By Chris Stewart In my first post on this subject, I talked about the biggest contributor to a good critique group (sometimes people also call these workshops, though not meaning one you sign up and pay for) - chemistry . To refresh your memory this link should, in theory, take you to that post: Chemistry A critique group is a partnership, so let's move on to the other four factors. The first is Commitment . Pretty self-explanatory. If you agree to take part in a critique group then commit to at least six months . Ideally you should be meeting every 2-3 weeks, but even if it's once a month, it takes about three or so sessions for you to start feeling comfortable and for the group to find its groove (or for you to find your place within the group if you're joining one that's already established). Then it takes another few meetings with your guard down to determine if you are getting what you need in terms of critique (I'll touch on that in more detail in another post