Liz Armbrecht

One of my goals from last year that bled into this year was to find and join a writing group. I wanted to for a couple of reasons:

1. I thought it would help me “practice” submitting things for publishing. I find I get paralysis around submission sometimes because of this deep-set fear of other people reading what I write (happens on this blog too).
2. Perfectionist that I am, I find it really difficult to get feedback on anything I do, especially writing. But I know it’s good for me. I know it makes my writing better. So a writing group would also help me practice this: accepting feedback more gracefully and enthusiastically.

Using the MeetUp app, I found several local writing groups and signed up to get their meeting times and see how they functioned. Then, out of fear, I waited approximately seven months before I attempted to join a meeting. Meeting new people is terrifying! To be completely honest, the thought of possibly having to write (fiction) was also quite terrifying!

But I made it and I’m so glad I did. It’s an amazing group of intelligent, friendly, talented writers who offer specific and useful feedback in a kind and uplifting way. Out of all the writing groups I’ve been a part of in my short professional life, it’s by far the best one!

So while nothing beats critiques based on your particular story and writing, here is some of the best feedback I’ve received, in order to share the love.

1. Don’t over-explain, especially at the beginning. Like many newbie writers, I have a habit of trying to get everything out of my head and onto paper, especially when starting a new story. Both times I’ve been critiqued, I hear that there’s too much exposition and get good tips on where to sneak it in later into my story.
2. Don’t overtell. Let the reader fill in some of the gaps. There’s no need to make sure they “get it,” because part of the joy of reading is drawing your own conclusions about what the author meant.*
3. DO ramp up the tension. I’ve gotten compliments on how tense my stories are and how that tension keeps the group reading to the end.
4. DO keep a consistent mood. Both the stories I’ve submitted I’ve thought that the mood should be different than what it was (more tense, or more spooky) and I’ve heard that they’re funny stories and the comedy is working instead.

It’s HARD to put yourself out there to meet people, it’s even harder to do so when you know they’re going to read what you write! But, in this case, I hit the jackpot. I’m so glad I did it. If you have a writing group to shout out, do so in the comments!

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*One of my brilliant new writing group buddies said, it’s,

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Not,

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife, because when men are single they are looking for wives to help manage their household.” I think about it every day now!