CRITTERS

The second best thing any writer can do is join a writers' group. (The first best thing is to get writing.) Believe me, you need the emotional support as well as the critiques. Some beginners are very self-conscious about exposing their work to scrutiny but you have to do it sooner or later, preferably before you send your epic novel to a publisher. This is where you build the elephantine hide you'll need if you want to be a pro.

Face-to-face groups are great, and your local library is a good place to start to find out if there's a writing group in your area. But you can get together with writers anywhere in the world, thanks to the miracle of modern technology you're using right now. There are plenty of on-line critique groups, and for me the best of the speculative fiction ones is CRITTERS.

I can honestly say that if I hadn't stumbled across this group, I wouldn't be selling fiction today. It was an important, if brief, part of the growth process for me. 'Nuff said. Check it out.

Karen Traviss © 2006