As writers, we must have a critical feedback loop. Rather like the body’s immune system, it must be strong enough to ward off what is destructive or unnecessary, but not so strong that it stifles healthy growth. That balance is essential. If the feedback loop is too weak, a writer can’t develop greater facility in the craft. If it’s too strong, a would-be writer will be rendered silent by the shriek of self-criticism. Still, as tricky as it can be, this loop is the first stage of editing.
However, for most of us, the internal loop is not enough. We need the critical eyes of others. Passages which we think are crystaline in their clarity may be baffling to others. Good sections might be too lengthy, while others are too brief. The material might be just right for us, but our preconceptions, interests, and biases can cloud our judgment. Other eyes see our prose without our unique lens, and so don’t see it the same way we do.
That is why a critique group is helpful. As others read and comment on one’s work, one comes to see it through their eyes and sensibilities. Good critique groups are a blessing for serious writers, but they are damn hard to find. The problem is that everyone wants praise, and no one wants to hear that what they’ve created has fallen short. Such emotional needs cause a writer’s group to slide into a mutual praise society. You wax ecstatic at my work, and I will swoon over yours. We will justify this joyride by telling ourselves we support and nurture one another. We go home happy—but no wiser and no better. When I find myself in such a group, I don’t stay long. The feel-good drives me away.
Recently, a member of the Chattanooga Writers Guild, of which I am a member, started a new critique group. I waffled on whether to attend the first meeting, but in the end, I gave in and went. I’m glad I did. After addressing the early ‘teething’ issues — too few people at the first meeting, too many at the second, too much time spent on one piece and too little on another — we have now settled into a stable, meaningful group. The critical comments are insightful but never cutting. They focus on the work. I’ve presented short fiction that I felt was ready for submission to journals, and was able to refine it based on the feedback from the critique group. I hope we can maintain this delicate balance. I hope we can avoid the slippery slope of ego enhancement. I hope we continue to reach ever higher, driven forward by honesty.