info 3 The more you write the more you have a chance to improve your skills. Read to others what you have written and let them tell you what they feel would make your story more interesting or improve its style. Do so with the realization that you will have to be gracious after hearing what someone may say. Remember you are free to do as you please anyway. We are all born critiques of anything and everything and in particular of others. We beam when we are asked for our opinion making us "experts" for a moment. Most of us are sincerely in want to help and not destroy. If someone offers "constructive criticism", tell him you are only interested in comments, guidelines, suggestions, opinions. That expression must be banned from all conversation. In my writers group when the leader pointed to my turn to say something about someone's writing, I made a point to find a true quality in the work, something I liked because it was a good description or it was clever, before offering my "kind remedy for what was ailing in the piece." Now this is my opinion. Not everyone felt like I did. Encouragement and respect are what will make a writer become successful if we do not blast him into oblivion by unkind remarks. A poet cannot be just a reporter but an artist who paints with words. At times a reporter sounds like a fiction writer when he reports actual news. Ouch! The best way to have sincere and valuable suggestions is by getting in a writer's group. No group to be found, then form one yourself, and invite others to join in. Put a notice on bulletin boards at church, schools, colleges, universities, supermarkets, health clubs, bookstores, libraries. Where to meet: Coffee houses will welcome you and your friends. Make sure that everyone buys something or at least a drink . . . This should be part of the unwritten bylaws. Or the coffee house will not be there the next time you want to have a meeting. Coffee goes well with writing. If you must have tea, there are many enhanced flavors now. The St. Louis Writers Guild, in St.Louis Missouri, is a well organized group for poets and writers at any level. They have lectures, seminars, poetry readings, poetry contests, well known poet guests. See their site: stlwritersguild.org Some libraries will let you use one of their small rooms. My advice on meeting at the home of one of the members is fine if members are from your own locality or you have grown to know them. (From a class or group started in a public place.) I have known groups that met in turn at different homes. Let it be known you are a writer. When you are asked "what you do," tell everyone you are a writer. Or say "I work as flight attendant for an airline (if you do), but I am a writer." Yes, yes, from the very start. It is so positive, It works so well. You do not want to become a liar or be known as a liar. So you will work very hard to make it be true. Once you introduce yourself as a writer you will have to become one.