When I stood to read my assignment to my creative writing classmates, it felt edgy and a little bit ill-advised. I had never shared my writing with anyone, much less dared to read it aloud to a group of people I had just met.

The laryngitis that remained after a bout of the Omicron virus made it even more difficult. I could not project my voice above a whisper, and my hands shook the pages, making it difficult to see the words. I was scared. Everyone knew that. It was obvious.

This story-writing-reading-opening-to-being-critiqued happened in a creative writing class at the Carteret Community College. Luckily, the class was led by Tom Kies, an accomplished teacher and professional writer with abundant and successful storytelling experience. Tom is a caring guide, able to create an environment for learning and sharing, and I trusted that I could safely face my fear. Check here for Tom’s blog article about critique groups.

I was no longer fearful once done with my raspy reading that evening, but I was nervous about what I would hear from my fellow students, now eager to share their observations about what they had just heard. I was pleasantly surprised that my fear was unfounded. Each comment was positive and encouraging. The variety of viewpoints was instructive.

This continued for the next few weeks. Each homework assignment was a lesson in the basics of creative writing techniques, and I was excited to finally learn how to tell a story. Of course, I signed up for the next class and the next class, practicing technique after technique.

Finally, some of us decided to continue as a critique group. We needed to know what pleases others, what is not appreciated, or what is missing from our narratives. The benefit of hearing some of the negatives is huge and satisfying. I can now fold all the critiques into my work or choose not to do so.

We meet weekly to share what we have accomplished and to give and receive honest input. My writing friends are supportive, honest, reliable, and fun. So much so that I recommend critique groups to all of you. Consider looking for others who are searching for members or starting your own.

Cartertwriters.org is a good place to start. We meet monthly on the third Wednesday between 4:00 and 6:00 pm at different locations throughout the county. You can join or renew on the website. We will sign you up for the newsletter, so you never miss any of the planned events we sponsor.