Questionnaire #1: You
Where are you in your writing career? Why do you write what you write? What are your goals for your writing? Learn this and more by filling out this questionnaire. […]
Resources
The Craft & Critique Series
by Ross Lampert
Whether you’re looking for the write—I mean, right—place to take your story to, or you want to sharpen your critique skills, these books are here to help. They’re full of tips, techniques, and tools to help you be a better critiquer—and a better writer too! And they’re available wherever you get your print or ebooks.
Across the Web... and Beyond: Critique Groups and Sites
If you’d rather not join an in-person, hybrid, or virtual critique group, or there aren’t any near you that seem like a good fit, you have options on the web. Some online critique sites are dedicated to giving and receiving feedback to their members; others offer critique as a side benefit. Social media groups connect their members with alpha or beta readers or critique partners. Colleges, universities, and standalone programs offer courses and classes online.
The buttons below will get you to the right group or site so you can explore them further.
Questionnaires and Guides: The Next Steps
Whether you used the listings above to find candidate groups, sites, or classes to join, or you’re already in one or more of them, the questionnaires below will help you determine if any of them are a good fit. If you join an in-person or online group, the guides will help you create your critiques.
Questionaires
These questionnaires will help you identify:
- what you need from a critique relationship,
- whether a candidate group, site, or class is likely to meet those needs, and
- if none of them do, help you figure out if you’re ready and able to create your own in-person group.
Questionnaire #2: In-Person Groups
If you’re considering any critique groups that meet in person or on a platform like Zoom, use this questionnaire to see if they might be a good fit for you. Download a free PDF or Word version for each one.
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Questionnaire #3: Social Media-Based Groups
If you’re considering any critique groups based on Facebook or other social media platforms, use this questionnaire to see if they might be a good fit for you. Download a free PDF or Word version for each one. […]
Questionnaire #4: Online Site
If you’re considering any online critique sites (not those based on social media), use this questionnaire to see if they might be a good fit for you. Download a free PDF or Word version for each one. […]
Questionnaire #5: Forming Your Own Group
Thinking about forming your own in-person critique group? Use this questionnaire to figure out what you’ll need and need to do, and if you’re ready to take on the job. Download a free PDF or Word version to help you decide. […]
Critique Guides
These guides will help you think about how you’re going to evaluate a piece you’re critiquing and then pull together your comments, observations, and suggestions. Each one is designed for a specific type or class of work—fiction and memoir, creative nonfiction, “straight” or functional nonfiction, and poetry—so while there are similarities between them, there are important differences too.
Fiction and Memoir Critique Form
Use this guide to critique the key characteristics of fictional stories and memoirs, like characters, dialogue, plot, conflict, setting, description, stakes, and more. […]
Creative Nonfiction Critique Form
Use this guide to critique the key characteristics of nonfictional stories like biographies, histories, personal essays, travel pieces, etc.: target audience, characters, dialogue, settings, description, viewpoint, and more. […]
Nonfiction Critique Form
Use this guide to critique the key characteristics of nonfictional articles, how-to guides, reports, or studies: target audience, topic and main points, depth and completeness, viewpoint, and more. […]
Poetry Critique Guide
Use this guide to critique the key characteristics of poems: imagery, rhythm and flow, language, form, and more. […]
Cochise Writers’ Group Procedures and Expectations
Cochise Writers’ Group Procedures and Expectations (PDF) Cochise Writers’ Group Procedures and Expectations (Docs) […]
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