Austin SCBWI members discovered the sweet part of critiquing on Saturday, June 8, at the chapter’s first Critiquenic.
About 35 writers and illustrators gathered at the beautiful Laguna Gloria park to share their work, meet other creatives and generally get inspired.
Part critique group, part picnic, Austin SCBWI provided Krispy Kreme doughnuts (glazed and chocolate!), juice and water, while participants added more healthy fare.
With name tags that identified what kind of critique partners they were looking for, eager writers and illustrators chatted under the tall trees with birds chirping and a peacock pecking the ground. Contact information was swapped and potential matches were made before critiques were even done.
Yellow Bird Editors founder Sara Kocek gave a 15-minute talk on automative writing, giving the writer attendees tips on searching for repeated words, unnecessary words, sentence patterns and more.
The illustrator attendees learned about portfolio critiquing from illustrator Marsha Riti (The Picky Little Witch), who emphasized saying something positive as well as critical.
Filled with tips, critique attendees split up into groups, with each writing group moderated by Austin SCBWI regional advisor Shelley Ann Jackson, Sara and fellow Yellow Bird editors Brad Wilson, E. Kristen Anderson (Dear Teen Me) and Samantha Clark (who’s also Austin SCBWI assistant regional advisor),
By midday, attendees declared the chapter’s first critiquenic a success! We look forward to the next one.