This is something I should have done, oh, nine hundred years ago. One of the benefits of ACFW and other writers’ organizations is the critique group. Mine is made up of five wonderful women and me. I think I’m in love with them all already. Such sweet, wonderful women who share the ups and downs and nerves of writing! Yay!
I have stood in awe of these other five women this week (our first week of actually reading and critiquing each other’s work). I never realized that I use the word “just” in every other sentence. I never realized that I can get a little bit adverb-happy, which is a bad thing. You’d think it’d be a downer to have someone look at your work and go, “Uhm, this is wrong,” but it’s actually the greatest thing that’s happened to me as a writer. I mean that. I have no idea why I hesitated so long except that God has His timing and maybe, just maybe, He wanted the six of us together.
And yes, I know I used the word “just” in that sentence. It’s okay sometimes!
Final word… if you are a writer and you are reading this, get your rear end out there and join a critique group. You can find one online, you can find one at Barnes and Noble, you might even be able to find one on Craigslist (thought I probably wouldn’t recommend that particular avenue). Just do it. You’ll wonder why it took you so long.
JB
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