Being a part of a writing group is a great idea and can be very beneficial to your work…but how do you find one? We have some great resources to share to help you on your journey toward reaping the benefits associated with joining a writing group.
Though many authors find that attending a writing group in person provides a more satisfying experience socially, that option isn't accessible to everyone, and online writing groups definitely offer their own advantages. It also depends on your personality as to which one is preferable.
Find Writers Groups Near You
Look for community bulletin boards at local bookstores, activity centers, and libraries. There may even be a group that meets at the library. Also ask the employees of book-related businesses and coffee shops if they might have a list of writing groups in your area.
You could also sign up for a writing class at your local community college, and attend writer’s conferences, retreats, and literary festivals. Professional associations and other sites that help writers often have directories of writing groups so you can search by your location. Try out Romance Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America, and Writer’s Relief.
Finding Groups Online
To find online writing groups, you should search on meetup.com as well as Facebook and Reddit. These online resources often allow you to find a group that fits you or to at least weed out ones that are of no interest to you.
There’s a myriad of reasons why online writing groups are a better option. No paying for gas, no traffic, no bringing food or drinks…you don’t even have to change out of your pajamas. Whatever the reason, social media is a rich resource for online writing groups. It helps to make your search specific to the genre you’re writing in or to a particular audience.
Facebook offers numerous communities for writers in all genres. Whether you're looking for writing advice, feedback on your book cover, or just a place to share ideas and opinions, you're likely to find your people there. Keep in mind, however, that these groups are for sharing and discussion, not soliciting your book.
X, formerly known as Twitter, is another platform offering any number of writing groups that you may want to join and/or follow. Finding the right hashtags are key here, and you'll want to start broadly until you have found the groups you're looking for. Start with hashtags such as #writingcommunity and #amwriting.
You can find anything and everything you might be looking for related to writing groups on Reddit. A search for "writing groups" brings up a multitude of posts with advice, lists of groups, and even criticism of such groups in general. To fine tune your search, use such community searches as r/writinghub or r/keepwriting. You'll find tons of writing communities there.
Goodreads isn't just for finding book recommendations and sharing TBR lists. The site is full of communities for all things book-related. A Communities search for writing groups offers up a list of groups for everything from writing advice to book clubs to writing and sharing reviews.
Once known as the place for posting adorable pet pics and funny reels, Instagram has much to offer to the writing community as a whole. From accounts that post writing prompts to boost your creativity to those that direct you to helpful industry resources, you're bound to find helpful information around every corner. Much like X, you can find specific groups by utilizing hashtags such as #writersofinstagram and #writerscommunity.
Finally, as you probably know, TikTok has become a very popular platform for both readers and writers. You can search TikTok for any number of writing-related terms to find what you're looking for, and a quick search for writing groups returns videos for how to find one and a lengthy list of groups you may be interested in. You can join a group or follow your favorite accounts—whatever works best for your needs.
If none of these options turn out to be your cup of tea, stay tuned for more on how to start your own writing group!
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