The first time, I had my writing critiqued, I was a bit deflated. I had lovingly crafted this psychologically complex fantasy novel about an outcast half-Elf who works for the Dark Lord. Together they create an epic cult that attracts thousands of devotees in an attempt to save the world from a second judgment of fire... or will they destroy it in the process?
But my readers had deep questions from page one.
"What's your main character's gender?"
"Is the protagonist a human or a turtle?"
Writing for oneself only can only take you so far. You know your characters, you've lovingly honed your own writing "voice," but how will other people react to your work?
Critique can help you take your writing to the next level. Giving your story to a few readers to review is a great opportunity to find out what other people see when they consider your art, and what may or may not be working.
Writer Meetups
The best place to start is to network with other writers in your area. You can go on Meetup.com to find local writing groups. You'll want to sort by distance and relevance. Or, search Facebook groups for local writing groups. These groups serve as more of a forum to meet other writers and learn about upcoming events that members post.
Writer groups typically offer you social and networking opportunities. You'll have a chance to discuss your craft with other authors in your genre and learn how they write or market their work. Many events offer some light critique, such as a five-page exchange, to read and comment on each other's work. Five pages won't get you an editor's take on plot and character arcs, but it gets you immediate feedback from people who can help you fine-tune your written expression. And it can help acclimate you to having your work critiqued. Many writers avoid showing their work simply because they're afraid it won't be good enough to publish. Well, to you I say, it only takes five pages to face your fears.
Critique Groups
A group of fellow writers is probably the best place to find serious critique on your work. Typically, your group will set a target date for submissions to a shared folder such as Dropbox or OneDrive, and meet on a recurring date to discuss these submissions. Writers will often document suggestions using Track Changes or Comments in a word processor. If you submit, you'll be expected to critique others' work as well.
I've been a member of at least one critique group for the past decade. Reading others' work in a variety of genres has helped me to improve my own writing. You always write best with an audience in mind.
Once again, social media is your friend in helping you discover a critique group. But you may find even more information from talking with other writers. Don't be afraid to reach out to writer friends that you know--they will likely be able to point you in the right direction to get started.
If your area does not have a critique group, you can always start your own!
Beta Readers
If you're lucky, a friend or two may volunteer to read your entire work and offer you advice on character presentation, plot flow, and pointing out any areas that felt problematic or slow. The downside to asking friends to read your work is that friends can be busy. They may not know what to say, or they may get a few chapters in and find out that they're just not into your book.
Finding the right beta readers is key to getting someone to actually turn your book around. Rather than knocking on friends' doors, you might want to start by asking if any members of your critique group would give your manuscript a look over. More than likely, they could ask the same of you down the road. For those outside your circle of mutual support, you might consider offering to pay a modest sum for finishing your book and offering feedback.
A beta reader who isn't familiar with your work may want a short summary or a few chapters, to see if they'd be a good fit. Sure, you want lots of people to read your work, but let's face it, every book isn't for everybody. Give your beta reader a list of questions to work through, and make sure they have a reasonable opportunity to turn down your book if they find out it's not right for them. That way, you won't find yourself in authorial limbo, waiting on a bunch of people who've committed to beta read your book but find themselves unable to complete it for whatever reason arises.
Writing Consultation
I offer reasonable rates on writing consultation and beta reading to help you in your writing journey. This can be as brief or extensive as you need, to help you find the right direction in your writing career.
To help me understand your goals for writing, I ask writers to send me a list of questions you'd like me to address when reading your work. I use the Comments and Track Changes features in Microsoft Word to place my comments and suggestions directly in line with your text so that you're best set up to self-edit from there. I'm happy to talk with writers over Zoom or other video chat software so that we can bounce ideas off each other.
Showing your work for the first time doesn't have to be scary. Start building your support system, and you'll find your craft blossoming as a result.
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