Writers in the Storm

When I talk to other writers about the fabulous relationship I have with my primary critique partner, the question always arises:

How did you find her?!!!

Recognizing the importance of quality feedback, writers often search for trusted critique partners or groups like a romance novel protagonist searching for true love.

Where is The One?
How will I know when I find them?
Will they love me back?

My "Love Story"

I found my primary critique partner (CP) through an immersion hosted by Margie Lawson, who often guest posts here. As a true introvert, it took a lot of gumption back then for me to attend a four-day retreat at a stranger's house, but I'd reached that point in my writing where I realized how much I didn't know and needed to learn. So I bit the proverbial bullet, signed up, and drove from Houston to Dallas.

Meanwhile, my CP had driven most of the same route. We got to know each other somewhat during immersion, and that would have been that—making another lovely writer friend—except that she suggested swapping pages for feedback. After all, we lived in the same metro area, had been writing about the same length of time, had gone through Margie's courses, and both wrote young adult. Why not give it a shot?

We started slowly with tentative comments reminding each other what we'd learned and what a reader might see (or not see) in what we'd written, then moved to more direct feedback once we'd gotten to know each other's writing styles and personalities better. These days, I trust my CP so much with my writing that if she reads a passage of mine, turns to me, and lifts an eyebrow? I know I've got work to do.

But we had to earn that respect from one another, and—just like any close relationship—we sometimes call each other out if a suggestion is too vague or a comment too abrasive. It wasn't love at first sight, but rather a relationship that developed over time and required adapting ourselves to what the other needed and wanted. And it continues to require nurturing.

Tips for Finding The One

While our "meet cute" can't be replicated, my experience has taught me six tips for finding good critique for your writing.

1. Know where you are in the journey.

Writers need different kinds of critique at different stages. Early on, you need more encouragement than criticism and more story structure and character tips than prose specifics. Further along, you've developed a better voice and learned some basics, so you need more honing and critical feedback.

You want to work with someone who pushes you without making you feel like an idiot. It's like how in college I preferred playing tennis with my friend, who also saw the game as recreation, to playing with my roommate who'd won tennis tournaments. I wanted my roomie to coach me, but after losing 6-0 and 6-1, I wasn't very motivated to retake the court with her on the other side of the net.

One reason my CP and I worked well from the get-go is that we were at about the same spot along the writing journey—having written for the same length of time, taken courses, attended Margie's immersion. We were at a close enough level to push each other toward better writing.

Figure out where you are on the journey, and that will help you identify what kind of critique you need and want.

2. Determine your critique style.

Do you like being in a group or working one-on-one?
Do you prefer blunt feedback or need more sensitive commentary?
Do you want suggestions in the margins or direct editing on the page?
Do you want overall story and character critique or line editing?
Do you prefer to submit chapter by chapter or after the whole book is finished?

There's no one way to critique a book. I've worked with other CPs who do things very differently from my primary partner. What's important is that you agree on a critique style. To some extent, you can direct your CP to give what you need, but if they and you work very differently, the relationship isn't going to gel.

Think about what you want and pursue a partner who is willing to give what will work best for you, and vice versa.

3. Go where good CPs are.

If you're sitting at home, wishing you had a great critique partner, and wondering where to find one, ask how involved you are in the writing community. That is, have you taken classes where you might meet others? Are you in a writing chapter? Do you attend conferences or retreats? If you want to find someone who knows their stuff, you have to go where those writers go.

I found my main CP at an immersion course, but I've shared pages and gotten critique from others I've met at my RWA chapter, through a regional writers conference I attended, from my fellow Golden Heart nominees, and in an online class.

Be willing to attend writer events, even virtually, to put yourself in the company of those who might need, want, and make a great critique partner or group.

4. Do a trial run.

Once you've found someone, don't slice your palms, slap your hands together, and swear a blood bond just yet. Do a trial run to see how well you work together.

It was probably months before I really felt like my CP was my CP. For a while, she was simply a writer I was exchanging pages with, and no hard feelings if it didn't work out. That open-ended experiment allowed us to really try each other out without undue pressure.

Trade some pages and see how it goes. Give feedback about their feedback so they can adapt to what you need and want. Be open to their editing suggestions but consider whether their critique is helpful where you are in your journey. If your styles are too different, thank them for their time and move on.

5. Periodically review how it's going.

The development of a CP relationship may mimic a love story, but at the end of the day, this is a business decision. Because getting good feedback is about improving your product—the book.

I've witnessed too many writers stay in a relationship with a critique partner or group long after they knew it wasn't working anymore. They worried about their friendship, about being judged poorly for backing out, about possible discomfort when they announce their decision, about not being able to find another critique relationship. But if you are not getting what you need from the partnership, don't string that CP along. Say goodbye.

It might be worth saying that directly to your critique partner or group—that you fully appreciate the relationship you currently have, but everyone needs to ultimately do what's right for their writing.

6. Tend to the care and feeding of a good CP.

Finally, when you find that special someone, don't take them for granted! A good critique partnership or group isn't easy to come by, and a huge boost to your writing when you find one.

Look, I wouldn't be the writer I am today without the great critique I've gotten. All that wonderful feedback has pushed me to improve my craft and write better stories. And if I fail my own standards, I'll see my partner's YCDB (you can do better) in my manuscript margin. For which I'm grateful.

So when you get great feedback, say thank you...a lot. Meet your own deadlines for critiquing their work and, if you can't, explain why and when you'll get it back. Adapt your feedback to what they need (while not letting them publish garbage). Celebrate their successes. Include them in the acknowledgments of your book. Thank them. Did I already say that? Well, thank them again!

For myself, here's a big thank you to Christina, Catie, Diana, Donna, Melinda, Edwina, Jenn (and other people I'm leaving out because my middle-aged memory sucks).

What suggestions do you have for finding a great critique partner?

About Julie

Julie Glover writes cozy mysteries, young adult fiction, and supernatural suspense (under the pen name Jules Lynn). Her YA contemporary novel, SHARING HUNTER, finaled in the 2015 RWA® Golden Heart®, and her primary critique partner became her co-author this year with the release of the Muse Island Series, which begins with book one, Mark of the Gods.

When not writing, Julie collects boots, practices rampant sarcasm, and advocates for good grammar and the addition of the interrobang as a much-needed punctuation mark. You can visit her website here.

by Julie Cantrell

The standard advice given to writers is to brand yourself. Find a genre, and stick with it. This strategy has proven successful for many contemporary authors such as Danielle Steel and Mary Higgins Clark, but even Jane Austen had perfected the practice years earlier, and Agatha Christie used it to pen mysteries that ranked her in the sales zone with Shakespeare and the Bible!

So why have I chosen to go against the gold standard of good advice and cross genres? I admit, it’s probably because I have no business sense, but it’s also because I love to learn new things and to challenge myself creatively. 

Let the Muse Take the Wheel

When I sit down to write a story, I don’t think about sales numbers or marketing strategies. I don’t even think about publishing it. Instead, I open myself to the creative flow and let the words find their way through me to the page. It’s not as hokey pokey as it sounds, but it isa beautiful, powerful, and spiritual process that helps me tap into something bigger than myself. 

My first book was written with my daughter in my lap. Together, we wrote a simple story, searching online for stock photos to attach to each page. We printed the “book,” and stapled it together. In time, that handmade picture book was shared with her friends and their mothers, until it found its way to an agent and then to a publisher. Zonderkidz produced a two-book series, God is with Me through the Day; God is with Me through the Night. And before I knew it, I’d become a children’s book author.

I’d never planned to publish that book, and I hadn’t planned to publisher another. But life said, “Let’s do this!” So I sat down to write a novel, just to see if I had one in me. I’d always been an avid reader, and like most readers I thought maybe I had a story to tell too. I gave myself three months, from 3-5 a.m. Monday-Friday, and that’s how I wrote my first draft of Into the Free. 

Again, I never planned to publish, and I didn’t tell anyone I was writing it. But the characters wouldn’t stop pestering me. I reached out to that old agent friend who’d landed my children’s book deal. Thanks to the fates and a brave publisher willing to take a risk on an unknown, I became a novelist. 

From Children’s Books to Historical Novels to Contemporary Novels and MORE!

When that novel proved successful, I was fortunate to write a sequel, When Mountains Move. So with two historical novels under my belt, I suppose I should have stuck in that arena where my readership was strong and loyal. But the creative powers had to shake things up again with my third novel, taking me into the contemporary genre where I stayed for both The Feathered Boneand Perennials.  

That too would have been a cozy place to perch, but life said, “Let’s not get too comfy, Julie.” Next thing I knew, I was being asked to write a creative nonfiction work, so now I’m excited to be launching Crescendo next week (July 16, Harper Collins). It’s my very first collaborative work and an inspirational story that brings me to yet another group of readers.

At least that’s what the marketing folks would tell you. Truth is, many of my readers have followed me from the start. Sure, some prefer one genre or the other. Some like the romance flair of When Mountains Move while others prefer the literary tone of Into the Free. Some dig the gritty edginess to The Feathered Bone while others enjoy the lighter themes in Perennials. Heck, my books even crossover from faith-based to secular audiences and from adult to YA. I just can’t find a box that fits me. And I think most of my readers can relate. I’m hoping these same readers will enjoy reading Crescendo too!

Magic in the Mix

Perhaps I’ve taken these chances because I’m also a reader who likes to mix things up a bit. When I find an author I enjoy reading, I love to see her try new things. Sometimes she wins. Sometimes she loses. But JK Rowling, Barbara Kingsolver, Jeannette Walls, and others will tell you, they just wanted to take on a new challenge, learn new things, and write what was being given to them by the universe.

I guess I tend to write like I read… a little bit of this, a little bit of that. And while it may not be the smartest business strategy, it certainly satisfies my creative curiosity. And for that, I’m a very happy girl.

PRO AUTHOR BRAND

• Gain creative freedom
• Reach diverse readerships
• Tackle new artistic challenges
• Work with authors of different genres
• Offer readers fresh material that isn’t formulaic
• Test your limits and expand as you grow

CON AUTHOR BRAND

• Limited by brand expectations
• Readership limited to that specific market
• May grow bored in time with themes/genre
• Author circles may be limited to those in your niche
• Work may eventually feel predictable to readers
• You may outgrow your own brand in time

Let’s Discuss!

1. What genre do you prefer to read? 
2. As a writer, do you tend to stay in that genre or do you like to test the boundaries? 
3. What’s one way you’ve taken a risk as a writer? (whether on brand or off)
4. If you veer from your main branding, do you use a pen name?
5. What writers can you suggest as examples of those who have broken brand successfully? 

About Julie

Julie Cantrell is an award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, editor, and TEDx speaker. Her first work of creative nonfiction, Crescendo, releases July 16.

Learn more at www.juliecantrell.com.

Orly Konig

Show of hands – who’s looked at social media posts from favorite authors and coveted (no, that’s not one of the c words … keep reading) that author’s success? And since we all know how real those social media posts are, I’m going to share with you my C-tips.

Creativity.

We’ve all heard that there are no unique stories to be told, that it’s only our personal spin that makes a version of the story stand out. Our super-power as writers is to see the magic in the ordinary. A headline or inanimate object or a person in the grocery store line can trigger an avalanche of story ideas.

A couple of years ago, my son and I took an ice cream making class/tour at a local boutique ice cream maker’s factory. At one point while listening to the owner explain the process, I realized I was watching a character in the book I was working on. The character in the book is male and looks nothing like her, but I’d been struggling to who he was and what he did. I can’t tell you what it was about her that triggered the connection, but standing in front of me, waxing poetic about cream was the missing piece of my book.

Last year, while driving from Maryland to Ohio for a climbing competition, I was staring out the window (no I wasn’t driving), daydreaming (okay, trying to distract myself from the speedometer) when I caught sight of two signs—one for an artisan village and another for a lake-side rental community of tiny houses. Four hours later when we arrived at our hotel, I had the premise for my work-in-progress.

I don’t recommend eye-balling strangers or standing on the side of a highway and staring at road signs, but I do suggest keeping your eyes and mind open to everything around you. Creativity is taking a kernel of an idea and transforming it into a world with living, breathing people; a world that readers want to disappear into.

Coffee.  

My trigger for writing is coffee. Anytime I sit to write, I have to have a mug next to me.

Don’t worry, I’m not trying to convert anyone (but if you’re interested, I can recommend a few amazing micro-roasters J ). For some, the trigger can be a diet Coke or tea or lighting a candle or whatever flips the switch on your brain from sloth mode to writer mode.

When I worked as an editor and then in the corporate world, my colleagues knew that when the big mug came out and I shut my office door, it was the equivalent of a do-not-disturb sign. I’ve never believed that writing happens when the mood strikes. Writing is my work. Writing happens when I sit at my computer. That giant mug next to me is the do-not-disturb sign to the brain squirrels (now if I could only teach those squirrels how to read that sign! And make coffee!!!).

Confidence.

This is a fun one and one I feel particularly well equipped to talk about because, my friends, I have the confidence of a chipmunk in an open field with hawks circling overhead.

When I first started writing fiction, it wasn’t with publishing in mind. I was looking for a creative outlet, nothing more. I didn’t even show my work to anyone for the longest time. But once the decision was made to pursue writing as a career, this little chipmunk had to strap on a helmet and tackle the gauntlet – critique partners, agents, editors, readers. And because I had extra confidence to toss about, I helped launch a writing association and started a side-gig as a book coach.  

Want to see the helmet now? It looks like a golf ball. But here’s the thing, I’m still out there dodging the hawks. No, my writing style isn’t for everyone. And no, my critique/coaching style isn’t for everyone either. But it is for some and those people are the ones who help motivate me to keep moving.

Control.

Another fun one. I have a wee problem with control. I need it. So yeah, making writing my career choice may not have been the smartest move. Then again, we don’t have control over everything in life either, do we? 

I’ve learned to focus on what I can control – write the best book possible, surround myself with writing buddies who are positive and supportive, retreat to my writing cave and disconnect from social media when I need an emotional break.

As for the things I can’t control – reviews, rejections, everyone else’s perfect lives on social media – I shrug off as much as possible. And on the days when my shrugger is broken, I refocus on something positive (or take a kick-boxing class).

Cats.

Actually, cat memes or dog memes or squirrel memes or whatever entertains you when your brain starts spinning and spitting out nonsense words. Because, let’s face it, we can’t write all the time and – hold the judgement – social media can be amazing for inspiration (don’t believe me? Check out this post.)

I could have also used another C word here: crochet. The yarn projects are a fabulous way for me to work through plot problems or story frustrations. That whole “busy fingers, quiet brain” thing really does work. Whether it’s yarn or painting or exercising or baking or gardening or whatever releases your brain cells from the tight grip of creating and allows them to roam and relax, embrace it.

What are some of your tips and tricks for maintaining your sanity (stop laughing!!!) with your writing?   

About Orly

After years in the corporate world (most of it in the space industry), Orly Konig took a leap into the creative world of fiction. She is the founding president of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and an active member of the Tall Poppy Writers. When she’s not taking pictures of her cats or chauffeuring her son around, she’s helping writers as a book coach and working on her next novel.

She is the author of The Distance Home and Carousel Beach . Find her online at www.orlykonig.com.