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Yearly Archives: 2025
Write Stuff Critique Group Sign-Ups – Looking for a Critique Partner?
Looking for a critique partner? Someone reliable and consistent? Someone who won’t put you in a position to beg for a response?
It’s hard to find a good and consistent critique partner, and for that reason I formed the Write Stuff Critique Group in 2023. Last year we had 32 members, and slightly more than 12 members remained with us throughout the year. Attrition is a reality because, let’s face it, life happens.
Who are we?
Write Stuff is comprised of indie and traditionally published authors; experienced and inexperienced authors. No, it is not required to be a published author to join our group. The only things required are English be your first language, you have a passion for writing, and that you write on a consistent basis (daily, weekly).
Write Stuff is also a romance critique group. We love to write love stories, with or without happy endings. We accept the following subgenres: Mystery, Crime, Small Town Romance, Historical, Regency, Contemporary, Fantasy, Inspirational/Religious, Holiday Romance, Thriller, Family Saga, Literary, Paranormal, Rom-Com, and Suspense. We do not accept Horror or Erotica genres.
We are “not” a Facebook group.
How does the Write Stuff Critique Group work?
I separate members into groups of threes or fours, according to their genre. This small grouping allows critics to avoid being overburdened with too many manuscripts to critique. Each individual in your small group will exchange critiques through email on a bi-weekly or bi-monthly basis, depending on the needs of the group. Members must commit to reciprocate critiques. We are not beta readers. We are specifically gathered together to help you finish your manuscript and iron out all the kinks and wrinkles. Everyone must attend monthly Zoom meetings on the second Tuesday of each month from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm CST.
This year I plan to spend more time delving deeper into what I’m calling “The Editing Process.” As you know, there are many phases of the editing process. I will research and discuss topics like: pacing, characterization, plotting, how to create great dialogue, “show” don’t “tell,” POV, flashbacks that don’t interrupt the reader’s reading experience, using the six senses, foreshadowing, love scenes, word choice, subtext – what is it and how to write it, and so much more. Definitions, examples, and illustrations of each topic will be provided. I’ll also include websites for your future reference.
Writing Sprints will also become a part of our meeting time. I’ll give you a topic, a short scene description, and you’ll write for ten minutes without stopping. Then we’ll have a discussion. I’m hoping to use excerpts from each member’s manuscript so the ideas that are generated will become more useful.
You are expected to set a yearly goal so your small group can help motivate you to stay on track. This is a great way to remain accountable so what starts out as a rough draft later becomes your polished manuscript ready for publication.
Who can join?
Anyone whose first language is English.
What’s the cost?
There is no fee or expense incurred to join this group. Occasionally, we have guest speakers, and there’s no charge for that either.
Why extend this “free” offer?
I am extending this offer to you because I’m trying to increase our membership.
How do I become a member?
Register for membership by filling out the JotForm in this link: https://form.jotform.com/252913584155158
Our deadline for registration is December 15th.
And YES, you can share the JotForm link with as many people as you like. Just keep aware of the deadline.
Donna B. Comeaux
Write Stuff Creator and Coordinator
Battle Mountain is a Great Read!
I have been anticipating this book for over four months and the wait was well worth it. C.J.
Box has written another fantastic story!
From the opening pages to the end, this book has all the elements a reader wants: mystery, thriller, intrigue, suspense, and all supported by a list of nefarious characters who just won’t behave.
Nate Romanowski is on a tear to find Alex Soledad, an evil and downright scoundrel who murdered Nate’s wife, Liv. And if you’re not familiar with Nate, he is someone who is relentless and lethal about reaching his target. Nate has a connection to his falcons like no other; and this novel showcases that well without going overboard.
As Nate moves toward his target, you suspect Joe Pickett will end up in Nate’s crosshairs. But you will momentarily put that aside because you will be caught up wondering if a lot of people will be ambushed and murdered before the killers can be stopped.
There are a lot of moving parts in Battle Mountain, and C.J. Box keeps things moving at a fast pace. And because of C.J.’s ability to move through the story at such a clip, I couldn’t find a dead spot in it.
My only problem with this novel is FBI Agent Orr. He’s near retirement and has no authority, so I didn’t think he served a real purpose. C.J. would have fared well had he made Agent Orr a real problem for Nate.
Even though you can read this as a standalone, you might appreciate it more if you read Three-Inch Teeth first. Battle Mountain is a sequel to it.
Battle Mountain has turned out to be one of C.J. Box’s best! This novel Does. Not. Disappoint.
Upcoming New Novel – White Castle
To All My Followers.
I invite you to read the book description for Breathe for Me. If you find it to be an interesting read, consider the entire book for “free” if you’ll agree to write a review. Simply email me at creativefiction@hotmail.com, type “Request to Read and Review” in the subject of the email, and I’ll send you a code so you can download the book. Be aware this code expires within 10 days of receipt.
Once you have read the book, please write, copy, then paste your review on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub. If you have time, and so desire, leave a review on Smashwords and LinkedIn, and any of your social media platforms. Book reviews are essentially your way of bringing attention to new books by indie authors. Every review is like a gold nugget for writers and there are not enough words to express how eternally grateful we are when readers write a review.
Also, I’m currently deep in the throes of writing my next book, White Castle. It’s been a difficult journey getting my bearings to rewrite this book, but I can finally say that I’m off to a good start. Here is a synopsis of White Castle:
SYNOPSIS
Along Highway 1, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, lies three hundred and fifty acres commonly known as The Hammond Plantation. Splattered in the center of it is a decrepit forty-eight-room house in dire need of a family. Beyond its dilapidated wrought-iron gate, unhinged doors and broken windows, peeling and crumbling wallpaper, is a mysterious power that has carefully curated and preserved the mansion as it waits to be loved.
Love is not something Melba Chaveaux has encountered lately, and the sudden death of her husband heightens her yearning. Desperate for a distraction, her best friend encourages her return to a place that has been a source of contention since childhood. Not once did Melba give credence to her mother’s implausible assertions: that the white plantation owner was her father who, given the era in which he lived, uncharacteristically bequeathed all that he owned to her.
Although it’s safe to remain within her cenobitic existence, the town’s secrets prompt questions almost everyone is reluctant to answer, and the deeper she digs the more acutely personal they become. Fueled by a reignited hatred for Louisiana, her only means of retaliation is to own the town, work the land, and renovate the mansion. For a time, she will do so out of spite but will later be confronted with a difficult choice as her hatred makes a pivotal transformation. Where is her real home? Is it her Ditter’s Hill estate in New Hope, Pennsylvania or is it the deserted mansion scattered across the swampy bayous of Louisiana?
White Castle is a work of literary fiction that shines a light on all who are tempted to neglect what our forefathers fought so hard to preserve and pass on to us. White Castle, Louisiana is a real place and is the one and only truth about this novel. This story is a dazzling fictional portrait of a fierce and determined woman who overcomes life’s pitfalls to redefine herself, forgive the unforgivable, and experience an immeasurable love for all that matters—family and the earth upon which we tread.
If you are interested in White Castle and would like to follow my writing escapades throughout the completion of this novel, consider signing up for my newsletter. Documentation of my writing journey begins with the May 1st issue. Once I’ve completed the novel, you will be among the first to know the date of publication. Here is a link to my newsletter sign-up which also includes my “free” book, Selfish Ambition:
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8tu1xr9x26
Please don’t hesitate to post this link on your social media page and pass it on to family and friends.
Thanks for your interest in my book, Breathe for Me. I hope you enjoy it.
Donna B. Comeaux
Author