The pros and cons to having a critique partner

When you first start out writing, the advice people give you is to find a critique partner. While I do believe it is important to have others read your work and get feedback, there are downsides to having a critique partner.

Last year I did not have a critique partner or group to share my work with on a regular basis. Instead, I took three random chapters from my book and put them up on places like critique circle and scribophile. I allowed strangers to critique and give feedback on my writing.

This worked well for me as I actually got some good advice on my writing overall and not just about the story. Those who critiqued my work picked out my weaknesses in my writing, and because of that, I was able to make it a lot better.

During that time, I managed to write, edit, and self-publish one novel and one novella. Needless to say, I was proud of myself for my accomplishment. I’m not telling you this to brag, I plan on making a point just bare with me.

At the beginning of this year, I wrote another book. Thinking how nice it would be to have a critique partner or group I could chat with every day, I started a discord group. It was a great idea, and I met several good people who loved writing just as much as me. But when it came to the critiques, it wasn’t so great.