ONLINE CRITIQUE SESSION
FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS
Calling All Children's Book Writers: Picture Book, Early Reader, Chapter Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult… All genres welcome
Whether you’ve written a just handful of pages or you’re putting the finishing touches on your opus magnus, getting another set of eyes on your manuscript is a wise course of action. At our critique sessions, you'll get constructive feedback for your manuscripts, meet potential critique partners and make new friends.
THE VALUE OF A CRITIQUE SESSION
As writers, we are very close to our work and oftentimes we miss certain details on story development or story elements like characters, setting, etc.
Critique sessions allow other people with “fresh eyes” to have a look at your writing sample and read them as your future readers would, providing you with valuable feedback to improve your writing skills and get your manuscript submission-ready.
In all our Critique Sessions, we give you feedback in the most TACTful way possible.
TACT = Finesse, thoughtfulness or having a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.
TACT is also the technique we use for our critiques:
T = Terrific
We share what we loved in your piece, what worked in your story and what we liked about your plot, setting, character, pacing, etc.
A = Author Questions
In the last few minutes of your critique time, we encourage you, as the author, to ask questions either about your story or to clarify the comments you received.
C = Constructive Comments We deliver, in the politest way possible, comments that are specific and helpful to help you improve your story.
T = Talent Talent can get you far, but hard work can get your farther. We always end by encouraging you, the author, to keep on writing. We remind you that we are here to help you achieve your writing goals.
If you are new to critique groups, please read the following:
1. Our group provides some guidelines and handouts to help you get the most out of the critique. The handouts will aid you in your own revision process by teaching you what to look for while critiquing your own work as well as the works of others.
2. If you are a CBW-LA member (meaning you have registered and paid for membership via www.cbw-la.org), you may download the critique handouts under the Members Only section on the cbw-la.org website.
If you are not a CBW-LA member, please sign up via cbw-la.org under “Events” and pay the $10 fee.
3. Please take note of the following policies:
Cost: Critique sessions will remain free to members and $10 for nonmembers (Due to logistics, there will no longer be a pay-at-the-door option for nonmembers. Members are not affected).
If you wish to attend, please register so we can send you the link. If no one registers by the previous Friday night, we will cancel the event.
If you are going to be late to, or unable to attend our session for any reason, please email us at critiqueleaders@cbw-la.org. Otherwise we will be unable to read your work that day.