quiller77 asked:“Have you ever mentioned being in a writers' group? Are you? Have you ever been, and if so, did you "outgrow" them? If you don't have a writers' group, where do you go for feedback on your story before shipping it off?”
I am not currently in a writer’s group. Years ago, I was part of a wonderful class (I still remember the joy I felt going to that class) that continued on as a writer’s group. We paid our teacher to meet with us weekly, because his feedback was always spot on. Then one day, one of the participants got really, really angry with everyone. It was horrible. He went down the line and told each of us what he hated about us. It was awful waiting your turn. If you tried to argue back or change the subject, it didn’t work. [Full disclosure: I was not the star of the group by any means, but I’m the only who has been published that I know of. And Ranting Guy has never been published that I know of.]
Currently, I have some trusted writer friends whom I trade critiques with. Sometimes I think it would be cool to have a group of writers to meet with here in Portland, but I'd want the group to be at least half published writers, and I don't think there is a group like that.
And there are times I really haven’t gotten feedback from anyone. Sometimes if you are in the groove, this works.
What do you want to know?
