Victory Crayne
Independent Fiction Editor,
Writing Coach/Mentor

Critique Groups

in

Southern California

A critique by Victory will improve not just one novel, but EVERY novel you write.

A critique group is a group of writers who
meet to provide feedback on each other's writing.

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Critique groups in southern California

I've heard so many requests for years for information on critique groups that I've decided to create this list. It is my goal to create one central place in southern California where:

writers groups can link to as a service to their members and
writers can go to find a critique group in their geographical area.

Many writers belong to more than one critique group so the groups don't need to feel they're competitors. Besides, many groups fade when they lose members and would like to have one place were they could "advertise" for new members.

I'll do the work of maintaining the list. All you have to do is let me know of any critique groups you are aware of. Sound fair? To add a new group, send me the contact information described below.

This list was started January 1, 2007. Over the next few months I will be aggressively contacting critique groups and writers groups to add to the list. I expect it will grow to 50 or more groups over the next couple of months. I'm willing to add more counties to this list if I receive information about critique groups that meet in them.

If you can't find a critique group in your area and you want more personal and professional attention to your novel writing, you can consider my services. See the Victory Page for Fiction Writers for more details.

Quick link to counties:

	Los Angeles
	Orange
	Riverside
	San Bernadino
	San Diego
	Tulare

Los Angeles County

North Hollywood	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	The North Hollywood Screenwriters Meetup Group
	Contact person	David Mulligan
	Comments	Meet two Saturdays per month at 7pm.
	Restrictions, if any	Need to have completed scripts ready to share with the group.

Santa Monica	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	The Santa Monica Science Fiction Writers Meetup Group
	Contact person	Kelle DeLuca
	Comments	Meet every 2nd & 4th Thursdays.
	Restrictions, if any	This is a fiction writing group for people interested in improving their craft. All genres are welcome, though we specialize in science fiction and fantasy.

Orange County

Aliso Viejo	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group
	Contact person
	Comments	Meet every other Monday at 7pm at the Barnes & Aliso Viejo Town Center, 26751 Aliso Viejo Creek Road. Store: (949) 362-8027
	Restrictions, if any

Anaheim Hills	Open to new members?	As vacancies permit (size of group is limited). Generally one or two per year.
	Name of the group	Orange County Fictionaires
	Contact person	J. Diamond
	Comments	We’re a 40-year-old group of authors and short story writers in a variety of genres, including mysteries, women’s fiction, literary fiction, young adult and SF/fantasy. We meet the 1st, 3rd and (where applicable) 5th Wednesday of each month. This is a very experienced group of mostly published writers, some of whom also teach writing. There is a formal application and approval process that focuses on the quality of the writing and critiquing.
	Restrictions, if any	No poetry, nonfiction or children’s books, although YA is fine.

Huntington Beach	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Sandscribes
	Contact person	Dawne Knobbe
	Comments	Meets every other week at the Huntington Beach Public Library in a meeting room in the children's section. Library: (714) 842-4481
	Restrictions, if any	This group focuses solely on Young Adult/Teen, Middle Grade, and Children's Literature and Illustrations for the above-listed books.

Irvine	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Pure Fiction League
	Contact person	Dave Cunningham
	Comments	Meet every Thursday 7pm at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers Tustin, 13712 Jamboree Road. Store: (714) 508-9707
	Restrictions, if any

Newport Beach	Open to new members?	Open for four more members
	Name of the group	Candid Critique
	Contact person	Carolyn Smith
	Comments	Meets every two weeks, currently 12:30pm Mondays. May change to attract talented new members, but will not meet at night.
	Restrictions, if any	Prefer Fiction, but popular non-fiction also critiqued. Current members are all older women who have either taught writing, have taken writing courses, or are published writers, perhaps in another genre. Only requirement is competence in writing and the ability to accept and give constructive criticism. We read up to ten pages each and critique in turn.

Santa Ana	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Orange County Writers Meetup Group
	Contact person	Russell Traughber
	Comments	Meet every 2nd & 4th Thursdays.
	Restrictions, if any

Riverside County

Loma Linda	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Loma Linda Writers Group
	Contact person	Norma Bork
	Comments	Meet every Tuesday at 7 pm in the Fellowship hall of the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a non-denominational group open to anyone; we merely use the church facilities. The meetings usually consist of a speaker for 45 minutes then we break into small interest groups for critique of each other's work.
	Restrictions, if any

San Bernadino County

Montclair	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group
	Contact person	Libby Grandy
	Comments	Meet every Tuesday from 7pm-9pm at the Borders Bookstore.
	Restrictions, if any

San Diego County

Tulare County

Porterville	Open to new members?	Open
	Name of the group	Porterville Writers Workshop
	Contact person	Marilyn Meredith
	Comments
	Restrictions, if any	We accept published and unpublished writers, but new people have to come to a meeting first and participate, then we decide whether or not they can join.