After writing and rewriting the first chapter of my book over most of my adult life, I decided to join a writers’ group. The worst and best decision I could have made.

I finished my book at the insistence of my youngest son, after all my children were grown. Several months after I joined the critique group I presented my work. They destroyed it.

I was so mad I did not go back for six months and only then because one of the group’s organizers reached out to me. I’ll always be grateful to her.

With a calmer head I realized I was angry the group was right. I went to work on the sequel. And this time as I fought through their help I got closer and closer.

You Need a Phyllis

We had one Phyllis. Every group must have one Phyllis. She would go through each chapter word by word. Sentence by sentence.She made me mad every time, but she was right and I learned to listen.

She still makes me mad, and I listen. If you’re a first time novelist you need to find a really good, smart and small writers’ group, and you need a Phyllis. But just one.