Is critiquecircle.com Legit?

I joined a few years ago and, after having a first bad experience (promised rewards didn't load), I recently put in some more work in preparation for posting a work for critique. After spending EIGHT HOURS critiquing, surprise! You can only post novel chapters if you pay. So they take your work and monetize it, and then you get shafted. That's called a scam.

They ban you for "Mean spirited critiques". I said part of a story was "boring" and the person made a big deal of it, blocked me and reported me. What is a site worth if you can't even say part of a story is boring?Kindergarten. I'm glad I didn't pay for pro membership as I was planning to.

Pros: large community and an easy system to review other’s work and get yourown reviewedCons: quality of reviews is mixed, it depends on what group you fall intoI think this is a great site for a beginning writer but not helpful for an experienced one, even the helpful critiques are not much more, and sometimes quite a bit less, than many of the writing programs out there like Autocrit and Prowritingaid. I found myself spending a lot of time reviewing to get a few useful nuggets.

They banned me. After 4 years of my entire family using multiple accounts on our one computer, they banned my account. They emailed my relative about multiple accounts, and she assured them it was one computer and the families accounts. After that, they banned me.I have emailled them and have yet to hear back. My writing was on that website and now I can't access feedback because they won't believe me and my family are separate people on one computer. Terrible customer service!

For the most part the website is a waste of time. The forums are toxic. The members who do frequent them are very hostile. There's a reason most of their customer's are dissatisfied with them and its ranked only 67 out of 100 writing websites. Oh, and unsurprisingly, the admins show favoritism to paid subscribers.

I received a wildly defamatory, victim-shaming critique and then a hurl of insults from Patricia Padden, a.k.a Jerseygirl. Not only did the admins allow her review to stand, refusing to take it down, they reprimanded and belittled me and made me stand out as the difficult one. This is anything but a supportive community and I strongly advise against joining such a hostile environment. I’m considering suing them for defamation.

I regret singing up for this service. A complete waste of money. The community is strange and the moderators are terrible.

Just joined. Spent almost a whole day of my life critiquing a story that promised 2 points. Clicked submit and what do you know, I got 0.5 points. This is a ripoff of your time. Don't use. Note: this wouldn't have been such a big surprise if the rules were clear. But the FAQ doesn't say: dear user, you do this on your own risk and you might not get any payoff out of it because that's just how we roll. No, you're left to find out at your own expense. And there's the option to go bed a moderator, maybe you get your points? So you need to work more and spend more time, and ask nicely for what you were promised in the first place. Bait and switch, it's what this is called, and in a world where businesses are regulated it would be illegal.

I've been a member of this site for perhaps 3 years now. During that time I have put three books through it, and got excellent suggestions for improving them. The last one, a thriller, was published in January; hardly any edits were required by the publisher.I've read the bitter, negative reviews here and my opinion is that they're writers who believed their work was so wonderful that they got upset when they heard the truth. Critique Circle is a place where a writer can improve, in contrast to many other critique sites that merely offer fulsome praise for crummy prose.

I've been a member of the site for over a year, and my writing has improved so much from the wonderful feedback I've gotten. It's a site where you exchange crits on other people's stories. Not everyone is going to LOVE your style or story, but you'll find some people you jive with and can follow each other stories.

I've been a long-time member and have published a novel I've had critqiued at CritiqueCircle (Youth in Asia, which you can find on Amazon). It's a very well-managed site for serious writers. Writing takes work, which you'll have to do at this site in the form of critiquing other people's work for 'credits' that enable you to post your own work. If you are willing to work on your own writing and help others you'll find it a great site.

I’ve tried several critique exchange websites over the years and Critique Circle (CC to its loyal users) has got to be the best. Now, be warned, if you’re looking for a place where people tell you how amazing you are or how awesome your writing is, this is NOT the place for you. But if you want honest feedback from other writers, thorough reviews that are detailed, and like-minded friends from all over the world, then like me, you just may find a home there. The site is fairly easy to navigate and has made my writing so much better. In addition to weekly critique cycles, there’s also a blog and an active discussion forum. Just watch out for the racist rants that spew from a select few every time someone mentions “sensitivity readers”

I mainly write mystery thrillers and have worked with other authors on CC for several years now. Feedback is based on the critter's experience and personal thoughts. Bearing in mind that the site have authors ranging from the brand new to writing, to the traditionally published feed back on work can vary. But I've always found it to be thoughtful and fair, and it's useful to get a wide range of honest feedback that represents the reader audience to develop your own writing skills. I know my skills have improved thanks to this site.

Critique Circle is a site for writers to swap critiques and editorial suggestions. It works on a reciprocal Tit-for-Tat basis. You receive 1-2 credits for writing a 300-word critique, and it costs 3 credits to post your story or chapter. The site's interface is smooth and stable. I never lost my work on site or had any problems.I used the site since 2016 and made friends and met many interesting people there.The site's full functionality is available free of charge. There is a premium version of two levels, which allows creation of private queues and other advantages. I purchased an annual private membership for my last novel, so I could run it in a private queue, which allows only the people I invite to read my manuscript. Everything worked smoothly and I don't regret paying.There is also an old-style forum on the site.

Fantastic site, full of helpful people. Obviously nowhere is ever perfect, but if you want to be a better writer this is the place to go.Bear in mind, you can only post small sections at once, so it can take a long time to work through an entire book. You also need to be willing to reciprocate feedback to other writers.Overall though, very happy - enough so that I upgraded from the free to the paid version for a year.

The forums are a great place to ask questions about the craft or the industry, or even very specific, individual story problems. A non-paid user like me has fewer options for story submissions--I can only post one chapter every two weeks, so getting feedback on a whole novel isn't going to happen in this format. But it's easy to establish relationships with other writers and do manuscript swaps. Other than that, I've gotten great feedback and suggestions to improve my short stories and poetry.

I've run several novels through this site, and so far 4 of 5 stories are published under contract. Three were nominated for professional awards, and one actually won an award for literary excellence. This is Iron Sharpening Oron at its best.

Having a platform to both learn from reading other authour's critiques and providing your own is such an incredible way to become a better writer.The credit based tit-for-tat system works well to get readers to your story and provide invaluable feedback as well as toughen your skin.

If you want to start getting writing feedback from people who don't live with you and/or already like you, CC might be for you. It may take you some time to find your "people" on CC, but stick it out. Find stories or chapters you like and start critiquing. In my first year on CC, I've learned as much from critiquing other people's work as I have from critiques on my own. The site is well-maintained and the admins provide solid oversight.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them,They think I’m telling lies.I say,It’s in the reach of my arms,The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman, That’s me.I walk into a roomJust as cool as you please, And to a man,The fellows stand orFall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me,A hive of honey bees. I say,It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That’s me.Men themselves have wondered What they see in me.They try so muchBut they can’t touchMy inner mystery.When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. I say,It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile,The ride of my breasts,The grace of my style.I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That’s me.Now you understandJust why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump aboutOr have to talk real loud. When you see me passing,It ought to make you proud.I say,It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need for my care. ’Cause I’m a womanPhenomenally.Phenomenal woman,That’s me.

“If you are serious about writing and want to improve...”

If you are serious about writing and want to improve your craft, this is the place. Critiques run on a fair, well-organized system of points. Lots of knowledge on here, no problems. And a large enough site for lots of input. Excellent.

“Waste of time”

Unless you're absolutely new to writing and don't care about response time or quality, don't bother. Shallow responses, terrible comments disguised as lazy feedback, and no way to regain lost points for wasted time. Critiquing is also a pain with their system. Forums or other sites will serve you better, unless you just want to trade fanfics with others. Service Value Shipping Returns Quality

“One of the Best”

I've checked out a number of other sites, but this site has the most going for it. It's well run, the set-up is fairly intuitive, has a free option and reasonably priced premium options, and best of all, the ability to give line-by-line feedback. I may be spoiled, but the line-by-line feature is a deal breaker for me, and it's a feature not always available at other sites. Service Value

“Time wasted, ripoff experience”

Just joined. Spent almost a whole day of my life critiquing a story that promised 2 points. Clicked submit and what do you know, I got 0.5 points. This is a ripoff of your time. Don't use. Note: this wouldn't have been such a big surprise if the rules were clear. But the FAQ doesn't say: dear user, you do this on your own risk and you might not get any payoff out of it because that's just how we roll. No, you're left to find out at your own expense. And there's the option to go bed a moderator, maybe you get your points? So you need to work more and spend more time, and ask nicely for what you were promised in the first place. Bait and switch, it's what this is called, and in a world where businesses are regulated it would be illegal.

“Excellent membership site for writers”

I became a member of Critique Circle about a year ago and I highly recommend this site for writers. You can use this service for free or pay a small fee for premium memberships. I joined because I wanted to receive feedback on my writing and I've gotten invaluable feedback from other members and become a better writer because of them. I find it clever how the site works but basically, you receive credits for critiquing other writers and then you can use the credits to submit your work. I recommend you critique as much as you can because it will pay off when you submit your work. The staff is friendly and helpful, my experience has been excellent! I highly recommend Critique Circle!

“Better than others”

I've been on CC for about 2 months now, and I've had no problems with it. The basic, free membership is useful, the premium is more useful but not necessary. I've tried 5 other writing sites - including Scribophile, Wattpad, and ABCTales - and this is the most satisfactory so far. People give helpful and constructive critiques, and it's not too hard to earn enough credits to post more stories on. The critique system is fair. CC has given me a great opportunity to share my writing, receive useful feedback, and enjoy hundreds of other stories. It's exciting to watch novels grow and shift, especially when you, as a critter, have helped shape it. Everyone is very helpful and friendly. The forum is interesting - members joke with each other, debate points, share their writing progress. It can get a little heated at times, but you don't have to participate if you don't want to, and members always debate ideas. In my 2 months of experience of actively engaging in the forum, an argument has never turned personal. I recommend this site 100%! (See my attached forum responses for a thread I started about writing a novel in the form of multiple short stories... if the photo-attachment worked.) Products used:Free, basic membership

“Hostile”

Hostile environment which serves and protects its abusive members, encouraging them to slander and insult.

“Not very helpful site”

The site is fairly toxic. If you do use it just use it for critiques. If you try posting like a character interview, no one will respond.

“Excellent site”

I have to start this review by saying it's kind of impossible to parse a review of this site. Anybody who reviews it is naturally biased by their experience and their experience is shaped by their own abilities--and nobody believes their own abilities aren't at least good or they wouldn't be writing, right? Dunning Kruger is in full force when it comes to artistic endeavors, and CC is no exception. That said, I'm a decent writer--as validated by many objective measures including making a living as a professional writer/editor my entire career--but I knew nothing about fiction. And I found people on CC who taught me SO MUCH. I promised to return a crit--at least once--but that I was ultimately looking for mutually beneficial critique partners. In that way, I was able to curate partners who knew more than I did. I finished my novel, which is much better because of these people. I think that writers will find their level; it's the natural way of things. I will say, too, that I first joined this site in 2009 to put up some short plays. Up until I finished this novel, I never used the paid services because they weren't necessary. Once the novel was done and I had a date with an agent, I leveled up so I could get the most feedback possible before submitting to the agent. Anyway, you'll get what you give, and you'll improve to the level of your abilities. If you don't have a thick skin, you haven't been writing and receiving feedback long enough. Also, the interface and credit system work amazing well compared to other sites; you can get feedback quickly and from many people, which allows you to find active users who best meet your needs.

“Beware the Userbase”

TL; DR at the end I joined this site in April 2022 and, assuming that it would be a helpful source while I write my novel, I immediately paid for a premium subscription (partly because some helpful features like being able to put novel chapters together all in one book are locked behind premium) without realizing that there was a free two week trial for premium. If I hadn't been so gung ho and paid off the bat, I wouldn't have continued to use the site for as long as I did. My paying for it is the only reason I've used it for the past five or so months because I didn't want to waste money. The idea behind this website is pretty good and the site actually works pretty well! It works by requiring users to critique other people's work before being able to post a story. By critiquing, you gain credits based on how long your critique was (and yes, I'm fairly sure there are options to report to moderators if a critique is very clearly just long for the sake of it and has no real substance). When you post a story, you use three credits if you don't have any other stories queued, six if you've got a story in the queue already, nine if you've got two queued, and so on. I never experienced issues when posting stories or critiquing others' work. The issue with this site lies in the userbase, though I wouldn't be surprised if other critique websites have the same issue. Almost everyone seems to believe that they have extremely valuable things to say and that they are right about everything. While I would agree that most critiques have some kind of value, a fair portion that I received (60% - 70%) were absolutely useless in the sense that they were written by people who have no clue what they're talking about or were plain mean. Some experiences I had within my first two chapters (for reference, I've posted ten total) were: - Someone didn't seem to know what a metaphor was and interpreted my (very few, honestly) metaphors as stuff that was actually happening - Someone complaining that my female main character wasn't acting realistically when she was guarded and defensive in response to someone approaching her. For reference, this was on a foggy night in the deep downtown portion of a large city... - Someone trying to convert me to Christianity because I mentioned my fantasy world having multiple gods (yes, I'm being completely serious) - Someone said my grammar was impossible to read and that they had to read through my chapter three separate times. I went to their page and their grammar was horrendous - Someone just being indescribably rude and meanspirited throughout the entire first chapter I realize that it's easy to take comments like this as someone being overly defensive about critiques they received, but I am being incredibly genuine: the comments I mentioned were from people with low reading comprehension. I ran those critiques by multiple people to make sure I wasn't being defensive and they all agreed that the critiques were objectively useless and didn't make sense. There are good people on Critique Circle. 30% - 40% of people left me critiques that were sometimes blunt but INCREDIBLY helpful and kindly written. The issue lies in trying not to go insane when people won't stop leaving bizarre critiques on your stories. TL; DR: The website itself works fine, but be careful of the userbase. You can take most of their thoughts with a grain of salt, but there are several folks who do give good critiques. It's a mixed bag that, if you're willing to deal with the negatives, can be useful. Tip for consumers:Only take people's critiques seriously if you have three or more people saying the exact same thing about your work. Service Quality