When: FEBRUARY 19th, 12-2pm EST

Where: Airmeet Online Event Venue

Your Hosts: IAmRodneyVSmith, Deb (BrittanieCharmantine), Zoe (Zoe_Blessing), Holly (neverfakeit)

1. What is a critique partner match-up?

Chances are, if you've been writing long enough to have a finished work under your belt (or close to it), you're already familiar with the concept of a critique partner. These are fellow writers who are in the same position you are — they have a piece of work they'd like to get constructive feedback on so they can improve it.

As with any relationship, choosing a critique partner should not be handled lightly. There needs to be mutual trust and respect. After all, you will be sharing your work, and we all know how personal our stories are. Therefore, choosing a crit partner is more than a casual hook-up. Questions need to be answered to determine if there's chemistry between you. It's also important that both parties are at similar stages in their writing experience.

2. Do I have to pay to participate in this event?

No. This is a FREE event. However, there are only 100 spots available.

3. Is there anything that is required of me as a participant in this event?

We're glad you asked. Yes, there is. We want you to think seriously about taking on a critique partner.

To do this, you'll need to participate in the Discord channel discussions prior to the event. Ask questions. Share something about yourself. Then, if you decide you are willing and able to commit the time and effort to working with a crit partner, we will invite you to submit an Interest Form.

On February 4th, this form will be pinned in the public-announcement channel, and the answers you provide will help the WCX team decide which virtual table to place you at, thus giving you the best chance for finding the perfect match.

You will also be required to fill in an Attendee Card once you arrive at the event venue. You can think of this card as a profile page containing information to help your fellow writers learn about you at a glance. There are 5 sections that will need your input:

Name - Country - Bio (67 character limit, including spaces) - Written works (57 character limit) - Writing strength/weakness (53 character limit)

It might help to write out the details ahead of time and have them ready. You will need to complete this step before you enter the venue. Because the sections have extreme character limits, we suggest you choose 2 fun facts to share in your bio. As far as your written works, choose your most popular titles. And offer 1 writing strength and 1 weakness.

4. Will I be matched with a Wattpad Star?

Every writer, no matter their skill level, can benefit from a critique partner, and Wattpad Stars are no different. The Writers Connect team is focused on being inclusive, and we want to see that everyone is paired with someone who closely matches their skill level. This way both parties can benefit fully from the experience. That said, there is every chance you and a Wattpad Star may connect in a way that is mutually beneficial.

5. If there are only 100 spots for this event, how will the participants be chosen?

Participants will be chosen on a first come, first served basis. To be more specific, once all interested parties have had a chance to chat in the Discord channels prior to the event and they understand the commitment required to participate, we hope to have a pool of folks who are fully informed and prepared to make that commitment. When registration opens, anyone who is still interested will be given the opportunity to submit their name.

6. Where will the event be held?

We are excited to be testing out a new venue platform called Airmeet. As with the previous WritersConnX event, each participant will receive a unique link in their email inviting them to the venue on the day of the event.

7. What can I expect once I enter the event venue?

The Airmeet platform offers something called a social lounge where a number of virtual tables will be set up. Here is where you will find your assigned seat and start connecting with other writers who share similar interests. You will also find the WCX team having a nice chat at one of the tables. Feel free to pop in and say 'Hi'. 

8. What do you mean by 'assigned seat'?

Each of these virtual tables will be labeled by genre and skill level. Based on the details you provide in your Interest Form, you will be assigned a table with other folks who share your interests. An email will be sent to you with this information prior to the event. We have done this to optimize all the participant's chances for finding their best match.

9. How do we choose our critique partner?

While you're seated at your virtual table, you will have the opportunity to chat with other writers seated with you. This can be done through the webcam and microphone on your desktop computer or laptop, or through the group chat feature. If you find someone you connect with, you can send them a private message. You access the direct message feature by hovering over their name. Here you can have a chat. Perhaps you'll decide to trade sample pages of your work. You can also explore other tables if you aren't having any luck at the table assigned to you. And don't hesitate to pop into a table with folks who are at a different skill level. It's possible for us to mis-evaluate our work and abilities.

10. What if I'm having trouble navigating the Airmeet platform during the event?

If you're having trouble navigating the venue features or you have a question that you can't get an answer to during the event, pop into the WCX table and direct your concern at a member of the team. We also have a Discord channel set up in the WCX server called cp-match-help. Just be sure to tag one of the WCX team - @Holly (neverfakeit), @Zoe (Zoe_Blessing), @IamRodneyVSmith, or @Deb (BrittanieCharmintine)

11. What if someone at the table is behaving inappropriately?

When attending large events, you might run across someone with concerning behavior. Certain individuals enjoy baiting others with extreme viewpoints and are simply looking for reactions from their audience. Do not engage these people. If they can't trigger the reaction they're after, they'll often give up. You may also encounter individuals who don't allow others to speak because they won't stop talking or constantly interrupt others. A gentle note to this person may remind them they need to take turns. In either case, if improper behavior continues, you can report them to one of the WCX team members at their table or through the cp-match-help channel in the WCX Discord server. Simply tag @Holly (neverfakeit), @Zoe (Zoe_Blessing, @IamRodneyVSmith, or @Deb (BrittanieCharmintine)

12. Once we choose our partner, what do we do then?

First of all, congratulate yourselves! Finding a crit partner who gets you is a special thing. At this point, you two can share emails or other forms of communication. You can then decide if you want to leave the event and chat elsewhere. Or you might want to stay at the table and continue engaging with your fellow writers. You also have the option of popping into other tables to say hi to folks.

13. What if I haven't found a critique partner when the event ends?

It's certainly possible for participants to have trouble finding a good match, even after they've explored all the virtual tables. Participants who are unable to find a critique partner by the end of the event will still have a chance to meet other writers in the WCX Discord server. We invite you to utilize this space and get to know each other. Perhaps your perfect match will be found among those who did not have the opportunity to participate in the event.

14. Can I attend this event using my mobile phone?

Unfortunately, no. Airmeet has specific technical requirements for an optimal event experience. Therefore, participants will need to have access to a desktop computer or laptop that meets specific requirements.

15. What are these specific requirements?

👉 A stable internet connection with a minimum speed of 10MB

👉 Preferred web browsers are Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Brave

👉 If you use Safari or Opera, you will need to access the event from one of the above mentioned web browsers

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