Welcome to The Lonely Writer’s Companion. The format’s simple: You send in your questions, and each month I’ll select one to answer. Email your questions c/o dbooth@authorlink.com. (Be sure to put “Question for The Lonely Writer’s Companion” in the subject line.) You can also contact me through my website, www.lisalenardcook.com.

Question: I just joined a critique group. I got so much feedback on my mystery-in-progress, I don’t know where to begin. I was so overwhelmed, I don’t even know if I want to go back to the group. What makes for a good critique? – Mary W.

The Lonely Writer responds: Entire books have been written to answer this question (one good one is Becky Levine’s The Writing and Critique Group Survival Guide), but the Lonely Writer will nonetheless attempt to condense the issues into a one-page answer. The first issue is what you, Mary, want from a critique group. Are you seeking praise? Validation? Camaraderie? Or are you looking for feedback that will help you push your work to the next level, from writers who become as engaged in your work’s evolution as you are?

The best critique groups will focus on the latter, and beginning critique groups can benefit from having a more seasoned writer guide them. In The Mind of Your Story, I list seven commandments for critique groups… (read more)