Some crit groups you dread. Some you look forward to. The one I’m currently in is very interesting, and I’m not using “interesting” as a pejorative euphemism.

We could not be more different from one another in style. We are a classic snapshot of the writing experience continuum.

This is one of those crit groups that absolutely should not work, but somehow it does. I think it works because we all know we’re wannabes and nobody is trying to “get over” on anybody. Nobody is overlording the others.  I’m playing a weak hand of cards with my experimental current WiP. It’s pretty weird. Pretty creepy. Creepy in a We Need to Talk About Kevin kind of way.  I’m not surprised my critters are suspicious of it. They should be.  If they loved it, I would be suspicious of their sense of taste.

This group is a limited run crit group, and that’s good too. Seven sessions. 100 pages. It’s one of the things I advocate in my Critique Group Manifesto. If somebody’s WiP drives me bugshit, I can deal with it knowing I’m only going to be working on it for seven sessions. That said, I know I’m going to miss this crit group when it’s over. The best I can do is give it everything I have and hope my reputation as a fair critique partner spreads. Invest in getting the next critique group rolling with less Herculean effort than this one took.

And, to be honest, I’m on better behavior with this group than I have been with previous groups. It’s easier to not to drop the gloves when the people you are working with aren’t cross-checking you into the boards.

It works.

Hallelujah.

My personal goal for 2014 is to help X number of writers. X is a definitive number in my head, redacted from the blogosphere for reasons personal to me. If you are a writer and I can help you in some way, this is a good time to ask. Once I start editorial revisions on Selfie, I’m not going to have time to scratch my balls. Before or after. I’m here.  Lemmeknow.