Wheat or chaff?
A second important aspect of finding your crit group is developing your mad skills as an editor. It's not just grammar: you should be able to do copy, line and content edits. Good editorial skills are priceless. It makes writers want to swap their work with you, especially if you are honest and kind. You don't want your crit partner to put his/her head in the oven over their misuse of commas.
I've been in many classes and workshops over the years, resulting in participation in about six different writers groups. There's a natural life to a group, sooner or later it dies or you outgrow it and move on. There's usually a bit of friction as people strive to improve and it's not unusual for life to intervene resulting in a drop off of writers. C'est la vie.
Various paths to your tribe:
1-People you meet at a class or workshop
2-Forums for organizations devoted to advancement of writers- Romance Writers of America, Broad Universe, Horror Writers Association, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and many others
3-On line crit groups - Online Writers Workshop, Critters.org ,
4-Non-professional groups-Wattpad, Fanfic.net, Adultfanfic.net
5-Teachers, Gurus and Mentors through blogs, e-mails and twitter and other social media - Kristen Lamb (e-mail list), Steven Barnes, Tivi Jones, Rayne Hall (twitter) and Dean Wesley Smith (blog).
6-Meet up groups - Google to locate local writers in your area who share similar interests
7-Conventions - Sit in on panels, meet editors, publishers, big name authors and other writers.
8 - Libraries, indie bookstores, on-line book clubs
Resources:
Writing Support/Workshops Website
Savvy Authors - http://www.savvyauthors.com
Gotham Writing Classes - http://www.writingclasses.com
Wana Tribe - http://wanatribe.com/
Critique Websites -
Critters (free) http://critters.org/
Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror - http://sff.onlinewritingworkshop.com/
Self-publishing/Fan Fiction (great place to start but posting there means it's been published)
Wattpad - http://www.wattpad.com/
Fan Fiction - http://www.fanfiction.net/
Adult Fanfiction -http://www.adultfanfiction.net/
Teachers, Gurus and Mentors
Rayne Hall (not for novices) https://sites.google.com/site/writingworkshopswithraynehall/
Kristen Lamb - http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/
Steven Barnes - http://darkush.blogspot.com/
Tivi Jones - http://tivijonesmedia.com/blog/
Dean Wesley Smith -www.deanwesleysmith.com
Organizations:
Romance Writers of America - http://www.rwa.org/
Broad Universe - http://www.broaduniverse.org/
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America - http://www.sfwa.org/
Horror Writers Association - http://www.horror.org/
On Editing:
Revising Fiction by David Maddon (one penny at Amazon for used copies--Wow)
http://www.amazon.com/Revising-Fiction-A-Handbook-Writers/dp/0452264146
Self Editing for Fiction Writers Renni Browne and Dave King
http://www.amazon.com/Self-Editing-Fiction-Writers-Edition-ebook/dp/B003JBI2YI/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1
Book Clubs
Good Reads - http://www.goodreads.com/
Coffee Time Romance - http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/
Social Media
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest
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