Writers in the Storm

By Sharla Rae

I’m very proud of my critique dream team here at Writers In The Storm. We started out liking each other, but we’re now sisters both in the family sense and as professional writers.  Unfortunately, not all critique groups are created equal.

We’ve all heard critique group horror stories: unprofessional back-biting, petty jealousies and nit-picking a writer’s work to pieces.  At the same time, we’ve heard of critique dream teams like here at WITS. These groups give constructive criticism, share professional information, cry and hold each others’ hands after rejections, kick a partner in the behind when needed, and when a fellow member wins a contest or publishes, they break out the champagne. Not only do they care, they also share in the accomplishment.

Last week, Jenny talked about supporting your critique partners in 10 Power Tips For Critique groups. But what if you don’t have a critique group? How do you find your dream team?

I’ve belonged to three different critique groups in three different states. All were different in both culture and the way they worked. I learned that finding or forming a great critique
group is like writing. Both take time, effort, determination, patience and yes, a little luck. So don’t waste time.

Start by being honest with yourself. Ask these questions:

1] What do you expect from a critique group?

Line edits, grammar, punctuation
Story construction and characters
Plotting only
Sharing up-to-date Industry knowledge
Developing writing technique
All or some of the above

2] What can you offer critique partners?

What are your writing strengths? Even newbie novelist bring something of value to
the table. Maybe you’re an English teacher, an executive secretary, the editor
of a company newsletter, a whiz kid at computers or selling yourself. You get
the picture.

3] Are you willing to join a mixed-level group of writers?

By mixed-level, I mean, newbies, pros and published. If a mixed-level group doesn’t appeal, stick to your guns. If you don’t, you won’t be happy and neither will your partners. At the same time, beginners need to understand that while having a published author in their critique group is beneficial to them, they may not have the expertise to meet the author’s needs.

When I moved to California, the first thing I did was join my local chapter of Romance Writers of America - OCC/RWA. Then I looked for a critique group. Finding one proved more difficult than in the past – different culture. Californians don’t come to you; you must go to them.

I inquired about critique groups at chapter meetings, but the chapter is large, and I’m shy with new people. When I did muster the courage to ask about crit groups, nothing seemed
a good fit. Next, I ran an ad in the newsletter. Still, no go.

Finally I joined the chapter loop and advertised for a critique group. Because I didn’t want to waste more time, I decided I needed to be forthright and tough about my needs. Easier
to do online than in person. <g> The ad read like a job want ad including the implied “no loafers need apply.” It read something like this:

I’m a published author starting a critique group in the Irvine area. You must be actively writing and serious about a writing career. Please no newbies. I don’t want to be a writing teacher.

Must be willing to e-mail a chapter for critique and consideration. I’ll also submit a chapter to applicant for critique.

If I like the writing, we’ll meet and critique each other in person to learn if we’d make a good fit as critique partners.

As ads go, it sounded mean and stuck up, but I was determined to gain as much from my critique partners as I was willing to give them. Despite my rude manners, I received responses from like-minded writers who liked my honest approach. And so the interviews
commenced.

What I Looked For

Personality:

Is this person open to constructive criticism or are they defensive to the point of only wanting to hear the good stuff?

Do I think I could like this person or did they rub me the wrong way? Liking a critique partner is no petty wish. Personality clashes do not belong in a critique group.

Writing Level:

Is the writing on a par with mine or at least close? Again, I didn’t want to teach writing 101.

Genre didn’t and still doesn’t matter to me at all. I may not write a particular genre, but I read all of them. If genre matters to you, then say so upfront. Personally, I think a mix really adds new depths to my own writing, but that’s another blog.

If the writing isn’t quite up to my level, does this person have potential? What else can they bring to the table? I know, I know, sounds mean. But this is a profession, not a hobby. I’ll give, but I want something in return. An English professor or teacher who is new at writing, earns mega kudos with me. Same with editing experience etc. Something else that goes a long way is enthusiasm.

Critique Style:

Does this person critique me on all the aspects I expect to be critiqued on? Do they understand the basics of plot, characterization, emotion, setting etc.? Did they suggest something interesting that I hadn’t considered? Was the critique constructive without petty nit-picking?  Did they find my critique helpful -- too little or over the top?

I was lucky to find Theresa, Deb, and Jenny. Together, we decided on a central location, time and place to meet. We’re somewhat flexible for holidays and vacations. When Theresa, our English professor moved away, we lost not only our grammar queen but also a wonderful friend with a nutty sense of humor.

When I looked for Theresa’s replacement, I didn’t do it alone. As a group, we interviewed and critiqued new applicants. It took us three whole months! Why? One rotten egg, spoils the cake.

Although we hadn’t started our blog yet, word had spread about how well our group worked. We had a huge response. Still, the way we work, we decided adding only one person was for the best. That was when we discovered we had a problem. We fell in love with two of the applicants. We finally agreed to make things easy on ourselves and invited both of them. Laura and Fae joined the group and boy oh boy did we luck out.

Our WITS method of recruiting and interviewing may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I do believe the method is way better than jumping into a group situation, not knowing if
you’ll fit their culture and methodology. It would be like taking a job without truly knowing the job description.

Three Rules For Those
Gun-shy Of Critique Groups

1] Don’t give up on critique groups. Get tough!

If you’re a member of the critique group from hell, depart with due haste! Then try another group or start your own.

2] Know your own expectations and stick to them.

Critique groups are like jobs. How they operate varies as does employ/writer culture. Don’t settle. If you don’t love your critique group, soon you’ll hate writing too.

3] Be patient.

Finding the perfect fit takes time, but the rewards are great when you do.

So how about you? Are you looking for a critique group, leaving a bad one? Do you have a great story about the critique group you’re now in? Tell us how you found your dream team.

We are very excited to have with us at WITS today, NYT bestselling author, Karen White. If you've been on vacation in Atlantis for the past ten years and haven't read her, you're missing out - hers are some of the best novels we've ever read.  Seriously.

Here's Karen:

I was putting laundry away today in my teenage son’s room and paused in the threshold, unsure of the best way to navigate the floor strewn with books, school papers, empty water bottles, shoes, clothes (dirty and clean, from what I could tell), and unpacked suitcases from last weekend’s trip.  I’d take a picture to include here, but I don’t want DFCS calling on me.  Whose child is this?

I’m a far cry from the character of Melanie Middleton in my Tradd Street series—the anal-retentive real estate agent who even schedules her potty breaks on a spreadsheet.  But I do like everything in its place. 

I like neat piles of paper on my desk (my version of a “to do” list), and I like my countertops and bathroom sinks clear of clutter.  A cluttered house means a cluttered mind—at least that’s what I’ve read.  And since I work at home, I consider the entire house my workspace, and everybody had best keep it neat and clean!  I’ve been known to collect items without warning into a large garbage bag and place in the garage.  It’s amazing how seldom they miss anything.

I manage to keep things tidy in most parts of the house, but in my children’s rooms I’ve simply given up.  I just don’t have the energy anymore.  My daughter is now in college, but when she’s at home, both kids are required to straighten up everything when the cleaning people come, but then it goes right back to requiring yellow tape across the doorway.  I’m thinking of reporting them to that A&E show, Hoarders. 

I have an iPhone that keeps me organized—with every event color-coded by family member and subject.  Even the dog has his own color.  I set an alarm for each event just in case I’m distracted and forget.  Even better, when I sync with Outlook I can send reminders to various family members, too.  But not the dog, of course, as he doesn’t have thumbs and finds operating a handheld device too much of a challenge.

You’re probably thinking that my organization spills over into my writing.  And there you’d be wrong.  I don’t outline.  I don’t do character sketches.  I don’t even do a first draft.  I just sit down somewhere with my laptop and start writing a story about characters I want to know more about. 

I’ve been told it’s the “wrong” way to write a book, but I figure after fourteen published books (including one that debuted at #14 on the New York Times list), I can keep doing it the “wrong” way.

I started out being a reader, and I write the way I read—without really knowing what’s going to happen next.  How excited would you be to read a book that you know how it ended?  Part of the fun of writing is discovering what my characters are going to do next.

The only “organized” thing about my writing is my research.  Even though my stories have contemporary settings, I always use some kind of historical context—or some kind of passion that I know nothing about. 

In The Memory of Water, the main characters were sailors, so I had to learn how to sail.  In The Lost Hours the protagonist was an Olympic equestrian, and in The Strangers on Montagu Street and the entire Tradd Street series, the heroine has to restore an old house.  This means lots and lots of research to make sure I get it right.

I do most of my writing in a chair in my sitting room.  Next to the chair is a bookshelf where I keep all of the current project’s research books and notes within easy reach.  Since I don’t always know what I’m going to write, I don’t always know what I’m going to need in terms of research material, so I make sure I have a good supply just in case. 

For my November release, The Strangers on Montagu Street, I had to know about all things Charleston:  where somebody would buy an antique wedding gown, what’s the hottest restaurant, what do interiors in Charleston’s historic district look like, who made miniature dollhouse furniture in the early twentieth century, and what colors can my heroine paint her historic home among other things.  I also needed to know what her fabulous garden would look like for a large outdoor birthday party that happens halfway through the book.  

I had everything organized by subject (including pictures and articles torn from Charleston magazine), and my notes stuffed neatly in folders.  I read and researched as I wrote, sometimes writing new scenes to accommodate something interesting I’d learned.

Now with the book done, those books have been cleared off and filed downstairs in my study on the large bookcases for future reference, and now my St. Simons Island books are filling the shelf by my writing chair to help with the writing of my book due out next summer.

Sure, writing this way probably does take longer.   But I just can’t imagine doing it any other way.  I think that after a writer finds the process that works for her, she should stick with it.

My children are trying to convince me that the cesspools of their rooms are part of their learning process, and it works for them.  I don’t buy it.  I think it’s just laziness.  When my daughter headed off to college last month, all I could think about was seeing her clean room, day after day.  Friends told me I’d miss the mess once she’d gone.  Ha!  I didn’t miss her dirty diapers when she was potty-trained, after all. 

Maybe HGTV will be interested in a “before” and “after” show about children’s rooms after they depart for college.  I’m already envisioning the neat and tidy bins I’ll have stacked in my son’s now unreachable closet, the sharply folded clothes in the drawers of his dresser that right now can’t be closed.

Or maybe I’ll write a book with a mom and two messy teenagers.  I wouldn’t have to go very far to research, and the time saved might allow me to reorganize my office.  And my kitchen.  Or maybe I can just catch up on the sleep that I’ve been missing for the last nineteen years.

Do you live with people who "organize" differently than you? Where do you write and what is your process?

After playing hooky one day in the seventh grade to read Gone With the Wind, Karen White knew she wanted to be a writer—or become Scarlett O'Hara.  In spite of these aspirations, Karen pursued a degree in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University.  Ten years later, after leaving the business world, she fulfilled her dream of becoming a writer and wrote her first book.  In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000.  This book was nominated for the prestigious RITA award in 2001 in two separate categories.  Her books have since been nominated for numerous national contests including two more RITAs, the Georgia Author of the Year Award and  has twice won the National Readers’ Choice Award for Learning to Breathe and On Folly Beach.

Karen currently writes what she refers to as ‘grit lit’—southern women’s fiction—and has recently expanded her horizons into writing a mystery series set in Charleston.  Her fourteenth novel, The Beach Trees, was released in trade paperback by New American Library, a division of Penguin Publishing Group, in May, 2011 and debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number fourteen.     

Karen hails from a long line of Southerners but spent most of her growing up years in London, England and is a graduate of the American School in London.  She currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two teenage children, and a spoiled Havanese dog (who appears in several of her books), Quincy.  When not writing, she spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking.  Her next book, The Strangers on Montagu Street, will be published on November 1st, 2011 and she is currently contracted with Penguin for four more novels.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenwhiteauthor
Email: AuthorKarenWhite@aol.com
Website: http://www.karen-white.com

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog for an announcement: Amy Hahn was the lucky commenter who won a copy of Judy Duarte's new novel, Christmas on Nutcracker Court!  Congrats Amy!

Here's our own Jenny Hansen, starting a new series on critique groups.

In my everyday life I’m a training coordinator for an accounting firm, focused on building the skills of my team so that they can do productive work. I’ve noticed through the years that there’s tons of similarity between my training life and my writing life.

Case in point: I’m an avid Leadership Freak follower and I get loads of great advice from his blog to pass on to my team. Below is my "writing take" on a post he did back in August called 10 Power Tips That Build Potential.

Dan Rockwell (aka@Leadershipfreak) believes that people are at the center of everything, and so do I. I’ve talked about this before but, as a writer, surrounding yourself with a great team is imperative to your success. This journey’s just too hard to make a go of it all by yourself.

A large part of my team is my critique group, which is made up of the founding members of Writers In The Storm – D.A. Watt, Fae Rowen, Laura Drake and Sharla Rae. I don’t know what I’d do without these ladies, and certainly my writing wouldn’t be where it’s at  without their help.

Some people have asked me what makes a great critique group. Sharla Rae has been on the critique group track longer than I have so I’ll let her answer that in her upcoming post. I want to focus on how to give and receive feedback in a way that’s constructive and nourishes the insecure artist inside of every writer.

I didn’t make many changes to Leadership Freak’s 10 Tips…writing is a business after all.

10 Power-tips that build a writer’s potential:

1. Always believe in your critique partner. If you believe in them,, they’ll believe in themselves.

2. Put them under moderate levels of stress.
Don’t protect your critique partner from pressure. If their plot doesn’t make sense or they’d get more mileage from a scene by changing POV, you have to tell them. It is the nicest thing you can do for them.

3. Support them when they are challenged by honoring their energy and efforts. As their critique partner it’s your job to help them over that 80th rejection by assuring them that submission 81 might be the one resulting in a sale.

4. Provide resources; but remember too many resources stifle creativity.
This means loan them your craft books, plot with them, critique their work. Then send them off to work their magic alone.

5. Focus on their strengths not their weaknesses.
Don’t get sucked into what you wish your critique partner could do. If they keep writing, they’ll be able to do it someday Take their weaker scenes and do your best to help smooth them.

Ex: I can’t write transitions between scenes well – if the gals didn’t give me that one sentence here and there, I’d probably cry with frustration (cause I’d never get out of that scene…NEVER!)

6. Engage them in the process of setting goals and creating vision.
It’s good to get together at least once a year and set goals and plot out projects. If your critique partners don’t want to do this themselves, ask them to still do it with you. At the very least, ask them to help you review your goals for challenges like ROW80 or the Life List Club…they’ll tell you if you’ve taken on too much.

7. Give them opportunities when they are ready; 80% ready is ready enough.
I’m famous in our critique group for being a little, um…forward. When we are at events like conferences or meetings with editors or agents who are taking pitches, I’ve been known to sell a critique partner right into the pitching session. They don’t always thank me, but no one has killed me yet.

8. Expose them to others who are doing what they could do.
If you know your critique partner would love to write mysteries, pass on the information for workshops that you passed over for yourself "because you don’t write that." Ditto for the experts in your life like the cousin on the police force or the great-aunt who raises Thoroughbred horses. You know people in your life that are subject matter experts. Refer these people to your fellow writers when the occasion arises.

9. Shorten the time-line for completing projects.
Adhere to deadlines within your critique group, the same as you would with your regular day job projects. Since a piece of fiction is never "finished," as writers we have to learn how to let go when it is "good enough" and move on to the next project. Setting deadlines can help make this letting go process easier.

10. Help your critique partners press through excuses.
Work, school, kids, illness. There are a million reasons we can think of not to write. Some are valid (for a while) and some are not. It’s up to your critique people to remind you of the one really big reason to finish your writing projects. If you want to be published, you must write. And revise. And submit. The End.

Everything else is just window dressing.

A word on pain:

Young and emerging leaders writers will rise to the point of pain. As a writer with some talent and perseverance, the simple equation of butt-in-chair and writing practice is often enough to let a writer write a good book. Progressing from "average writer" to the "remarkable writer" we all yearn to be takes passion, conviction, vision, persistence, and courage.

Your critique partners should be there with a word of comfort or a kick in the pants, AND the 10 Hot Tips above, to help you break through to the other side.

How do you handle the critique process? Do you have a critique group? Tell us about them and what tips you’ve found to get the most out of the process.

Happy Writing!
Jenny

Jenny fills her nights with humor: writing memoir, women’s fiction, chick lit, short stories (and chasing after the newly walking Baby Girl). By day, she provides training and social media marketing for an accounting firm. After 15 years as a corporate software trainer, she’s digging this sit down and write thing. When she's not here at WITS, Jenny can be found on Twitter at jhansenwrites and at her other blog, More Cowbell.