Find the Perfect Critique Partner | 7 Important Questions to Ask (#CPFinder)
Critique Partners are vital to improving your manuscript - but finding a great Critique Partner can be tough!
Funny enough, lots of writers actually relate it to dating. Half the battle is getting to know the person and knowing what to ask to find your best match.
In the #CPFinder Matching Event I'm hosting on my Plotter Life Writer's Facebook Group right now, we are asking writers to share answers to the following 7 Questions so that everyone can find their best match.
Use these questions to get to know another writers you've met online (both of you should share your answers!) or jump into our facebook group to join the event!
THE 7 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:
// 1. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WRITING?
You need to enjoy reading what they are writing to be someone's critique partner or it will be a miserable experience for the both of you. Preferably they should be writing or at least love reading the same genre of books you do. You also want to find someone with similar writing experience, I'd so ask:
What is your current WIP about? ( ask for their category + genre, story concept or pitch & status ( are you currently plotting, drafting, editing, etc…? )
What kind of writing experience do you have? ( is this your first book? are you agented? published? been a CP or beta reader before? )
// 2. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
This should be a no brainer but you need to set up expectations before you jump in. What is this writer going to be hoping to get from you as their CP? Ask:
What are your upcoming goals concerning your WIP?
What do you feel like you need the most help with?
What are you looking for in a critique partner?
// 3. WHAT ARE YOUR WRITING STRENGTHS?
You want to make sure you match up with a critique partner who has different strengths than you so you can help each other, so ask:
What do you feel is your strength as a writer?
How do you enjoy helping someone else with their story?
// 4. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY READING?
This will help each of you gauge if each other's WIP would be something you’d enjoy.
What categories, genres, or books do you enjoy reading?
// 5. WHAT AVAILABILITY DO YOU HAVE?
This can be a deal breaker if one of you wants to get critiques on a chapter a day while the other is only available to give critiques every other week! You also want to ask them if they have any deadlines you can gauge if you have enough time to dedicate to helping them.
What is your TIMEZONE?
How often they you like to chat / share critiques?
Do you have any deadlines you’re hoping to meet?
// 6. HOW DO YOU WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH?
This is more of a minor question but again, setting up expectations and how each of you communicate best is always helpful!
By Email? Social Media?
Do you want to share Word Docs or share through Google Docs?
// 7. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE?
Personality is important to consider when picking a CP. You can find this out organically but sharing talking about personality types may help both of you get a sense right off the bat if you will jive well or how they might deliver their critiques to you. You might want to ask:
What is your Myer's Brigg's type?
What Hogwarts House would you say you belong to?
What do you do now? If you both think you'd be good matches, exchange first pages or first chapters & send critiques to each other!
If you enjoyed their story and appreciate how the other critiques, ask if they'd like to be your Critique Parter for these manuscripts and then go from there!
Have other CP questions? Check out the Live Q&A I did with my friend Rachel about CPs HERE!
