WRITERS' GROUPS AND CRITIQUES

I joined a writers group some months ago. Four women, including me, and one man. We had one other woman in the group briefly but she needed to drop out because of a job conflict. I'd love for her to return because she's had over twenty years of writing as a newspaper reporter. The one short story she submitted to the group for review and critique was so good everyone thought she should submit it for publication to some magazine.

I've been searching for a writers group - needing one actually - for years. It's difficult to write alone without feedback. Even reading all the guidelines that are available, taking writing courses, joining writers organizations and attending writers conferences are simply not enough. A writer, especially one who is not yet published and does not have an agent or editor to turn to, needs other skilled writers to read ones work and provide feedback.

Sometimes I get so involved with telling the story or getting to what I think is THE STORY I forget to bring the reader into the story by showing it.

I also have to admit that after going back, over and over and over, to re-write a section or chapter or some component, either to make a point more clear or to shorten a narrative or to sharpen an impact - I get tired and impatient. (Patience has never been a strong point in any of my siblings and I'm no role model either.) Sometimes I have to get up and walk away from the computer. Sitting and being frustrated when something isn't working doesn't work for me. That's when I try, actually need to force myself, to go outdoors. Weather permitting, I try to get into one of my many gardens to pull weeds or plant something. That's when I can usually work out a storyline "problem."

Of course, I have worked out some of the best dialogue problems in the shower. Unfortunately, I can not write down those gems under water. So I try to repeat the key lines over and over in the hopes I will retain them once I am out of the water and inside a towel at least.

So, back to the writers group. This is the place where I submit one section at a time and then one week later, patiently, listen to the review and critique from the others about what they think works, what they don't understand (and sometimes I want them to not understand something at that point in the story IF it keeps them looking for the answer - not if it makes them turn aside and lose interest - because I do write mysteries, thrillers, police procedurals) and their suggestions as to what I could do to improve the writing. Better yet, my fellow writers remind me of the "show the story - don't tell the story" rule. Which, for me, means - slow down and exercise Patience.