I have had the great fortune to be critiqued by some amazing writers.
A critique partner is the best friend who tells you that you smell – or your writing is absolute crap.
My writing and real life C.P’s became really good friends and mentors to me. They made me laugh. They made me cry. They MADE me learn.
I used to belong to a critique forum….many moons ago and I went word by word, line by line through someone else’s work and critiqued it. She was fine about everything but I got thrown off the forum for being too Critical and not a smoke-up-the-arse-blower (?!?!)
My BEST ADVICE to anyone is WRITE A BOOK. And get it critiqued. Your entire world/ego will collapse. Fact!
:o)