I just spent way too much time on a bunch of open critique threads at a romance writing forum. I did have to fulfill a quota, because I submitted some excerpts to be critted, but I didn't have to do it all tonight...
It was fascinating, though, being able to read such varied excerpts and trying to figure out why people chose those particular scenes. A few I would have happily continued reading, but they were posted anonymously, so no way to trace a particularly intriguing snippet to a writer's other works. (There will be a great reveal in a couple of weeks.)
And what was just as interesting, at least to me, was seeing people's critting styles. They had an even broader range than the excerpts. I can't help wondering what correlation, if any, there is between the way someone crits and the way she writes.
It'll be neat to see if a dialogue emerges on some of these. I think on mine I'm going to throw out a thank-you and then flee cackling with my comments clutched tightly. Reader input! Yes!
Once in a while I flirt with the notion of joining a critique group, but then evenings like this remind me that there simply isn't enough time. I'm a nit-picker, and I get wordy when I try to expound upon my comments. This would be why I didn't write anything today. Whoops. But chalk up a thousand or so non-fiction words...
I'm afraid as I got more tired, I became less careful about delicate phrasing (I try to use a lot of "I think..."s and "...for me"s to emphasize that I'm offering just one reader's opinion), so it was probably well past time to stop. For today.