Sep 24, 2011

Critique Partners Network - Need Your Help

I have found the social platform, finally for designing the Critique Partners Network. I have my domain, and I'm busy trying to pull it all together.

Now, I need some collaborators, or at least opinions.

1. When looking for a critique partner/group what attributes are important to you?

Here' what I have so far:

Looking For: multi-select (On-Line Critique Partner(s), On-Line Critique Group, In-Person Critique Partner, In-Person Critique Group) The difference between multiple critique partners and group is that you meet with your partners separately. They may have other partners you don't, so you aren't a group.

Critique Experience: multi-select (None, Have Some Critiquing Experience - not a lot, Have dabbled in Critiquing, Belonged to Long Term Critique Group, Facilitated Critique Group)

Turn Around Time: (It doesn't matter, ASAP, Once a Week, Every Other Week, Once a Month)

Contact Level: (Whatever works, One pass with editing/critique marks, One pass with editing/critique marks and willingness to have dialog over key points, In-depth work with discussion and rework critiques)

Skill level: multi-select: (Beginner, MSS out to Agent/Publishers - No Luck So Far, Unpaid Publication or Writing Award, Paid Publication in ($) or Paid Writing Award (in $), Agented, Published)

Critique Strength: multi-select:   (story, character, flow, plot, grammar)

Revision Preference: multi-select (WIP, 1st Draft, 2nd Draft, Final Draft)

MSS Type Preference: multi-select (Novel, Novella, Short Story, Non-Fiction, Article, Query, Back Flap, Synopsis, Screen Play, Graphic Novel)

Market Age Group Preference: multi-select (Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Adult)

MSS Genre Preference: multi-select (Contemporary, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Humor, Literary, MagicRealism, Mystery, Paranormal, Political, Thriller/Suspense, Womens Fiction)

Thickness of Writer's Skin: (I'm new to this be kind but honest, Just find my flaws - my story and voice are fine, Seasoned Critiquer - have at it, Please be brutally honest I want to get published)

2. Once a member search is done, you will be able to go to the person's profile and see the following:

a. Up to 3 Critiquing Samples (members will choose from a list of 3-5 page writing samples to copy to an editing box on their profile page to critique as an example of their ability and style)

b. The member's 3-5 page writing sample

c. The member's About Me description.

d. A description of the member's work in progress they need critiqued (will allow for up to 3 WIPs)  I am trying to figure out how to link partner names with wip.


e. Pet Peeves (or some other name). For me, I can't work with constantly changing POVs. I can do chapter changes in POV, but every other paragraph or even scenes in the same chapter just throw me off. So that would be my major pet peeve, and I feel if I list it, those who do change POV often won't contact me about partnering up with them. I have a few others, but you get my gist.
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3. For Critique Groups

Users can also put out notices to form groups. Groups can be done within our website on Group pages or they can be held outside our website. What we care about is that they find each other.

In-Person Critique Groups can come and post they are looking for new members, or they can do a search on our members by city, state, and country.

4. Honest Factor

One of the hardest part of being a writer is knowing if your work is truly up to par. For those seeking standard publishing, we will offer polls where we put out back flaps, queries, and opening paragraphs to ask the community if they would honestly be interested in the book. I wrote a novel and when I hit the road with it, all I was told is: "No one wants to read about schizophrenics." Now had I known that upfront, I would have still written the book, but the schizophrenia would have taken a less major role. Whether these polls will be followed up by comments is something to figure out. 


Okay, that's it for now. Use the comment section to leave your two cents, or if you want to help me in the program's design, send me an email to my first name at aol.com. Please hook up with my blog to keep track of my progress on building this site. My hope is to have it done by mid October if not sooner.


Read why I'm doing this at my previous blog entry: Critique Partners Network

The other thing I'd like to hear is if you think this is overkill and not needed in the writing community.

Did I mention this website will be free? I am thinking of making it private in that the search engine bots don't hit us so everyone feels more comfortable sharing work on-line.

4 comments:

  1. On-Line Critique Partner preferred,
    Have dabbled in Critiquing (one on one long term writing partners),
    Once a Week or Every Other Week,
    Contact Level: anything,
    Paid Publication in ($):(freelance),
    My strengths are: story, character, flow, grammar, WIP, 1st Draft (both partner and mine), Preference is: (Novel, Novella, Short Story, Market Age Adult, Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Humor, Mystery, Political, Thriller/Suspense,
    Thickness of Writer's Skin: I am a Seasoned Critiquer, both giving it out and taking it professionally - have at it, Please be brutally honest I want to get published
    Hope this helps, and I'm very interested in your site.

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  2. Thanks, S.L. I like some of your wording better than mine. And your suggestions. If you think of anything else you would like to see in a site like this, let me know.

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  3. Hi. I love this idea. One thing that matters to me is literary vs. commercial. Maybe it's valuable having a mixed group, but I'm more attracted to read and be read by literary-oriented writers. Also, I write international/multicultural. Again, I'm happy to read and critique anything, but would want partners who are interested in what I write. Thanks!

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  4. Great idea! I definitely think there is a need for it. Online groups allow the person to be in any location, and I like how you narrow the parameters down so writers can work with those most fitting to edit their mss. I've had the privilege of working with a long-term in-person critique group specific to Young Adult and Middle Grade mss's. We meet every other week for a few hours at a time. Not to say we haven't had our glitches over the years, but all in all it is has proved the very best tool for improving my writing.

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