Comments on Beth Revis: Wait a Minute...

Beth, You hit it exactly--what happens when a gro...

2009-07-02T13:05:04.104-04:00

Beth,

You hit it exactly--what happens when a group sticks with the structure that worked for them at the beginning, but maybe not anymore. I've been incredibly lucky in that my group has been very flexible. We adapt for full-manuscript reads, we do brainstorming for our published author who has to turn out a book every six months & doesn't have time for as much actual critiquing. This week she's handing us the first 60 or so pages, and we'll critique in fast and give her as much story-building-type material as we can. It's not always that ideal of getting feedback on every page, but the trade-off is that we can still help each other & move forward at the same time!

Georgia: hello! Hope all is going well with your d...

2009-07-01T22:05:39.122-04:00

Georgia: hello! Hope all is going well with your deadlines!

Davin: Yup, I agree--although it is something that I had to learn with time. I thought at first that crit groups would solve all life's problems--it was through trial and error that I realized that I work best with several different methods.

Trisha: Honestly, I think by blogging, you're giving yourself a great start to finding a crit group. Don't be afraid to be selective, though--it's easier to wait and find the right group than waste time with the wrong one until you DO find a good one.

Ello: I've got another post tomorrow coming up about it! :)

Amy: Yup. Too many conflicting opinions are just confusing!!

Robyn, keep posting here, we'll figure something out!

Frankie: I'm happy for you! You are really lucky!!

PJ: Exactly--I've found both to be essential!

Yep, I agree! It's really important to have th...

2009-07-01T14:40:01.245-04:00

Yep, I agree! It's really important to have that 20 pages a month group but equally as important to get those full manuscript critiques to see the bigger picture.

The slow pace of the critique group can become a p...

2009-07-01T13:22:31.297-04:00

The slow pace of the critique group can become a problem. I happen to LOVE my group, although I tend to write much more and much faster than them, so I often can only send a little bit just to be fair. However, we have very loose rules. We meet once every three weeks and we never set a maximum or min amount of pages. I've noticed in writing workshops that critiques tend to focus on and obsess over the tiniest inconsequential details, but I'm really lucky because my girls are GREAT at seeing the big picture and we often spend more time discussing our works as a whole then going over each sentence.

You know what I think about the subject! :) I sta...

2009-07-01T13:06:33.198-04:00

You know what I think about the subject! :)

I started my new WIP, but can't email right now. I can receive emails though. Send me yours and then by the next time we meet, maybe my danged email problems will be fixed.

Wonderful post, btw. Your posts are always helpful. How'd I luck out and get you for my buddy? :0) Hey to C!

Miss Beth, I've found that one or two critics ...

2009-07-01T13:02:05.126-04:00

Miss Beth, I've found that one or two critics work better than a room full. I have two or three people with whom I share my work. I trust their judgement. I've found that if I share it with too many people, I lose myself. There's a fine line within the literary community. It's like walking a tight rope.

This was very interesting! Since I'm going thr...

2009-07-01T12:35:32.439-04:00

This was very interesting! Since I'm going through my own massive revision, it is always good to see how others work. I've got to hit my crit group next also.

Thank you for sharing this, Beth. I know finding a...

2009-07-01T12:10:04.435-04:00

Thank you for sharing this, Beth. I know finding a critique group is my next step and it's good to know what to expect going into it. You have a great plan! Your WIP is sure to be polished in no time.

Good point, Beth. I have a writer's group, and...

2009-07-01T11:53:22.870-04:00

Good point, Beth. I have a writer's group, and they never get to see an entire project. But if I hit a troublesome area, or if I have a question about whether a concept is working, I can take it to them when we meet every other week. They have been very helpful, and you're right about the strengths. At the same time, they can't always be there for us.

Highly informative and personal and I happen to ag...

2009-07-01T09:40:50.353-04:00

Highly informative and personal and I happen to agree wholeheartedly as you already know. Thanks for sharing your POV. Site looks great by the way. Been so into my own deadlines that I've not been over to take a look. Hope all is going well. Let me know what I can do to support you! Cheers-Georgia