The purpose of this post is twofold.
First, I am curious about your Critique Partner and Beta habits!
For me, I took a local writing course a few years ago (I am lucky enough that local for me is the city of London!). One of the primary things we were taught is the important of critique partners. Several of us have met up once a month since to critique each other’s work in the form of a group. I have started to make some great contacts online too, which is awesome! :)
I’m curious to find out how you met your CPs, or Betas, so I have a few questions. If you could bear to please answer them, that would be very interesting. Send other people to answer them!
1. How many Critique Partners do you have + how did you meet them? Do they all know each other?
2. Do you swap chapters as you go along or run drafts by them or both?
3. Typically how many times will your CP read your work before you query?
4. Do you have beta readers, how many and are these different people to your CPs? How did you meet them?
Second, I have been joining in writemotivation this month and my goals were:
1) Finish line edit of my novel OMG NEARLY DONE
2) Continue to post twice a week in blog: Done so far
3) Rough outline a new idea: Done
So going well. Line edit wise I am so close to the end, I then need to add a new scene (sigh) and read over the entire thing again but hopefully that will be done soon!
Hope you are all having a good week.
That's great that you managed to find a writing group, and CPs in your local area. I hope they continue to be helpful for you.
ReplyDelete1. How many Critique Partners do you have + how did you meet them? Do they all know each other?
I have two currently, my husband (who is also a writer and editor) and a friend, who is also a writer. I was lucky that I knew them before I started working on my novel.
When my first draft is complete, I will look for additional CPs. I plan on searching http://www.ladieswhocritique.com/ and other similar sites to find someone.
2. Do you swap chapters as you go along or run drafts by them or both?
With my writing friend, we do a bit of both. Sometimes we'll go chapter-by-chapter, sometimes I'll send my her a stack of ten or so chapters.
With my Hubby we do it chapter by chapter, with us both reading the chapter at the same time, and discussing it out loud.
3. Typically how many times will your CP read your work before you query?
As many as it takes. Once me and my CPs feel the story is ready, that's when I'll stop. It could take 5 read through, it could take one hundred.
4. Do you have beta readers, how many and are these different people to your CPs? How did you meet them?
There's a few people I plan on asking to read through my story once the first draft is done, and before I look for additional CPs. They're real life friend, who read and write a lot themselves.
Congratulations on how your progressing with your goals, you sound like you're right on track.
I didn't even know there were sites like ladieswhocritique so that's very useful info.
DeleteGreat that you have people so close to you who can read and crit for you, including Hubby!
I have two test readers and two critique partners. The test readers are people I know in real life and the critique partners are blogger buddies. (And I found them by putting out a call for help on my blog last year.) I send them the full manuscript and I might send a portion back after editing to see if I'm on the right track.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're almost done with the line edits!
Very interesting, esp that you found CPs through your blogging.
DeleteI am relieved they are almost done! Am keen to draft something new!:)
Thank you for commenting.
Congrats on doing so well on your goals! I met my critique partners at a local writing group, but I also have online friends who are there for me should I need something read quickly. Either way making connections and being willing to critique work is always good :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it's same for you with the local writing group, v. handy!
DeleteAll connections are good ;) Thank you for commenting!
way to go!
ReplyDeletei have only been to a few writing events. my schedule doesnt allow me much freedom, so the conferences that do come my way are usually wknds i cant go. very frustrating! same with a group i wanted to join, meet on a night i cant go.
at least i have online friends!
my trouble is, i dont like to bother people to read my book, nevermind re-read it!...so i am really appreciative for the betas & cp's i have! ;)
It's not a bother, it's a pleasure ;)
DeleteAh I sympathise, my job used to be a lot more busy/it was very hard to find groups and classes to go to continually. Online is a good resource!
I like to have 3 or 4 critique partners--at least. For me 7 or 8 is actually ideal but it's hard to get that many. I met mine first through forums and then the rest I met while blogging. I like to read about what people are writing and if it sounds like something interesting, and someone mentions on their blog that they're looking for partners, I will offer (if I have time). My "alpha" crit partners read my work twice usually. Everyone else, once. I like to read the whole work at once but most people like to go a few chapters at a time. I usually just do what the other person is comfortable with because I'm pretty flexible. When I first started using CPs, none of them knew each other. Now they all know each other. That's mostly just from blogging circles.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, thank you for filling me in. Great that you have met so many people while blogging and that you are introducing your CPs to each other!
DeleteYour book sounds awesome btw ;)
Congrats on getting your line edit of your novel near completion - you must be thrilled! That's a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteAs for CP and beta readers. I don't have any formal ones though I have an editor and several other writers who periodically read and critique but I guess I should think about formalizing the process for when the book is complete.
Great post
*~MAJK~*
Thank you, I am pleased, I have taken time over this so it is a relief and a pleasure.
DeleteThanks, glad it was interesting and thank you for taking the time to respond.
At the moment, I have two-three. Since I'm working on several WIPs, that only means one per WIP though, which is a bit on the low side. I'd like to have more critique partners, ideally 3-4 per WIP. One person's opinion can be very valuable, but if two or more point out the same thing, then you definitely know you'll have to change it. So I try to have plural.
ReplyDeleteIdeally, I'd like 3-4 people to crit my work twice - one after first draft (which usually ends up with a full manuscript, but with flaws, not just an outline though) and once after the initial round of edits. Then I start looking for betareaders - the more, the merrier there.
You are absolutely right, any opinion is invaluable but also writing is so subjective it is helpful to have a few. So then you can see, that's common to all so I must fix it, for example.
DeleteThank you for commenting!
Great Post!
ReplyDelete1. Right now I have two critique partners. 1 I've known since I was around 14 or so and the other I met on the internet five years ago.
2. With both I do both (swap chapters and outlines)
3. I like three--that feels like a solid number to me.
4. I have three beta readers at the moment--one friend who is beautifully honest and two family members who are very good at being honest as well.
Thank you for commenting, sounds like you have a nice system sorted out for critiquing and betaing!
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