top of page

Membership Process

  • Must attend at least 3 meetings /one business meeting,

  • Must be nominated by an active member of the group

  • Membership present must vote on admission

  • $15.00 Annual dues

Benefit for Members

  • Free quarterly newsletters, filled with paid writing leads

  • Admission to meetings and workshops 

  • Interaction with member writers

  • Information and methods for writing improvement 

Samples of Meeting Critiques:

Critique Guidelines for Nonfiction

  • Writer states intended audience and identifies the work with a one sentence summary.

  • Master hook: Title? Open with Anecdote? Questions? Other?

  • Establishes author’s intention. Informational? Opinion? Argument?  Personal essay?

  • Piece consistently addresses intended audience throughout.

  • Organization: Particular to general? General to particular?

  • Backs up with reputable references if/when necessary.

  • Ends with solution? Call to change?  Other?

Fiction Critique Guidelines

  • Level One:  Proper punctuation and paragraphing

Grammar glitches

Superfluous words or phrases

  • Level Two:  Effective beginning—Does it instruct the reader how to read the rest of the story?

Middle—Is the story moving forward?

End--- Does the end answer the story question?

Which, if any, needs additions or deletions?

  • Level Three: Interesting and differentiated characters.

Forward action/ rising tension

Good word usage:  strong verbs, original analogies, compelling dialogue

Underlying theme or reason for being

Poetry Guidelines

Author may not defend the piece while critique is being given.

1.What was the poem about? Address not only the theme but the feeling it’s attempting to evoke. (ie. serenity, edginess, ebullience)

2. Note the strong points of the poem. Mention specific words and phrases. Note the use of alliteration, simile, metaphor, compare/contrast

3. What techniques did the poet use? Stanza, line breaks, specific forms, space organization, devices such as scattered rhyme, assonance, consonance, repetition, imagery, figures of speech

4. Note problem areas such as: word choices are cliches, passive, flat verbs, form inappropriate or inconsistent with theme, message contradictory or confusing, ending lines do not ‘click shut’ on the poem’s theme

AWARDS

ALICE BALDWIN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE

​

This award is established to recognize the member whose work for the good of Mid Michigan Writers goes beyond usual membership duties during the preceding calendar year. A nominee must be a participating member of Mid Michigan Writers. All nominations must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors no later than the last week of February, giving specific reasons why the candidate deserves the award and any other pertinent information that applies. the Board of Directors will review the nominations based on the following criteria:

  1. Nominee has initiated or worked on activities outside group responsibilities.

  2. Nominee has participated in outside workshops in MMW's name.

  3. Nominee has written grants for MMW.

  4. Nominee has offered critique for members outside of regular meetings.

  5. Nominee has worked in the community to promote MMW.

NORMA RHINEHART PRICE AWARD

​

A writing achievement award established to recognize that member whose work shows outstanding growth during the preceding year. A nominee must be a participating member of Mid Michigan Writers. All nominations must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors no later than the last meeting in February, giving specific reasons why the candidate deserves the award. The Board of Directors will review the nominations and tally points (25) based on the following criteria:

1.     Nominee participates consistently in both receiving and giving critique (5).

2.     Nominee demonstrates ability to revise work and return for further critique (5).

3.     Nominee has attended at least one group-sponsored, out-side workshop, or conference during the year prior to nomination (5).

4.     Nominee has accumulated a body of work*or had one or more works published within the year nominated (5).

5.     Nominee is actively seeking markets (5).

*A body of work: 5-10 short stories or non-fiction work or combination, 25 poems, one novel or non-fiction book in at least first draft stage, or equivalent combination of work.

bottom of page