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What's Your Story? Get heard and read by your fellow writers!
The Greater Los Angeles Writers Society Critique Groups fulfill an important part of our mission to create a nurturing and mentoring environment for writers of all disciplines. Critique groups help writers of any level of experience improve his or her work in a peer-to-peer environment, while treating each member and their work with equal respect.
Our groups meet by individual genres, so you are only meeting with writers of similar interests.
We have main group categories (brown titles), and genres (bullet bold) within each group. Each group sets its own meeting schedule: some meet monthly, others weekly or bi-weekly. Should one group grow too large, it may split into two, or sub-genres, and function on its own, as always, within the GLAWS Critique Group Guidelines.
The GLAWS Guidelines provides detailed information on how to prepare for a critique, how to present your material, as well as how to critique the material of other members in a respectful, constructive manner. This document was developed after evaluation of other writers' groups across the country. We also have guideliness for our Critique Group Leaders to maintain consisten professional standards in a friendly, nurturing, protective environment.
NOTE: GLAWS Members please wear your badge. Non-members are welcome to attend a session, but may not submit their work for critique until they join GLAWS. They may join at any time. There is NO charge for Members "In Good Standing" to participate in a GLAWS Critique Group. Please bring your GLAWS badge as proof of Membership.
During the pandemic, all critique groups are being held virtually via Zoom. Groups will vote individually as to when and where they consider it safe to meet again in person.
| Literary Critique Group - San Fernando Valley |
Overview: The GLAWS San Fernando Valley critique group is intentionally broad in its support for writers, and includes literary novels, short stories, anthologies, flash stories, memoirs, picture books, essays and mainstream fiction of any length. Our format is for members to submit their writing not exceeding 4,000 words for each submittal, by email for review at least a week before the monthly meeting. This allows time for each group member to return their review with critical, yet supportive, comments and encouragement. During the group meetings, each member enjoys the opportunity to then discuss their submissions and these reviews. This combination of encouraging feedback and live (sometimes lively) group discussion provides a strong ladder in which to reach towards our literary growth. Let’s write, review, discuss and grow in our craft. Meetings: The fourth Saturday of each month at 1:00 pm. Future dates: Email for information Location: Tarzana, San Fernando Valley, California Critique
Group Leader: Barry Schweiger Email |
| Literary Fiction, Non-Genre Group | ||||||||||
Overview: Overview: Our group considers and discusses all aspects of your story: characters, plot, descriptions, dialogue, and style. While we accept short stories, most of our members are working on novels or other longer works, which we critique in installments. As a non-genre group, we welcome the opportunity to read, learn, and receive feedback from a diverse group of writers. We are a thoughtful, inclusive, and fun group! Our group meets every month on Sundays, according to the calendar below. Members per cycle who wish to receive feedback at the meeting send a submission of up to 6,000 words by email a week before the meeting. Then, group members read the submissions and send comments by email (usually with Microsoft Word comments and tracked changes) before our live meeting, where each writer gets a chance to ask questions of the group. This combination of email feedback and live group discussion helps us optimize our time together, but also requires a time commitment from each group member. Prospective members must attend one meeting as an observer and commit to reading and electronically reviewing other group members’ submissions before submitting their work to the group.
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| Critique Group Facilitator: Kim Gottlieb-Walker glawslitgroup @ gmail.com |
| Mainstream Fiction GLAWS East Side Literary / Mainstream Fiction Critique Group |
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Initially we will use an open genre format. Short stories or novels can be mainstream, contemporary, historical, experimental, or nonfiction. Please, no screen plays. The goal of this workshop is to help writers hone their creative skills through peer feedback. At each session, members will review submitted manuscripts. This includes offering comments on: Story, Characters, Plot, Dialogue, and Style. A guideline sheet will be available for suggested input. Active GLAWS membership is required. When fully established, the group will meet the first and third Tuesday evenings of each month. Until the pandemic restrictions are eased, we will use the Zoom program to share our critiques.(See: Zoom.us – It’s free) Depending on the size of the group, members will be able to submit either once or twice each month. When regular face to face meetings can begin, they will be at the El Torito Restaurant, 3333 E. Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena. (The restaurant is one block above the Sierra Madre Blvd. Gold Line Station. The restaurant has a large meeting room we can reserve.) Critique guidelines: Submissions of up to 4,000 words using Microsoft Word. (The use of MW allows for comments and tracked changes.) Submissions should be emailed to the Critique Group Leader for distribution to members of the group at least one week before the next meeting. This allows time for each member to review the work and make critical, yet supportive comments and encouragement. Lively discussions should be the key for encouraging literary growth. Until we start meeting face to face, reviewers should send comments to the writer prior to each session For membership questions, please contact Wayne Welde, dedadster@aol.com Meetings: via the Zoom network, every first and third Wednesday. Submission guidelines available after the group is formed. Location: Eastside Los Angeles - |
| Genre Fiction - Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror Group |
Overview: ScHoFan is a critique group whose members are aimed at developing each person's writing processes through critiques, regular elevator pitch sessions, best practice sharing and our very own READ WARRIORS who provide substantive editing on finished manuscripts. Each member brings to the table their own expertise and passions in various subject areas that as a whole warrants a phenomenal session of feedback. Meetings: Meetings typically occur the first (1st) Saturday of each month in the afternoon See Calendar Location: Various |
| Pasadena Critique Group Leader: Ken Hughes Email |
| Genre Fiction - West Side Wierd Science Fiction / Fantasy / Horror Group |
Overview: Westside Weird is a critique group dedicated to helping writers of fantasy, horror, science fiction, and closely-related genres improve their craft. As long as the group remains small, members may instead choose to submit other sorts of fiction for critiquing. While the following is not our main focus, sometimes we’ll explore creating elevator pitches, taglines, and other writing exercises, or discuss how to market one’s work. Meetings : the second Tuesday of every month. Submission by members in good standing are due in Dropbox at least one full week before the meeting. Time: 7:00 pm Location: Various |
| Westside Critique Group Leader: Marco Subias Email |
| Screen & Stage Play Group - South Bay |
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Critique
Group Leader: John Gwinner Email
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| Screen & Stage Play Group - San Fernando Valley |
Meetings are held at Los Angeles Valley College Campus
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| (SF Valley) Dan Watanabe Email | 310-339-3990 |
| Young Adult & Children's Literature Group |
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Critique
Group Leader: coming soon |
Meetings:
General Meets
Advisory Board
Critique Groups
Events:
Next GLAWS Event
Conferences
Contests
