CCWF Critique: Submission Guidelines

Submissions:

  • Due 1 week prior to scheduled Critique Group meeting. This allows time to distribute submissions among all who submit and time to critique per instructions below.
  • Submission should begin with the author’s name, genre’, word count, and short description of the the story if your submission is part of a larger work.
    ie
    John White
    Non-fiction – short devotional
    350 words
  • Email Critique Submission to johnese.burtram@gmail.com Please put the words “Critique Submission” in the subject of the email.

Documents not submitted ahead of time via email will be placed at the bottom of the critique stack to be reviewed if time allows during the scheduled meeting.

Format:

  • MSWord compatible format; Ariel, Times New Roman, or Calibri, 12 font size, double spaced, pages numbered
  • Up to 1500 words
  • Articles, poetry, devotionals, chapters, etc.


Critique Procedure:

Prior to the meeting:

  • All submissions due on the announced due date.
  • Copies of submissions will be distributed via email to all who submit – each participant expected to critique up to five submissions, according the number of submissions. 5 or less submissions, every participant critiques each submission; in excess of 5 submissions, critique assignments so each participant will only have 5 critiques
  • Use MS Word Track Changes to record critique comments and corrections within the document.
  • Briefly answer Critique questions on the Critique Checklist (attached to submission distribution email or available online-see below) for each submissions you critique.
    Links for CCWF Critique Questions
    Standards for Critique (general standards)
    Critique Checklist
    Critique Questions for Fiction 
    Critique Questions for Non-Fiction
    Critique Questions for Children’s Picture Book
    Critique Questions for Poetry
  • Prepare a track changes document and a Critique Checklist for each submission you critique.
  • In person meetings: Bring printed track changes copy of critiqued submission + completed Critique Checklist.
    Online meetings: Prepare the required documents to be sent to each writer you critiqued after the meeting.

At the Critique Meeting:

Online meetings: For Zoom meetings we will determine our sharing strategy based on the number of submissions regarding our division into groups. TBD

In person meetings:

  • Critique groups will be formed with up to 5 participants.
  • Groups will have a leader, who will direct the group “round robin style,” one document at a time. Each critique participant (those who submitted documents for critique) will share their observations. Focus comments per Standards for Critique and the genre’ question guides (above).
  • Discussion regarding critique comments should focus on clarity of critique, not defense of writing.

It is not necessary to submit a document for critique to participate in the discussion.