A Primer on Critique Circle: An Online Writing Workshop

As stated in this article, CritiqueCircle.com isn't the best writing workshop, yet it should be checked out by any writer. The list of online writing groups is big, what matters most is finding one with the right user interface and protections. Critique Circle is one of the better groups mainly because of its interface. When someone is reviewing your work, they can comment on each paragraph. This isn't found in other top groups like Urbis. However, groups with basic forums can just copy and paste the story with their comments on each paragraph.

Still, Critique Circle makes the whole process faster, and speed is a necessity for any writer, whether they be a fiction one or non-fiction writer. One reason I like Critique Circle is that I can submit both fiction and non-fiction; all it needs is a system where longer works are more valuable to review, or shorter works cost less. Let me explain: On Critique Circle, as with many writing groups, the system is based on points. It costs three points to submit a work. You will likely have to wait a week or two for it to get posted, as there is a queue. Critique Circle pays you points, from 1.5 to 3, for your reviews of other people's works, which is a must on the site so you can post your own material.

Critique Circle is an incredibly popular site, so you're sure to get reviews of your work, which is a major positive. Only problem is, the longer your work, the less likely it will be reviewed. A short work will maybe get ten reviews, while a long short story, say 6,000 words, may only get a couple reviews.

Yet many published writers have worked through the Critique Circle system, and many are still active on the site.

One major plus of Critique Circle is the fact that it's free; there is a premium membership, which I will now explain. The premium membership is a plus for novelists, as an entire novel can be posted, chapter by chapter. There is also the huge private queue, where dozens of your pieces, be they chapters or short stories, can all be posted for a high number of readers to see. It's still run on a point system, so for everything you post you will need points to do so.

It's simple to learn for any writer, and the review system is superior to anything out there. There is a reason there are so many writers on Critique Circle: It's an invaluable resource for aspiring writers.