The Fort Worth Writers work on all aspects of writing and publishing. Weekly critique meetings help members improve their craft and test out their work in a supportive environment. A board member moderates all meetings.
Manuscripts
To focus on the content of the text, we ask submitters to present manuscripts in a standard format, the same one commonly used for submission to editors, agents, and publishers.
Most often, 12-15 copies are sufficient for distribution among the group.
Reviewers should write comments on the pages, and return them to the author after the 15-20 min read and critique.
One-inch margins all around.
Twelve-point Times New Roman font.
Double spaced.
Half-inch first-line indent.
Critique Guidelines
Find an appropriate balance when providing critiques. Be honest but not brutal. Highlight errors and inconsistencies, but don’t swamp the author with detail. Encourage the author but don’t take over their work or attempt to convert their writing style to yours. With this in mind, here are some guidelines to help members and prospective members get the most from these weekly sessions.
Providing Critique
To be fair to all members during our limited meeting time, we’ve set up rules to keep the meetings businesslike and efficient. The leading board member enforces these rules.
Critique the manuscript, never the author. “This feels like too much detail” is an opinion, but “You’re hopeless at fight scenes” is an unacceptable personal attack. Board members will step in if critique crosses this boundary.
Provide a balanced critique. Every piece has positives and negatives. Feedback that highlights both allows an author to understand what works and what doesn’t, and is far more valuable than simply being negative.
The critique of a manuscript is all opinion. For this reason, “I think” and “I feel” are useful phrases. For example, “I feel this is slow” is better than “This is boring.”
Writing is an art. There is no right and wrong, and there is no universal standard. Breaking with convention can be effective, when done well. After all, modern conventions began with writers breaking older ones.
Don’t ask questions. This encourages discussion and cuts into the time available for others to provide their feedback. If you have a particular point you would like to discuss, do so after the meeting.
Giving positive feedback to be polite does not serve the work or the author. As respectful as you want to be with your commentary, don’t provide false compliments. These are misleading for the author and not in line with the goal of improving the group’s collective writing skills.
If you don’t have comments or don’t feel able to comment on a piece, say so. It isn’t necessary to comment on everything. For example, if poetry isn’t your thing, just pass. One of the strengths of any group is its diversity, and others will love that subject or genre.
Don’t waste time discussing minor issues such as spelling, punctuation, and word choices. Note them on the page so the author can review them later. Everyone has typos and the occasional missing word. Only discuss them if they are pervasive throughout the manuscript.
Receiving Critique
No draft is perfect. Even best-selling authors make revisions and get the assistance of editors and beta readers. Listen to the comments. It’s the purpose of the group.
Don’t take it personally. Criticism of your work is not criticism of you as a person. Producing a manuscript is hard work, but it’s important to maintain a separation between you and your writing. Board members will always step in if critique crosses this boundary.
Sometimes, what you least want to hear is what you most need to hear. Don’t defend your work. You’re just hearing different opinions. Don’t forget, it’s your work, and you can write it as you see fit. So, if you really don’t agree with a comment, let it go.
Collect everyone’s comments and consider them as a whole before undertaking larger revisions. If you’re unsure, make a copy of your work before proceeding so you can easily go back or try another approach. This often helps overcome doubts when revising a piece of work.