by Bethany Jett, @BetJett

Someone will critique your work – it’s inevitable – and you don’t want the first experience on your project to come from your publisher. Therefore, having a few trusted people available to review your work can be helpful for your writing career. Officially or unofficially, this is your critique group.

Critique Group Tips

1. Keep critique groups small.
   This is a give-and-take operation so there is a time factor. You want to do a great job for your other critique group members and you want them to be able to do a great job for you. Another reason to keep it small is because too many opinions can be overwhelming and confusing.
2. Find Critique Groups
   • Word Weavers International is a great place to start. They have local in-person chapters, but also have groups to join online.
   • Your local librarian may have suggestions. They know local authors and can link you to other writers.
3. Have “Early Readers” and what I call the “Yes” Reader.
   The “Yes Reader” is the “Early Reader” who loves everything you write and gives you that positive affirmation we desperately need. This helps you be vulnerable enough to share your work with others.
   

   Check out tips for being part of a critique group

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4. Have your critique group members who are close to your skill level.
   This may be the one I get a lot of flack for, because it’s important for us to help others. I totally get that. However, I think it’s important that your critique group is strong, perhaps with a balance of new and seasoned writers.
5. Develop tough skin.
   This is a great time to work on taking constructive criticism, as well as offer other people in your group critiques with tact. This is a business that contains a lot of rejection. If we look at rejection as a learning experience, it only makes us better and having critique on our work can help us keep that in mind.
6. Attend writers conferences.
   Have we said this before??! We looooove writers conferences and hope to see you in 2017 at Blue Ridge. Register here if you haven’t already! You will meet some incredible writers. In fact, my unofficial critique group is made up of writers I’ve met through conferences.

[reminder]Got a tip for joining or being part of a critique group? [/reminder]

Bethany Jett is an award-winning author of The Cinderella Rule, speaker, ghostwriter, and founder of JETTsetter Ink, a consulting and editing company. She has written for numerous publications, created the My Moments Planner, Serious Writer Companion, and is the founder of Serious Writer Academy and the Build Your Brand Program. Her newest work, Through the Eyes of Hope releases January 2017.

Bethany is a military wife and all-boys-mama who is addicted to suspense novels and all things girly. She writes on living a brilliant life at BethanyJett.com. Connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest,  Instagram (new profile), and Twitter.