The Best Thing I Ever Did For My Writing

Hey, guys! As many of you know, I'm in the midst of publishing my very first novel. Yikes. What a journey it's been already, and I'm not even done! While there are several things you should do before you publish, the one thing I highly recommend is participating in a writer's share. I'm shocked that more writer's don't do this on a regular basis before publishing. I've talked with other indie authors (several) who have never participated and still produce great novels. That being said, joining a writer's share has drastically improved my writing. So, I'm here today to discuss it with you.


-What is a Writer's Share?

I'm so glad you asked! A writer's share is an agreement to critique another writer's work in exchange for yours. You can do this chapter by chapter or the work as a whole, depending on the agreement set. It also depends if the work (manuscript) is finished or still a work in progress. These are all laid out beforehand when agreeing to share.

Here's why I think you should share your work with someone besides your editor (if you have one). Getting new (professional-esque) eyes on your work is imperative to your writing. Because we spend so much time with our own work, we fail to see all of the flaws. Another writer can usually spot the problems both in the immediate sense (Judith was standing, and now suddenly she's laying down) and the big picture (Judith has extreme anxiety but has no trouble with public speaking). There are things other eyes see that we tend to ignore because we've been living in the story for so long.


-Where Do I Go?

There are many ways to find a writer's share. I've done it through members-only clubs and meeting other authors that needed a similar service. There are online clubs to choose from and local clubs if you enjoy physically meets. Though most of us writers are a bit shy.

I, personally, use Scribophile. And I love it. There are several versions you can use. Some services are free (though not as in depth), while others cost a monthly fee. The neat thing is, anyone can look at your work and offer advice. I think this is great because it gives you lots of opinions to work with. I think variety is important. It also allows you to make some great connections. I have people on Scrib that have read my novel from the beginning. So, you can get advice from people looking at the big picture and some who look at one chapter at a time. You get people from all walks of life (and careers) looking at your stuff. There are people in our community that have a lot of experience with editing, which I find extremely helpful. My grammar and punctuation are sometimes embarrassing. There are others that have jobs in the same field as my main character and can attribute whether or not the scene (or traits) are authentic. This is all helpful in building a strong narrative. I've also secured a few Beta Readers for my book through Scribophile.

Here's how it works. When you critique another writer's work, you are awarded points (Karma) based on word count. After you accumulate five Karma Points, you can post your work to be critiqued. Everything is give and take. You critique a lot, you can put up a lot of work. You don't critique, well, you get nothing.


-How It's Made Me a Better Writer

I was appalled at how often I used semicolons. Try two per paragraph. That's way too many. But, I never noticed it until someone mentioned it to me. And dialogue tags? I've been punctuating them incorrectly for three years. These are all things someone else was kind enough to point out for me. I also use a lot of the same action tags. Smiling and head nodding are my go-to. Well, not anymore! Getting fresh, experienced, eyes on your work has made my writing better.

I understand writing more now than ever. Looking at other's work helped give me a new perspective on how I write. Seeing how other people form their chapters and build suspense has taught me how to do those things as well. I know more about character arc now than I ever did before. And if you don't know about show vs. tell (like me), you will. I promise.

Critiquing work, besides my own, has made me better at editing my manuscript. I can make changes (big and small) with less trepidation. I used to never delete anything from my writing. It always felt too important. Now I have no problem trimming the fat. The more I critique, the better my eyes get for my work. I think it's important to hone your editing skills. I also think it's important to help out other writer's. We're a community after all.


I hope this gives you the push to join a writer's share. I think it's essential to every writer, whether it's your fiftieth novel or your first, to get other's opinions. This is hands-down the best thing I have ever done for my writing.