I have gone from a full fledged critic of critique groups to an all-out convert. A good critique group is better than gold. In my Four Corners group, we have been on a query run. Four of the seven of us are at the submitting query stage, and I have seen queries go from okay to on-fire due to the collective comments of the brilliant girls in the group.
And last week, all four girls sent out queries. And already three have gotten requests, from partials to fulls, and from some of the big names in the industry.
The best thing about this group is that it is motivating me to work harder, cleaner, better. Every email I get saying, "I got another request!" drives me back to the computer to write, because I want to finish my own book even more now. There is no slacking off with these people. I can say for certain, with no reserve, these people are probably the single best thing that has happened to my writing ever!
So for that, Thanks Four Corners!! I'll be toasting to you tonight!
And to think, your blog post started it ALL!
ReplyDeleteWe should be thanking you, oh mighty one!
(And those pictures of Phelps aren't half bad, either. LOL)
I keep thinking, "Ask and it shall be given to you."
ReplyDeleteI asked.
Here we are.
It seems like so long ago that I was doing this all on my own. If I wasn't so in love with SKON I'd be shaking out the first book and giving it a try again... ya'll have me on a query high!
And I am working on that query pitch! By friday I'll float it through the group. By then I should be FINISHED!!!
That is, if I don't get totally sidetracked by phelps...
Hi Heidi, People are the best motivators. Writing may appear to be solitary, but it really isn't. This post shows another great benefit of writing groups/communities.
ReplyDeleteLove the Phelps pics.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more on the group. I'm inspired by you gals and that keeps me motivated.
I can't wait to query. But I have to finish what I'm writing first though.
Brittany - me too! Gotta finish....gotta finish.... gotta finish... I keep saying this every time I get sidetracked!
ReplyDeleteIf other people were working at the same pace, and no one else were querying, I wouldn't be as motivated to finish, so I'm glad we are at different points.
I toasted myself too!
ReplyDeleteUm...
Agree, agree, agree! This group has totally motivated me and I think we've got some good karma or vibe or whatever you want to call it going on. Good energy!
And that book of yours, which we've seen in its first form, is so wonderful. Knock us out!