August, 2024 Feature

Welcome to the new BAWL Critique Group!

A critique group is a group of writers who get together regularly to examine and discuss each other’s work. In the case of BAWL’s critique group, we will meet twice a month. At this point, no work will be submitted before the meeting; instead, writers will bring copies of their work to share. Because of this, only short pieces (six or fewer pages) can be critiqued so that everyone can have a chance to read and get feedback.

Anyone who writes and is open to giving and receiving feedback is welcome. Sometimes you’re not ready to hear any comments on your work that may be negative, or it may be a very personal piece. That’s okay. Don’t bring it to be critiqued then. Instead, bring pieces that you need help with, bring first drafts (even if they suck), or bring a finished piece that you think might need to be improved.

As the critiqued, you have some responsibilities.

First, prepare. You need to bring your work to be critiqued. It’s not fair to skip bringing work while commenting on other’s work. Once it’s your turn, you can read your work aloud, or, if you prefer, you can ask someone else to read it for you. The reason to get another person to read it for you is that you can get a fresh read: you know what you wrote. The other person is bringing a fresh set of eyes to the work.

Second, accept comments with grace. Bill Hader said “I've learned that when people give you notes on something, when they tell you what's wrong, they're usually right; when they tell you how to fix it they're usually wrong.” Take the feedback for what it is, someone trying to help you. Don’t get defensive, but when it’s your turn to talk, feel free to ask questions to get a better understanding. Remember that you are not your work.

As the critiquer, you have your own set of requirements:

First, be honest, but not brutally so. Be tactfully honest, but don’t lie. Don’t tell someone that their work is the best you’ve ever read if it’s not. But do tell them what you like, and then let them know where you had problems. It’s okay to say, “This isn’t normally what I read,” or “I don’t know if I understand this correctly,” but don’t say, “This sucks,” or “I hate this.”

Second, focus on the big idea. You don’t need to review the manuscript with a red pen, marking all the grammatical and spelling mistakes. Instead, look for issues within the writing itself. Does the author change the spelling of a character’s name or the physical description of a place or thing? Is there a plot hole that needs to be filled? Is there a section that dragged? Speak up.

If you have any questions or concerns about the critique process or the group itself, you can contact Kate at 409-789-8008 or Kim at 281-455-9039.

Hope to see you there!