Critiquing for Fun, but not Profit

What? Two blog posts within the same month? How can that be!

But yes, here I am, writing another blog, only a couple of weeks removed from my previous post. Hey, miracles can happen.

The reason I’m being so loquacious this month? I don’t really know, luck as much as anything I guess. Or it could be that I actually have something to talk about. Which I do.

Not all that long ago I joined a site that provides a way for authors to connect and critique each other’s work. Not only do you critique the work, but each participant gets a chance to grade the critique. Technically this makes for a bit of a powderpuff environment where neither party really wants to offend the other so as to keep their own rating high.

That being said, I’ve encountered a surprising number of really honest critique partners that have been more than happy to point out flaws, all with an eye for being gentle enough not to shatter my fragile ego, but stern enough to actually help me get better as a writer. They have been my primary resource for polishing my Short Story I plan of submitting for publishing consideration this month.

As a bonus, I’ve really had fun critiquing different peoples work. I’ve learned a lot about what it is that I as a reader actually like, and how that informs my own work. Is it worth it to spend a lot of time reading other peoples stories when I could realistically be writing my own words down? At times, yes. I almost always learn something from my time spent analyzing other writers and their styles.

I’ve also very recently joined a writing club that is small, but filled with cool people that have interesting stories to tell. I’m excited to be able to further reach out into the writing community and gain whatever knowledge there is to be gained out there.

Oh, and another bonus. By the end of this month I’ll be fully inoculated, having received my two doses of COVID-19 Vaccine. I’m pretty stoked.

Until next we read dear friends, take care.