SCBWI Critique Groups: Find Your Community, Perfect Your Craft

Connect, Create, and Critique: Lean In to Your Community

For many children's book creators, the journey toward bringing a story to life, whether you're writing, illustrating, or translating, begins with finding the right people to grow alongside. A critique group offers something every creator needs: honest, thoughtful feedback that helps you understand your work more deeply and develop your unique voice. We invite you to join our SCBWI critique group builder and become part of a global community united by a shared passion for children's literature.

Why Join a Critique Group?

Every creator reaches a point where an outside perspective becomes essential. A critique group gives you a trusted space to share your work and hear how it lands with others: what resonates with readers, what confuses them, and where your vision has room to grow. The conversations you have there won't just improve a manuscript or a spread; they can help sharpen how you think about storytelling itself. This is a member benefit that helps anyone at any stage of their development.

Find Your People

Finding the right group is easier than you might think. Whether you're a picture book author-illustrator or a middle -grade or YA novelist, our search and filtering tools are designed to connect you with members who truly get what you're working on. Search by:

Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Non-Fiction

Format: Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Graphic Novel

Location: In-person groups nearby or online groups around the world

Experience Level: Pre-published, mid-list creators, and seasoned professionals

And if the perfect group doesn't exist yet? Create it. You'll be surprised who shows up when you open the door. 

Your Craft Will Thank You

Staring at the page, wondering if what you've made is really working… we’ve all been there. A critique group helps you see what you're too close to notice: the small nuances that could be more, the plot thread that needs tightening, the illustration that isn't quite carrying its weight in the story. Absorbing the critiques of your peers, both positive and negative, will help you break bad habits and become a stronger artist.

Getting Started Is Simple

Explore Existing Groups: Browse the directory using our search filters to find groups that fit your needs.

View Group Info: Click on any group to learn about its focus, meeting schedule, and the artist who created it.

Join or Create: Ready to connect? Send a request to join. Don't see what you're looking for? Start your own group and shape it around your personalized goals.

Advice & Etiquette: Making the most of your critique group

Once you’ve found your critique partners, you will be free to meet and discuss your work however you want, in the style that works for you. However, you may find yourself wondering how to proceed, especially if you’ve never had a critique partner before. Receiving feedback on your work can be a sensitive experience, but we are happy to share some universal guidelines to make it a safe and productive experience for everyone.