A “critique group” is a group of writers and/or illustrators who support one another and offer feedback on one another’s work. A successful group requires commitment.

If you are interested in joining a critique group in Illinois, please check the list below.  Send an email to the contact person for the group in which you are interested.  Be flexible – it’s nice to meet with people in your town, but you may need to travel a bit farther afield.

Groups vary in the way they are organized.  If there is not a group that is a good fit for you, query on the SCBWI-IL listserv to see if anyone is interested in starting a new group.  It only takes a few like-minded members to be successful.  For additional help, click here to read an excerpt from Writing Groups Workshop. More information can be found by going to scbwi.org, select “publications,” and choose “Starting Your Own Critique Group.”  (You must be an SCBWI member to access publications on the national website.)

If you start a new group, please contact SCBWI-IL via Sara Shacter (sfshacter@gmail.com) to list your group on the chapter’s website.

For updates or changes to the groups listed, please contact Sara Shacter.

Name: The Writers’ Cramp
Status: Open to new members
Location: Downtown Chicago/New Eastside/ Lakeshore Area (hope to be monthly)
Genres/Formats: Children’s books of any sort
Trial Period: Nothing formal
Contact: Susan Schaalman Youdovin, ssyoudovin@aol.com
Comments: We are a very friendly, highly supportive group.  Like many other critique groups, we frequently have non-book related conversations.  While they may be somewhat tangential, we see these conversations as integral to the critique process.

Name:  Borders Children’s Writers
Status: Closed to new members as of 2/25/10
Location: Champaign, IL (every three weeks, evenings)
Genres/Formats: Anything children’s or YA
Trial Period: NA
Contact: Margo Dill, margodll@aol.com

Name: Writers’ Oasis
Status: Open to new members
Location: North Peoria (two evenings a month)
Genres/Formats: All children’s literature
Trial Period: None.
Contact: Susan Van Wassenhove, vansueandjoe6@gmail.com
Comments: Bring a sack dinner to eat during meeting

Name: None
Status: Looking for one new member
Location: Wheaton (one afternoon a month)
Genres/Formats: Primarily picture book, chapter book, non-fiction, poetry; but occasionally others
Trial Period: 3 meetings or 3 months
Contact: Lisa Bierman, biermanlisa@hotmail.com

Name: Scribes in Springfield
Status: Open to new members
Location: Springfield (one evening a month)
Genres/Formats: From picture books to YA
Trial Period: Potential members sit in for a couple of meetings to see how the group functions and to give everyone a chance to see if the fit is good; potential members do NOT bring any manuscripts during this time
Contact: Cynda Strong, cynda@eosinc.com

Name: Downstate Illustration Group
Status: Open to new members
Location: Alternate between Decatur and Urbana (meet quarterly, usually Jan, April, July, Oct)
Genres/Formats: All forms of illustration for children and YA
Trial Period: None
Contact: Louann Brown, newlou2008@hotmail.com

Name: The Newcott Caldebery Society
Status: Open to new illustrators
Location: Skokie (Monthly on Saturdays – Late morning/Early afternoon )
Genres/Formats: All illustration for Children’s Publications
Trial Period: Nothing formal
Contact: Michael Bricis got_mikl@comcast.net
Comments: We are a newly formed group (first meeting - July 2010) so this is very much a work in progress. We are committing to one new piece or revision of a previously critiqued piece every month.

Name: None
Status: Currently closed to new members.
Location: Oak Park (one evening per month)
Genres/Formats: Any children’s writing.
Trial Period: None
Contact: June Sengpiehl, jsseng629@yahoo.com

Name: Prairie School
Status: Open to new members
Location: Chicago (every 3 weeks)
Genres/Formats: Picture books, YA, essays, flash fiction, short stories
Trial Period:  Yes – new members must be open to the group’s process
Contact: Jane Hertenstein, janeh@jpusa.org
Comments: A sort of mini-MFA program comprised of writing tips/resources, what’s new; face time, peer workshop; what we’re currently reading, writing.  Motto: it’s fun!  Rules: start on time, adhere to meeting time limit, get reading done prior to meeting, set goals of submitting work, revising work, or getting a first draft out.

Name: None
Status: Open to new members.
Location: Rogers Park, Chicago (every two weeks)
Genres/Formats: All children’s writing
Trial Period: Like to meet for a face-to-face/coffee talk interview, then see writing samples
Contact: Crystal Chan, chancm16 AT gmail.com

Name: Near Normal Writers
Status: Currently closed to new members
Location: Normal (biweekly mornings)
Genres/Formats: All children’s writing
Trial Period: NA
Contact: Laurie Swindler, laurie@laurencollierswindler.com

Name: None
Status: Currently closed to new members
Location: Park Ridge (one evening a month)
Genres/Formats: All children’s writing
Trial Period: NA
Contact: Sara Shacter, sfshacter@gmail.com

Name: psfor kids (“poetry and stories for kids”)
Status: Open to new members
Location: Wilmette (one evening a month)
Genres/Formats: Mostly picture books, bit of poetry and chapter books
Trial Period: Yes, but informal
Contact: Jenny Szostak, jszostak@comcast.net

Name: Far Flung Writers
Status: Open to new members
Location: Online using Google Groups
Genres/Formats: MG and YA novels only
Trial Period: Yes –email contact person to give your writing background and hear the same about the current groups member, to verify a good match
Contact: Jim Danielson, jdwrites4kids@gmail.com
Comments: Members submit up to 5,000 words/month; group size max is 8 people; 2 members submit each week

Name: None
Status: Currently closed to new members
Location: Orland Park (once a month)
Genres/Formats: Poetry, picture books, MG, YA, non-fiction
Trial Period: When open to members, trial period is 3 months
Contact:, Corie Ramos-Azem, writingirl9@yahoo.com

Name: KIDSCRIT group
Status: Open to new members that have been published.
Location: Online Group
Genres/Formats: Picture books, MG and YA novels
Trial Period: Yes –email contact person to give your writing sample and answers to a short questionnaire.
Contact: Barb Santucci, bgsantucci@gmail.com
Comments: Members submit up to 1,500 words/month; group size max is 8 people; 2 members submit each week.