Before you tell people to come and see what you have, you better have something to show! And it better WOW them or they may move on and never come back.
For a writer, one of the best ways to ensure a dynamic product is to be part of a critique group. It is easy to make excuses not to join one. Activities demand our attention and time. But if you are serious about publication or just improving your craft for personal reasons, then consider what a critique group provides.
Support and encouragement. When you come to a table of writers you can know that everyone understands the work involved in producing your best piece. They see your work at its worst and still believe in you that you can make it better and they will push you to do that.
Everyone needs a cheering section. Someone walking beside you that is a step ahead of you on the journey allows you to see the possibilities  if you keep working at it.
Feedback/critique/edits. Another set of eyes on your writing offers an objective view of the quality. As a writer it is easy to be so enamored of the content we don’t see the work the form needs. And after reading our piece for the 100th time, we see what we expect to see and often miss things that need improvement.
Education/mentoring. A critique group is an opportunity to learn and grow as others around the table offer information and resources that they have discovered along the way. Members who are more experienced in one area of the writing craft can guide others in that area.
A grammarian can help those who excel at a plot, but have no clue what active and passive writing entails. Someone who excels at showing instead of telling can help the devotional writer bring his pieces to life.
Accountability. Knowing that others are going to ask if you wrote or submitted anything will help you to stay on the ball and be proactive about improving your writing craft.
For myself, I know without a shadow of a doubt that my critique group made the difference in my writing that was needed for me to pen a novel that a publisher would want on their book list. Without their help and encouragement, my book would still be sitting on the computer instead of awaiting publication.
My advice? Get thee to a critique group post haste!
Are you part of a critique group? I would love to hear about it.

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