Hello boys and girls. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin. Once upon a time...

Of course I'm being silly now... or am I? Sometimes when you're stuck, 'Once upon a time' can unstick you. For me it is like a key. It unlocks my imagination. Good advice? Now there's a word us newbies crave - advice, and for the record I used to always spell it wrong (with an 's'). Thank you

so much for all your advise, I wrote to a very well

known children's author who promptly replied and corrected

my error. Needless to say I've not spelt it wrong since.

Have I wandered? Am I leading you astray? Definitely not. In

today's writing world editors are too busy to correct our

silly errors. Our work must be perfect with a capital 'P'.

Stephen King once said that to write is human but to edit is

divine. Wise words indeed. So if editors are too busy to

edit, how can we make their lives easier, and consequently

our chance of being published more likely? And here's where

my slightly windy path is leading - nothing like the scenic

route to heighten the senses, wouldn't you agree? - JOIN

A CRITIQUE GROUP!

Last time, I talked about joining Yahoo! groups. Hands up

who did their homework. Writing can be a lonely business but

with today's technology it doesn't have to be. Use the

Internet to your advantage. Meet other writers, ask them

lots of questions, don't be shy. There is nothing more

flattering than being asked for advice. When Marg asked me

to write this column I couldn't stop smiling - I'm still

smiling actually.

Human beings are tribal. We learn from each other which, if

you think about it, saves us a lot of time. Imagine having

to learn everything from our own experience only. You get my

point. Join a writing tribe. Learn their rules, perfect them

and pass them on. It makes for a richer experience.

Okay, enough philosophy.

What is a critique group and where can you find one?

STOP!

Before I elaborate let me just side step for one minute. I

am not an expert critique group creator, finder or member,

for that matter, but I do follow, and here's that word

again, this little piece of advice - write what you know.

This column is about what I know and I offer my experience

to you - which in turn provides me with more experience:

priceless stuff. A critique group will do the same for you.

You will learn, and as you learn, you will teach, and as you

teach, you will learn some more.

In my short writing life I have belonged to about seven

different critique groups. Presently I belong to five and I

am active in three but you need to be sensible. It is a

trial and error process. If, after participating in your

group you find that it does not suit, then leave, there are

plenty more out there. All of my groups operate via email

which saves on travel time. It also means that I can belong

to a group that is based overseas. This is handy if you wish

to submit your work to foreign markets.

Back to what I know. You have two choices:

1. Join an existing group.

2. Create your own group.

How do you find existing groups? You can contact your

local or state writers' centre, you can search for groups on

the Internet, or you can do what I did and stumble across

one just by chance. I wouldn't recommend that now that I

have the benefit of hindsight. It's just silly.

Try typing these words into a Google search - writing

critique groups + your country*

+ beginners - and see what comes up. To find groups more

specific to your style and needs add - poetry or children's

or short story or science fiction etc.

[**Type in your country, or, if you

wish, a different country]

If you are partial to writing for children, as I am, you

might like to sign up for my free networking newsletter,

PASS IT ON. List members interested in forming or

joining a critique group may contact me to register their

interest. Three new groups have been formed this way. There

are six members to each group. It's simple. I am not

involved. I just put interested parties in touch with one

another. Easy peasy - so what are you waiting for?

HOMEWORK!

Last time I invited readers to join a Yahoo! group. As a

challenge, for all of us, I suggested that you find and join

a group that I would try to create. I met that challenge and

so far we have two members - Marg and myself! So this month

you have two tasks and to make it easy I will give you the

link to the home page of the Yahoo! group that I have

created. The link is...

Group home page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thewritingjourney 

Your second challenge is to seek and find a critique group,

because without one you are only cheating yourself.

Till next time.

Your writing buddy

Jackie

© copyright Jackie

Hosking