Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re doing Thankmas at my home this year, ten of us having turkey together Thursday, then Christmas the next morning. It’s the first time since my kids grew up and started their own families that we’ve been able to do this at my home, so it’s a big deal and I’m thankful we’re able to do it while everyone’s still living in one state.

I’m thankful that I’ve been able to write full time this year. I finished a novel I believe may stand as my most important work. It addresses the long process of healing after a woman is raped and trafficked. It’s being reviewed by agents right now.

I’m thankful I have my own space with room for writing projects.

I’m thankful I’ve relocated to a place where I have multiple excellent critique groups, so I can get broader feedback on a work or take different works to each group.

I’m thankful to be living in a time when it’s so easy to stay connected with people far away through text, email, and cell phones with no long distance charges.

I’m thankful to be living in a time with so many options available to writers.

I’m thankful for my early teachers, including my mother, and all the books I read when I was a child that developed my sense of language and story.

I’m thankful for everyone who’s encouraged me to keep writing, including the readers who’ve asked for more.

www.sherimcguinn.com www.amazon.com/author/sherimcguinn

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Critique Groups – Key Elements

I was extremely lucky in my first critique group. Running Away was losing agent interest in the first pages. I read it to the group and they unanimously proclaimed I’d started in the wrong place. They were absolutely right!

The best critique group is going to include people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and skills. They’re going to be supportive of each other, even when they’re giving negative feedback. Every person will leave the meeting energized.

Aside from that, there are a lot of different ways critique groups may work. Here are a few variations.

Sheri McGuinn I write. www.sherimcguinn.com www.amazon.com/author/sherimcguinn

#readaheadvsreadaloud #sherimcguinn #runningaway #critiquegroups #Iwrite #critiquegroupstyles #critique #Writing

On Being OCD as a Writer

As creative people, it’s important that we put out our very best work.

www.sherimcguinn.com www.amazon.com/author/sherimcguinn

#ObsessiveCompulsiveDisorderandwriting #creativityandOCD #writingandOCD #Whentosaygoodenough #WhenOCDisgood #doingyourbestwriting #Writing