Learning to love that critique

So I’ve finished my MS, now what? Publish, Publish, Publish. BUT WAIT!! Not so fast. You want to put your best foot forward right? Right.
First, go through and line by line, edit your work, be brutal. I know, I know, it hurt me too, watching all those precious words that I slaved over get erased by the backspace button. So what if there’s a few extra That, and, as, and the’s in there. It reads just fine, sort of.
Okay, you’ve polished that baby so much you need sunglasses if you’re within five feet of it, now what? This is the time to let others see your baby for the first time. Look for some contest you can enter for valuable feedback and maybe even catch the eye of an agent or publisher.
Go online and look for some critique groups. I joined Scribophile and The Romance Critique Group through RWA. I was also invited through my local RWA chapter (you’ve joined one right? Invaluable, go do it, now) to join a group of four ladies, two of which are multi-published.
Best thing ever. We exchange a certain amount of work and then meet once a month to go over any issues. I attended my first meeting last week, and though I was nervous as hell to go, (us writers are an introverted bunch) I was so glad I did.
They were all gracious and kind to the newby. We hashed out ideas and
elements of plot structure. They helped me with my questions on the Word program, and gave their take on publishing today.
Before I knew it three hours had flown by and it was time to leave. I came away with a plan for revision that will strengthen my story. Because they were right.
Can’t wait for next month. 🙂
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