Every Writer Needs Critique Partners

Pete Aldin and Bryan Chaffin discuss why every writer needs good critique partners—and how to find them. They explore what makes a critique relationship work, why different partners bring different strengths, how to give and receive useful feedback, and why critiquing someone else’s work can make you a better writer. Plus, they look at how many outside readers a manuscript needs and the value of seeking perspectives beyond your usual circle. Chapters: 00:00 Introductions 00:20 What Is a Critique Partner? 04:47 Different Critique Partners, Different Strengths 11:20 How to Find Critique Partners 17:44 Building Your Critique Network 22:47 Why Critiquing Makes You a Better Writer 27:22 Critique Etiquette and Building Trust 32:34 How Many Critique Partners Do You Need? 39:25 Why Human Feedback Matters 40:09 Getting Perspectives Outside Your Bubble 42:47 Outro Links from This Episode: AbsoluteWrite Water Cooler https://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php Follow Working Writers Working Margins Newsletter https://workingwriters.io/newsletter/ Threads https://www.threads.com/@workingwritersshow Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/workingwritersshow.bsky.social Instagram https://www.instagram.com/workingwritersshow/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@WorkingWritersShow