Ithaca, NY
courtesy of the talented Paul Jordon

Strictly Genre: Ithaca Fiction Critique Group

Dedicated to learning better writing through critiquing
(established 2005; formerly Vestal Writers founded in 1992)

Meetings 2012
(all dates subject to change)

Jan 8, 22

Feb 5, 19

March 4, 18

April 1, 15, 29

May 6, 20

June 10, 24

July 8, 22

Aug 5, 19

Sept 9, 23

Oct 7, 21

Nov 4, 18

Dec 2, 16

Our focus is writing genre fiction novels--romance, mystery/suspense, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, action-adventure, or horror, rather than writing for personal growth and self-expression or writing literary fiction. (If you're not sure what you write, you're most likely not writing genre fiction.) Emphasis is on being productive writers--finishing and submitting novels for publication. Sorry, but poetry, literary fiction, nonfiction, magazine and newspaper articles, memoirs, etc. cannot be critiqued by this group.

The group exists solely for the purpose of learning publishable writing through critiquing. We don't organize activities or exercises, invite speakers, or promote published members. For networking, market news, promotion opportunities, etc., members are encouraged to join and participate in national and local writing organizations such as (Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Romance Writers of America (RWA), Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), Horror Writers Association (HWA), Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), etc.

Critiquing is about teaching and learning. Each member of the critique group must be both a teacher and a student. When you offer suggestions on someone's work, you're learning how to diagnose and fix problems in your own work.

A successful critique group requires positive, helpful attitudes and a willingness to help yourself through giving time and energy to help others. Critiquing should empower members with a sense of collective and individual progress.

Goals of the Group:
To keep improving as writers.
To provide support and encouragement to each other.
To help members get published and stay published.

We have an online group which serves
both as a waiting list when the
in-person group is full and
a place where local writers
(any kind of writer, anywhere in the region)
can find local or online critique partners or organize their own local or
online writing group.
Join Online Ithaca Fiction Critique at Yahoo

If you're a fiction writer (published or not), and live in the Ithaca (New York, USA) area, and you're interested in possibly joining the in-person group, first print out, read, and be prepared to pass a quiz on (just kidding, but please do actually read):
Critique Rules and Procedures
Criteria for Accepting New Members
How to Critique and Be Critiqued
then contact the group leader.

Additional critiquing resources:
Resources for new writers
Tips, Tools, & Technologies for working writers
Tips for getting published in genre fiction