CritiqueMatch

CritiqueMatch is a platform where writers and beta readers connect and exchange work for free! New: You can also buy a critique or beta-reading service from our top-rated users!

Feb 26, 2020

Outline Your Memoir in One Day

By Imara Moses

When I finally decided to sit down and write my memoir, the idea of writing a book had been floating around in my head for a while.  Because I had been mulling over what I wanted my book to be about for some time, it only took one afternoon to write my outline. 
I have a scientific writing background, so I knew I would not be able to write a good book without first having a rough sketch of what I wanted to share.  The outline is critical to writing a book because it prevents it from being a series of random thoughts scrawled all over paper without any direction. 

Feb 24, 2020

Scene Setting Using Deep POV

By DJ Cracovia.

One of the toughest lessons to learn as a fiction writer is how to think like a writer. No, no, let’s rephrase that a little bit. What I meant to say is – the hardest lesson to learn, as a fiction writer is to think like our characters.

In recent years, more and more popular fictions are written in first person or third person close. Both POVs, aka Point of Views, lend themselves to deeper character-centered stories with less and less of the intrusive narrator’s voice. Today’s readers want to experience a story as it unfolds, and through the eyes of the main characters. Readers no longer want to be told a story, nor do they want to be told what to think by an omniscient storyteller.

Jan 30, 2020

Author Interview Series: Irene Perali

A writer's journey; a conversation with fellow writer Irene Perali about writing, technology, and expat life.

CritiqueMatch: You and I share the same passions: tech and writing. Tell us about your story.


Irene Perali: I remember the first time somebody asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was four years old, and my answer was: "I want to become a writer." I wanted to be a writer before I learned how to write. I wanted to be a writer because I liked to tell stories. I had a vivid imagination, and, as soon as I discovered the power of the written language, I began to write all the stories that popped up in my mind. It felt natural and effortless to me.

Jan 3, 2020

Internal Conflict 101


By Bethany Tucker.

Conflict is the fuel of a story. It’s what makes the character burn and shine and the plot points churn. Without it, the engine, the world in which the story is told, has nothing to make it thrum with life. Conflict, however, comes in two forms, external and internal. Both are necessary for a strong story.

Oct 1, 2019

World Building 101 for Fantasy Authors


By Bethany Tucker.

World building can be a lot of fun. It’s the sandbox and Legos of writing. Creating landscapes, dreaming up cities or towers. For me, and I hope for you, it’s a chance to play, daydream, and indulge. Imagine an invitation to revel in the vastness of imagination. Dream up the grand, the funny, the poignant and the momentous. Don’t forget the details – small imperfections, the minor annoyances, the hilarious, and the somber. Bring the science. Forge new religions. Riff off the old mythologies. This is what makes fantasy, as a genre, so complex, diverse, and endlessly readable. And so wonderfully satisfying!

Sep 13, 2019

Author Interview Series: Daria White


This week we have the pleasure to speak with Daria White, a prolific writer of novels, novellas, short stories, poems and the author of the prominent “Writer in the making” podcast. She shares insights on her creative process and latest projects.

CritiqueMatch: Besides creating a helpful podcast, you write novels, novellas, short stories, and even poems! Can you tell us more about your creative process? When do you decide whether a story is well suited as a novella vs. a short story?

Sep 4, 2019

Author Interview Series: Max Vonne


We are excited to interview Max Vonne, one of the earliest adopters of CritiqueMatch! Max is working on a soon-to-be published sci fi series and has stayed busy on multiple projects, from creating a software program to generate planets and stars for a fictional galaxy, to building a directory of resources for writers. Let’s see what he told us when he found time to sit down with Mike this week.

CritiqueMatch: Where did you get the idea to write the Star Faer series?