Monday, May 10, 2010

Monday Must

If you are still on the fence about writing/critique groups, then get off it! If you are having a hard time generating interest in your manuscript this might be just what you need to break through.

Maybe this is the one thing you have been putting off. Letting a stranger look at your writing is like skinny-dipping in shark infested waters. You might consider it…but it’s not something you jump into lightly.

Maybe you think that another unpublished writer might not be able to offer you anything that you don’t already know? I mean what is the point? A group of writers that are all having problems getting published is not a recipe for greatness.

But wait. If each of you has a different ingredient to throw in, then maybe it is. Maybe one of you is an expert on grammar and you can spot a dangling participle like a weed in a field of flowers, and someone else can write descriptions that put you so in the moment you can smell the sweat under an ogre’s hairy armpit, and another one can write dialogue so tight it twists your stomach in a knot and wrings you dry.

With the right ingredients, or the right critique group, you have everything you need to create a work of art…or a damn tasty cake.


Bake on…people…bake on.

7 comments:

  1. AMEN SISTA!

    It took me a really long time to get up the nerve to actively pursue a critique group.Just about every agent/writer piece of advice included: get a writing group. And, yet, I was TERRIFIED for so many reasons. Blogs helped, a lot, and I'm so glad I finally got off my butt and sucked it up because it really is priceless.

    BTW - You're the queen of descriptions!

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  2. Oh gosh those cakes are too cute! And yes I'm very weary of skinny dipping in shark infested waters. I'm not thrilled putting my work out there for critique. And partially because I'm a lousy critique partner.

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  3. I like my crit groups, but I've had to take time off. I'd recommned them though. If nothing else they keep you writing and it's fun to hang out with other writers. You can always learn something.

    Good advice, again and wonderful cakes!

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  4. Sharing work with my crit group was one of the hardest things... ever!! Now I'm pretty sure they are ready to get rid of me. Haha. Crit groups are a must!!

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  5. I love it being compared to a cake, it sounds even more appetizing now!

    I have a wonderful critique group and I'm blessed to be a part of it! It certainly is a wild ride!

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  6. Isn't it funny how we don't want strangers to read our books, but we hope to be best sellers. I don't know about you, but I don't have That Many friends.

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  7. I love this post! You are absolutely right: something we regularly notice at crit group is how diverse our strengths are. I also love the way you wrote the post: "Skinny-dipping in shark infested waters"? "So in the moment you can smell the sweat under an ogre's hairy armpit"? I bet your books are super fun to read!

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It helps to know I'm not just talking to myself.