Critique Partners

 

Here you'll find:

• What are critique partners?
• Where to find critique partners
• Good & bad partners
• Forming a critique group
• Receiving Feedback

What Are Critique Partners?

Think of them as sparring partners, helping your hone your skills before the big tournament. They're trusted people with whom you share your work for constructive criticism. 

Where to Find Critique Partners

If you're serious about publishing your manuscript, you need critique partners - people to test your skills against. Think of them as sparring partners, helping you train for the big tournament.

Getting someone else's eyes on your work is one of the most vital experiences you'll have as a writer. It's important to get out of your own head and see how it reads to other people - since that is the ultimate goal of publishing! 
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​So, how do you find them?

​As a shy person, I'm pretty bad at this. The general advice is to check online, or look around in your community, but that can be hard for introverts, new kids, and cryptids. 

• Joining an organization like SCBWI can help a lot  - but it does come with a price tag. 
• Check out Yin Chang's podcast 88 Cups of Tea and join their FB community. You'll meet a ton of supportive writers there. 
• Check online for local Meetups and see if anyone is organizing a writing group in your area.
• Check out writing hashtags on Twitter like #writingcommunity and #5amwritersclub 
• Ask at your library or bookstore.
• Consider getting a degree (I know, I know). At least try hanging around a university.  If you're from Nowhereville, and there aren't any writers around, it might be one of the only places you'll find other dedicated writers. 
• If you're in school, talk to your classmates or teachers to see what you could organize. 
• If you can, look for literary events, festivals, and readings to attend.
• Apply for writing retreats.

Yeah, admittedly, it'll take a bit of putting yourself out there - but there's a group where you belong, and I know you'll find them!

Good and Bad Critique Partners

A good critique partner is:

1. One very trusted person, or several. Do what works for you.
2. Someone who reads widely.
3. Someone who can push you to do better. 
4. Someone who gives constructive criticism, not just praise. That’s why this person probably isn’t a family member. Keep in mind:

• Emotions can run high, for lots of reasons, during critiques. Your loved one is probably afraid of hurting your feelings or discouraging you. You can try telling them to 'be honest,' but they'll probably still have reservations about it. 
• Working with someone close to you can get messy. You might need help your loved one can't give, or you might be asking about things they don't have enough background in. People will get frustrated, and feelings will get hurt. 
• That said, sometimes (especially when you're young) you just need some feedback, and it's hard to find other writers around. If you trust your brother with your work, go for it! 

A toxic critique partner is:

1. Someone who’s out to compete with you, or cut you down.
2. Someone who belittles you or makes you want to quit.
3. Someone who makes you feel unsafe, unheard, or unworthy.
4. Someone who tries to take over your manuscript.
5. Someone who isn’t willing to hear your thoughts or feedback. 

Forming a Critique Group

There are lots of ways to make a critique group work! Here are some I've found helpful. 

• Choose a point-person - someone who's in charge of scheduling meetings, keeping everyone informed, and keeping meetings focused. If it's too much pressure, try taking turns in this role. 
• If possible, sit in a circle. A teacher of mine called some rooms 'power rooms.' They're the kind with rectangular tables, where you could tell the power hierarchies at play. People who want more attention sit closer to the leader at the head of the table. Circles encourage eye-to-eye communication and equality, like Arthur's Round Table. 
• Everyone should do the reading before the meeting, and come with comments prepared. It'll save time, and be less stressful for the person in the hot seat. 
• Make sure someone's keeping track of the time, and ensuring no one's story hogs all the attention. If there are a lot of people, you could alternate turns: critique one group this time, the other group next time.
• Try a 'no response' policy for the person being critiqued. They don't get to explain, answer questions, or respond during the critique. Make time for their questions or comments afterward, if you want.  
• Start a new group with a discussion of the boundaries and expectations involved. Decide these together, and check in once in a while to update them. Discuss what you'll do if those agreements are broken.
• If multiple people have the same feedback, or agree with a comment, have them knock on the table twice, or snap. The writer then gets the message that multiple people had the same idea, and can note it down, without people having to repeat each other. 

Receiving Feedback

This is all about learning to listen. 
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As a new author – particularly when you’re young – you desperately want to be taken seriously. That’s normal. You want validation. You want to be heard, and treated as an equal.

Being criticized for something you’ve put your heart into is hard. It’s like subjecting yourself to a round of small electric shocks; it can make anyone touchy. You might feel invalidated, vulnerable, or foolish. The natural reaction is to interrupt and defend yourself. 

So, someone lobs a critique at your favorite line: "This doesn't sound like your character's voice."
Or, someone points out a flaw in your magic system: "How can the Air Wizards use magic if they're in space?"
Someone highlights something offensive: "Your description of the princess feels kinda sexist to me." 

You jump in. "Oh, see here's what I really meant," you'll hear yourself saying. Or,  "It's not on the page, but the wizard has this whole painful backstory that explains it." Or even, "That's not fair. I'm not sexist. Maybe you're sexist." 

You're not being a good listener. 

When that feeling rises, take a deep breath. Critique is not the time for you to talk. Listen to your partners, and take notes, no matter how strongly you think you disagree in the moment. 

That said, if someone is being toxic, shut them down and protect yourself. Critique is not an excuse for someone to bully you while you sit in silence. It's also not an excuse to watch your partner being bullied while you sit silently.

Sometimes, when you shut down a toxic partner, they'll push back. They'll claim they're the one being bullied or censored. That's nonsense. Remember, they have the right to say whatever they want, but that doesn't mean everyone has to listen to it, and it certainly doesn't give them the right to cause harm.

This is where having an established set of expectations  and consequences for the group really helps; the leader can stop the discussion, revisit the agreement, and take the actions you all agreed to. 

Overall: critiques should be constructive, but not cruel or competitive. It's about making your each other's books better, not making each other feel worse. Listen to your partners, take notes, and look back at them with a calmer mind later. You never know what you'll be able to use. ​