The day-to-day life of a writer is often one that’s spent with many hours in solitude; often generating thoughts and ideas alone in one self-isolated bubble. We often write to project our own thoughts and to bring them into reality, however it loses half of its utility when it isn’t shared with others. This is because the other reason we write is to deliver all of these uniquely voiced concepts with an audience. 

Thanks to the advancement of the internet, we now have more ways to come into contact with an audience and to meet writers online. Web pages and forums have given rise to writing groups all with their own unique trends and activities designed to bond the writers together. To this day, the best online writing communities are full of ambitious people looking for connections and critiques for their works; and if you’re an aspiring writer, you should consider joining as well!

Why are Writing Groups Important?

If you are an avid writer spending most of your time in the comfort of your own device, you’re still in need of some social interaction. Even the biggest of introverts are in need of communicating every once in a while because human beings are social to the core. Chances to meet writers online not only give aspirants the opportunity to improve their writing, but also a means to strengthen our well-being, mental health, and social connections. 

Within these circles, anyone can reach out for advice, encouragement, and critiques from experienced writers that are always willing to lend a hand. Exposure to these communities can develop a sense of belonging and companionship that everyone needs. In our day and age, there are so many of these groups to choose from. Here in this article, I will introduce to you 9 of the best online writing communities along with reasons you should consider joining them!

10 Online Writing Communities You Should Join and Why

Of course, in the vast expanses of the internet, there is an endless number of writing communities, each akin to its own niche. The factors affecting these selected writing groups were judged based on their notoriety, engagement with their members, and how easy it is to meet writers online. Out of all the circles out there, here are the ones we recommend!

The NaNoWriMo Forums

The National Novel Writing Month, officially known as NaNoWriMo, is known to writing groups as an annual creative-writing challenge that takes place every month of November. Authors commit to writing 50,000 words, about the length of a short novel, directly onto the NaNoWriMo website. If they reach the required number of words within the given time period, they are said to have won the event!

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? And several aspiring authors think so too! This is why there are forums all around designed to prepare these authors for this challenge. These so-called ‘Camps’ are formed to keep the inspiration flowing for the preparatory months and meet writers online, complete with features like simple chatting in the Coffee House to the provision of genre-specific advice every aspirant needs. 

Absolute Write Water Cooler

With over 68,000 members and counting, Absolute Write Water Cooler is easily one of the best online writing communities in terms of popularity. This website is perfect for any author looking for a large and active group. It’s quite versatile too! On this site, you can find discussions on every single genre you want to pursue. This is coupled with threads that cover different types of writing in general, like freelance, publishing, and pop culture, to name a few. 

AgentQuery

Searching for a place where you can receive feedback and critiques from more experienced writers? Look no further than AgentQuery; one of the best online writing communities for advice and directions. To most, this community is the go-to website to visit after you have finished a manuscript. Here, you can find discussions and query letters to learn about what to do after your book has been published.

Chronicles

Maybe you’re a huge Star Wars or Lord of the Rings fan? You’re in luck because there is a special place for you! Chronicles is a unique writing community that is targeted toward lovers of all things sci-fi and fantasy. It gives writers the chance to come together and discuss the latest books, trends, news, and culture about their favorite worlds. This community is highly active; often hosting events like challenges, workshops, and critiques for maximum member engagement. 

Critique Circle

This website is another specialized writing community that focuses on critiques and feedback, much as the name suggests. On this members-only site, authors post their stories in exchange for the most authentic critiques on the works of other people. What’s nifty is that this website also provides tools for storyboarding, prompts, name generating, and even workshops. 

Facebook Groups

What better way to meet writers online than using a popular social media website? Facebook groups have the advantage of appealing to writers in several different niches. If you are looking to develop your writing skills, it is advisable to join groups with a “no promotion” policy. There are groups like Fiction Writer’s Global for information resources, The Street Team for self-publishing, and 10-Minute Novelists for time-crunch challenges to name a few. If you find it convenient to use social media, consider joining these groups.

The Next Big Writer

What if you want to meet writers online who can give the most thorough critiques? The Next Big Writer may be the community for you! Being an international forum, this group provides the most extensive feedback covering all aspects of writing; from drafting, to the different types of publishing, all the way to marketing. Be mindful that the memberships come at a price, but depending on what they can offer you, it may be considered worth it. 

Global Society for Aspiring Writers

Looking for a writing community that encourages you to write your memoir? Global Society for Aspiring Writers provides a five-stage approach that allows writers to complete their memoirs in approximately four months. The community is an extension of Sixth Sense Publishing, a company that provides extensive writing and editorial services. If you’re looking for the best support, it doesn’t get as complete as the Global Society for Aspiring Writers. 

Reddit

By now, every normal internet user is aware of the world of Reddit, as well as the fact that it is never really one community all on its own. This website is host to a vast array of ‘subreddits’ all devoted to whatever topic, fad, genre, or interest you fancy. It’s like an ocean of writing groups that you can just get lost in just by browsing. 

Of course, writing as an interest can boast a family of subreddits to choose from. The r/writing threads focus on general writing, but diving deeper would allow you to find r/worldbuilding for fictional world creation and r/writingprompts for prompts submitted by the users themselves. 

Scribophile

This last one is one of the largest writing communities that has it all! Scribophile is an online platform that offers writing critiques, author forums, and access to discussions about any genre. The community itself is home to several experienced and novice authors alike; all looking forward to finding ways to further improve their craft. While it is free to join this group, only paying individuals can have full access to the most this website can offer. With so many positive features under its belt, however, it’s hard not to consider Scribophile as one of the best online writing communities. 

Sharpen Those Writing Skills

We have listed to you a list of some of the best online writing communities along with their best features. Not everyone has the passion to pursue their writing skills to the fullest of their capabilities. If you are an aspiring writer, however, try joining these groups and see where your talent may take you!