Critique Partnership

I put it off for years --- having a critique partnership with a group of writers. Writing has been a solitary experience, that is until I began making connections through groups like ACFW and His Writers Yahoo Group. I tried once before, and was assigned to a group through ACFW. It didn't work. The apsiring writers in the group all wrote contemporary fiction, and had difficulty connecting to the historical genre.

Last week, I did connect with two fantastic writers and I am blessed to have them as critique partners. I am halfway finished writing Beside Two Rivers, and recently went back through a hard copy and worked on revisions. My partners have critiqued through the first 3 chapters, and their insight has been incredibly helpful, and the novel is now emerging into a polished piece of quality fiction.

If you do not have a couple critique partners, consider it. You want critique partners you really knit with and that write in your genre. Sooner of later you will find each other. Before jumping into it, get to know the writers, consider the quality of their work, if they are published or not.

My critique partners have:
1. Motivated me
2. Helped me work every day
3. Helped me write faster and tighter
4. Challenged me to bring out my characters
5. Motivated me to write in deep pov

Side note: I joined Facebook last week, and I'm a little sceptical of the whole thing, especially with the media attention that has been out their the last few days.