Critique Groups

Critique groups are an essential way to improve your craft and learning about the business of writing and illustrating for children.

If you’d like to participate in a critique group, contact the group leaders.

If you’d like to LEAD a critique group, reach out! [email protected]

PA West Virtual Critique Group

Welcome to all experience levels, kidlit genres & categories, authors, illustrators, & author-illustrators!

How it works!

1.       To Share or Not to Share

• You may bring your work to share for feedback, or attend without sharing your work. Either way, you’ll learn a lot just by attending.

• Work shared in this event is the intellectual property of the presenters. It is a breach of copyright law to record, use, or give away a detailed report of a presenter’s material. Your professionalism is greatly appreciated!

2.       Work to share:

• Picture Books through Early Chapter – up to 750 words / outline

• Middle Grade – one chapter / up to 7 pages / chapter outline (if not first chapter, context may be given so the group can offer the most helpful feedback)

• Illustrations/Dummy – max 3 spreads for in depth critique / whole dummy for overall critique

• Query Letter / Pitch

3.       To Read or Not to Read

• Attendees share screens one at a time, and your work will be read aloud (if text). You may read it yourself, but we highly recommend listening while someone else reads it (always super helpful).

4.       Tell Us What You Want, What You Really, Really Want!

• Let the group know what specific feedback you are looking for. Examples include feedback on a character, pacing, ending, meter, or “anything,” etc.

• It helps to share at what stage your work is as well: if this is a rough draft or you’re hoping to submit soon, and anything in-between.

5.       Yes, Please or No Thank You

• If a group member has a feedback idea that is outside what was requested, they may ask if it’s alright to share that, and the sharer may decline or accept.

6.       Safe Space!

• Sharing your work can feel vulnerable, so it’s important to be encouraging! We are here to bring out the best in each other. All feedback and comments must be constructive, kind, and respectful. It helps to phrase feedback (aka. your lovely opinions) as suggestions, not “you should,” i.e.

• “Have you thought of…”

• “What if you try…”

• Or clarifying questions like, “What was your thought behind this decision?”

• For more on how to give and receive critiques, read “Critiquing Guidelines for Writers” on our Critique Group Resources page here: 

https://www.scbwi.org/regions/epa/test-admin.scbwi.org/chapters/epa/critique-group-resources

7.       “Nobody Has the Time, the Time Cannot be Owned. The Time is Free to Everyone.” -Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli

• The time we allot to each member depends on the number sharing that evening.

• ** We ask that you take notes on relevant feedback and do your revising outside of crit time.

8.       Extra Goodies

• join our Slack for reminders, updates, events, sharing news, and more!

• SCBWI policies for your viewing pleasure: https://www.scbwi.org/faq/global/scbwi-policies

Hope to see you at the next crit group!

Contact: Dana Dillaman - [email protected]

Time: 7-9pm

Dates in 2026:

Mar 26, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/94805351108?pwd=6aUeybxJERyqIWbuMkySrwKnJR4s2L.1 / Meeting ID: 948 0535 1108 / Passcode: 380867

April 30, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/99715880696?pwd=L44bXrYlMnEgpsXAJcNxzKu663jJ16.1 / Meeting ID: 997 1588 0696 / Passcode: 950445

May 28, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/96007718997?pwd=QbkQfec2uLMJfkmQPKPn5QfZgofj0f.1 / Meeting ID: 960 0771 8997 / Passcode: 348768

June 18, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/96403702550?pwd=KDSHAJ2Vi6iwog1iN4bxlUGygvxB2i.1 / Meeting ID: 964 0370 2550 / Passcode: 495319

July 30, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92788489626?pwd=VwWER4TlJfXdrD1jRa6AzlVuUlk3Zt.1 / Meeting ID: 927 8848 9626 / Passcode: 543268

Aug 27, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92576511331?pwd=f7ThOpNVM13bk0rd8nrcDA0stLbgCO.1 / Meeting ID: 925 7651 1331 / Passcode: 281823

Sept 24, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/92639849435?pwd=SXeRZh4vaTNR8SVPyz1gmacNSJbLKL.1 / Meeting ID: 926 3984 9435 / Passcode: 345526

Oct 29, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/99951905316?pwd=3r1gqq5X2FxbQMoKHLKWrtcaC8O72F.1 / Meeting ID: 999 5190 5316 / Passcode: 999053

Nov 19, 7 PM EST / https://scbwi.zoom.us/j/95321065734?pwd=qROVMYXv5swmfNbITHUn6ahhnTA5PW.1 / Meeting ID: 953 2106 5734 / Passcode: 468307

**no date in December

Location: Zoom (join our slack for links!)

Genre/Ages: All kidlit genres / age ranges! Authors, illustrators, and author-illustrators welcome!

Contact: Joe Mruk - [email protected]

______________________________________________

North Hills Critique Group

Openings: Yes

Day/Time: Fluctuates – based on group poll in a Slack Group. There is a daytime group and an evening group.

Location: Daytime group meets at the West View Hub, Evening group location varies by month

Genre/Ages: All kidlit genres/age ranges

Contact: [email protected]

Slack Link: https://join.slack.com/t/scbwicritique-zvi1573/shared_invite/zt-2y7hcdfar-z5EIfjYWSaQmpCgb8d7h9Q