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COLUMBUS – Local author Jerri Lincoln will be sharing her insights on self-publishing at the Polk County Library on July 18 at 5:30 p.m. The talk is hosted by the Writers Critique Group, a new organization that aims to provide support to writers in Polk County.

The Writers Critique Group offers a unique approach to its members, where writers submit their work via email, and at each meeting, one or two writers have their work critiqued by the others. The group also invites published writers as guest speakers to offer inspiration and encouragement. The club is also planning to recruit young writers by having high school English teachers recommend students submit their work for critique.

David Matthiesen, one of the group’s founders, says that they formed the group to strengthen the reputation of the area as having a vibrant artist and writers contingency. “We are doing this to help us become better writers,” he adds.

As for Lincoln, she plans to share her lessons learned from publishing over 30 books, from children’s books to mysteries to books on yoga. “I’ll be talking about all different aspects of self-publishing that they don’t tell you,” says Lincoln. “Everything from the importance of a proper book cover to not being taken in by publishing scams.”

Lincoln’s talk is aimed at anyone considering getting into self-publishing so they can make an informed decision. Anyone interested in joining the Writers Critique Group should contact Matthiesen via email or stop by the Polk County Library in Columbus on July 18 at 5:30 pm.