Tonight (or rather, this morning since I'm writing this at 1 AM), I'm going to write about something very near and dear to my heart: critique groups. I participate in two - one is composed of online writers, who I have never met in person but have given me some amazing advice, and another is an in person group of fellow members of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. My critique groups have been absolutely amazing at giving me helpful advice, and also giving me a confidence boost when I really needed one. A few weeks ago, I went to my group for SCBWI, and as I was reading I kept thinking to myself 'This is horrible. This is garbage. This is the worst thing I've ever written. I am so embarrassed. Why on Earth am I reading this out loud????' but I'd already started, so it was too late to quit. I finished reading my chapter, and sat back, waiting for my critique partners to eviscerate me and...they didn't. They actually had very nice things to say, suggestions too, but the general consensus was that they liked it. And once I took a deep breath, I realized that what I'd written was actually not so bad and even had some really nice moments.
