One of the hardest things to do in the creative process is to display unfinished work. There is an inherent fear of premature judgment that makes many artists seal all the doors until a project is finished. I am a member of this hermit mentality, but from my experience the periods of greatest creative growth in my life have happened when I granted unrestricted access to works in progress.
In writing circles these are often called workshops, and a similar practice required of every department at Pixar is referred to as dailies (because employees must share their work at the end of each day). The important point of this process, regardless of the field or frequency, is the community. While you may wish to also share work with trusted friends or family, they are not invited to this group. Instead group membership for the practice of workshops or dailies is dependent upon individual contribution. Everyone must submit work or the process breaks down.
The significance of this rule levels the playing field. The group often settles in after a few meetings when they realize that everyone present is capable of making a fool out of themselves and submitting crap. The key is to surround yourself with creative people who are naturally competitive, but are not directly competing with you. A little good-hearted competition helps to push the entire group to grow. People who compete directly with your own work however will often attack your submissions.
This type of peer review depends entirely on preventing this type of malicious criticism. There has to be a commitment to honesty and constructive comments. It is one thing to point out someone’s second verse weakens the storyline and another to ask why they would make such a stupid mistake. This seems simple, but it must be vehemently defended and cultivated. The safety of the group is what allows people to share and grow in their work, and without that feeling the group will quickly disappear.
This group is one of my favorite creative spaces, and something I love moderating. It pushes each member to step their game up to hold pace with the group, which then snowballs. The group gets better, so individuals have to rapidly improve again, which makes the group better, etc. For anyone serious about creative growth, one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself is to form up Voltron. Collect a circle of friends at your house once a week, or meet up with like-minded strangers at a coffee shop. In every successful group I have been a member of I have seen an intense growth in my own work. Learning to both give and receive criticism is one of the best things anyone can do for themselves.