I won't hesitate to tell people that the secret to my success as a writer was joining Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, where for the first time I met published authors, who freely shared writing advice and the trials and tribulations of their journeys to publication. But key to that success was belonging to a critique group, but not just any group, but one that offered the necessary writing smarts with members pushing one another forward. I was fortunate to be invited into such a group by its moderator, the late Jameson Cole, who ran critique like boot camp. Strict rules. Leave your ego at the door. Reading assignments. Incisive questions about craft and story telling. Three in our group eventually got contracts with big NY houses. Jeanne C. Stein, Jeff Shelby, and me.
Over the years, people came and went. The group sat dormant for a while, then emerged from hibernation stronger than ever. The imbibing of specialty cocktails helped. When the pandemic hit, we like most everyone else, migrated to Zoom. But with so much of our lives on Zoom, critique lost its unique appeal and fell to the wayside. I focused on ghostwriting projects, and the work pace was such that I didn't have the opportunity to ask for critique. Besides, after more than a decade as a published writer and creative writing instructor, I was sure that I had a good enough handle putting words on paper that I thought my work didn't need another set of eyes besides mine and the client's.
Late last year I had dinner with Samantha Cohoe and Angie Hodapp. Samantha's critique group had disbanded and she asked if Angie and I were willing to start one. Angie looked at me, Well? I hesitated, feeling not only that I didn't need a critique group, but it would represent yet another imposition into my time. But I couldn't back down. The next step was inviting members, which became a challenge. Many of our previous members had moved on, literally, having relocated to other states. Others were writing different genres or had pressing work demands. And others were no longer writing. Over the course of several weeks we found enough writers, scribes with years of writing and publishing experience, willing to meet on a regular schedule.
For many months now I've been working on a WIP. I brought the opening chapter to critique, and what impressed me the most about that initial meeting, was how good I felt about the process. I not only enjoyed critiquing the other members' work, but getting feedback on mine. The comments help hone my prose and narrative to the point that I consider my critique group as a SECRET WEAPON.
