A panel of local Critique Group members (Naomi
Berger, Thomas Cox, Mary Jane Essex, Cindy Pavlinac, & Carol
Teltschick-Fall) will share their strategies for organizing
and maintaining effective writing critique groups, answer questions,
and help match writers present into new groups. Join us for
an exciting working meeting that can make the critical difference
in your writing, and publishing, success.
Writing critique groups offer the opportunity
to have your work read by fellow writers, in the comfort of
a living room or local cafe. A regular group can help you polish
your writing, focus your topic, and avoid typos. Good feedback
can help you focus what you have to say and clean up how to
say it. As your writing improves, your confidence to send out
your work increases. Many CWC Marin members are in critique
groups and we've asked a few to share their experience at our
February meeting. Compatibility seems a main criteria for long
term survival. Members need to feel matched with others who
reciprocate their efforts and give useful comments on submitted
work. The frequency, location and organization of meetings are
determined by the individual members and our panel will share
their best models for great critique groups.
Naomi Berger is the CWC Marin critique group
coordinator. She says, "I love my critique group because
a) I need to feel like someone cares that I keep writing, b)
I value feedback, support, and suggestions to keep me on the
right track for keeping readers interested, c) I enjoy supporting
and critiquing the work of other group members, d) we learn
so much from each other, and e) we love and support each other
in writing and in life. Because I understand the many benefits
of being in a critique group, I agreed to be the critique group
coordinator for Marin CWC, assisting others to meet their critique
group goals." Naomi is updating the roster of critique
group topics and their members. If you are presently in a group,
or would like to be, email her the details. She is especially
interested in listing existing groups with openings for new
members. Include any specifications, e.g. for women (or men)
only, poetry, fiction (short pieces, novels, mixed), nonfiction,
mystery, mixed genre. We post critique group openings in the
monthly newsletter. Let's connect.
