To Critique or Not to Critique?

Word Weavers

Gain feedback on your writing through a Christian Writers Guild Word Weavers group. Join today!

“Your Starbucks article should be about the love of coffee,” my Tampa Word Weavers friend said, “not coffee hit men.” But I loved the piece the way it was.

“Have you sold it yet?”

Well…

So I followed her advice and re-wrote the 1,000-word piece—sans the hit men—for Tallahassee Woman magazine and they published it. It’s now a piece I could rewrite and sell again and again.

Another time I brought to the Orlando Word Weavers group an emotional piece about my dad’s death. One woman suggested I lose the first two paragraphs and get to the story.

It took me 20 minutes to rewrite. When I took that article to the Florida Christian Writers Conference, it won best article. Several re-writes later it appeared in Kyria, a Christianity Today ezine for women.

If you’re not yet in a CWG Word Weavers group, join one.

Five (+1) great reasons:

1. To fellowship with people who think in paragraphs and say, “You should write about that.”
2. To stay informed of upcoming writing events.
3. Because members receive a free five-page critique from the Christian Writers Guild, a free webinar, and a discount to the Writing for the Soul Conference—plus more.
4. For the cool membership card and tote bag.
5. To meet with Christian writers who offer both encouragement and honest criticism.

But the best reason is because CWG Word Weavers help you become a better writer.

Pauline Hylton lives in Clearwater, Florida. She’s a graduate of the Guild’s Journeyman course. Her articles have appeared in the USA Today magazine, Your Life Guide to Women’s Health, and Tallahassee Woman. Visit her online.