13 of the Best Online Writing Communities for Aspiring Authors

As enjoyable and fulfilling as writing can be, the truth is that it’s often a solitary endeavor. While we might romanticize the focused artist typing away while imaginary worlds and narratives swirl inside their minds — authors know the truth: writing can get lonely. And moreover, when you’re working on a one-person project, it can be hard to remain motivated and accountable. That’s where writing communities come in.

Writing communities are the perfect place to find answers to your writing questions and to discuss the ins and outs of the writing life with people who actually understand what you’re talking about.

So, if you are tired of listening only to the voices in your head, take a look at our list of top online writing communities. (And if you're hungry for more, check out our more exhaustive list of the very best writing websites!)

Name	Members	Audience	Cost	Resources
Reedsy Discord	4,500+	Writers across all genres	Free	Writing prompts, flash fiction, peer feedback
Absolute Write Water Cooler	60,000+	Writers across all genres	Free	Writing prompts, industry news and critiques
Critique Circle	5,000+	Writers looking for in-depth feedback and critiques	Free with optional paid upgrade	Writing prompts and storyboarding tools
The Next Big Writer	12,000+	Writers seeking in-depth critiques and advice from published authors	Free with optional paid upgrade	Critiques, writing tips, and submission advice
She Writes	32,000+	Women writers	Free with optional paid upgrade	Articles, writing tips, and genre-specific forums

Top online writing communities

1. Reedsy Discord

👥 4,500+ members

A steadily growing community that is currently accepting new members, the Reedsy Discord strives to support writers at any stage of their literary journey. Featuring a space to meet fellow authors, a writing gym for timed sessions and even flash fiction contests, you can be sure this community will keep those creative juices flowing! 

Perfect for: any writer wanting a supportive community to keep them accountable.

2. Absolute Write Water Cooler

👥 60,000+ members

With thousands of members, this is a large and highly active community. Here you can find threads on every genre imaginable, as well as discussions about freelance writing, the publishing industry, pop culture, writing prompts and exercises, and much more.

Perfect for: writers who are looking for a large and active community.

3. Critique Circle

👥 5,000+ members

Feedback should be a vital part of any writer’s process, and this is exactly what Critique Circle offers. This members-only site allows authors to post stories in exchange for feedback on other people’s writing. You can also find storyboarding tools, writing prompts, workshops, name generators, games like hangman, and much more.

Perfect for: writers who want honest feedback on their writing.

4. Chronicles

👥 1,000+ members

As the world’s largest Science Fiction and Fantasy online community, Chronicles offers writers the opportunity to get together and discuss the latest books, news, and pop culture in the Sci-Fi and Fantasy world. This is an active community with thousands of threads that include genre-specific challenges, workshops, critiques, and even publishing and industry information.

Perfect for: writers interested in Science Fiction and Fantasy writing.

5. Facebook Groups

👥 Varies by group

If social media is more your style, don't miss the chance to interact with your fellow writers by joining Facebook groups in your own niche. Look for groups with a strict "no self-promotion" rules so that it remains supportive and useful to your writing goals.

There are a lot of groups out there in a variety of topics that range from genre-specific writing tips to traditional and self-publishing industry news. Here are just a few of them:

10 Minute Novelists — a group for the time-crunched writer.
Calls for Submissions — for writers looking for publication opportunities.
Writers Unite! — an active group with plenty of support and motivation for novice and experienced writers alike.

Perfect for: writers who prefer using social media.

6. Fictionary School for Writers and Editors

👥 5,000+ members

Fictionary offers a vibrant, supportive community focused on strong story structure. You can learn with free live writing classes, led by professional editors who break down plot, character, and setting into clear, practical techniques. With genre-specific sessions for fantasy, romance, and mystery writers, you'll get plenty of guidance tailored to your storytelling needs!

Perfect for: Fantasy, romance, and mystery writers looking to improve their approach to structure.

7. Insecure Writer’s Support Group

👥 5,000+ members

Whether you are a debut or seasoned author, there’s no doubt that writing a book can be intimidating and rife with bouts of self-doubt. The Insecure Writer’s Support Group aims to help you overcome those insecurities by hosting a community of like-minded authors.

Perfect for: writers who have doubts about their writing and are in need of encouragement.

8. The Next Big Writer

👥 12,000+ members

This is an international forum where writers can receive feedback on their writing and support on every other part of the creative process from drafting to publishing and marketing. The critiques are often thorough and many come from published authors. Keep in mind that there is a monthly cost associated with the membership, but it might be worth it to be able to bend the ear of published authors.

Perfect for: writers seeking in-depth critiques from an international audience.

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9. Reddit

👥 Varied by subreddit

More than just a single writing community, Reddit has countless ‘subreddits’ where writers of all genres, interests, and levels of experience flock. While it may not offer workshops or tools, members can find niche threads that relate to their interests, critique other people’s work, and discover helpful sources of information.

There are so many different subreddits that you can get lost browsing them, but here are a few of the most popular ones:

r/writing — for general writing purposes.
r/writingprompts — for user-submitted writing prompts.
r/destructivereaders — beware, if you don’t like harsh criticism this may not be the best fit. But if you are willing to endure it, you will come out a better writer at the end.
r/worldbuilding — user submitted fiction worlds.
r/fantasywriters — for anybody interested in the fantasy genre.
r/characterforge — the place to be for character building.
r/writerchat — for those interested in talking with fellow writers.
r/selfpublish — for anybody interested in self-publishing.
r/logophilia — “the love of words and word games,” and that’s exactly what you’ll find here.
r/freelanceWriters — for anybody interested in a career in freelance writing.
r/books — because reading is just as important as writing if you want to be a successful author.

Perfect for: writers who want niche threads based on a particular interest or need.

10. Scribophile

👥 100,000+ members

One of the largest writing communities in the world, Scribophile offers workshops, tutorials, and critiques for authors in just about any genre imaginable. While it is free to join, only users who pay for a membership get access to all their features.

Perfect for: authors who want to take part in writing workshops alongside writers of all experience levels.

11. She Writes

👥 32,000+ members

This is the largest writing community exclusively for women. Here you can find articles on writing, editing, and marketing for every genre. There are forums tailored to specific needs, like travel writers, writing about trauma, NaNoWriMo, and many other topics.

Perfect for: women writers who want a place to connect and learn from fellow writers.

12. Talentville

👥 10,000+ members

If your passion lies in screenwriting, then you’ll want to book a one-way ticket to Talentville. Here, you can get feedback on your writing and learn the skills necessary to perfect your screencraft. Plus, you can work on and build your network of contacts: the site is also a frequent stop for industry professionals (like agents, managers, and producers) on the lookout for new talent.

Perfect for: writers who are interested in screenwriting and networking.

13. Writers Helping Writers

👥 Not member based

This is a free-to-register community where you can find resources for writers, teachers, and editors alike. They offer a vast array of tools to perfect your craft, no matter your level. Their extensive creative library includes webinars, free writing and marketing tools, a thesaurus collection, story maps, idea generators, and more.

Perfect for: writers, editors, and teachers who are looking to build up their writing toolbox.