(Painting by my friend Lynda Gorter)
Have you had trouble with critique group attendance? Have you ever spent hours getting pages ready sweating over every word only have only two people show up? Or worse yet did you turn down that one date with Mr. Right just to have everyone cancel at the last minute?
I sure did, and was getting pretty frustrated about it. I was about ready to quit when that, “Don’t give up” voice in my head started nagging me. But what could get people excited about a critique group? Well, everyone likes to have a little fun. Why not go with that?
But how?
Food. People love food. But I’m not the exactly a chef so I decided it’d be better to host a potluck than subject my guests to my mushy asparagus. I wanted people smiling not gagging while they read my pages. Since our group had gotten so small, I invited non-writers as well as my critique buddies. On the invite I asked everyone to bring something creative along with a dish to share.
That night nurses, painters, and even a gal who’s obsessed with interior decorating sat around my kitchen table. It felt great to reconnect with old friends while munching away on some awesome salads, casseroles, and, buffalo wings. (I played it safe with a veggie tray.)
And since it ended up being a gathering of just women, I got to hear the latest on my gal pals’ love lives. Wow, __ knows how to spice things up. I should shop at Victoria’s Secret too…
Anyhow, all evening we raised our wine glasses, swapped stories, and shared our passions. Not only did I get great fresh feedback on my work, but everyone got to showcase their recent projects. We learned more about each other’s creative gifts, and were able to honor friends’ unique talents. (Like double-chocolate brownies with fudge frosting. Yum!)
So go ahead, host a share your passion potluck. And see just how amazing your friends are.
Laurie Woodward 