Links: Critique and Discussion Groups

Critique and Discussion Groups

Articles · Critique Groups · Discussion Groups

Articles on Critiquing

Critiquing Others' Work: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/6977/writing11.html; Good examples of "right" and "wrong" critiquing methods.
Finding or Creating a Writer's Workshop Group: http://www.sff.net/people/lucy-snyder/; Good tips on how to set up and maintain a group.
Hardcore Critique Advice: http://www.crayne.com/download/casiltip.txt; An excellent article by Amy Sterling Casil on how to write an effective critique.
How to Critique Fiction: http://www.crayne.com/howcrit.html; Most critique groups recommend this article by Victory Crayne as the reference to review before undertaking a critique, as well as to help you interpret critiques of your own work.

Critique and Writing Groups

Critters Workshop: http://brain-of-pooh.tech-soft.com/users/critters/; This highly recommended workshop focuses primarily on speculative fiction (though it offers other workshops as well). The site offers sample critiques, tips on critiquing and participating in a group, and market information (including the "Black Hole" page that lists response times for speculative fiction markets). Considered a high-intensity group with high workload demands.
CritiqueGroups.com: http://www.critiquegroups.com; A new site that allows members to create private critique groups where the workflow is automatically handled by the site. It includes automatic real-time critique logs, internal (group-private) messaging, group events calendar, and a place for members for showcase their WIPs.
The Desk Drawer: http://www.winebird.com; An e-mail writing group that posts weekly writing exercises for members to complete, share and critique.
Horror Writers Workshop: http://www.geocities.com/HorrorWritersWorkshop; A group open to horror writers of all levels; our goal is to help one another by providing constructive criticism of any length work.
Internet Writing Workshop: http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/; A workshop open to all styles and genres of writing, including fiction and nonfiction, long and short works. Must remain an active member to stay enrolled.
Los Angeles Writers Group: http://www.lawritersgroup.com/; A writing community where you can get free online writing assignments or writing prompts; a place to make new writing contacts and friends.
NovelPro: http://www.novelpro.com/; A workshop for serious authors who have completed a novel of 60,000 words or more. Guidelines for participation are strict; this is not for "would-be" novelists.
Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror: http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/; A fee-supported workshop hosted online.
Opus Est: http://opusest.tripod.com; An online writers' and critique community.
Preditors and Editors: Writing Workshops: http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubwork.htm
Rom-Critters: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rom-Critters/; Critique group for writers who are "actively and seriously pursuing a career in romance writing."
SF Novelist: http://www.sfnovelist.com/index.htm; A critique group for writers of "hard sf" novels.
SFWA: Workshops: http://www.sfwa.org/links/workshops.htm; Links to speculative fiction critique groups and workshops.
SoulScribe: http://www.soulscribe.com/; A writing community where members can submit work for critique and enter contests.
theNextBigWriter: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com; A writing community where you post your work, receive exposure to thousands of readers, and get guaranteed feedback. The readers determine who receives paid publishing contracts and $5,000 novel award.
What Writers Want: http://groups.msn.com/WhatWritersWant; Discussion and critique group, offering beginning and advanced levels of critique.
WriteRomance: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Writeromance/; "Our goal is to polish our manuscripts for publication, and whether we are published or unpublished, we are serious about creating strong novels that capture the interest of editors and romance readers alike."
Writers In Touch: http://www.writersintouch.com; A UK site where writers can post their work for feedback, or simply read hundreds of stories, poems and essays.
Writing Up a Storm: http://groups.msn.com/WritingUpaStorm/welcome.msnw; We have this writing group for everyone, we are mostly kids but anyone is welcome. We crit poetry, short stories and longer stories. We try to help each other out with anything when it comes to writing and we are really looking forward to getting some more members.
Young Writers' Clubhouse: http://www.realkids.com/critique.htm; Critique group for young writers.
ZALSO: http://zalso.proboards74.com; Critiques, writing competitions, blogs, general discussion and more.

Discussion Groups

BookBuffet: http://www.bookbuffet.com; A literary website directed at book groups, with news, author interviews, book reviews and information, and member tools to help book groups communicate, organize, research, archive the books they read.
CataList, the Official Catalog of LISTSERV Lists: http://www.lsoft.com/lists/listref.html; Produced the best results from a search on "writer" or "writing."
EU Writers Discussion List: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/euwriters
Google Groups: http://groups.google.com
Jolly Roger: http://www.killdevilhill.com/literarychattalkcafe.html; Links to a huge list of literature chat groups.
Literary Discussion Lists: http://thinkers.net/Literary_Discussion/
Littera Scripta: E-mail Lists for Booklovers: http://www.litterascripta.com/bibliomania/lists.shtml; Lists primarily geared toward readers rather than writers.
Mike's Writing Workshop: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mikeswritingworkshop/; Hosted by award-winning writer/journalist Michael P. Geffner, this lively discussion forum of over 6,500 members has been voted among the best resource sites in the annual Preditors & Editors poll. It's friendly to all writing genres and emphasizes camaraderie; the sharing of instruction, information, and inspiration; and positive thinking and constructive criticism.
Tile.Net: http://tile.net/news/
Todays-Woman.net: http://www.todays-woman.net/; "A community for men and women over 18, where over 380 writers/poets/columnists meet and exchange ideas, contest, rate and review and help each other succeed in the writing industry."
Topica: http://www.topica.com; Search by keyword for writing-related lists. (Consider using more specific keywords, such as "mystery", "science fiction," "romance," etc.)

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