How the Novel In Progress Study Group Works

The Novel In Progress (NIP) Study Group provides support in a variety of ways, not all of which are readily apparent. If you take a few moments to learn how the NIP operates, and the reasoning behind its procedures and policies, you will get that much more from the experience. Our practices are devised to help you to get the most out of your time—not only within the study group, but outside it as well with readership tiers. Each of these steps are designed to help you work toward the goal of turning an idea into a top-notch novel and getting it published.

The Icebreaker

Nearly every meeting begins with an "icebreaker" session where members state their name and offer a 30-second response to a question about some aspect of writing. The ice breaker is a simple warm-up exercise that puts folks at ease. It also offers insights into how others view or approach the task of writing a novel. Further, the icebreaker helps to focus the group’s attention on the task at hand, to push aside the demanding thoughts of daily living.

The Round-Table Critique

At most meetings, the biggest single block of time is devoted to the round-table critique. This involves a full-group discussion of a large portion of one member’s work (25-30 pages), submitted at least two weeks before the critique. Round-tables are meant to provide a frank (but not hurtful) assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of an already polished manuscript. This is an important point, one that is too often misunderstand by new members. The Round-table focuses on the larger questions—it not intended to proof or critique initial or early drafts (that falls under the purview of readership tiers or smaller critique groups). Yes, the round-table drafts are returned with written comments. But historically the round-table’s spontaneous exchanges, the offering and exploring of differing views of a work or key passages, are of greater value to the author.

The round-table also impersonates the agent/publisher review. For this reason, the work submitted for a round-table round should be formatted according to the exact specifications of the publisher/editor you have in mind. If you are unable to find out those requirements—or plan multiple submissions of your work—follow the general guidelines of the NIP’s format specifications.

Round-tables are just as important to the critiquers as to the critiqued. Learning to recognize and articulate the strengths and weaknesses in the work of another writer takes you one step closer to seeing it in your own. As round-tables often highlight principles and techniques that are most difficult to grasp—such as point of view—hearing others debate such concepts can offer invaluable insights.

Tabletop Discussions/Exchanges

The opportunity to listen to and participate in discussions of the writing craft is a primary function of the NIP Study Group; that is why the second largest block of time within NIP meetings is devoted to tabletop discussions/exchanges. Very often, round-table deliberations raise questions that cannot be resolved without further examination. (Or questions that threaten to monopolize too much of the time allotted to responding to the work under review.) The tabletop is the best forum for such questions. Tabletops respond to the interests and contributions of group members. Although sometimes tabletop presentations are made by guests, most are accomplished by NIP members.

Tabletop topics are set ahead of time so members (who are so inclined) can bone up on the particular subject or issue being looked at. Preparation and participation is certainly encouraged but not obligatory. Not every member of the study group is studious, and many would rather chew glass than present or lead a discussion. Simply do what you are comfortable with—contribute what you can. Even when there are no formal tabletops, each meeting sets time aside to answer questions or share information about events in the writing community.

Readership Tiers

In terms of the actual novel-in-progress, the most important opportunity afforded by the NIP Study Group is the chance to enlist other writers to read and respond to your work. The key to success in fiction (as in other literary forms) is not in the writing but the rewriting. Every novelist will, at some point, get so close to their work that they are no longer able to judge if the story is coming across as they intended. To be sure that it is, the novelist needs readers. This includes readers who are in it for the long run, who read and respond to drafts of the entire novel, as well as tiers of occasional readers who only read and respond to some key passages of your work—especially those portions that have been revised several times and need to be seen by fresh eyes.

Round-table & Probe Submissions

Roundtables and Probe submissions can both be used to find readers who will read material beyond that for a particular roundtable. The Probe is the principle instrument used to attract readers for ongoing work. It consists of five pages of material plus the worksheet. A worksheet, or cover page, should accompany the submission of all work to other members during meetings. Worksheets identify whether or not the work is up for round-table discussion (all members are expected to respond to round-table submissions) or an individual "probe" for readers. Group members are not obligated to read probes, but often they will. How can you ensure that others will read for you? Reciprocity is the coin of the realm. You agree to read for them if they will read for you. Since there is a mutual obligation involved, the number of long-term readers you recruit should be kept small, no more than three or four. The worksheet allows each author to clearly identify the type of submission and the type of reader (and reading) they are after to the other members of the group.