Critique group?? What?

I am reading a book about writing fiction, and they keep mintioning a critique group.
So i have three questions...

1.What is a critique group?
I honestly have no idea what they are, and it is getting me quite confused.

2.What do you do in a critique group?
If i were to be part of a critique group, what would i do!?

3.Should i be in a critique group?
Is it really nesicary? How much would it bennifet me and my novel?

A critique group is a group who reads your fiction/poetry and gives feedback and suggestions on it. If you were part of one, you'd be expected to give feedback on others' work as well. And they are really helpful.

In fact, YWS is, basically, an online critique group. So you're already in one!

A critique group is basically a group of people who get together and critique each others' work. They act as honest beta readers, providers of feedback, and are generally a writer's support group.

That should hopefully answer your first two questions.

As for your third, you're kind of already in one! YWS can act that way, especially when you get in with a bunch of people who follow your whole novel.

What you get out of a critique group is a lot of things, outside of just honest feedback and support. You get a place to brainstorm, personalized advice, book recommendations, and motivation to write every time there's a deadline for more stuff to critique.

It's not completely necessary, but it is helpful.

Thanks guys!