Who would have time to read your *gasp* whole book and give you actual feedback on it?
It may be tempting to have your mom, your spouse, your best friend, your roommate, your grandma, or your sister read it.
Trust me on this one . . .
DON'T DO IT.
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| Amalfi Coast, Italy, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
They all love you too much to give you the kind of feedback you need. And unless any of them are seasoned writers, you may not want to take critical advice from them even if they give it.
What you need are objective critique partners--people who are also building their writing careers and who have some (even if limited) understanding of the industry. As a bonus, it's always great to find people you don't know in real life. They will give you the down and dirty criticism your book really needs to be the best it can be.
Good critique partners are a pillar of successful writing.
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| Athens, Greece, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
So how do you find these people? Where are they hiding? And will they actually read your manuscript?
Until I got into this whole crazy writers' world, I didn't know it but they are literally . . .
EVERYWHERE.
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| Ephesus, Turkey, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
There are so many places to find critique partners. So instead of giving you a list, I'll give you a link.
I can tell you that I have found solid critique partners through several venues.
Sometimes you can find real life friends who just happen to be writers as well. I have one such friend. We used to meet every two weeks at a lovely cafe in Germany and share comments on swapped segments of our current projects while snacking on heavenly Bavarian pretzels and hot cocoa.
What I appreciate most about Britta is that she always gave it to me straight. She told me what she loved about my work and didn't hesitate to cross off whole chapters of my story when they needed to be pruned. But she always built up my confidence and believed in me. (And even though I moved back to Texas, we still swap via email. She's my first line of defense on a new story.)
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| Ephesus, Turkey, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
I have also found two great partners via the Ladies who Critique website. The site is free and easy to navigate. I found CPs within 24 hours of posting. Linda and Giff have been invaluable to me in helping me hone my skills as a writer. They've both contributed to my work in tremendous ways. They had amazing patience with me when I was first starting out, and I've learned so much from both of them.
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| Athens, Greece, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
I was lucky enough to find Andy during Megan Lally's #CPMatch last year. I can't wait to pass the next draft of my current project to Andy, who gives me such a great perspective on my own work. He really stretches me to take my writing beyond what I expected it to be. (Not to mention, his work is really fun to read!)
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| Sorrento, Italy, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
I have plans to swap with other CPs and beta readers I've met through Twitter contests, Facebook writer's groups, and workshops. It's good to mix it up with trusted tried-and-true partners and fresh, new eyes.
It's not always easy to know when you're going to find a good match. And it's okay to go your separate ways if you try a sample chapter and know you're not going to mesh well.
Having a bad critique partner can be just as detrimental to your work as a good one can be helpful.
Don't let a bad critique partner be the death of you.
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| Pompeii, Italy, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
Being a good critique partner in return is just as crucial to the success of any critique partner relationship.
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| Amalfi Coast, Italy, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
Find solid critique partners, and before you know it, you'll have amazing feedback you can use to bring your story to the next level and get yourself that much closer to your goals.
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| Ephesus, Turkey, 2014, Photo by Erik Lundmark |
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