I am using up a valuable Monday post to make sure you all are reading and checking the Critique Connection post. There are about 90 people on there who are looking to find a good critique partner. It’s overwhelming, I know, but read through them. And let me know if anything you find through that venue works out!
Speaking of overwhelming, my schedule has been INSANE. I’ve loved meeting all of the blog readers (and welcoming any new ones!) I met these last two weeks. However, three consecutive weekends of travel (NYC, Dallas and Reno/Tahoe) have really taken their toll. I’ll be back with a new post on Wednesday.
Your love connections worked out really well — I’m in touch with several people, and we’ve already started scheduling and critiquing. Thank you, thank you !
Already started swapping pages with my new critique buddy. Thanks Mary!!!! Hope you get some time to relax and enjoy your iPad 🙂
Yes and I’ve already traded work with my new buddy. Thanks for organizing us!
Yesssss! Can’t thank you enough. We’ve got some great KidLit readers on our critique forum with a lot of energy, and I’m loving it!
My crit buddy is awesome… Thank you. This was a great way to meet people who write in the same genre and understand how it works.
Thanks for this Mary! I’ve met a couple of people and they like first-person present tense, yay! Finally, I’ve met someone 🙂 We’ve already started swapping…
Wow. I didn’t know about this. Thanks for the link.
I’ve found several critique buddies. It’s amazing how much I have in common with some of them.
Thank you for the Critique Connection post! I’ve found several critique partners and have begun exchanging chapters. 🙂
Mary, this was a great idea. Marybk set up a critique group and separated us by interest and genre. In addition, I’ve had two separate e-mail requests that I’m working on. I’ll be busy, but I’m looking forward to it!
Yes! It’s so exciting! What’s really trippy is that all of my e-mails have been from women named Mary. And my name is Mary. And your name is Mary.
It’s all very strange. But thank you!
And I saw you in Reno at the writers conference, which was totally amazing! (I didn’t get a one-on-one, or to talk to you because you were bombarded by people, and I didn’t want to drive you to drink! Although, you probably could have used one after all of that).
But I enjoyed your session and thought you were very funny yet professional. Seriously, I probably would have been going crazy with all of the questions and attention you were getting!
Anyways, thanks for all that, and looking forward to querying you – when I am ready!
Mary
This was a great idea, and I’m really enjoying the new chapters and people. Really great experience!!!
It has been uber-cool. For the first time I’m getting to sharpen up my own writing from advice from a non-relative! It’s also hugely educational actually thinking about why something works in someone else’s writing and being able to apply that new-found ‘ah-ha’ to my own work. Thanks so much, Mary – and thank you new critique partners (you know who you are!).
This was a really great idea, Mary! Thank you so much. I’m still working through my rough draft, so I hadn’t been looking for new beta readers yet, but I know I’ll like to work with critique partners pretty soon, and while I have a few tried and true crit friends, I’d always love a few more sets of eyes and the fun of helping other writers with their work.
If anyone is interested, a friend of mine who’s a poet asked me to register with a brand new site called, Acoustic Ink. It’s a website and message board for writers to help each other, support each other and exchange ideas and resources. It’s in its infancy right now, and most of the users so far are poets, but I’d love to see more fiction writers there if anyone’s interested. Acoustic Ink
This was a great idea Mary!
I made some wonderful connections. I’m now part of two organized critique groups, one for picture books which has six members. We’ve been divided into two groups. Three of us post one week and three the next and we all critique the stories which are posted. I’ve already posted a story and critiqued one.
The other connection is for Y/A novels. It’s on an invitation only website where writers can connect and critique. I’ve got two new critique partners and have already posted my first chapter. I’m waiting for the others to post so I can begin critiquing their stuff.
I really missed my old critique group. These groups are great, not just for all that I learn, but I like having a deadline. It keeps me motivated knowing I am expected to post a chapter or story or rewrite each week or every other week.
I have been scouring different writing groups for years looking for critique partners. It took one day of sending off just a couple of quick notes and now I have a great little support group. You Rock! Thanks!
It’s been fantastic! I’m really enjoying the chapters I’ve been given to read, and it has made me look at my own MS with fresh eyes! Plus, my critique partner is fabulously funny!
Thanks for the great idea, Mary!
Yes, it’s been GREAT! I’ve met a couple of people to share work with and the feedback has been really really helpful. I’ve also been so impressed with what I’ve read. Thanks for doing this!
I found my fabulous crit partner Julie. Definetly love at first sight. Thanks so much. This was awesome!!!!
Alright.
I’m not a love at first sight person. My husband learned that the hard way (tho I have to say it worked in his favor).
I HEART my critique partners from KidLit Connection.
Truly. Forever.
And I had to get back to you to RE-state this. KIDLIT RULES!
Marybk — Yay! I’m going to make Critique Connection a semi-regular thing, just to make sure people are enjoying their matches or new readers are being served or people who want to shuffle have some fresh material.
Hi Mary,
I participated in your Critique Connection back on April 14, 2010. It’s now been just over 4 years and I wanted to let you know that one of the CP’s I connected with, has become one of my best writer friends and CP’s.
In the 4 years since we met, Heidi and I have swapped six manuscripts between the two of us, hundreds of emails, both landed amazing agents, have gone out on submission (and are awaiting to hear if we’ve sold our books!), Google chatted — and just last year, I asked Heidi to join me on a new group blog adventure, the YA Buccaneers. Heidi lives in Ontario, Canada and I’m on the opposite coast in Seattle, WA. – but one of these days the two of us will meet in person.
I wanted you to know how grateful I am that you put Critique Connection together and how my writing path has changed because of it. Thanks for everything you do – you continue to be a website I send all writers to, whenever I get the chance.
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!