eWriterPal, a niche that needs to be filled

When I was at Odyssey last week, one of the comments I kept hearing from students was how much they enjoyed the in person aspect of critiquing, and how they struggled to find suitable writers groups in their hometowns. I sympathized with their struggles-- in Binghamton I'd been part of an active critique group that had started with my best friend and then our primary recruiting ground was Waldenbooks employees who were also writers (I'm looking at you Joshua, Tracy and April...) But when I moved to New Hampshire, it was only through the kindness of a mutual friend that I connected with local genre writers. Strangely enough we found that we'd all been at Boskone just a few weeks before, but hadn't run into each other. The next time I go to a con, I'm wearing a shirt that says "I'm from New Hampshire" to make these connections easier.

But rather than relying on cons, what we need is an online matchmaking tool that hooks writers up with potential critique partners. Modeled off eHarmony, where you begin by entering your geographic location and genres and then answer compatibility questions such as:

Poll #13759

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 0

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The new member describes her work as the next Twilight, only better since her vampires not only glow in the dark, they each have a guardian unicorn. Do you:

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Run very far, very fast
0 (0.0%)

Smile politely and hope you'll be able to influence her style and taste
0 (0.0%)

Resolve to judge the work on its own merits
0 (0.0%)

Squee loudly and proclaim yourself BFFs
0 (0.0%)

Really the only surprising thing is that no one has thought of this before.

eWriterPal, a niche that needs to be filled

When I was at Odyssey last week, one of the comments I kept hearing from students was how much they enjoyed the in person aspect of critiquing, and how they struggled to find suitable writers groups in their hometowns. I sympathized with their struggles-- in Binghamton I'd been part of an active critique group that had started with my best friend and then our primary recruiting ground was Waldenbooks employees who were also writers (I'm looking at you Joshua, Tracy and April...) But when I moved to New Hampshire, it was only through the kindness of a mutual friend that I connected with local genre writers. Strangely enough we found that we'd all been at Boskone just a few weeks before, but hadn't run into each other. The next time I go to a con, I'm wearing a shirt that says "I'm from New Hampshire" to make these connections easier.

But rather than relying on cons, what we need is an online matchmaking tool that hooks writers up with potential critique partners. Modeled off eHarmony, where you begin by entering your geographic location and genres and then answer compatibility questions such as:

[Poll #1921053]

Really the only surprising thing is that no one has thought of this before.