conviction.

 

• Do we write in similar genres? I write contemporary Christian romance novels. Our critique partners may write in different sub-genres, but underneath the Christian fiction umbrella. They’re aware of the vast differences between CBA and ABA guidelines.

 

• Are they well-read? Our mentors might write to a specific audience, but they enjoy reading a variety of stories. In other words, they’re experienced readers.

 

• Do our personalities mesh? I’m a see-the-glass-half-full, Pollyanna kind of gal. I love to laugh and have fun. I’m an encourager. I’m candid (but tactful), down-to-earth, and unpretentious. I recognize I’m not perfect. While our critique partners may have their own unique and special traits, it’s important we share some similar life philosophies.

 

• Are they aware of the changing market? Do they stay abreast of industry news? This is a must because as times change, so does life in the publishing world. Our crit partners help us discern what changes might affect our work and what could influence agents/editors decisions regarding it. They understand the importance of staying on top of market demands because they’re writers, too.

 

• Will it be a mutually beneficial relationship? While friendship is often a prerequisite, our relationship with our critique partners should be a give-and-take scenario. In the ideal partnership, strengths and weaknesses are addressed, shared, and dealt with professionally (and lovingly!)

 

• Do we feel safe? Do our partners understand the importance of trust and confidentiality?  The best working relationships are fueled by those two factors.

 

On Wednesday, I’ll talk about the various ways our critique partners are gifted. Stay tuned!

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What additional criteria would you add to the list above?

June Blog Winner:

 

I’m excited to announce the winner of my June blog drawing! The winner is Tonya Ashley. Congratulations, Tonya! You’ve just won a $15 Starbucks gift card, a $15 Bath & Body Works gift card, and some other nifty treats. Please contact me with your mailing addy.

My next blog giveaway will be at the end of July. To recap here are the rules and how to enter:

*You may still comment as many times as you like per post, of course, but your name will only be counted once per post.

*AND…since I post three times per week, if you choose to leave a comment on each one of my posts, that’s approximately 12 entries per person by the time the drawing rolls around!

*For those who SUBSCRIBE to my blog post updates, your names will be eligible for the end-of-the-month prize drawing, as well. In fact, when you initially subscribe (SEE THE SIDEBAR BUTTON) you will automatically be entered into the end-of-the-month drawing twice. In other words, if for some reason you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment, you still have a chance to win merely by subscribing to this blog! As long as you remain actively subscribed to my blog, your name will be entered into the prize drawing at the end of every month. (Keep in mind, however, your chances of winning are greater if you leave a comment, too.)

*Blog commenters’/subscribers’ e-mail addresses will not be sold, bartered, spammed, or given away. Unless…it’s for really, really good chocolate. *Kidding!*

Blog prizes/treats will include, but not be limited to: gift cards such as Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, restaurants, etc., books by our fave authors, gift and goodie baskets, and anything else my creative mind can come up with.

 

*Now, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, here are some RULES I must tell you about:

 

• To win, you must be age 21 or over.
• Due to mailing restrictions, blog drawings/giveaways are limited to U.S. residents only.
• This drawing is void where prohibited.
• Each monthly winner is randomly selected and determined by the number of entries received AND by blog subscribers (as of June 2012) who remain subscribed to this blog.

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Blessings Always,