Re: Do Critique Groups Work?

On Aug 30, 6:43 am, Kevin J. Cheek <kev...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Seriously. Do critique groups actually turn out competent writers or is
all just wishful thinking? Lately I've been thinking about the number of
critique groups verses the number of published writers, and have wondered
if they really do any good.

--
-Kevin J. Cheek

My real-world crit group has several working writers/editors. Two of
us have had novels published (real publication, with advances and
royalties :)) and three others are close (have agents actively
working). I don't fit in either of those lists, but I have sold some
short fiction.

Fact is, there are real dangers with some groups. Ego trippers have
already been mentioned; there are also the 'passive voicers'-- people
who have memorized (at great effort) a few 'rules' which they do not
understand, and will flag nonexistent instances of the passive voice,
scream at two 'ly-words' or three 'ing-words' in a 4KW submission,
etc. These folks can be death to new writers.

The social/support aspects can be useful. We all need a reasonable
degree of egoboo now and then, so long as it is rationed and does not
descend to the phony 'self-esteem' level.

There are also technical matters that a group can find and help with.
This may range from "Hilsch tubes are inefficient' to 'But John was
wounded in Ch 4; how can he be fighting the monster in Ch 7".

IMO, any group, no matter how good, will only contain one or two
people whose opinions will really matter to you. Those people will be
worth their weight in platinum.

Les

.

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