Text. Focus your group on either poetry or prose—try not to mingle two. If text is prose, and writer wants his novel critiqued, suggest that novel be submitted on a “per chapter” (or two) basis. Don’t overwhelm members with too much to read at one time—or you’ll end up with no members. The month before your work is critiqued, each writer should submit photocopies of their manuscript to each member.

Know your intentions. Make sure that, for most part, members have similar goals: to be published or for sheer enjoyment of writing. This will eliminate time wasted if you know this upfront.

Critiquing. When critiquing text, encourage members to speak as if writer isn’t present. In meanwhile, author can sit back, take notes, and write down questions critics may have posed. Encourage critics to write on their versions of text before meeting. Allow approximately 20 minutes to discuss each member’s work. Upon completion of critique, critics should give author their “corrected” versions. Complete critique by allowing author to explain any unanswered questions and to thank critics. If members can’t keep up with reading that much work per month, then divide it up. Four writers submit one month, while remaining four submit following month. Above all, writing groups should be a relaxed environment—away from your significant other, your children, and your job. Let this be a time where you hone your writing skills with assistance of others who simply seek same thing.

Share Works with Others. This is when a workshop comes in handy. Students—take a creative writing course. Or, if you’re not in school, give copies to about 5 or 6 acquaintances in advance. Then, schedule a “reading” at your place. Allow guests to give suggestions and talk about your work as if you’re not there. Remember, all criticism is helpful criticism. Remember to ask questions about shaky portions of your work.

Websites: Build a website and add your writing to it. Or, even easier, find some of online places like poetryboard.com, or some of AOL bulletin boards where writers you don’t know can critique your work, and people like me (who have a publication) may find your work and ask for your approval for publication. (This is a very rare occasion, but it does happen.)

Here’s TRICK: Mass Mailings! If you happen to see 2, 3, 4, or even 5 publications that don’t mind simultaneous submissions and accepts work similar to what you’ve written, send your work to all of them. Sure, sending out a mass mailing of submissions will guarantee more rejections, but you also better your chances of getting published. Remember, include SASE with each submission or 9 times out of 10 you’ll never hear from publisher/editor. (Some publishers like you to include your e-mail address nowadays for quicker responses.)

Keeping Track. Keep track of all of your submissions. Be organized. A simple database program is perfect. In database, list 1) date you submitted work, 2) publication and its address, 3) works you submitted, and 4) date you receive an acceptance/rejection slip. If, for some reason you DO get a rejection slip. So what? Just think of it like this: Perhaps publication wasn’t right for your writing. Better still, everyone has his or her own opinion, so editor simply didn’t favor your particular style. Someone else out there probably appreciates your style of writing. Perhaps your submission was received past their deadline. Big deal. Send it somewhere else! Remember, though, writing can always be improved.

Now that you’ve read this, let me tell you something. This is everything my writer-friend learned from writing course. Seems simple, eh? And, what’s even better, unlike my friend, you didn’t have to pay a course fee!

This mission doesn’t seem so impossible now, does it?

Grab goals of getting published, guidance I just gave, persistence with mass mailings and get yourself published.

Good luck with your publishing endeavors!