Critique partners. Almost every writer has one.
Which is why we’re gonna celebrate. And give away prizes!
Critique partners…they’re what help turn our rough drafts into polished versions. Our boring plot threads into a page turner. A cardboard character into one a reader can totally relate to.
They’re what turn phrases like this:
“He circled like a dog before sitting.”
to this:
“He sat.”
GENIUS. Yes, my critique partners have their work cut out for them. And right now they’re totally rolling because they remember that sentence in my upcoming book.
So please erase the last ten seconds from your memory. 😀 *blushing*
I just can’t say it enough! Critique partners are the best! A good critique partner can bring so much joy to what is often a very solitary writing life. A friend who completely GETS YOU. Writer’s aren’t exactly normal people. I mean, who else can understand you when you say that you need to fix the POV in your NaNoWriMo WIP to get it ready for ACFW? My point exactly!! They’re our support, our confidants, our partners in crime. They’re only a phone call or email away and who we turn to when the going gets tough.
A good critique partner will stay up late to help you get that proposal polished before a deadline or look you in the eye with the bitter truth that chapter twenty-nine has gotta go. A critique partner will also do the happy dance–and possibly burst into tears of joy–when you tell them you’ve landed that agent or publishing contract, and are the first people you show your cover too…and they text back with words like SQUEEEEEEEE. You guys seriously rock!
So in honor of all the laughter, hard work and red ink, I thought it would be fun to share the critique partner love today. Yep, leave a comment about your crit-peeps and let us know what you love about them, share a funny memory or just give them a shoutout for all their awesomeness. I’ll put all the names into a hat and pick a winner on Friday. The lucky critique partner will receive a $20 Starbucks gift card and a pack of red pens. 😀
*A winner will be randomly drawn from the comments and chosen on Friday @ noon. The winner will be announced here in the comments section. I will contact the commenter via email so I can send the winning critique partner’s prize.
Great post! Yep, I LOVE my crit partners. Don’t know what I’d do without ’em. 🙂
Good morning, Dona! I must say…I’m rather partial to your critique partners as well, hehe 😉 And you my friend, totally deserve a shout out! You are the copy editor, the researcher, and most importantly, the tender encourager of our group. I don’t know what we would do without you!
Hmmm, I kinda like “He circled like a dog before sitting.” Hee. Crit partners are so helpful–I’ve kinda lost mine since I left my historical fiction online group. Michelle Griep (author of UNDERCURRENT), however, has graciously critted a couple chapters of my paranormal book I started re-vamping. So if anyone gets the gift card, let it be her! She’s so sweet!
LOL, Heather. After reading the book, you can probably see Gideon doing something light that, right!? 😉 It was in a scene where he kept doing some really dorky maneuvers so some of them had to go, haha.
I’m so glad you stopped in to give your crit partner a shout out. I love hearing what you admire about her! She is officially entered 🙂
*like* Can you see why I need critique partners?! 😉
This is so great, Joanne. As of June, I have a critique partner and I love her like crazy–Lindsay Harrel. We’ve become close friends even though we’ve never had a chance to meet in person. That’ll change in September!! I so value her input and feedback, and even more, her general awesomeness and encouragement.
p.s. That sentence about sitting like a dog…hilarious!!
Lindsay is such a sweetheart! I am so glad to hear that you two are critique partners and I think it’s even more fun that you met online and bonded!! I have a friend like that and I don’t know what I would do without her. You guys are both so much fun that I can only imagine you have a great time working together!!
The great thing about the local writer’s association here in Seattle is that they organize critique groups too. I love my group! (Even when I’m grumbling through a rewrite… :))
BTW, everyone, I was privileged to receive an ARC of Be Still My Soul – this is NOT a book you want to miss when it comes out! Great job, Joanne. 🙂
I’m so glad you are plugged into a group that you love. That is such a blessing!! Isn’t it funny how sometimes the work can feel overwhelming and then when we hit the other side, we look back and are just amazed at how far our writing has come. I always love that 🙂
And thank you so much for your sweet words about Be Still My Soul. I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying it! It’s been a long journey–as I know you can completely relate to–so sending you that book was such a pleasure!!
So fun, Joanne!!
And Melissa Tagg is one of the best things to happen to me on my writing journey! Seriously awesome writer and friend. We share the same faith, many of the same struggles (repeating our mantra, Mel!), and the same dreams, and I am just so excited to be her CP. I’m pretty sure I lucked out majorly with that one. 😉 Mel is quick to respond with advice when I need it, she has helped me take my plotting and characters to the next level, and she just is sooooo encouraging when I’m down! Love her to pieces…and can’t wait to meet her in person. Yay!
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have learned that you and Melissa have connected as CP’s. That’s so awesome!! And I’m just grinning at how much fun you two are going to have when you get to meet at ACFW. SO fun!!
It sounds like you are both so encouraging to one another and that is what makes critique partners so special, and so important. It keeps us sane and it gives us someone to share our ideas, fears and hopes with!
I love my CPs. They’re tough on me and won’t let me get away with anything! Who are they? Atilla the Holmes, Genghis Griep, Ludwig von Frankenstein, and Hannibal Dotta. Me? Oh, they call me Ane of Mean Gables. ;o)
Oh my goodness, Ane, can I please be a fly on the wall at your next gathering!!! You guys are a hoot and put the fun into critiquing. That’s just how it should be! I’m so blessed to be in a group of ladies that spends as much time diving into the hard work as we do laughing with one another.
And now I’m giggling over the fact that I will be writing names like Hannibal Dotta and Ludwig von Frankenstein onto pieces of paper for putting in the hat. You just made this all the more fun!
What a wonderful idea this post was, Joanne! Plus, you made me laugh (as usual) with your anecdotes and warm voice. 🙂
I snuck into writing. Really, I tiptoed around in secret, afraid to tell people I was writing a novel– it was pride, really. Fear over what they’d think if I failed. God’s been dealing with me on that heart-issue, and in the meantime he’s brought me step-by-step out of the writing closet. My very first critique-ers came when I was halfway through the novel, and since then I’ve been blessed with people from differing backgrounds and with differing expertise who have been so kind and willing to look at various portions (or the entirety) of that first story and give feedback. My mom, a co-worker/friend, my brother, my Mt. Hermon mentoring group, a sweet friend I met in the lounge by the fire one evening at Mt. Hermon, the local writer’s group I just joined, my agent… but the first person I entrusted the novel to, and the person I first hit up for advice when I hit a wall on whatever happens to be my WIP is the fella I call my “story engineer”– because he takes his awesome engineering skills and helps me troubleshoot my plot like nobody’s business. I also call him my Beloved, my husband. Did I mention he’s awesome?
Awwwwwwwwwwwww. I just love this story! How wonderful to have your hubby be your greatest supporter. I can just imagine having your “story engineer” working with you on your story. That’s so cool! Isn’t it neat how God just seems to bring the people into our lives that we need for support and encouragement? I’m thinking about your encounters and thats such a testament to His faithfulness. I mentioned this in one of the comments above, because I have to say how much I enjoy our conversations and I’m SO very glad that we’ve forged a friendship!
My husband has never been a book guy, but he is becoming one. He’s even reading MY book for the first time ever. He brought it camping with us and I asked him if he was really going to read it on the beach. He said real men read their wife’s book on the beach, even if it’s a historical romance. He’s so cute!
My turn to “awwwwww!” at your husband’s comment– it should totally be made into a bumper sticker.
And I am so very, VERY, thankful for you!!
And now I will turn the proverbial critique table on you, Joanne, and tell everyone what an incredible eye you have. Your sense of story, and your skill at thread weaving, are genius. Your dedication to the craft shines through not only your own stories, but into the red ink you so generously >cough–especially in my casescurries away to find embarrassing typos in own work<
Love you!
Aw, shucks! You’ve got me grinning from ear to ear because of all the fun times we’ve had. I’m so thankful to be your critique partner and to have the chance to not only read your work but to have learned from you in so many ways! Like reign vs. reins 😀
I’ll never forget the time you made me cry when you gave me that card at Mount Hermon for Mabry’s birthday that I was missing. You have such a wonderful and caring heart!
Kathleen Buckner proved important critique partner to me for my latest book, Tasha’s Story, especially when she gently pointed out the sun sets on the ocean in San Diego, not rises. She didn’t even make fun of me for growing up in San Diego and not realizing my mistake. 😉
Oh, Kelly I can completely sympathize with you on that one! Isn’t it funny how it can be the simplest things that are our oopsies? 🙂 What a blessing to have a trusted friend to turn to for help and that much needed extra eye!
Joanne, I agree with Beverly… There is no one with a keener eye, or greater ability to add texture and flavor to a piece than you!!
When critiquing your core group’s work, my favorite part is when you can see yourself in each others edits…
And, better yet, when your critique partners’ voices are in your head while you are writing! Great post!
Ashley
I’m giggling at the phrase “or flavor”. Why is it that my mantra is to always get more food into everyone’s chapters?! LOL
You are such an asset to our group with your experience and great romantic voice. I don’t know what we would do without you! And for myself, I will be forever grateful for your guidance on my synopsis for my second book that literally changed the course of the story. It was such a crucial element and I owe it all to you for pointing it out to me! HUGS!
I love this post and the comments, writers are very funny people:)
My writing feels so vulnerable, I struggle greatly with sharing it. My WIP has only been seen by my husband’s eyes. I met one friend who loves writing too. I have been to nervous to share that work with her yet. I attended a local writers group once and never went back, the thought of reading something I wrote in front of people made me want to pass out. I did start a blog in February, I have grown into being more comfortable with sharing myself and vulnerabilities. People seem to respond the most to my posts of that nature. But, sharing my fiction, I seem to smash against very strong walls of doubt.
I am thinking I will need to overcome this if I ever hope to become published:)
Hi Lisa! Writers really are funny people, aren’t they? It’s so fun!
I really feel what you are saying with your doubts in regards to other people reading your words. It’s not always cut and dry as “write and share” is it? Writing is art and like any art, it’s rarely easy to open yourself up to the world of opinions and possibly criticism. I’ve found that it’s best to take small steps forward. Trusting a kind friend. Allowing a little growth. Trusting a little further, growing in wisdom as you build up your discernment for helpful critique vs. just negative criticism (which does come) but learning what to take and what to say, no thanks to.
I enjoy your honesty and am so glad you stopped by and commented! I wish you well!
Thank you for the great advice Joanne. I will take it heart. I’m thankful for this post because it reminded me to take that first step. Something I’ve keep putting of!
*Something I have kept putting of!*
Lisa, wordpress shrunk my comment so I’m moving it down here…
Lol, you’re looking at the typo queen! My semi dyslexic fingers don’t like to obey 🙂 I’m so so glad that you found encouragement in this post and so glad to have met you 🙂
Love this idea, Joanne! I’ve yet to secure a critique partner, but the beautiful and gracious Lindsay Harrel offered to look at my current first three chapters, just tonight! She’s also offered to room with me at the ACFW Conference. I’m thinking the writing world has been blessed by her appearance! 🙂
Gabrielle, I am so excited to hear that you are ACFW bound. You are going to meet so many amazing people and I just know that you are going to have a wonderful time. I wish I could go as well, but alas, can’t leave the baby just yet. But next year!
Very cool that you have a roomie with Lindsay!! And such a blessing that she’s offer to read your chapters. I met one of my critique partners when she offered to read my manuscript long before I had an agent. Her insights into my work were so astounding, that it opened up a whole new world of the writing craft for me. She was honest, yet gentle and super funny, which made her comments sink it all the more easier for a first timer. I truly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her and my other amazing critique partners!
I’ve been with my crit group for more than four years now – and I sure love those three gals. Not only have they helped me improve my writing and brainstorm ideas, but they’re also good friends!
Hi Stacy! Isn’t it fun to get together with your writing pals? And isn’t it amazing how each person brings different strengths!? Our little group has a nice diversity of genres which makes it a ton of fun as well. And I’m with you…I count them as some of my best friends. 🙂
I would be SO LOST without my CPs. I don’t know how people write by themselves without having that support. And every one of them is so unique and brings something different to the table. One of my CPs reads my writing as I go, and I read hers, so we’re both totally up to date on what’s happening in our respective stories and then when we’re lost or we have no idea if what we’re writing makes sense, we can go, “Hey, what do you think about this?” and we can give an answer because we know the story very, very well. I have other CPs who I email or text and who flail and offer encouragement and read the completed manuscripts and pick them apart…it’s just such an amazing blessing.
Hey, Laura!! Isn’t it amazing how a good group of critique partners can make all the difference in our writing?! They bring a fresh opinion and eye to our writing that we could never do on our own. What a blessing to have CP’s along for every stage of your writing!
Our group gets together once a month to critique pages and then all week long, we chat and encourage one another and are all at the ready for whenever one of us has a proposal or an article or even a whole manuscript that needs TLC. The greatest thing about critique partners is the teamwork!
And we’ve drawn a winner! Congratulations…Kathleen Buckner (via Kelly Harrel). I’m so thrilled to share that you’ve won the Starbucks card and red pens 🙂 Congratulations!