Critique Meetings


Critique sessions are currently on hold for the British summer.
We will aim to resume sessions by October/November 2023.
If you join Spectrum as a new member, you can still chat with our community on Discord.


How it works

At every critique meeting, we read one or two pieces submitted by members — usually a chapter from their novel, or a complete short story.

Members are expected to read the submission(s) before attending, with an eye toward providing constructive feedback to the author.

  • We usually start off with introductions, so those who have not met us before can get a feel of what we all write.
  • Then, each member will be given a chance to provide a verbal critique, timed for 2.5 minutes each. Members can also provide the author with more detailed written comments. 
  • Lastly, the author gets a “right to reply”, and we have time for a more freestyle discussion, where we get to understand the authors’ intent and workshop solutions for issue that might have arisen during feedback.

If we have two submissions, we’ll take a short break after the first round of critiques is over.

Submitting your work

We have a prerequisite that new members must attend at least two critique meetings and provide feedback for others before you can submit your own work for critique. This is to ensure that you are comfortable with both giving and receiving critical/constructive feedback, as well as gauging whether or not we are the right group for you.

Once you have attended at least a couple of meetings, feel free to submit your story or novel chapter through the Members area, and it will be assigned to one of the upcoming meetings. If you have a preferred date, you can let us know when you are uploading your story.

Join Spectrum Writers

Come along to a first critique session and see if we’re the right fit for you!