Nicole Frens is the HSW Critique Group wrangler. She will assist members in finding a critique group in the desired genre and help to set up a new group. Critique groups are a great benefit of being a High Sierra member as your group partners can help you to find problems in your story or your writing and make it better. You will do likewise for them. You need to be open to constructive criticism and suggestions as well as being open-minded and fair in your critiques as well.
To help Nicole in placing people in groups, she’s created a list showing our current groups, if they are accepting new members, and a list of people looking for a critique group.
Critique Groups
If there is contact info on a group you’d like to join, feel free to make the connection. If there is no contact info, that group is currently closed.
Genre: Any Open to New: Yes Frequency: Weekly
Contact: Matt MattBayan@aol.com
Details: Drop-in group, come as often as you’d like or whenever you need it. Writing is read aloud (not pre-read by group). MUST contact Matt to let him know if you plan to come, then he will let you know by meeting date if it is on that week!
Genre: SF/F Open to New: No Frequency: 2x/month
Contact: Mark
Genre: Fiction Open to New: No Frequency: Weekly
Contact: Charles
Genre: SF/F/YA Open to New: No Frequency: Monthly
Contact: Nicole
Genre: Romance Open to New: No Frequency: Monthly
Contact: Sue
Genre: Fiction Open to New: No Frequency : Monthly
Contact: Jodie
Genre: YA/SF/contemp. Open to New: No Frequency: 2x/month
Contact: Rachel
Genre: Finish Open to New: Yes Frequency: Monthly
Contact: cgwrangler@highsierrawriters.org
Details: Full novel FINISH GROUPS are always forming! Contact us now to get a beta reader group for your manuscript.
Genre: Mystery Open to New: Yes Frequency: 2x/month
Contact: Jerry jroman60@sbcglobal.net
Details: Mystery Writers group is open to adding one or two more members. If interested, contact Jerry for details and next meeting date.
Genre: Memoir Open to New: YES Frequency: 1st Saturday Monthly
Contact: Alice Brook Read Aloud – 9:30 am
TMCC Red Mountain Building
Genre: History/ AU Open to New: No Frequency: TBD
Contact: Bobby
Details: Alternate Universe history group.
Genre: Children – Open to New: Yes Frequency: Monthly
Contact: Sue Hauth alnsue@reagan.com
Details: Children’s books critique group
Genre: Fiction Cult – Open to New: Yes Frequency: Monthly
Contact: Danielle drandol83@gmail.com
Details: Deals with characters forced into a cult-like village that is run by a rich man, and they are trapped. It has drama, a bit of mystery.
Genre: Urban fantasy/ Paranormal Open to new: Yes Frequency: Monthly
Contact: Donna – contact Nicole at nicole@frens.land
Details: Donna plans for a read aloud group where you critique on the spot. If interested, contact Nicole, who will pass your email to Donna.
LOOKING FOR A CRITIQUE GROUP
Contact cgwrangler@highsierrawriters.org to put your name ON or take your name OFF this list
Looking for Group
O=On-going F=Finish Group
Genre O or F Name Contact Details
Children’s Lit O Sebiya sebiya1@gmail.com Contact for info
Charukh
Christian Fiction O Karla osorno.karla@gmail.com Open to reading
other genres
Fantasy O Christine ausmuschristine@gmail.com After HSW Mtg. or
Yerington/Dayton
Memoir/Faith O Tim Post Timpostlaw@yahoo.com Contact for info
fiction
Fiction F Tapo gtc3rd@gmail.com Women’s lit finish
Erotic Fiction O Erin authorscarlettblack@gmail.com Contact for Info
Mystery O Jay Levitt jayleavitt6@gmail.com Must be weekend
YA/Sci Fi O Bettina bettina.woodson@yahoo.com Afternoons/evenings
Sci-Fi O Megan naori26@hotmail.com Open
If you’re looking for a group:
- Check to see if a group that fits your needs is already meeting AND open to new members. If so – contact the lead person and discuss the possibility of you joining them.
- If no group is open that meets your needs, then check the list of those looking for a group to see if one or more people would be a good fit. Contact them if so!
- If you find no group, and no match (or not enough people to form a group), then contact Nicole at cgwrangler@highsierrawriters.org to get your name on the list for others to see.
How to form a Critique Group:
- Connect with the other potential members by email
- SOMEONE needs to lead the charge and suggest a meeting time/place (house, coffee shop, B&N, park, etc.)
- First meeting can be to just introduce yourselves, or read aloud a sample page for critique, or pre-pass around a selection to be read in advance and get cracking with critiquing!
- Update Critique Group Wrangler Nicole with your new group details so you can be taken off the ‘looking’ list, and put on the ‘group’ list, either as open for new members or not.
