Finding Your People: 7 Steps To Starting Your Own Critique Group

Finding a good critique group or partner is a lot like dating!  It can take some trial and error to find fellow authors who support you and challenge you…and who you can support and challenge in return.  

If you’re in the midst of that struggle, you’re not alone.  Thousands of writers are searching for their perfect critique group match, just like you.  And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, make this the year you take charge…and create one! 

Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Determine the group’s focus.  

Because this is YOUR critique group, you get to decide what you want its focus to be! And it’s important to have this decided BEFORE you start searching for members.  

Here are some things to consider:

Genre.   Is this group for fiction or non-fiction?  Children’s literature or adult fiction?  What about poetry?  Short stories? Young-adult?  Keep the focus narrow enough that you can all relate to each other’s manuscripts, but not so narrow that you can’t find enough members.  A horror novelist trying to give feedback on a children’s book might be…scary!  But you may have trouble finding enough members if your focus is too specific.  

Experience.   Is this a group for beginners?  Experienced writers? All levels? Having a mix of authors with a variety of experience levels is ideal, because the more experienced authors can help guide the newbies.  But it’s also totally fine to have a group made up exclusively of beginners, as long as you are all dedicated to improving and learning about your craft.    

Goals.  Are you open to both self-publishers and those pursuing traditional publishing?  What about hobbyists who don’t want to publish at all? Or family history buffs who are publishing just for their own relatives? 

Again, any combination can work, as long as the members are aware of each other’s goals and respectful of those decisions.  But, if you are pursuing traditional publishing and want to commiserate with others who understand the querying process, or if you’re self-publishing and want to work with authors on that same path, you’ll want to be upfront about those expectations as you start seeking out members.   

Step 2: Decide on the practical details

Once you’ve decided what the focus of the critique group will be, it’s time to work out the practical details. Here are some things to consider.

An in-person critique group meets at a local library.

In-person vs. virtual. Obviously, meeting in person will limit you to local writers, which depending on where you live, might be a problem. But virtual meetings require a certain level of comfort with technology for all members.  

Meeting time and frequency.  Some authors are motivated by the pressure to produce new work monthly or even weekly…while others might prefer to meet just a few times a year.  And the time of each meeting can be a major factor influencing participation.  Moms with young kids may prefer evening meetings when little ones are in bed, while others might prefer Saturday mornings, etc.  

If you don’t have strong feelings about these kinds of details, you can always wait until you’ve got a few members and decide together.  But having a rough expectation up front can help you to attract the right people, and I’ve found that you’re more likely to attract members if the expectations are clear up front.  People like to know what they’re getting into!  

Step 3: Write a pitch

Just like you might write a pitch for a manuscript, you’ll need to write a pitch for your new critique group that you can use to spread the word!  This “advertisement” will give the important information to potential members, while also letting them see a bit of your personality.  

Here are some examples:  

• Seeking members for a virtual picture book critique group!  Open to all levels of experience and all publishing paths.  We’ll meet on Zoom the first Saturday of each month, time to be determined by the group.  Our goal is to have fun, make writer friends, and create beautiful books!  

• Is it getting awkward asking your mom for feedback on your latest romance novel? Join our local critique group for romance authors!  We welcome all spice levels!  Monthly meetings at the Regional Library.  

As you can see, each of these pitches conveys a slightly different “vibe,” and lets potential members know what they’ll be getting into before they reach out.  

Step 4: Create a system to collect contact info from potential members - and to filter some out

Before you start sharing your pitch, you need a system for vetting potential members.  

I know that sounds exclusionary!  But remember, as the leader of the critique group, your members will be relying on you to make sure things run smoothly.  And it’s much easier to prevent potential problems before they start than it is to deal with them after the fact.  

So, for example, you may want to ask for potential members’ social media handles so you can browse their previous posts and make sure there aren’t any hateful comments or red flags.  You might want to have them complete a brief survey noting their writing experience, so you can create a group with a good mix of backgrounds.  

In addition, requiring potential members to fill out a form of some kind, is one small barrier to entry that will prevent people who aren’t really serious from simply saying, “Sure!” and then not showing up.  If they go to the trouble of filling out a form, it’s an indication that they can be counted on later.  

The easiest way to collect this information is to create a Google Form.   

Think of this form as a very simple job application.  Ask for:

• Their name

• Email address

• Social media links

• Website

• And any other vetting questions, as we discussed above.

At the end of the form, add a line stating that there are limited spots available, and that you’ll get back to them after you’ve had a chance to review everyone’s submissions.  That way, you’ve given them a heads up that not everyone will be accepted, giving you an easy out if someone doesn’t seem like a good fit.  

Step 5: Start sharing!

Once you’ve got your pitch and your form ready to go, it’s time to start looking for members!  Post the form in Facebook writer groups, on X, on your website or author newsletter, and anywhere else you can think of!  If you’re hoping for local members, posting a simple flyer at a local library or coffee shop with a QR code that links to the form is a good option.  

After you’ve had a chance to review all the submissions, choose the members you’d like to invite and send them an email formally inviting them to the group. Keep the size of the group in mind.  I’ve found that 5-6 members is a good general size.  But even if you only get one or two responses at first…go ahead and try exchanging manuscripts!  After all, critique partners are just as valuable as a group! 

Let others know that the group is full and so, unfortunately, you can’t offer them a spot.  

Step 6: Establish procedures

As the leader of this new critique group, it’s up to you to keep things organized and structured so everyone can get the most out of their time.  The last thing people want is to show up to a meeting with no direction.  Start the first meeting by establishing some ground rules. 

Here are some basic guidelines I’ve used in the past with critique groups that have worked well. 

1. Set a start and end time - and stick to them!

2. Set a time limit for each critique so that one manuscript/author doesn’t take up more than their share of the allotted time.  10-15 minutes works well. A timer on your phone, keeps you from being the bad guy!  “Sorry, time’s up!  But I can’t wait to talk more next month!”

3. Take turns reading each member’s manuscript aloud to the group.  It’s super helpful for authors to hear their own work read aloud by someone else. 

4. Allow each member to give feedback on every manuscript.  Encourage members to try to share one thing that they liked and one thing the author could improve.  The rule should always be, “Kind and constructive.”  

5. The author of the manuscript should NOT respond to feedback until the end.  This is a hard one, and I don’t usually enforce it strictly, but encourage authors to listen and absorb, rather than defend and explain.  

Obviously, you can add or change these rules to fit the needs of your group.  The important thing is to establish them up front.  

Step 7: Maintain the group with clear communication

As the leader of a critique group, your main roles are organization and communication.  Organization is covered in steps 1-6.  But to keep a group running smoothly, you also need ongoing communication.  Here are some things you can do to keep the group on track.

• Schedule emails or send texts to remind members a few days before each meeting.

• Share relevant articles, videos, etc. that you might come across with the group.

• If a member has a book release or other accomplishment, remind the group and celebrate with them. 

• Clearly communicate any changes to meeting time, place, etc. ahead of time. 

The Hard Work Is Worth It

The world of writing is tough when you’re all on your own.  Having writer friends who support and challenge you is critical to long-term success.  So, if you’re tired of looking for a critique group to join, make this year the year you take the reins and create one of your own!  

You’ll be glad you did!

Me and my critique buddies! (I'm the tall one in the back!)