What we’re about
We are a group of experienced fiction writers serious about perfecting our craft and being traditionally published. We meet once a week to read aloud and seriously critique original works of fictional short stories, novellas, and those working on full-length novels only. There are many wonderful writing and critique groups in the NOVA and DC area. Reston Writers might be a good fit for your work if...
1) You write fiction *AND* have a final draft of a novel / short story you'd like to get published. We do NOT critique poetry, memoirs, non-fiction, narrative non-fiction, plays, screenplays, newsletters, children's or picture books.
2) You've been writing long enough to be familiar with the fundamentals of storytelling: the inciting incident, 1st and 2nd plot points (and where they should be in your story), the conventions (and tropes) of your genre, how to structure a novel/ short story, etc.
3) You are looking for straight, brutally honest feedback for your work. We are a critique group. If you're looking for a group that meets to wax endlessly about the writing process/ publishing, or are seeking accolades for your "brilliant best-seller," we are NOT the group for you.
BUT... if you are looking to become a better writer and aim to be competitive in today's publishing market, please answer some question so we can learn more about you, and then welcome aboard! We look forward to meeting you. :)
PLEASE NOTE: That as of January 2017, Meet-up no longer allows us to send out personal messages explaining why we might decline your invitation to join us. Please understand that we try to be as inclusive as possible but have to assess whether you are ready to have your work critiqued based solely on your answers to our questions. Thank you for understanding.