This has exceeded my expectations!
A few things:
- If your entry hasn't received any bites, please do not despair. It doesn't mean you have nothing to offer; it simply means that a certain "click" hasn't taken place yet between you and another writer. These things take time!
- Once you've made mutual contact, remember that there is no obligation to take the relationship further! In other words, you may discover, upon sharing more communiques, that you don't feel comfortable or safe or whatever sending your material to your new contact. And that's okay.
- I encourage you to take this exercise beyond the CP Dating Service and apply it to your continued search for critique partners. The whole point is that it's a relational thing, and not simply a business tranaction. Getting to know other writers, both online and in real life, and being real with them so that they get to know you, too, is how beautiful and lasting critique partnerships are formed. It's the natural outgrowth of sharing the writerly journey with someone you click with on a personal level.
Sometimes, too, your vision and needs as a writer change, and certain partnerships don't work anymore. That's okay, too. There needs to be a place of no-hard-feelings-I-wish-you-well when it's time to part ways. Keep that in mind.
Those who have critiqued my work and whose work I've critiqued each have a special place in my journey. Each has contributed, in some way, to where I am today. So to Jodi, Maggie, Holly, Beth, Corinne, Julie, and Adam -- thank you! And to Taryn, Constance, and Sarah--the Teen Incredibles--thank you!
I'm looking forward to hearing the success stories that grow from the CP Dating Service. And I'm thinking of doing this every six months or so. What do you think?
This service had been great. I've received several emails from potential CPs and sent out two myself. And... we have a match! What we did is share 5 pages from our WIPs so that we could sample each others writing as well as critique styles. It revealed just what we needed to know to make a choice. So thanks again, Authoress, for once again answering the needs of writers looking to improve their craft. You rock!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely keep doing these in the future! I'm not ready for a crit partner yet but it would be really great if this is around when I am. Thank you for doing this!
ReplyDeleteI think it's a fabulous idea! You're so generous with your time and energy!
ReplyDeleteYou know what?
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I've been bopping around on blogs for a year now, because I was the ultimate "writing in a vacuum" person. Miserable. Since I started blogging, I have "met" some great people, but they are at different points on their journey than I am--well, a lot of them are. So I wasn't sure asking them to critique for me was a great idea. And many of them seemed already to have partners.
So I've had writerly support and encouragement and people to laugh with, even an invitation to dinner with a fun group, but no critique partners.
Then you did this and BLONK! I am getting e-mails from people who I've seen during contests or commenting on the same blogs as me, but I didn't really know. And they're at the same point I am in the process.
I had set the stage but you gave us all an opportunity to take it to the next step. (It really is funny how it sounds like dating. One person even wrote "I'd like to get to know you better." Giggle.)
So yeah, thanks, Authoress. Perfect timing!
I'm SO becoming a groupie.
I'm not looking for another CP, but I really enjoyed reading the posts. I must admit, they weren't as exciting as the scary personal ads in a certain local rag (do people really do those things?), but it was interesting to find out a bit about your readers and what they are writing.
ReplyDeleteAnd that they all sounded like nice people!
thanks for this networking adventure!
ReplyDeleteI'd be all for you doing this again. My mss isn't in shape for a trade yet, but from what i saw this go-around, it seemed like a really great way for ppl to connect!
ReplyDeleteI think it's amazing what you do to help out the writing community. We should all strive to be more like you. :)
ReplyDeleteI echo everyone else - this has been amazing. I think it would be great if you did this every 6 months or so. For people like me, who don't know any writers "in real life" this is invaluable. I have met lots of writers through twitter, and I've formed some great friendships, but most of them already have a strong group of crit partners. Here, everyone was looking for the same thing. Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI agree, this has been really great, and it would be a great idea to do every so often. You can find crit partners lots of places, but it's really useful to be able to browse a good number of people who are all looking for partners, who you can see what type of stuff they write, and whether or not they have finished novels to send, rather than stumbling through various sites trying to guess if you've got someone who's going to spend the next 4 years on the same three opening chapters and never finish the book.
ReplyDeleteThis is great! Please do it again--even if our critiquing styles don't always match up, I've already found two new writer-friends who are more than willing to be a sounding board!
ReplyDeleteI've gotten a few emails that I think may pan out into solid, long-term crit partners! I can't thank you enough.
Thank you for doing this! I've found two awesome critique partners and I'm thrilled to be working with them! You're awesome for giving writers a place to find each other :)
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