Being a full-time writer comes with pressure, uncertainty and many questions about what to do next. No matter what kind of support you’re looking for when it comes to your own writing, we’re here to help you create a writing community and communicate with others like you without ever leaving your home.
Join Pre-Existing Forums/Websites
The first and most obvious way to take part in a writing community is to join a virtual group that already exists. With message boards, expert advice and plenty of resources, we’ve highlighted a few worth your time:
Wattpad is a great place to post your writing and you get rewarded for interacting with others writers and their work. These rewards can even get you featured on the site which in turn will bring your more readers to your work. Over time, you can isolate people you meet and interact with on the site and bring them into your own writing group.
Similar to Wattpad, this site keeps readers in the know about upcoming books and also provides a space for writers to meet and converse.
BookRix is a great resource for self-published authors. While the site doesn't have any kind of intricate setup, its simple message-board format makes it easy for writers to connect and share their tips and tricks.
If you're looking for industry advice, this is where you need to spend some time. From advice for beginners to tips for pros, this site caters to every kind of writer.
Take Part in Online Webinars Offered to Writers
While you’ll learn a lot about whatever subject is being taught, this provides a great way to reach out to fellow attendees. Check with the organizers if they have a Facebook group or something similar so you can connect with the other authors partaking in the workshop.
Looking to learn more about indie publishing while meeting other mentors and writers? Join the She Writes University Indie Publishing Bootcamp this July.
Use Twitter
You probably know by now that Twitter is a great place to meet writers outside of your local scope. Instead of simply sending shoutouts to your favorite authors or others you’d like to communicate with, learn how to use Twitter’s Advanced Search so you can find writers (both big and small) in your area or within your genre.
By using certain keywords (romance, memoir, literary fiction) and location specifications, you can find other writers talking about their own work either in your area, in the country or even halfway across the world. Utilize this platform to connect with new writers you wouldn’t have included in your initial search.
Once you’ve found people you’d like to connect with, mention them in a tweet and let them know you’d like to connect and talk about your work. Social media is all about connecting so don’t be afraid to reach out on various platforms.
Check Out Facebook Groups
On the topic of using social media to your advantage, get on Facebook and start browsing writer communities. Whether you want to keep your search local or go abroad, there are many groups for writers on Facebook. Our best advice is to start searching by using your city’s name and writers (i.e. Los Angeles Writers). If this doesn’t yield the results you’re looking for, search for a more generic term of “Writers Group” and skim through the many pages of groups until you find one (or many) that are of interest to you and your genre.
Once you've made connections within these pre-established groups, social media platforms or websites, you'll be able to create your own writer's group on Facebook or even start a new site or blog to provide space to talk about your writing with those you trust.
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