Creating a Mastermind Critique Group

Create Your Mastermind Critique Group
2010 Willamette Writers Conference


Panel:
1) Suzy (Vitelle?)
2) Monica Drake
3) Ellen Urbani
4) Kerri Buckley

Monica and Suzy in one critique group. Same workshop for years and years. Have great level of professionalism in theirs. They all want to get better
Ellen and Kerri in another one. Started 1 ½ years ago with Gigi Rosenberg.

Desirable Size: 6 or 7 Members. Maybe more because people will miss some.

Critiquing: Almost an editorial process; Hard to find group that works.

Ground Rules (Guidelines):

1) Ellen: From the beginning she wanted an editorial group rather than a writing group. Wanted everyone coming in from the same place. With all members being professional writers with writing as their primary focus.
2) Pass out work and tell others what kind of feedback you want back. Members give the kind of feedback that is asked for.
3) Suzy and Monica: Unspoken ground rule that nobody argues when they’re piece is being critiqued. (Arguers discourage open criticism) – Work should stand on its own
4) Take what you need and leave the rest. Learn when not to listen as well as when to listen.
5) Monica: Like joining into a marriage: Members form a relationship with all the other members, and also a relationship with the group as a whole


Best ways to find people:

1) Monica: Likes her group gender balanced – equal number of guys and girls
2) Monica: All members of group have to approve of new members.
3) Need to know how to say “No” too, to people you don’t want.
4) Monica: There is no definition about what’s different between a critique group and a writing workshop.
5) Monica: Want people at the same level of commitment and focus. Genre not necessarily the common denominator. When starting a group, find people at the same stage.
6) New people need time to adapt and for acclimation.
7) Members don’t talk about anything else except for writing.
8) Sexually explicit material – read last – so any who are offended can leave ahead of time – should warn them ahead of time.
9) Most important thing about workshops -> they are for the audience. Members should all be there for each other

Structure 1:
1) No homework. Can’t read others stuff ahead of time.
2) Whoever’s got stuff goes.( Bring your own printouts of pages ((and pens)) )
a. When it’s writer’s turn, he asks for whatever kind of feedback he wants, and then read his stuff out loud when it’s his turn. (Dialects, etc. – other people might not read it the same way as the writer wrote it).
b. Writer listens – Not in charge.
c. Edit as you go.
3) Go around the room – sometimes people jump in when it’s not their turn which should be discouraged
4) 30 Minutes for each critique, and then you go on to the next member’s turn.


Structure 2: Homework Method:
1) Take chapters home, read them and bring them back next week (using the feedback the writer requests ahead of time.
a. Critique at home? – Runs risk of people becoming mean and impersonal.

Question: What if you don’t know a lot of people to form a group with?
Answer: Seek out libraries, book stores, churches, Internet, writing lectures

Venues: Good to have a neutral place.. Private homes don’t always work out that well. Change in groups can cause need for new venues.

Monica: Criteria to belong in her group: Professional writer with credentials. Has to be published, working full time as a writer, with any outside jobs being part-time. Gender balance. No poetry.



Aside: - Websites mentioned:
1) thecult.net
2) writersdojo.com