where can i get my writing critiqued?

January 10, 2010 10:42 PM

I want to become a better writer. Is there a place online where people can critique my writing, and I can critique theirs? How would I get involved in that?

All I have so far is a wordpress where I post things I write. Mostly all I have are ideas, snippets, scenes, whatever, but I would love to be able to turn them into stories.

posted by rebent to Writing & Language (9 answers total)

That's what the forums at Absolute Write are for! The site is frequented by writers at every stage of the game, from newbies to famous authors. I met many of my fabulous critique partners via the community there, which also provided matchless support through my querying, revisions and submissions obstacle courses. (My debut will be published by Random House next year.)
posted by changeling at 11:11 PM on January 10, 2010

When I was wondering this a couple of years ago, investigation turned up Critique Circle as a pretty major hub of people sharing writing critiques. You get credit for posting good critiques of other writers, and 'use' that credit to post your work for critique.

If you happen to be a big Chuck Palahniuk fan, he also has a $40 online Writer's Workshop community that works similarly.

There's a couple more suggestions in this question from 2007 as well.

Good luck!
posted by churl at 11:12 PM on January 10, 2010

EveryAuthor's sister site for poetry, The Poetry Free-for-All, is quite helpful, so I'm assuming you can expect more of the same.
posted by aquafortis at 11:19 PM on January 10, 2010

http://www.scribophile.com is a web site I had previously come across that is basically dedicated to peer editing of creative writing. Have not used it myself, so cannot vouch for it, but it seems like it might be along the lines you are looking for.
posted by Pontius Pilate at 12:10 AM on January 11, 2010

I've participated a bit on Scribophile and found it to be not so useful. Mostly epic sci-fi (not that there's anything wrong with that!) postings with little useful feedback.
posted by bobbyno at 10:49 AM on January 11, 2010

Urbis.

This is what you want - it's based of an economy of reviews. In order to reveal the reviews people have written of your work, you must write a certain number of words on other people's work. Writing those words earns you "credits" which you use to reveal the reviews people have written for your work (the longer their review, the more credits you need.) I've found that the feedback I get is usually very intelligent, specific, and thought-out.
posted by Bleusman at 7:40 PM on January 11, 2010

There's also Something Awful's Creative Convention forum.
posted by tapeguy at 1:48 AM on January 12, 2010

The Zoetrope Writer's Studio might be useful.
posted by amrangaye at 7:05 PM on January 12, 2010

I've had excellent luck with Scribophile. The community is very active, and I've received many very detailed and helpful critiques for the poetry I posted. It seems to emphasize more "real" critiques than some other sites. Other sites I've joined amount to just "pat on the back" kind of feedback, but the feedback I've gotten at Scribophile has been very detailed and actually helpful.
posted by bobonnie at 8:03 PM on January 12, 2010