Critique Partners: Another Way

After last week’s post, one of my critique partners who has never been within a country mile of RWA would like me to correct my earlier statement about finding critique partners through RWA and writing boards. So here I go. Another way to find a critique partner is as follows:

Have a blog. Have a popular blog for about two years. Read books. Talk about books you’ve read on your blog. Intimate your warm fuzzy feelings for the work of a particular author. Get an email from that author’s spouse, who has found your blog through Googling. (That may be the most difficult part of the equation.) Discover that said spouse is actually a talented writer as well, and a debut novelist to boot. (Actually, no, that part is. Very rare, they are.) Read her books. Be amazed. Exchange myriad emails with her about the writing life, the craft, her home continent, etc. etc. Talk about being debut novelists with series. Talk about being debut novelists in general. Talk about the industry and books we’ve read. Do this for about a year. Meet up for lunch the next time you happen to be in the same city. Get to talking about your new projects. Offer to read each other’s work. Do so.

In other words, by chance.

There are any number of ways to meet critique partners. I didn’t mean to intimate in my last post that there’s only one. And you know what, I’m surprised that the CP in question even noticed, what with her whole obsession with zombies and unicorns right now, anyway.

This week’s giveaway:

Please note that both The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, by Barry Lyga, and Dipped in Chocolate, by Renee Luke, are signed for your reading pleasure. (Though I do have a signed Valiant, it’s mine mine mine mine mine, and I don’t actually know Stephen King, but if he or his wife wish to contact me through this blog, feel free.)

I met Barry last year at BEA, where he told me a delightful story about a friend of his who actually was among the first female members of her society. His gorgeous, signed hardcover first edition is being featured on this blog courtesy of Patrick. Would I like to keep it for myself? You betcha. Will I? No, because I care about y’all too much for that.

Leave your name in the comments section to win.