Critique Groups

MWA-sponsored critique groups are open to members and non-members alike. The designated contact person must be an MWA member, and group participants are asked to agree to join MWA's extended contact list to receive news about upcoming events of interest. (MWA keeps all contact information strictly confidential and will not spam you.)

Small groups meet regularly to review each others' work and offer constructive feedback. These groups are usually small (six to eight people) and are organized by specialty (such as general fiction, children's literature, or script writing). The times and places of meetings vary and are determined by the members of each critique group

Many published writers say that critique groups contributed to their success. Critique groups can help you improve your writing, detect weaknesses in plot, structure, or prose, and whip pieces into shape so they catch an editor's interest.

The following is a list of the groups, along with the leaders' e-mail addresses. Since each individual group will meet separately, contact its leader for more information.

Baltimore Area Writers

Genera: Creative/literary nonfiction
Leader: Lauren Eisenberg Davis, autumnleaves1997@gmail.com or (410) 526-6936

Members from Baltimore area including Columbia and Essex meet to discuss their creative nonfiction--essays, memoirs, family stories, etc. Currently closed to new members.

BayHill Writers

Various locations in Calvert & southern Anne Arundel Counties
Genera: All genres welcome
Leader: Les Dickey

Meets 3rd Monday of each month 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. We have been meeting for four years and have a mix of published/unpublished writers. Please contact coordinator Les Dickey for the next location and a copy of the group guidelines.

Broadneck Writer's Workshop -- now forming!

Cape St. Claire on the Broakneck Peninsula
Genera: Fiction
Leader: Jane

Group will meet monthly. Contact Jane at the above e-mail address or call (410) 757-1008.

Central Baltimore County Critique Group

Perry Hall, MD
Genera: General Fiction
Leader: Jack King

Our group, formed two years ago, meets to read and critique short stories. Most genera are welcome. Contact Jack King by e-mail for meeting info and group guidelines.

Charm City Writers

Genera: All genres welcome
Leader: rdeborah@publichealthmedia.net

Group meets every other week at various Baltimore City locations.

Columbia Fiction Critique Group

Genera: Fiction
Leaders: Ally P., ally@ambitiousenterprises.com; Angela Render, lioness@thunderpaw.com

Members meet weekly to discuss novels, short stories and flash fiction. Currently closed to new members. E-mail Ally P. or Angela Render to be placed on the waiting list.

Greenbelt Writers Group Critiquing Subgroup

Genres: All
Contact: Marjory Donn, (301) 474-1353, marjdonn6@mindspring.com

Meets Friday evenings in the Greenbelt Community Center.

LAVA (Literary and Visual Arts)

Columbia, MD
Genera: All, fiction and non-fiction
Contact: Carol Robinson at carolcourtreporter@comcast.net or call (410) 507-2373.

Group is open to published and non-published writers of fiction and non-fiction. Meets on second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

New Fiction Critique Group Forming (formerly De Fictione)

Ellicott City-Columbia area of Howard County
Contact: Tom Glenn, tomglenn3@comcast.net
Genera: Fiction, short stories, novel chapters, and complete novels

Seasoned writers preferred. Please email with preferences for meeting times.

Northern Baltimore County General Critique Group

Genera: All genres welcome
Leader: Rae Krall

Now forming! Limited to five members.

Northern Baltimore County Novel Critique Group

Genera: Novels
Leader: Jack King

Ours is a diverse group of published and nonpublished writers. We meet to discuss various topics in fiction, offer suggestions, and critique each others work.

Paint Branch Writers

Genres: All
Contact: Marjory Donn, (301) 474-1353, marjdonn6@mindspring.com

Meets Tuesday evenings at Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church in Adelphi.

Prince Georges County

New critique group forming, focus is on fiction. First meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Borders in Capitol Center Boulevard (Largo, MD), date TBA. Please contact Yvonne at yvoniks@aol.com for more infomation.

Rockville Area Critique Group

Genre: Mainstream and/or literary fiction
Leader: Judy Kelly, jckelly100@yahoo.com, (301) 929-0959

Meets in Rockville area at the Twinbrook or Aspen Hill Library, or member homes. Meets once or twice a month. Contact Judy Kelly. Currently closed to new members.

Scriptwriting Group

Genre: Any type of script (stage, screen, etc.)
Leader: Scott Morrow, scottdmorrow@hotmail.com
Usually meets in Annapolis. Currently closed to new members.

West Side Writers

Western Maryland (downtown Cumberland)
Genre: Fiction, mainly short stories and novels
Contact: Kristy Powers at kristyshrevepowers@gmail.com

Group meets every Wednesday night alternating write-ins with critique sessions. Writers who are serioius about writing but just as serious about having fun with it are welcome. Currently has openings for new members. Interested writers are asked to submit a sample of their fiction to Kristy.

White Oak Writers (WOW)

Meets at White Oak Library and members' homes mainly in Montgomery County
Genre: all
Contact: Gale Deitch, gdeitch@comcast.net

Meets twice a month on the second Mondays and fourth Tuesdays. Currently closed to new members.

Working Writers' Forum

Easton, MD
Genera: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry
Leader: Mala Burt (pen name Annie Rogers), annie@annierogers.com

The Working Writers' Forum is a group of experienced Eastern Shore writers that meets monthly on Tuesday evenings to critique each other's writing and discuss common issues facing writers. Forum critique guidelines assure nonjudgmental, confidential reviews of members' writing with a focus on craft. Currently closed to new members. Writers who are interested in being placed on a waiting list should contact the forum moderator at the above e-mail address.

Writers Critique Group of Harford County

Genre: Most genres welcome.
Leader: May Kuroiwa makuroiwa@hotmail.com
Published and yet-to-be published.
Every third Thursday
6:30pm

If you'd like to form an additional critique group or find out if current groups exist that match your interests, contact Joya Fields.