How to find a critique group, who should be in it, and what to do if your group sours.
Now, how many writers should be in your critique group?
I have been in writer’s groups as small as three people and as big as seven. We sent around chunks of about 3000 words (about 12 printed, double-spaced pages, though my Internet groups were all digital submissions) on a weekly basis. Critiquing as many as 18,000 words a week is a lot of work! It would take my whole Saturday. However, having only two partners means you don’t get the variety of opinions that will be of the most use to you. My happy spot was four to five total writers. Yours may be different. Experiment a bit and find out what works for you.
You can find writer’s groups all over the place. Cafes, libraries, and bookstores will often have a place for fliers where you can advertise that you’re putting one together, or find the fliers of people who, like you, are looking. I took a class in creative writing at a local adult school and the other students and I put together a writing group that lasted a good ten years after the class ended. I also put together a writing circle from like-minded writers at Scribophile (a website), though it took six months to assemble the circle. You might also try GoodReads or Archive of our Own (AO3), though I think that site is primarily for fanfiction. If you write fanfiction, it’s a great place! Wattpad may also be a useful site, but make certain that everyone in your group is eighteen or older if your work contains anything of a sexual nature (sex scenes, etc.).
Sometimes you will find that you have trouble working with someone in your critique group. Writers can be quite sensitive about giving and receiving feedback. If your group begins to sour, you can politely exit yourself. This can happen due to topic incompatibility or personal incompatibility.
I was with a writing group back when I was in my early twenties where everyone was older than I was. The group started well, but within six months most of the group was writing explicit, violent pornography. The one who wasn’t was writing explicit, violent battle scenes. And I was just trying to write a standard fantasy novel. I was uncomfortable with all of the bloody sex and bloody violence, so I left the group. Sadly, that was the only writing group available at the time, and I didn’t think to try to start a new one.
A different time, I was the problem. I was the new person in an online writer’s circle, and one of the established people and I didn’t get along. Because I was new, I was asked to leave. Sometimes this happens. When it does, thank the circle for their feedback and move on.
Don’t spend time grousing or sniping at anyone who upsets or angers you either to their faces or behind their backs. They may be published writers or editors some day, and you don’t want to leave bad memories because they can come back to haunt you. If your goal is to publish your work and make money off of it, treat writers circles like professional development opportunities, be professional, and don’t ever complain about a writer or editor anywhere where anyone can take a screenshot and pass it along. Crying on your best friend’s shoulder is one thing, but complaining to the internet at large is another.