10 People You Don't Want to Meet at a Writer's Group

[Philip Overby]

Wasn't too sure where to put this, so I'll share here.

Ten People You Don't Want to Meet at a Writer's Group

I thought this was sort of humorous. I'm sure I may actually fit into a couple of these categories (and maybe have fit in others when I was younger.)

Any specific type mentioned here ever rub you the wrong way or make you feel uncomfortable joining writing groups?

An additional question: how do you find the best writer groups that fit your style? Do you think having others critique your work helps significantly or do you think your best bet is to go it alone?

 

[Feo Takahari]

My writing group is majority poets, minority contemporary realistic fiction (typically very angsty and self-consciously artsy), and very minority heroic fantasy. The only other contemporary fantasist writes in an absurdist style I don't get at all (though everyone else seems to think he's hilarious.) I often find myself unable to respond intelligently.

Since it's all college students, I haven't seen most of the types described. (The poets might be terrible, but I only ever understood one, so I wouldn't know in most cases.)

 

[kayd_mon]

Very funny article! Thanks for sharing.

I had all of these in my creative writing class in college. Although I must say, there were many critics in the group.

 

[CupofJoe]

The last CW group I was in was just about all Critics... it was ghastly, very mean spirited with lots of snide comments and backstabbing. I lasted three months...
I think I became their Potential Serial Killer the last time we met up...

 

[BWFoster78]

The critic is the person I most want to see at the writing group. I'm driven to find all possible mistakes and places where I can improve my writing. Frankly, I don't care all that much about someone's ability to write their own stuff if they have the ability to find legitimate fault with mine.

 

[saellys]

This would be a first, but I agree with Brian. Some of the best critique I've ever gotten, both in academic settings and writing groups, was from people whose writing I didn't like. I'm not going to claim, as the writer of that article did, that it was objectively bad; I just didn't like it. That shouldn't stop a writer from making beneficial changes to their work.

 

[Sparkie]

I'm the groupie.

 

[Mindfire]

The critic is the person I most want to see at the writing group. I'm driven to find all possible mistakes and places where I can improve my writing. Frankly, I don't care all that much about someone's ability to write their own stuff if they have the ability to find legitimate fault with mine.

But that's just it. If their own work is terrible it undermines their legitimacy. Snide and pedantic comments about obscure grammar rules do not good feedback make.

 

[Steerpike]

I think criticism is the most valuable, as well. Negative feedback is just about the only thing that has helped me improve my writing. Positive feedback is great, but negative feedback and criticism is a lot more useful. It has to be tempered by your own sense of what you're trying to do (i.e. you have to be able to ignore what you don't agree with, and also be able to tell if the critic knows what they're talking about) but for all that many aspiring writers get defensive when someone rips their work apart, it's the best learning tool apart from reading.

 

[FatCat]

But that's just it. If their own work is terrible it undermines their legitimacy. Snide and pedantic comments about obscure grammar rules do not good feedback make.

If an idiot says 1+1=2, doesn't really make it untrue.

 

[Steerpike]

If an idiot says 1+1=2, doesn't really make it untrue.

Yep. Some people who can't write well at all themselves are able to provide excellent feedback. I've seen it numerous times. You just have to be able to determine which is which.

 

[Feo Takahari]

It's a matter of your strengths. I'm quite good at setting up intricate little word games that reveal conflicts in how different characters perceive a situation (e.g. one character using informal address for a leader, and another subtly correcting him.) I'm not so good at determining when my word games have gotten so complicated as to impede clarity. I can often advise people on tricks they can use, some of them very particular and focused on exact wording, and they can in turn tell me when I've gone too far. (I don't think I'm really a Critic as the article defines it, but I definitely focus as granularly as one--if only because at my particular writing group, I don't always understand the larger story.)

 

[BWFoster78]

But that's just it. If their own work is terrible it undermines their legitimacy. Snide and pedantic comments about obscure grammar rules do not good feedback make.

I want my writing to be grammatically correct, so, if I'm doing something wrong, I want to know about it, no matter how obscure the rule is.

Also, regarding areas of critique, there are two where I'm most adept at spotting mistakes:

1. Those areas where I'm particularly "skilled."
2. Those areas where I'm particularly "unskilled."

 

[Mindfire]

I want my writing to be grammatically correct, so, if I'm doing something wrong, I want to know about it, no matter how obscure the rule is.

Also, regarding areas of critique, there are two where I'm most adept at spotting mistakes:

1. Those areas where I'm particularly "skilled."
2. Those areas where I'm particularly "unskilled."

Given the choice between being told that my plot has a giant hole in it and being told that I missed a comma, I'll take the former.

 

[Velka]

To be honest, I think I would fall into the alcoholic/go-nowhere (minus the amazing part) archetypes if I actually had the gonads to join a writing group. I'm working on fixing the go-nowhere part, but that doesn't seem to be helping the alcoholic part....

Joining this forum is my first foray into talking to other writers (besides my friends), so I'm interested in seeing other's advice on writer's groups.

 

[BWFoster78]

Given the choice between being told that my plot has a giant hole in it and being told that I missed a comma, I'll take the former.

That doesn't negate the fact that knowing you're missing a comma is valuable.

My attitude is that I'm a beggar when it comes to feedback, so I'm don't feel right being too choosy. It's not like I'm paying anyone for the service. Anything they can give me that's at all useful is better than I had when I started.

 

[ThinkerX]

I've considered joining the local writers group a time or three. At least one of them, I believe has a published (physical) fantasy novella that I've seen on the shelves of the local book store. Never quite got around to it, though.

I'd probably be the 'amazing go nowhere' guy...though, I do have (mostly) finished a couple novellas and some short stories since coming here.

 

[Philip Overby]

I'm with Mindfire on this. Grammar and technical issues are important definitely, but I much rather have a group full of scathing critics focusing on content than ones that just focus on technical aspects. To me, content problems are hard to spot. Finding a missing comma really isn't. Hopefully, I'd want partners that were a good mixture: find the glaring grammar mistakes and content problems. The best you can hope for is a balance, but like BW said, I'll take what I can get. If all my partner does is correct grammar, then I'll hopefully find other partners who can help offer some other insights.