More On Critique Groups

For the title of this post I was trying to find a way to use the quip: "If you don't have less on you have ???? critique groups" but I couldn't figure out a way to do so without completely disparaging my critique group. Guess I'm not as talented a writer as I thought. Either that or I'm less abrasive than I think.

So, just a day after writing about how much I enjoy my critique group I received another round of edits for my next manuscript. I like them even more now.

I enjoy the fact that there is a degree of detachment. It's so much harder to take and give criticism when in the presence of the author or editor. I get my critiques online and have never met these editors. It's nice that way. They can be more liberal with their edits, I can read them at my leisure. Yet another reason to enjoy the online critique group.

Secondly, I'm already seeing how these critiquers focus on different aspects of my writing. One critiquer likes to point out how poor my manuscript formatting and punctuation is. I'll admit, there are times when I use a comma instead of a period, but once or twice (even thrice) in a chapter, . . . I guess she's right . . . I'll work on it. Another fellow likes to point out redundant word use. I've read these suckers several times before I submit them. I never see these redundancies. He does. Good to have that fellow around.

Finally, I think it's funny when someone will edit something and be completely wrong. I wrote the word "preternatural" at one point in the story. The critique wrote, "What is this? I think you mean supernatural." Actually I didn't. Preternatural, according to M-W.com, means: existing outside of nature, exceeding what is natural or regular and inexplicable by ordinary means. That was exactly what I meant. Sadly, I can't go back and tell the critiquer what I meant. Another? I wrote that the character's one "sop" to comfort was his chair. Sop, again according to M-W.com means: a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture. The critiquer wrote: "Sop? You mean Standard Operating Procedure?" Actually, no. That makes less sense than supernatural for preternatural. The process isn't infallible.

So, long and short. Love the group even more, despite the fact that I can't clarify when I need to. For anyone hoping to join, find the critique group here.