Submissions
We critique two or three submissions each meeting.- Submissions are made via e-mail (in Microsoft Word or RTF format), sent no later than midnight, Sunday, the same week as the meeting.
Novels
There are at least three options available to novelists seeking critiques:- The whole thing.
With 2 months lead time, you can provide us all with printed copies of the novel (except for anyone who'd prefer an electronic copy; e.g., because that person prefers to change the font or page layout prior to reading). Then at the agreed-upon meeting, we'll devote the entire meeting to a discussion of your novel. Note: although it's up to each reader, there's no expectation that we'll do detailed line edits. - A part of the novel, with specific questions.
For example, you might e-mail us just the first chapter and ask "Does this hook you into wanting to keep reading?" - A few chapters (1 - 3, depending on length) at a time.
You are welcome to dole out your novel in meeting-size chunks, which will compete for scheduling with everyone else's submissions.
Absentee critiques
If you are unable to attend a meeting, you are encouraged to provide your critique of that meeting's submissions in writing or via e-mail directed to the authors. (If you can send such an e-mail prior to the meeting, you provide the author a chance to share your comments by reading them aloud at the meeting.)Membership requirements
Each member must provide at least three submissions per calendar year. (We have not, so far, set an upper limit of the number of submissions per year.)No member will miss three meetings in a row, except with prior warning.
No member will miss four meetings in a row, regardless of prior warning.
No member will miss more than four meetings within a calendar year.
A member may announce a leave of absence. When that member is ready to rejoin the group, he or she jumps to the head of the applicant waiting list.
