Hiya! I'm looking for a critique partner or a small writing group. If you're also looking for a long-term writing relationship built around mutual feedback and support, perhaps I'm your gal!
What I offer:
Deep, thoughtful, specific feedback.
I will tell you what's not working for me. I will point out why. I might even suggest how to fix it. I'll also point out the things that *are* working for me. I'll be honest, but not cruel. I'll go down to the nitty-gritty. I'll think about plot, pacing, character development, voice, writing style, worldbuilding, etc. I'll highlight clunky phrasing, inconsistencies, unsuccessful metaphors, purple prose, places where a stronger verb might be used etc. I'll also highlight lines I love, character dynamics that just *work*, particularly well-done descriptions, etc.
Brainstorming.
Are you struggling with a specific scene? Don't know where to go with that character? Wondering how to fill that plot hole? We can chat about it, brainstorm, you can throw half-baked ideas at me while they're still cooking.
Editing help.
Not sure where to start your self-edits? Stuck on a particular scene that just won't come to heel? Looking for the perfect word for that crucial sentence? I got you. I'll do my best to help you push through this horrendous phase of the creative process and come out victorious at the end.
Pitch package and query support.
Even if you're not yet quite ready to query agents, you might have started forming your pitch package (it helped me immensely to see where my first draft wasn't fully coherent or where the story dragged). Or maybe you're on the cusp of querying! Either way I'll read your pitch package, carefully and thoughtfully, and give you my feedback, work with you to make corrections or rewrites.
Emotional support when you fall into despair.
Yes, I'll be there when you want to chuck it all out the window and go pick flowers or something. The creative process is fantastic, delightful, wonderful - but also anxiety-ridden, full of self-doubt and writer's blocks. I'll be your champion when you forget to be your own.
And you know I'll be the first person to buy your book once it's published. And I'll brag about it everywhere I go. (I might also cry about it, but you don't have to know that.)
Availability.
We're busy adults, but I'll do my best to be available for a chat when needed. We can text throughout the day, we can also find an hour a day when we commit to being there for each other no matter what (barring life emergencies of course) - whichever works best! For longer chapters, I will be reading/giving feedback mostly on weekends, shorter fragments I may be able to fit in during the week. My pledge is to be as good a partner as I wish to have, and that includes being present for you.
What do I expect from you?
Exactly what I offer, with your own flavour of course. But feedback based on vibes won't cut it. I need more, and that is why I'm looking for a critique partner/small writing group. I expect no more than the same commitment I am prepared to offer you. You don't have to be a pro, you don't have to have a literary analysis background (though I do!), but you have to be willing to invest time and effort for me as much as I'm willing to do for you.
What if it doesn't work out?
We'll know within the first few weeks if it works and we'll adjust accordingly. Life happens, we might not click, maybe we're looking for different kinds of feedback than the other is ready to give. No hard feelings, we'll part in good spirits and continue searching.
I suggest starting with 2-3 chapters swap at the beginning so we know what we're working with and can see if we click.
How long is this supposed to go on?
As long as we want. One book, three, all of them. If we click, I see no reason why we wouldn't continue to support each other in our writing careers forever. I don't want to quit anytime soon, do you? But if at some point you feel it's too much of a commitment, again, no hard feelings, we'll part ways as friends and continue to cheer each other from afar.
How do we communicate?
Swapping chapters on Google Docs, texting via WhatsApp, or maybe we even create our own personal Discord server? That way we could have parallel conversations about different projects, or different aspects of one. Whatever works!
Please note that I'm based in Europe so my timezone is CET. I don't have timezone requirements but it's something to keep in mind when thinking about communicating and how promptly we'd be able to respond to each other.
What genre do you have to be?
I'll read pretty much anything except for nonfiction and children's books. YA, NA, adult is all fine, including mature themes and as much or as little spice as you want. I draw a line at animal abuse, though. Queer, feminist and/or neurodivergent themes are absolutely welcome (I'm a queer feminist with ADHD myself!), as are subjects such as disability, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or really anything minority-related - I may not be part of those minorities myself, but I'll do my best to be sensitive.
My current projects include a sci-fi survival drama, dark fantasy and regency-adjacent romance. The sci-fi is finished and I'm just beginning to edit it - and yes, that means I'll expect you to read the entire 120k words of it, but not all at once, don't worry 😉 I'd also love help with my pitch package for this WIP, and any and all support I might need for my next projects - I can't NOT write. What genre will be next? No idea. Romance, fantasy, spy thriller are currently the most likely, but who knows what gets into my head?
Do you have to be seeking traditional publishing for us to work out?
No. Traditional publishing is the path I'm wanting to follow, but I’m doing some self-pub on the side with a different pen name, too. I'm also a fanfic writer, so if that's your thing, I get you, boo. What I'm looking for, however, is someone committed, who takes their writing seriously and wants to improve alongside me, and who'll be my cheerleader as much as I'm prepared to be theirs.
I am definitely not perfect. I'm an anxious mess of a weirdo battling every day with chronic illness and ADHD, full-time high-intensity office job, and a tendency to reply to messages in my head and forget to *actually* reply. But I'll also offer you a lot of grace because I know life is messy and hard. Just as long as you match my energy, we'll be alright.
So. Are you convinced yet? 😉
Hey, #WriteSky, I am looking for a Critique Partner or a small writing group. Wanna work with me? DM me!
(I would appreciate a repost so it reaches more people!)
#writing #CritiquePartner #WritingGroup #editing #MutualHelp