Good morning, everyone!!!

This morning I have no idea where this blog will go or what form it will take, so just bare with me, :)

One thing that has been on my mind is how vital do writers find their critique partners.  To me they are the very lifeline of the writing world.  When our new Critique Group Coordinator and I were brainstorming the other day, we both agreed on this aspect. 

For me a critique partner/partners are those that help us prepare our work both mentally and physically for that outside world.  They are the ones who give us constructive criticism helping us learn that even when we believe our work is perfect there is always something that can be improved. 

They prepare us mentally for the editor, publisher, or agent, only with a great more insight about our writing. 

I've been very fortunate.  My first experience with a critique partner was from a published author who was more of a mentor than a critique partner.  What I sent her needed a great deal of work, what I came away with was a manuscript that begun getting requests for fulls instead of the form letter rejections.  I took away from those five pages she made suggestions on a lifetime of writing skills that have proved invaluable to my all my writings.

My next critique partner helped me to hone in my writing.  She helped me zero in on all the more critical aspects of staying in POV, showing versus telling, you know those insane little things new writers do without thinking, :)  She helped me fine tune my writing. 

My next critique group is one I'm still working with today.  We help one another by pointing out all we've each learned in critiquing and bring to the table valuable feedback for one another.  This group is not only a critique group, but a goal partner group to keep our eye on the mark.  We help each other push the limits to what we believe we can do and take them one step further.  It is this group that gave me the insentive to get my work out there, :) 

The discussion came to the table a bit over the course of this week on how to effectively help others with critiques.  I am a firm believer you can be brutally blunt without being harsh.  I've seen critiques that if I received them I would probably given up writing all together because of the wording.  I've read enough in the contest loops about how these critiques are taken by the author.  To me a critique partner is not someone who is going to give you flowery, blow smoke up your ass, kind of reviews, but an honest opinion stated in a manner that gives the author hope they can get back down to business and turn that scene around.

Writing in any form is not easy, contrary to belief.  Sure the storylines may fill our heads just like a normal person would awake in the night needing a glass of water.  We awake in the night just as needy to jot down an idea, a plot, or a character.  It is in our blood.  I try to remember this when critiquing another's work.  We are sensitive about the manuscript in all its realms.  However, we're putting it out there, so yes, we want to know what it is about this piece that may not be working. 

I so often hear people knock the romance genre, but....if only those who knock it knew how much work goes into them.  How much dedication is behind putting out one novel.  Yes, romance writers are writers.  We come together from all walks of life to bring the world a release from their reality. 

Sure our heroes are sometimes out of this world.  Other times, well, they are just average joes, :)  Critique partners help us perfect the worlds within those pages.  They are normally the first people outside ourselves who get that first glimpse into the world we have created.  They are the people behind the scenes that assist us in bringing to the world the final touches that we bring to you. 

For this author critique groups have been a vital aspect to my writing.  I've had such wonderful positive experiences with them.  For me they help keep things real.  Keep me from becoming cocky, :)  They are that constant reminder that no matter what improvement can be made, :) 

Everyone have a lovely day!!!

Blessings to all!!!






 


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