I'm not looking to just crit swap one story. Mostly, I'd like to join a regular critique group. Something that gets together maybe once a week to go over someone's story.
If anyone's in a group like that and you have an opening, please give me a consideration. I mostly write fantasy stories, and I'd be happy to send over a sample of something so you can judge whether or not I'd be a fit.
Obviously, I'm hoping to find a stable group full of strong writers.
Thank you.
I'd like to join a regular critique group.
I have the same kind of goal, Johnathan. Or at least in the same vein.
I already have a weekly writers' group, meeting by zoom. I put it together during the pandemic and, with a few membership changes, it's held together and seems, today pretty solid.
I recommend it, and the way I got started was to contact each of my friends who I knew had made any amount of money from their writing, ever. This was no arbitrary or elitist ideal, but an attempt to find participants who'd had the taste, as it were, of blood —those who might want another taste! I wanted goal-oriented writers and, maybe because of my background, I knew plenty.
But I got exactly one taker.
That one found one and we were off! I've been doing this now, I think, for almost two years!
So there's that, if it helps you.
Thing is, none of the others in my group are what I'd call, strictly speaking, science-fiction writers (which is def how I'm shaping up, myself)
What I'm looking for is a crit-swap-group and my criteria is not good writing, but good critique! Those who give a careful reading, as reasoned response, who try to get the story another seems to be wanting to tell out into the open, these are the people I'm seeking.
I think having a regular, non-meeting but active group of swappers —who get to know each other's styles and goals— would be a terrific advantage to everyone involved!
If you're interested in that, we could do a swap: I only have time, right now, for a first-five (pages)... There's no way around this being some kind of audition, but I'm auditioning for you, too! Whadaya think?
...we could do a swap: I only have time, right now, for a first-five (pages)..
I'm open to doing a test swap. My email is in the above post. If you send me five pages of yours, I'll respond.
Ideally, I'm hoping for a group with five or so members, maybe more. I recognize it's something that might have to be grown.
I’d be up i think but instead of first 5 pages I think it makes more sense to go “as much as you WANT”.
If someone goes through 10/20 pages and stumbles on infodump that takes all the fun of otherwise cool story it is a really powerful feedback
the same if after first 10 pages someone simply no longer feels hooked
but if someone feels hooked reads 20 pages but the the ending makes reader dissatisfied, first 5 pages are no good.
If its a story that doesn’t hook at all, this is also powerful feedback.
VR
I’d be up i think but instead of first 5 pages I think it makes more sense to go “as much as you WANT”.
If someone goes through 10/20 pages and stumbles on infodump that takes all the fun of otherwise cool story it is a really powerful feedback
the same if after first 10 pages someone simply no longer feels hooked
but if someone feels hooked reads 20 pages but the the ending makes reader dissatisfied, first 5 pages are no good.
If its a story that doesn’t hook at all, this is also powerful feedback.
VR
I'd be up for something like this. I'm not sure how much time I could put into it and I've not done much critting in recent years, but I'm willing to give it a go.
I don't have anything new to share at the moment, but I wouldn't mind some feedback on a recent rejection (RWC).
R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog
Small Gods and Little Demons - Parsec Issue #10
I’d be up for it too but my time is a bit limited right now so I’ll try and help what I can. Just send me a dm or anyone can email me at: [email protected]
*When one door closes, another one opens. Here’s to a new chapter! Onward!*
I don't have anything written yet (currently got a rough and brief outline for what I want to write, which a needs a little tweaking at the moment), but I would like to join as well; I've helped out a couple of people with their stories, one of which finally got published last December (The British Railway Stories: Great Western Glory by Simon A.C. Martin). If you want to contact me, you can either DM me here or one of my other contacts in my profile. 
