best online writing critique groups

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Posted on Sep 04, 2019

49 Places to Find a Critique Circle to Improve Your Writing

Contrary to popular belief, writers aren’t solitary creatures by default. In fact, we’re often better when we write together , swapping trade secrets and exchanging manuscripts for mutual critique. Unfortunately, accidents of geography can stop us from congregating as often as we’d like. We don’t all live in literary hubs like London and NYC, so finding a critique circle in real life can be a bit of a challenge.

Luckily, you don’t have to be limited by the vagaries of place: there are plenty of online spaces where you can find writing partners ( and their excellent tips ). From the Critique Circle — the internet’s most famous writing group — to the more intimate critique groups studding the netscape, it’s easy enough to find gimlet-eyed readers ready to bring out the potential in your works-in-progress.

We’ve rounded 51 places to get feedback on your work. General writing critique groups are at the top, and genre-focused communities at the bottom. Because, to paraphrase the Starks of Winterfell , if the lone wolf dies while the pack survives, the lone writer struggles while the critique circle thrives.

GENERAL CRITIQUE GROUPS

1. Critique Circle

Most of this list is in alphabetical order, but Critique Circle is so well-known it’s worth breaking the mold. This Iceland-based community has a no-frills aesthetic. But since it opened in 2003, it’s offered more than 700,000 critiques for over 140,000 stories. Members sign up for free and earn credits — needed to put their work up for review — by offering feedback to other users. Every 3 reviews earns you enough credits to “buy” an opportunity to post.

Freshly enrolled writers have their work scheduled in a Newbie Queue, which sends their writing out for feedback faster than the regular queue. Word to the wise: the quality of feedback can vary — especially if they come from newbie members still learning the art of constructive criticism. But experienced members stand by to help to newbies as they get comfortable with the process.

Perfect if: You want to check out the internet’s most famous critique group

2. Reedsy Writing Prompts Contest

Yes, this one is facilitated through our very site! Here at Reedsy, we host a weekly writing contest where writers are invited to submit a short story based on one of our writing prompts. Shortly after launching this contest, we noticed a cool thing happening: writers started leaving constructive criticism and feedback on one another's stories — completely un prompted. We decided we wanted to encourage this initiative, so we created a critique circle within the contest.

Here's how it works: sign up for a free Reedsy Prompts account , and submit a short story to one of our contests. Once the contest ends, you'll receive an email asking you to leave feedback on other participants' stories — and the other entrants will likewise be encouraged to leave feedback on  your story.

Perfect if: You want the opportunity to earn cash prizes as part of your critique circle experience

3. 10 Minute Novelists Facebook Group

This support group for time-crunched writers runs a weekly #BuddyDay thread every Tuesday, where members can post their work for review. Excerpts are fair game, as are blurbs , author bios, cover art, and the like. If you’d like to test drive a couple of different packages for your indie masterpiece, #BuddyDay might be a good place to start.

Even if it’s not Tuesday, 10 Minute Novelists is a great place to “hang out.” Members commiserate about how real life gets in the way of your literary dreams — and encourage each other to stick it out anyway.

Perfect if: You know you’ve got a novel inside you, but you can’t seem to carve out more than 10 minutes a day to actually write it

4. ABCTales

This free writing community lets members post their own work and comment on each others’ — think WattPad, with way less emphasis on One Direction fanfic. Discussion seems to revolve around how to write a poem to best effect, although some short story writers frequent the forums as well. The feedback tends to be earnest and encouraging. Members happily dole out congratulations at one another’s literary triumphs.

ABCTales emphasizes slow and steady writerly development more than hustling for bylines. The pieces posted on its forums likely won’t be eligible for publication at many mainstream outlets, so they tend to be exercises written for practice, or from sheer love of the craft. That said, there is a forum full of writers swapping tips for publication .

Perfect if: You want a wholesome community to help you hone your craft in a low-stakes way

5. Absolute Write Water Cooler

This sprawling writers’ forum can be a bit of a maze, but there’s a wealth of material to help you along on your writing journey. If you’re in search of critique, you’ll want to make your way to the Beta Readers, Mentors, and Writing Buddies board. It works a little like a craft-focused version of the old Craigslist Personals section. Just post a description of the piece you’re working on, and forum members who fancy giving it a beta read will get in touch.

While you’re waiting for your perfect beta reader to respond to your post, you can hang out on any of Absolute Write ’s other craft-focused message boards. Many are genre-specific: check out Now We’re Cookin’! if you’re into food writing, or Flash Fiction if you’re a fan of pith.

Perfect if: You harbor romantic fantasies of finding your One True Reader on a personals site

6. Christopher Fielden

Christopher Fielden’s website offers tons of free resources – ranging from how to do research, how to keep your creativity fresh, and advice about self-publishing. He also curates a list of writing competitions – whether you’re looking to submit a short story or a poem, there are tons of options to choose from. You can pay for a critique from his team as well and a seasoned writer like Dr. Lynda Nash or Allen Ashley will go over your short story, novel, or poem.

7. Beta Readers and Critique Partners Facebook Group

This Facebook group has been helping writers find beta readers for two years now, and it’s still going strong. Almost 500 new members joined in the last month, bringing the total up to over 7,000. Rest assured, the mods won’t tolerate any nonsense: scorched earth critiques are forbidden, and members are encouraged to be kind at all times.

The Beta Readers and Critique Partners group welcomes members of all skill levels. Participants do their best to keep in mind whether they’re reading a seasoned pro, or someone just getting started as a beta reader . Self-promotion is banned, so don’t worry about being spammed.

Perfect if: You want a group where newbies can freely mingle with seasoned pros

8. Critique It

This peer review tool works like Google Docs on steroids: a group of collaborators can work on the same project, leave each other feedback, and feel like they’re all gathered around the same desk even if they’re actually scattered across the globe. Unlike GDocs, Critique It makes it easy to drop in video and audio files as well. That way, critics can leave their feedback in whatever format they like.

It won’t actually help you find a critique group. But it will let you form one with whoever you choose — no matter where in the world they’re based.

Perfect if: You want to form a writing group with friends from afar

9. The Desk Drawer

Here’s a critique group with high standards: send out multiple submissions that haven’t been spell-checked, and the group just might kick you out. This ultra-active, email-based workshop is a perfect fit for the kind of scribblers who thrive off prompts —  and who want to use them to hone their craft in the (virtual) company of fifty-odd like-minded writers. Every week, The Desk Drawer sends out a writing exercise. Members can respond directly to the prompt with a SUB (submission) — or offer a CRIT (critique) of another writer’s response.

To stay on the mailing list, workshoppers have to send out at least three posts a month: 1 SUB and 2 CRITS, or 3 CRITS. And membership is selective: if you’d like to join, you’ll have to send in a short, 100- to 250-word writing sample based on a prompt.

Perfect if: You want some disciplined — but mutually encouraging — writing buddies to keep you honest as you build up a writing habit

10. Fiction Writers Global Facebook Group

Despite its name, this community welcomes writers of fiction and non-fiction alike, although those who work specialize in erotica are encouraged to find an alternative group. At 13 years old, it’s one of the longer-running writing communities on Facebook. The mods have laid down the law to ensure it continues to run smoothly: fundraising, self-promotion, and even memes are strictly banned.

If you’re still weighing the pros and cons of traditional versus self-publishing , Fiction Writers Global might be the perfect group for you. They have members going both these routes who are always happy to share their experiences.

Perfect if: You’re determined to go the indie route — or thinking seriously about it

11. Hatrack River Writers Workshop

This 18+, members-only workshop was founded by renowned speculative fiction writer Orson Scott Card, of Ender’s Game fame , and it’s now hosted by short fiction writer Kathleen Dalton Woodbury. Both these writers cut their teeth on genre fiction, but don’t feel limited to tales of magic and spacefaring — anything goes, except for fanfic.

At the Hatrack River Writers Workshop , members can submit the first 13 lines of a WIP for review — an exercise designed to make sure the story hooks the reader as efficiently as possible . A loosely structured Writing Class forum offers prompts, called “assignments,” designed to help blocked writers start (or finish) stalled works.

Perfect if: You want to polish your story’s opening to a mirror-shine

12. Inked Voices

Unlike the cozy, Web 1.0 vibes of older online critique groups, Inked Voices is as sleek as they come, with cloud-based functionality and an elegant visual brand. Its polished look and feel make sense considering this isn’t so much a writing group as a platform for finding — or creating — writing groups, complete with a shiny workshopping app that has version control and calendar notifications built in.

Each workshop is private, invite-only, and capped at 8 members. You can sign up for a two-week free trial, but after that, the service costs $10 per month, or $75 for the year. Membership also lets you tune in for free to lectures by industry pros.

Perfect if: You’re willing to pay for an intimate, yet high-tech, workshop experience

13. Litopia

This website calls itself the “oldest writers’ colony on the ‘net,” a description that probably proves its age. One of its main draws? The writing groups that allow members to post their WIPs for peer review. The community tends to be friendly and mutually encouraging — probably the reason Litopia has lasted so long.

There’s another major draw: every Sunday, literary agent Peter Cox reviews several 700-word excerpts from members work on-air, in a podcast called Pop-Up Submissions. Cox tackles this process with a rotating cast of industry professionals as his guests. They’ve even been known to ask for a synopsis from a writer who impresses.

Perfect if: You’ve always wanted to spend some time in a writer’s colony, but you can’t jet off to Eureka Springs just yet

14. My Writers Circle

This easy-going discussion forum is light on dues and regulations, but members seem to be friendly and respectful anyway. A stickied thread on the Welcome Board encourages new members to read and comment on at least 3 pieces of writing before posting their own work for review. But this isn’t the kind of hard-and-fast rule that’ll lead to banning if you fall short. Members go along with it because they genuinely care about one another’s writing progress.

My Writers Circle has three dedicated workshop boards that allow forum users to seek feedback on their writing. One, called Review My Work, accepts general fiction and nonfiction, while additional spaces allow poets and dramatists of all kinds to get their verse, plays, and TV scripts critiqued.

Perfect if: You want a community where people are nice because they want to be — not because they have to be

15. Nathan Bransford - The Forums

Nathan Bransford worked as an agent before he switched over to the other side of the submissions process. Now, he’s a published middle-grade novelist and the author of a well-rated, self-published craft book called How to Write a Novel . In the midst of all his success, Bransford gives back to the literary community by running his ultra-popular Forums.

A board called Connect With a Critique Partner functions as matchmaker central for writers seeking their perfect beta readers. And if you’re not looking for something long-term, there’s the Excerpts forum, where you can post a bit of your WIP for quick hit of feedback.

Perfect if: You want to be part of a writing community that’s uber-active, but low-key

16. The Next Big Writer

Since 2005, this cult-favorite workshop has provided thousands of writers with a friendly forum for exchanging critiques. The site boasts an innovative points system designed to guarantee substantive, actionable feedback. To gain access, you’ll have to pay: $8.95 a month, $21.95 a quarter, or $69.95 for the whole year. Fortunately, there’s an opportunity to try before you buy: a 7-day free trial lets you get a taste of what the site has to offer.

The Next Big Writer also hosts periodic contests : grand prize winners receive $600 and professional critiques, while runners-up stand to gain $150 and 3 months of free membership. Meanwhile, all entrants get feedback on their submissions.

Perfect if: You like the sound of a members’ only writing contest with big prizes — in both cash and critique

17. NovelPro

This fiction writing workshop is one of the more costly online communities to join. But it has the rigor of an MFA program, at a tiny fraction of the price. Members — their numbers are capped at 50 — pay $120 a year. And that’s after a stringent application process requiring the first and last chapters of a finished, 60,000-word fiction manuscript and a 250-word blurb. Think of it as a bootcamp for your novel.

Even if an applicant’s writing sample passes muster, they still might not make the cut — there’s also a critique exercise that asks them to pass judgment on a sample novel chapter, with a 2-day turnaround. No wonder prospective NovelPro members are urged to reconsider unless their prose is “accomplished” and their fiction skills “advanced.”

Perfect if: You want a critique group that’ll take your work as seriously as you do

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18. Prolitfic

Launched by University of Texas students frustrated by the vagaries of the publishing process, this slick, Gen Z-friendly site encourages emerging writers to help each other out with thorough, actionable reviews. Members critique one another’s critiques — dare we call it metacritique? — to keep the quality of feedback high.

Prolitfic 's rating rubric, which assigns all submissions a star rating out of 5, insures that all reviewers are coming from the same place. Reviewers with higher levels of Spark, or site engagement, have their feedback weighted more heavily when the site calculates each submission’s overall rating.

Perfect if: You’re a serious, young writer hoping to find support in a tight-knit community built by your peers

19. Scribophile

One of the best-known writing communities on the web, Scribophile promises 3 insightful critiques for every piece of work you submit. Members earn the right to receive critiques by stocking up on karma points, which they can get by offering feedback on other works. You can get extra karma points by reacting to other users’ critiques — by clicking on Facebook-like buttons that say “thorough,” “constructive,” and the like — and by having your critiques showered with positive reactions.

A free membership lets you put two 3,000-word pieces up for critique, while premium memberships won’t throttle your output — but will cost you either $9 per month or $65 for the year.

Perfect if: You’d like to play with a critique system that has shades of Reddit — but far more civil!

20. SheWrites Groups

This long-standing community for writing women boasts a treasure trove of craft-focused articles. But the site also hosts a wealth of writing groups, split into genres and topics. Whether they work on screenplays, horror novels , or depictions of the environment, women writers can find a group to post their work for feedback — and commiserate on the travails of writing life.

In addition to their articles and writing groups, She Writes also operates a hybrid publishing company that distributes through Ingram and, naturally, brings women’s writing into the light.

Perfect if: You’re a woman writer in search of a friendly community full of like-minded, mutually encouraging folks

21. Sub It Club

Gearing up to submit finished work can be even more daunting than writing it in the first place. If you’d like to get some friendly eyes on your query letters or pitches — in a virtual walled garden away from any agents or publishers — this closed Facebook group might be the perfect place for you.

If you’re in need of more than a one-off review, Sub It Club runs a Critique Partner Matchup group to pair off writing buddies. The group moderators also run a blog with plenty of tips on crafting cover letters, dealing with rejection, and all other parts of the submission process .

Perfect if: You want a private, low-stress setting to get some feedback and vent about life as a yet-to-be-published writer

22. WritersCafe.org

This sizable — but friendly! — community boasts over 800,000 users, all of whom can access its critique forums for free. Members offer feedback to one another at all stages of the writing process: from proofing near-finished pieces to leaving more substantive feedback for still-marinating works.

For more quantitative-minded scribblers, WritersCafe ’s graphs make it easy to visualize how their work is being received. The site also allows members to host their own writing contests — and even courses to share their expertise with fellow Cafe patrons.

Perfect if: You’re a visual, data-driven writer who prefers to think in charts — even when it comes to writing!

23. Writer’s Digest Critique Central

Writer’s Digest is an institution in the literary world, and its critique forum is as popular as you’d expect: it’s collected more than 10,000 threads and nearly 90,000 individual posts over the years.

Critique Central boasts dedicated boards for a variety of genres — poetry is the most popular, with literary fiction next in line. You can also find spaces dedicated to polishing query letters and synopses, and a board that aggregates critique guidelines to make sure every member is giving — and getting — the best feedback possible.

Perfect if: You’d like a one-stop shop for critiquing your WIPs, queries, and synopses

24. The Writers Match

Founded by a veteran children’s book author, The Writers Match aims to, well, match writers with their comrades-in-craft from around the world. Think of it as okCupid for critique partners. Just fill out a profile and then shop for matches on the Members page, where writers will be sorted according to experience and genre.

If you find any promising would-be partners, shoot them a message and see if the literary sparks fly. And if it turns out you don’t quite vibe, there are plenty of other fish in the sea of critique.

Perfect if: You live somewhere without a robust writing community, and you’re tired of missing out

25. Writers World Facebook Group

Founded by veteran editor and sci-fi author Randall Andrews, this critique group welcomes serious writers of book-length prose. Members aim to shepherd each other’s manuscripts through all stages of the publication process, from the developmental edit to the query.

Andrews himself remains heavily involved in Writers World ’s day-to-day activity, pitching in with critiques informed by his 30 years of experience in the publishing industry. He’s also happy to explain his comments, and weighs in periodically with links to useful resources on craft.

Perfect if: You’ve got a book in the works, and you’re in the market for a critique group headed by a mentor who’s extremely generous with his time

26. Writing.Com

This sprawling community has been a meeting point for writers of all levels since 2000, whether their goals are to be published in a top-shelf literary magazine or to score an A in English Composition. Writing.Com users, who work in every genre under the sun, make use of the site’s portfolio system to post their writing and seek feedback from fellow community members.

Free memberships allow users to store up to 10 items in their personal portfolio, while the various tiers of paid membership gradually increase the limit — starting at the 50 items afforded by the $19.95 per year Basic Membership.

Perfect if: You want to be part of an enormous community where you’re sure to encounter a diversity of viewpoints

27. Writing, Prompts & Critiques Facebook Group

Writing, Prompts & Critiques is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Members seek critique on posted threads and can also comment on one another’s responses to the group’s daily writing exercises.

Speaking of which: unlike conventional writing prompts, which encourage you to write new work, WPC’s daily challenges try to get you thinking more deeply about your existing projects. So come with a manuscript in hand, and see if the folks here can’t help you make it even better.

Perfect if: You’d like to get some feedback on a WIP — and experiment with some writing exercises to refine it

28. Writing to Publish

This 25-year-old critique group might have an American flag gif on its homepage, but its membership is worldwide. Writing to Publish members meet live in a chat room every other Monday at 7 PM Pacific time — which the website helpfully specifies is lunchtime on Tuesday for Australians.

New members have trial status until they’ve sat in on a handful of live-chat sessions, after which point they can start offering critiques themselves. Only after two critiques can they become full-fledged members, with the ability to submit their own work for review. Discussion tends to be lively and honest — but unfailingly polite.

Perfect if: You want your critique circle to operate in real-time — even if it includes folks from all over the world

29. YeahWrite

This writing community’s home page describes it as “part workshop, part competition, and all focused on getting from where you are to where you want to be as a writer.” Its biggest claim to fame? Free weekly writing challenges in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, where writers submit 750-word pieces in response to curated writing prompts.

If you fancy more concentrated feedback than the weekly challenges can give you, YeahWrite also offers paid editorial evaluations — one for $25 a year or two for $50. Send a 1,000-word piece of writing for review, and an editorial staff member will get back to you with a developmental edit or a line edit, depending on your manuscript’s needs.

Perfect if: You find that nothing sparks your creativity energies more than a good writing prompt

30. YouWriteOn

[update 4 Feb 2022: YouWriteOn seems to be temporarily inaccessible]

This free service boasts Bloomsbury and Penguin Random House reps among its members. So if you join and upload a story or chapter, you stand a chance of getting some very discerning eyes on your work. With such powerful people roaming the joint, it’s no wonder that some first-time authors have been discovered through YouWriteOn: historical fiction writer Doug Jackson, for instance, sold his Roman epic Caligula to Penguin through the forum.

Reviews come in one at a time and assign each piece a star rating in 8 different categories: characters, story, pace and structure, use of language, narrative voice, dialogue, settings, and themes and ideas.

Perfect if: You want some Big Five eyes on your work, in a supportive, low-stakes setting

GENRE-SPECIFIC CRITIQUE GROUPS

31. Allpoetry

This poetry site allows free members to join a writing group and post their verse for review, while premium members can use it to host their own private writing critique groups. A silver membership, for $5.95 a month, allows you to form a group, while a $14.95 gold membership provides analytics to track your visitors.

Allpoetry boasts 238 currently active groups — the biggest weighing in at 50 members while the smallest hover around 6 or 7 members. The site also offers free, self-paced poetry classes for beginners to the craft, on topics ranging from sonnets to beating writer’s block .

Perfect if: You’re a poet who wants the ability to choose between several critique groups of various sizes

32. Chronicles Science Fiction & Fantasy Community

This sleekly designed forum is primarily a fandom space — a thriving community for dissecting the works of your favorite speculative fiction authors. But Chronicles also operates a suite of craft-focused forums for sci-fi and fantasy fans who double as writers themselves.

The Chronicles Workshop forum hosts frequent, 100-word writing challenges that combine a theme and a genre, say “Crime & Punishment” and “Urban Fantasy.” Members tend to respond to these with enthusiasm, but they also have the option of posting their own, freestanding work for review in the writing circle.

Perfect if: You’re both a speculative fiction writer and a speculative fiction reader, and you want a community that can indulge both your inner creator and your inner fan

33. Critters Workshop

A passion project run by a former VP of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Critters has been helping authors polish their sci-fi, fantasy, and horror for almost a quarter century. The workshop is a space for serious writers, whether they’ve been showered with accolades or are still unpublished.

Critters stands out for treating critique itself as a craft deserving of careful attention. Participants learn to read with both acumen and empathy, offering substantive, yet tactfully framed criticisms of one another’s work. To remain in good standing, every “critter” writes an average of one critique a week.

Perfect if: You’re willing to learn the art of constructive criticism — and eager to get 15-20 thoughtful responses for each piece of writing they submit

34. Critique.org Workshops

The Critique.org workshops act as an expansion of Critters — including 16 furthers genres and media. The resulting spin-offs cover every form of writing you can think of, from thrillers to screenplays. Some are more highly trafficked than others, but all of them echo Critters’ dedication to the art of critique.

Multi-genre writers who work on, say, both romance and thrillers have to sign up separately for every workshop they’re interested in.

Perfect if: You like the sound of Critters but don’t like the idea of writing sci-fi, fantasy, or horror

35. Eratosphere

This online workshop might be named for the muse of love poetry, but versifiers working on all subjects are welcome to post. Eratosphere isn’t for the faint of heart: the site’s guidelines stress high standards of craft and emphasize that the forums might not be suitable for beginners or “those who mainly seek mutual support and praise.” But if you’re a practiced poet serious about refining your craft, you won’t find a more knowledgeable workshop.

The site is especially helpful for poets specializing in metrical verse forms. Poets who already produce polished, near-publishable work can make use of The Deep End, a forum tailor-made for metrical poetry gurus thick-skinned enough to deal with intense — but constructive — critique.

Perfect if: You’re an experienced poet eager for gimlet-eyed critique

36. FaithWriters

This online hub for writers of faith operates a Christian Writing Critique Circle. Unlike many groups with more stringent requirements, members only need to submit one critique for every piece of writing they put out for feedback. The FaithWriters moderators occasionally pay professional editors to come in and review pieces that haven’t gotten enough love from members-at-large. So there’s no fear that your work will remain forlorn and ignored.

Writers too pressed for time to offer critiques can pay in cash for the ability to receive feedback. FaithWriters limits submissions to 1,000 words each, and allows every member 4 per month.

Perfect if: You’re a Christian writer who’d appreciate a guarantee of feedback from your critique group

37. Fantasy & Science Fiction Writers in America Facebook Group

This group for serious, craft-focused speculative fiction writers actually welcomes members from all over the world, as long as they write in English. Members post small excerpts from their work for critique, but they also like to swap trade secrets — about both the craft and business sides of writing life.

Because Fantasy & Science Fiction Writers in America welcomes writers of all ages, members need to keep it PG-13. The four admins keep an eye on things to make sure the discussion stays civil and safe for work.

Perfect if: You’re an aspiring sci-fi or fantasy author not interested in smut or gore

38. Fiction Writing Facebook Group

This 90,000-member Facebook group is moderated by a triumvirate of published authors who’ve banded together to create a space where their fellow writers can swap WIPs. The moderators run a tight ship in terms of hate speech, bullying, and spam, and the resulting community is full of serious writers despite its daunting size.

Fiction Writing members can share the occasional bit of verse in the dedicated #poetry thread, but for the most part, the focus is on short stories and novel excerpts. The moderators also make occasional postings drawing the community’s attention to publishing opportunities, usually in the anthology series they help curate.

Perfect if: You want to dive into a community where you won’t be subjected to endless self-promotion or straight-up hate speech

39. Historical Novel Society Manuscript Facebook Group

This closed Facebook group provides dues-paying members of the Historical Novel Society with a private space to get into the weeds of mutual critique. Manuscript Facebook Group members can, of course, post their manuscripts for general review. They can also use the group to find long-term critique partners.

Membership in the Historical Novel Society costs $50 per year and nets you a free subscription to the Historical Novel Review , a listing in the group’s directory, and notification of the many conferences and colloquia it hosts every year. In addition to its manuscript critique group, the HNS also operates a more general Facebook group where members swap research tips and writing inspiration.

Perfect if: You’re serious about bringing the past to life by writing top-notch historical fiction

40. The Internet Writing Workshop

This site aggregates several genre-specific mailing lists that allow writers to submit their own work and critique one another’s. Dedicated lists for short fiction, book-length projects, romance, poetry, and YA ensure almost every author can find a place to get feedback. Another list dedicated to writing exercises encourages members to respond to weekly prompts — and critique each other’s responses.

To remain in good standing as an Internet Writing Workshop member, you’ll have to commit to a minimum participation requirement. But it’s a pretty modest one, coming down to only half an hour a week. The workshop also runs an active writing advice blog that dates back to 2007.

Perfect if: You want a free, email-based workshop with pretty light participation requirements

41. Kingdom Writers

This email-based critique list provides a home on the internet for Christian writers, both published and unpublished. While encouraged to post work explicitly aimed at their faith community, members can also share more secular writings — as long as they’re PG-13. Civility is a must: works criticizing other religions won’t be tolerated.

Thanks to their fellow Kingdom Writers ’ critiques, participants in this online fellowship have managed to publish a number of books, from devotional texts and Bible trivia to romance and historical fiction.

Perfect if: You’re a Christian writer hoping to join a tight-knit community where you won’t encounter anything NSFW

42. Mystery Writers Forum

This forum for latter-day Arthur Conan Doyles has been around since 1997. With nearly one thousand members roaming its 22 discussion boards, it’s nothing short of an institution.

Still, mystery writers of all kinds can patrol the Writing Advice forum in search of genre-savvy critique partners. There’s plenty more to explore. Whether you’re interested in nailing down the elements of a cozy mystery or confused about how courtroom procedure should work in your trial scene, the Mystery Writers Forum will have something to point you in the right direction.

Perfect if: You have some very specific burning questions that only a fellow mystery buff can answer

43. Online Writing Workshop for Science, Fantasy and Horror

This genre writers’ paradise has a modest price for entry. After a month-long free trial, members pay $49 a year for access to the site’s critique group. But the workshop also operates a scholarship fund for writers having trouble making ends meet. Both agents and publishers keep an eye on submissions through free professional memberships, so a discerning, influential eye just might fall on your manuscript.

Submissions are limited to 7,000 words each, and members of the Online Writing Workshop are required to review if they want to be reviewed. Plenty have found success through the workshop, winning Hugos and scoring Big Five contracts.

Perfect if: You don’t mind paying in exchange for access to a genre-savvy community where some agents and publishers tend to lurk

Speaking of scholarships, if you're a student scraping together tuition, why not apply to writing scholarships to supplement your funds?

44. The Poetry Free-for-All

This online workshop encourages poets to work seriously towards the refinement of their craft, by embracing constructive criticism and learning to offer it in turn. As is standard among critique groups, members have to provide 3 reviews for every piece they submit for feedback.

The Poetry Free-for-All is an offshoot of EveryPoet.com, an archive of poetry designed to instill a love of verse in all visitors. Whether your posting your own verse for critique or browsing through the classics — from Chaucer to Edna St. Vincent Millay — you can easily lose a couple of hours on this site.

Perfect if: You’re a poet who’s serious about your craft, but you want a workshop that’s less structured than some of the other options out there

45. Romance Critters Yahoo Group

This 18+ Yahoo group has been helping serious romance writers refine their craft since 1998. They’ll look at squeaky-clean teen romances, bona fide erotica, and anything in between , where’s it’s historical or set in outer space. However, you’ll have to apply to get access to the community.

Romance Critters members submit a chapter at a time for review — and only once they’ve submitted 2 critiques of other pieces. Ten full critiques can also earn you an in-depth beta read.

Perfect if: You want some well-trained eyes on your meet-cutes — or your sex scenes

46. Screech Poetry Magazine

Despite its name, this isn’t so much a publication as an open forum for posting and critiquing poetry. Think of it as a democratic, crowd-sourced compendium of contemporary verse.

Occasional writing contests tempt entrants with the promise of Amazon vouchers. But for the most part, Screech emphasizes open-hearted sharing over competition. The community has a collective soft spot for Japanese verse forms, from the humble haiku to the lesser-known renga. But poetry of all kinds is welcome, from the the kid-friendly to the NSFW.

Perfect if: You like to experiment with Japanese verse forms and want a critique group that takes them seriously

47. Seekerville

In 2004, 15 women writers with big dreams met at the American Christian Fiction Writers annual conference. Seven years later, all 15 of them had snagged book deals. Now, they run the Seekerville blog to pass their tips on to the next generation of Christian authors.

The Seekerville ladies host periodic Open Critique Days, where they offer feedback on short passages posted by their devoted readership. The most recent one yielded 105 comments.

Perfect if: You’re a Christian woman writer wanting mentorship from some warm-hearted authors who’ve been there before

48. SwoonReads

This YA-focused writing community is owned by Macmillan, one of the storied Big Five publishers. Still, its business model is far from traditional. For one thing, it’s also a publishing imprint. Aspiring authors upload unpublished manuscripts for community members to rate and review — all in the interest of helping Macmillan sniff out the next The Fault in Our Stars or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before .

SwoonReads accepts YA manuscripts of all kinds, from contemporary romance to supernatural horror. Authors chosen for publication receive a $10,000 advance. Those who find their manuscripts passed over are welcome to revise and resubmit.

Perfect if: You’re a YA novelist dreaming of a Big Five book deal

49. Women’s Fiction Writers Association

This professional association caters to writers of women’s fiction — mostly, though not necessarily, women themselves. According to the group’s homepage, the important thing is that members’ work centers on a well-developed character’s transformative emotional journey. Membership costs $48 a year, but gives you access to a number of perks. In addition to an annual retreat and periodic online pitch sessions — where members can, well, pitch potential agents — the Women's Fiction Writers Association runs two critique programs.

The WFWA Critique Forum Facebook Page allows dues-paying members to swap loglines, query letters, and synopses for feedback, or find fellow writers to arrange manuscript swaps. There’s also the WFWA’s Critique Group Matching Service, where organization leaders break match up interested members based on their interests.

Perfect if: You write emotionally intricate, character-driven fiction

Do you have a go-to writing circle for helpful critiques? Tell us about it in the comments below!

5 responses

Robin Gaster says:

11/09/2019 – 16:39

fascinating that you found almost nothing on nonfiction

11/09/2019 – 22:28

A lot of forum and email based groups along with Facebook. If you only have the online ones that actually workshop the manuscript it will drop down to maybe a 16-17. That does include several closed/not for public groups.

Gregory A. De Feo says:

11/09/2019 – 23:26

Did you hear of www.writersvillage.com? What's your opinion of it, if so?

Ned Marcus says:

18/09/2019 – 00:19

Thanks for the list. It looks good. One other point. You don't need to live in a literary hub to find fellow writers—as long as you do live in a city, you'll probably find other writers. Starting your own critique/writers group can be very productive. It's worked very well for me, even though at the beginning I didn't know what I was doing. I asked an experienced writer and workshop regular (from another city), followed the advice, adjusted it, and now I have a great group with really talented writers as members. It took a few years, but it was worth it.

Bev Hanna says:

20/09/2019 – 18:02

Do you know of any critique forums for memoir and autobiography?

Comments are currently closed.

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Make your writing shine with feedback from other writers

You’ve spent a lot of time writing your story. But how can you make it perfect before you start thinking about publishing?

Scribophile is a writing group focused on getting you feedback on your manuscript. — in fact, we’re one of the largest online writing groups out there. Our points-based peer critique system guarantees you’ll get feedback from writers from all walks of life. You can then use that feedback to polish your writing before you take the next step in your publishing journey.

How Scribophile works

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Earn karma points by critiquing writing. Giving feedback to group members is fast, easy, fun, and helps improve your own writing, too!

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Spend karma points to post your own writing for critique from our writing community — anything from flash fiction to novels. Our writer’s group will give you detailed feedback on how to improve it, regardless of your specific genre, and all in a supportive environment.

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As you participate in our writing group, you’ll meet and form relationships with many different kinds writers. They’ll become your inspiration, your encouragement, and even your beta readers, ready to help with your current manuscript, and your next ones too!

Scribophile was the first place I stopped when I went from being an I-wanna-be-a-writer to I-am-an-author. Now I have four international bestselling novels with major publishers, and when authors come to me I always send them to Scribophile. Genevieve Graham Tides of Honour and others published with Simon & Schuster

Join writing workshops and level up your writing

Our writing workshops are taught by bestselling authors, expert teachers, and industry insiders. We have workshops for writers of any skill level, where we cover everything from beginning topics to advanced techniques.

Our writing workshops are designed to be both comprehensive and transformational — they’re your fast track to leveling up your writing.

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Our writing group welcomes writers of any skill level

Our writing group welcomes writers of all skill levels — from beginners to published authors, and every writer in between.

Each critique you receive on your manuscript is a fresh perspective for you to incorporate. Our bustling writing forums feature writers discussing the craft twenty-four hours a day — share inspiration, ignite your creativity, get support, and connect with others no matter your genre. Plus, our extensive Writing Academy is full of insightful articles on the art — and business — of writing.

Scribophile played a major part in helping me polish my novel for submission. I learnt a huge amount from critiquing other people’s work, as well as from reading critiques of mine. I now have a wonderful agent and have signed a three-book deal in the UK, a two-book deal in Germany, and a TV option. The book was also shortlisted for The Debut Dagger! Roz Watkins The Devil’s Dice and others published with HarperCollins

Giving and receiving critiques on Scribophile made a big difference to the quality of my writing. I learned how to write a query letter here and that led to an agent and a book deal. Ruth Lauren Prisoner of Ice and Snow and others published with Bloomsbury

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My years on Scribophile have given me a master’s level education in writing. The critiques are great, but I’ve learned as much from reading and analyzing other writers on Scribophile. I don’t think I could have polished my novel to a publishable level without this site. I’m an addict. Laura Creedle The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily published with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Welcome to Critique Circle .

Improve your writing skills in one of the largest and longest-running writing communities on the web.

Vibrant writing community

Thousands of writers working together to improve their writing.

It's all about reciprocity

Critique the stories of others and in turn they will crit your stories.

Wide array of tools

CC has many tools to help you improve your writing.

Active forums

Discussion groups on nearly any topic under any sun.

Here's how Critique Circle works.

Continuously improve your writing by critting the works of others and building relationships with other authors who will help you with your own manuscript.

Crit a couple of stories to gain enough credits.

Use your credits to submit your own story for review.

Use the crits to improve your manuscript.

Our members are our biggest fans.

We don't like to brag, but we don't mind letting our members do it for us. Here are a few nice things folks have said about our platform over the years.

“Critique Circle has a wide variety of writers who are happy to share their knowledge and experience. Joining this site has kept me working through my novel in good times and bad. Plus there are many interesting novels in a variety of genres for me to read and critique.” Barbara Yurkoski, Ottawa Ontario Canada

“All with one interest - writing. Mixed ages, sex and abilities, genres and opinions. Helpful and encouraging to all would-be writers. In the many years I have been a member I have benefited enormously from the support. Come and join us!” Dilys White, Cheshire England

“Critique Circle is my new favorite writing workshop! I might just make it my new Home Page!” E. Madison Cawein, Wenatchee,WA. 98801 USA

“"Me like Critique Circle - it good!" That's how I USED to write, before joining Critique Circle. Now, thanks to the many fine members of CC, my writing is much, much gooder. Okay, I'm still a newbie, but it's an improvement. ;)” Mark Dimig-Mathis, I'm from Joisey (exit 10)

“Your story couldn't be shredded in a more constructive manner so: Abandon pride all ye who enter here. This is where you start to improve...” Len Morgan, Hullbridge, Essex, England

“(*)Critique Circle(*) is the place to learn the art of writing. The advice and gentle corrections I receive have brought me a long way on my journey towards becoming a good writer.” Tom Chelmowski, New Mexico, USA

“I’d like to thank members of Critique Circle (www.critiquecircle.com), an online international writing site for all authors, many of whom critiqued my book and significantly improved it. Christine Merritt” Christine Merritt, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

“I find CC a brilliant place to polish my ability in writing and read really intriguing chapters from other creative people. I am relatively new to writing but with some more practice on here I am pretty hyped for entering this years NaNoWriMo.” David Arnett, Hartlepool. England.

“I just wanted to say that all though I've just started by reading a couple of things, this place looks really helpful and awesome. I'm also impressed with the writing here. I look forward to visiting often. :) ” Coral Russell, Texas

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Membership is free and always has been. There is also a premium subscription that you can buy which unlocks additional features and perks.

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Critique Circle first came online in October 2003 and has been running continuously ever since. It is one of the oldest writing websites out there.

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We have thousands of members that are actively using the site and are closing in on one million served critiques.

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Stories submitted to CC are not considered 'published online' and cannot be found on search engines. You can manage your story accessibility yourself and delete them at any time.

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Writing Critique Groups: Everything You Need to Know

Krystal N. Craiker

When someone asks me for my best piece of writing advice, I usually say, “Join a critique group.”

Since joining a writing critique group, my writing has improved by leaps and bounds. Critiques are an important part of my editing process because they help me figure out what really needs improving. But critiquing others is just as important for my writing process. I learn so much by reading other people’s work and listening to what other people say about the same pieces.

There is a lot to consider before joining a critique group, but this guide will tell you everything you need to know.

Critique Groups Versus Critique Partners

How does it work, maintaining constructive criticism, how do i find a critique group, final thoughts.

I’ll be the first to admit that having a group of writers read and critique your work is terrifying. I still get a little anxious when it’s my turn to be read. Many people prefer having a critique partner instead of a whole group for this reason.

In my critique group, Fiction Crafters, we all have different strengths and weaknesses. As a result, we all pick up on different areas for improvement. We joke that we need T-shirts that have our taglines on it. Mine would say, “More action beats!” One of my friends always asks about character motivation. My co-admin is the queen of showing instead of telling.

Likewise, it’s easy to see which issues need the most attention when more than one person mentions it. When only one person reads your work, they may see an issue where there isn’t one. When you have five out of six writers pointing out a problem, it’s definitely worth fixing.

Critique partners and critique groups are not a replacement for an editor. An editor is there to give you detailed feedback to fine-tune your manuscript, but they’re still just one person. I’ve written before on why I believe in delivering a polished manuscript to my editors. Critiques help you polish your work.

Every critique group will have a different process for critiques. I’ll explain a few ways that a critique group can be structured, but I’ll go into detail about my group.

Here is what you can expect from most groups:

• a word count limit
• a method for delivering critiques
• deadlines and time limits

My critique group meets every week. I know that is a commitment that might not be an option for many people, but it’s also my main social outlet. Currently, we have eight active members. We read two writers a week, who submit up to 5,000 words. The deadline to submit is Sunday night, and we meet on Wednesdays, so everyone has plenty of time to read.

We spend the first part of the evening socializing and eating. Each writer then gets forty-five minutes to be critiqued. We pass a talking stick and each person gets around four minutes to critique uninterrupted. Then the writer of the piece gets a chance to ask more questions or clarify things that the critiques brought up. The rest of the forty-five minutes is spent in open discussion about the work.

We submit through a shared Google Drive. Some of our members find it helpful to fill out a feedback form while others prefer to leave in-line comments.

Other groups might do all critiques online through a platform like Google Drive and never meet in person. I’ve also seen critique groups where you read your piece out loud and then you receive critiques. There’s no right or wrong way.

Like all groups, Fiction Crafters has had some growing pains. We’ve set up some guidelines to keep all feedback constructive and kind.

Types of Critiques

One of the things that has helped the most is classifying types of critiques. We used editing definitions for developmental, content, and line edits. Almost all critiques fall into these three categories. We ask that the author who is being critiqued specify what types of critique they want.

• Developmental edits: major plot and character issues.
• Content edits: more in-depth issues about plot, character, setting, pacing, etc.
• Line edits: phrasing, word choice, literary devices, etc.

These are our adaptations of widely-accepted editing definitions. You may have heard different terms for these. I think of these like an inverted pyramid. Developmental edits are the big issues, and the edits get narrower from there.

Why do we do this? We have found it makes our feedback more refined and helpful. If I’m submitting a first draft, I don’t necessarily need line edits. I may scrap the whole chapter! If this is a refined draft that has been through multiple rounds of edits, I’ve moved past most of my developmental issues.

We also limit proofreading critiques. Proofreading for spelling, grammar, and typographical errors is the last step for a manuscript because so much gets changed in early drafts. Between software like ProWritingAid and a professional proofreader, we don’t need to spend valuable critique time on comma mistakes. Offering a general feedback for repeated mistakes like “you might want to review the past perfect tense” or “look up comma splices” is fine, though.

Kind and Useful

Critiques should be two things: kind and useful. Strong negative language like “I hate this” or “this is terrible” should be avoided. It’s also not helpful to tell a writer that everything they did is perfect.

Indie author Rosalind Wulf taught our critique group some great tips for giving balanced critiques. She said that critiques should have meat, bones, and fat. Bones are concrete examples from the text.This makes sure that critiques are specific. Meat is the specific feedback about the text. Fat are the overall compliments.

Here’s an example from Rosalind. The fat is highlighted, the bones are underlined, and the meat is bolded.

• “ I really loved this whole chapter. I feel like the early scene where your character has a breakdown really made your character likeable . The pacing of the last part of the chapter, where your other character is fighting the big bad, felt a little fast.”

Depending on where you live, there may already be established critique groups that you can join. Try searching Facebook, Meetup, or Eventbrite. If there are other types of writing groups in your area, connect with them. They might know of a critique group that is accepting members.

NaNoWriMo is a great way to meet other writers and find writing groups. That's how I found mine (pictured above). Go to write-ins in your region during November. That’s how my group got started! Also check the calendars at your local libraries and bookstores. Online critique groups are another option.

If you can’t find one that fits, start one!

Starting and Running a Critique Group

The first thing you need to decide is how often you want to meet. Weekly is a heavy commitment. Monthly is more realistic. But you can also meet biweekly, bimonthly, or quarterly. It’s really up to you.

You also need to decide where to meet. We have a reserved table at a local cafe. You can meet at someone’s house or at a library. Just make sure wherever you meet is big enough and quiet enough.

If you want to run an online critique group, there are several great ways to meet. You can meet through video conferencing with programs like Zoom or Google Hangouts. A Facebook group is another easy option for written critiques. Discord allows you to have voice calls or a chatroom. Slack is another great chatroom-style program.

Find other writers in your area. Go to writing events and book events. Ask around on social media. Do you want a large group open to anyone? Do you just want three close friends? How will you accept new members?

Learn from my mistakes: have clear rules in place and adapt as necessary. You’ll avoid hurt feelings from unkind and unhelpful critiques.

One of our biggest rules is “read to be read.” If you want to be critiqued, you must also make sure you are reading the other writers’ work on a regular basis. Don’t be that kid in a group project! Pull your weight!

Critique groups are invaluable for writers. If no one ever critiques our work, how do we improve? But I always say I learn even more from critiquing than being critiqued. I have learned what other writers notice when they read. We all bring in our own strengths and our own expertise. Critiques often turn into craft discussions, which benefit every writer in the group.

I challenge you to add critiques to your writing process. Your craft will grow in ways you didn’t know were possible.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.

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IT'S NOT JUST CRITIQUE. IT'S COMMUNITY.

Free, weekly round-table critique 

groups that meet online.

How The Critiquery works

Let us know you'd like to sit in on our next live critique group. 

Read the week's submission from one of your group-mates.

Note what you liked about the piece and write some possible areas of improvement. 

Meet with your group live on ZOOM, and share your thoughts with an incredible group of supportive writers!

After 4 weeks, submit your own work for critique.

Find a home for your passion, and grow into a better writer every week.

Everything improves with the right support.

The Critiquery offers free, facilitated critique groups to prose writers of all genres and lengths. Our mission is to make writing accessible to anyone who wants to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). That is why we hold our free critique groups remotely over ZOOM and provide each one with a trained facilitator.

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In this week's critique group, we workshop the opening chapters of Jared’s untitled mystery novel. We focused on characterization, narrative structure, surrealism, and dark humor. 

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We offer weekly, live critiques. There are no financial commitments. We don't make any intrusive requests about your personal information. All workshops are held over ZOOM so you can participate from anywhere in the world. The Critiquery is simply a group of writers who want to help each other get better every week. 

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He/him. Founding member. Administrator extraordinaire. Former Senior editor at Typehouse Literary Magazine , and a true delight at parties. He’s a regular participant and facilitator in a variety of focus groups. He also holds a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing, as well as a JD.

He/him. Founding Member. Tech wiz. Very proud finalist in the 2021 Tucson Literary Festival of Books . An engineer by education, he has published short fiction in a number of online publications including the Dillydoun Review , Aesthetic Circle and others.  He’s also a regular participant and facilitator in the prose-fiction critique groups.

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The 6 Best Online Communities for Writers

These online communities offer inspiration, ideas, and support, no matter what type of writer you aspire to be.

Whether it's fiction, nonfiction, fanfiction, or anything in between, the web offers countless spaces where writers are free to share their work, explore other people's writings, and find a community.

Aspiring creators can dip their toes in the water and see what it's like to deal with constructive criticism, while established writers can test out ideas and see what works better for their story.

Let's look at some platforms that house the best communities for online writers.

1. Critique Circle

Critique Circle has been around since 2003 and is one of the oldest online writing communities. It's well-known, and its members are there to offer assistance and camaraderie.

Its members don't blast you with criticism, but instead, actively work towards providing constructive feedback that will help your work.

For every critique you post, you'll get served with credits. Depending on the length of your post and the story you're critiquing, the credits you earn can range from 0.5 to two credits. You need three credits to submit a story of your own.

The platform houses thousands of members, with over 100,000 stories shared and 400,000 critiques posted. You can interact with everyone, create discussions on various topics, and belong to an accepting community.

2. Writers Helping Writers

Writers Helping Writers is a platform that offers an array of resources for writers, as well as for editors and teachers. You're free to register as a user and work towards improving your writing.

You can find various tutorials, webinars, as well as marketing and writing tools that you can use for free. There's even an idea generator available.

With Writers Helping Writers, you can find a community willing to accept, support, and help you as a writer.

3. Underlined

If you're an aspiring writer that lacks experience, this is the place for you. Underlined offers to help build you up as a writer, craft your skills, and boost your confidence.

The site was created by Penguin Random House, and it's geared towards newer writers. It offers a welcoming writing community willing to give support and advice.

Underlined provides a space to make connections, explore the world of writing, chat with authors, and more. It's an inclusive community dedicated to supporting writers.

4. Scribophile

Scribophile is among the most well-known writing communities available online. It offers guidance, help, and support for aspiring writers. You can access tutorials and workshops, as well as reach out to professional writers who can provide tips and tricks of the trade.

Like with Critique Circle, Scribophile requires you to collect points (karma points) before it allows you to submit a work yourself. You get these points by posting critiques on other people's writings. In other words, you give feedback in order to receive feedback.

Joining the community is free, but the free profile comes with some limitations. If you choose to pay for the $9/month ($65/year) subscription, you get access to everything Scribophile offers, including unlimited submissions and messaging. Either way, the site is ad-free, and is an excellent resource to use to help you grow as a writer.

5. NaNoWriMo

If you want to push yourself as a writer or simply lack motivation or drive, NaNoWriMo is for you. NaNoWriMo boasts a community of writers who challenge themselves to become more productive.

NaNoWriMo is short for "National Novel Writing Month." The platform sets out an annual challenge to writers, daring them to produce 50,000 words for a novel during the month of November.

You don't have to complete your novel in this one single month, but rather aim to get a large chunk of work done. You're free to plan out your work throughout the year and reach out to other members for advice, support, and feedback on your thoughts and ideas.

Motivation can sometimes be hard to come by, and if you're a procrastinator at heart, it can be difficult even to start the writing process. The idea of becoming an organized writer  may seem like an aspirational dream. But if a challenge can get you going, look no further than NaNoWriMo.

6. The Next Big Writer

The Next Big Writer provides a welcoming environment where you can find camaraderie. It offers writing classes and workshops, discussions, feedback, support, and advice for writers.

The community can assist you with every step of your creative process, helping you get published, and market your book. Many members of the community have already been published, and you're encouraged to reach out to them.

The Next Big Writer offers a free and paid membership. The Basic Membership is free but has limitations. On the other hand, the Premium Membership unlocks everything the platform has to offer, including the ability to post unlimited content. It costs $7.95/month or $69.95/year.

The Benefits of Being Part of a Community

A community grants you access to constructive criticism. And, not just a bunch of people spewing negativity for the sake of it, but actual valuable advice to help you become a better writer .

Sometimes, you simply need a second opinion. A pair of fresh eyes looking at what you've been writing can be genuinely helpful.

While you might not realize that something can be improved upon, someone new to your work can reach that conclusion much faster. All it takes is a slight adjustment to the direction, and that can prove to be a major help.

Apart from guidance on a piece you're still writing, you can also ask your community to review a work you've already completed. Strangers often offer the best criticism—unlike family or friends, they won't sugarcoat their words to avoid hurting your feelings.

Aside from receiving feedback, you can also benefit from support. A community willing to welcome you and provide any assistance is invaluable. After all, who can better understand what you're going through than another writer?

Joining a Community Is a Must

Being a writer can often feel reclusive. Belonging to a community of people like you, who face the same challenges, is an excellent way to find kindred spirits.

And, if you're not one for socializing, the right community can be beneficial to your writing. Having access to published authors and getting constructive criticism, advice, and support is invaluable.

Every artist can benefit from finding a like-minded community and sharing their work. Make the jump and find your community. With so many options at your fingertips, don't be scared to explore them all and find the right fit for you.

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Online Motivators & Critique Groups

Need a little help and support to get started or to keep going check out these online events..

NaNoWriMo National Novel-Writing Month, held each November. Participants commit to writing 50,000 words of a new novel in 30 days with emphasis on quantity, not quality. Helpful for those who tend to polish paragraphs rather than finish manuscripts. Active online forums offer advice, expertise on arcane topics, and encouragement. http://nanowrimo.org/

StoryStorm (Formerly PiBoIdMo, Picture Book Idea Month). Held each January. The Storystorm challenge is to create 30 story ideas in 30 days. Hosted by Tara Lazar, a picture book writer. https://taralazar.com/storystorm/ On this site: Tara Lazar, Debut Author and Social Media Guru Tara Lazar, Founder of PiBoIdMo and Talented Author

12 x 12 12 Picture Books, 12 Months. Starts in January of each year. Participants commit to writing 12 complete picture book manuscripts in 12 months. Yearly fee includes monthly webinars by professionals in the industry and access to online resources. A good follow-on to PiBoIdMo (see above). Hosted by Julie Hedlund, a picture book writer. http://www.juliehedlund.com/12-x-12/ On this site: 12 questions for 12 x 12 founder, Julie Hedlund

#5am Writers’ Club Informal early-morning writing community on Twitter. “As long as you have caffeine and donuts to share, you’re in. All you have to do is Tweet with the hashtag,  #5amWritersClub , so everyone can find you.” https://5amwritersclub.wordpress.com/

Critique Circle A free online writing workshop for all authors, whether they write literary fiction, short stories, articles, science-fiction, fantasy, romance, children’s novels, or another genre. Members “pay” in critiques for other members. https://www.critiquecircle.com/Default.asp https://www.critiquecircle.com/newmembersinfo.asp

Inked Voices Join critique groups with other children’s writers and workshop your writing online in private, invitation-based groups. Interact with your group and exchange feedback in a shared group space. Stay organized and on track for deadlines with project management features. http://www.inkedvoices.com/ On this site: Inked Voices, a new way to meet & critique (Interview with founder Brooke McIntyre)

Scribophile Description from the site: A respectful online writing group made up of writers who improve each other’s work with thoughtful critiques and by sharing their writing experience. http://www.scribophile.com/ On this site: Scribophile: Your Friendly Online Critique Group , by Alison Potoma

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How to Find the Right Critique Group or Partner for You

Today’s guest post is from Brooke McIntyre of Inked Voices , a site where writers workshop in small, private online groups.

Finding a writing group or partner is a lot like dating. There’s an element of searching and an element of matching. You’re looking for people you can share a piece of your creative self with, for people you want to spend time on, for people who can help you become a stronger writer—a tribe or community. So a good fit is important.

More than ever before, there are many options for finding a group, wherever you live and whatever your schedule. There are large groups and small, in person and online. And each group has its own feel.

Below I’ll share some things to consider when looking for those special someones. Then, I’ll share some places to look for partners.

What to Look For in a Partner or Group

One of the things I find most rewarding at Inked Voices is helping people match with writing groups. Here’s what I’ve learned about what makes for successful partners.

1. Shared Direction, Similar Stage

When writing partners share a direction—such as a goal to publish, a desire to keep up a consistent writing practice, or a hope to make writer friends—they’re often looking for the same sort of commitment to each other.

When writing partners have comparable experience writing, learning about craft, or publishing, they’re starting from a similar place. An experienced writer in a group of newbies may get frustrated. On the other hand, having a few new writers in a more experienced group is usually fine. Stage matters more for the group as a whole, and each person brings unique talents that may stand out more than their experience.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What is your writing experience?
• Do you have material to share now? Or are you looking for a group that will help motivate you through the finish?
• Do you have a consistent writing practice?
• Where do you want to go? Why are you interested in this group?
• What else are you doing to meet your writing goals? Do you read blogs like this one or books on craft? Have you taken classes or attended workshops?

Where you are today matters. But where you want to go and what you will do to get there is more important when looking for a match for the long haul.

2. A Workable Pace

Pace is a tricky one. It seems simple: how frequently do group members submit material or meet up? But really it’s about a balance of your own time and energy and balance within the group. The pace should move with enough oomph that you make progress. However, a fast pace can overwhelm; a slow one can feel unchallenging or like people are not writing. Either extreme leads to people quitting the group.

What’s your own writing pace? Many overestimate how much writing we can realistically produce, especially in the excitement of a joining a new group. I’ve been guilty. Plus you have to consider how much time you have to give thoughtful feedback. For both questions, err on the conservative side.

• Think about how much writing you produced this month and in the previous two months.
• Count on spending at least thirty minutes reading and commenting on each submission—more for longer ones. Ballpark the time commitment by multiplying time to critique by number of group members (don’t include yourself) by submissions per person per month.
• For in-person groups, pace equates to how often members meet. Consider how frequently all members of the group can make the logistics work.

Ideally, there is a balance between giving and receiving feedback. Sometimes people have spurts of creativity and produce more. Or life happens and they produce less. It often works out over the long haul. If members start to feel like they are critiquing but not writing, things have fallen out of alignment. Prepare to be flexible; a pace that works for an entire group all the time is unlikely.

3. People Enjoy the Writing and Feel Comfortable Critiquing It

Most of the time in a writing group is spent reading and giving feedback on other people’s work. It should be fun. Maybe you won’t love everything. But if you like most, you’ll enjoy the reading and become invested in the stories.

It’s hard to know that you’ll like the work until you actually see it, but there are some good proxies. What do you like to read? What are your favorite genres, books, and authors? When a writer says she likes Ursula K. Le Guin, certain people come to my mind. When I see a short fiction writer who likes Jhumpa Lahiri, another set of people comes to mind. Some groups assess this fit by requesting a sample of your writing.

I see many groups organize around genre, such as speculative fiction, free verse poetry, or creative nonfiction. Broader groups, like women writers, or “anything short,” are great for people who write and read across genres and who enjoy critiques from a variety of perspectives.

If you participate in a broader group, consider finding a buddy in your genre, especially if your genre has particular conventions or rules. Picture book writers think about page turns, mystery writers introduce the criminal early and quietly, romance ends with optimism. Your buddy can give you a nudge when you stray out of bounds.

So, How Do You Go About Actually Finding One of These Groups?

Writing associations.

Writing associations are a great place to find groups or partners. Meet people in person through regional meet-and-greets, educational events, or by volunteering with your local chapter. Let your chapter know you are looking for a group; it will probably want to help.

Some associations have an online option to find partners. The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has the “Blueboards,” a private forum where members can post the kind of group they are looking for. People reply, and then members may organize the group as they like. American Christian Fiction Writers has a large online critique community called Scribes, through which members often find smaller groups of critique partners. Similarly, The Women’s Fiction Writers Association has a critique group matching service which puts members together into groups of four. Romance Writers of America has an online critique partner matchup search for members. Members opt in to be searchable when setting up their profile. People interested in finding partners search subgenres and location for matches.

Conferences and Retreats

Conferences are a great way to stay energized, feel the power of a big community, and learn more about craft. They’re also a fantastic place to meet critique partners (thank you, Lisa, for starting a conversation with Elena and me at SCBWI national in 2014!) Conferences unite people with a common interest, be it shared genre, location, or both. Plus, conference-goers are often at the same stage. Many have at least one completed manuscript, and they may even be getting feedback on it at the conference.

Here are some ways to meet critique partners at conferences:

• When chatting with people, mention your interest in starting a group. Even if that person isn’t interested, he or she can connect others to you.
• Start a sign-up sheet (ask the conference organizer to make sure it’s okay first).
• Tell the organizers you’re looking for a group, and see if they have advice.
• Participate in critique roundtables. If you enjoy other people’s work, approach them afterward and see if they might like to exchange material.

Shaw Guides has a thorough listing of writing conferences. Writing associations and Facebook groups are also good sources for leads. Google brings up plenty of options: try typing in the name of your genre or region plus writers retreat or writers conference . Here is a write-up on some of the major retreats.

Depending on where you live and your genre, there may be writing groups organized through Meetup . These groups typically meet in person and are organized by one or more individuals in your area. To find a group, search terms likely to appear in a group’s description like writer , author , poet , writing , writing group , picture book , novel , or screenplay .

Check out each Meetup’s “About us” tab to find out the thrust of the group. There are workshop-style, networking, and “shut up and write” groups (where people clack away and share work time). Drill down into previous meetings, their location, and attendance. Some Meetups appear very large—here in New York, there are Meetups 300, 500 and 1,000 people strong—but actual participation is smaller. It could be a consistent core of ten people. Or you may find different people attend each time. Message the group admin with your questions or attend a meeting to find out whether it’s a fit.

Participate in a “Mo”

• NaNoWriMo is the big fish, but many other Mo’s have sprung up on the heels of its success. Beyond getting you writing, a Mo is a great way to find some community and maybe a long-term writing group.
• Camp NaNoWriMo takes place in April and July and is open to all writers, including poets, short fiction writers and children’s writers, in addition to novelists. Writers set their own 10,000-plus word count goal for the month and participate in a twelve-person online cabin. Cabinmates see each another’s word count progress, cheer successes, and commiserate when things get tough. If you love your cabin, get their contact information and keep working together after the event ends.
• NaPoWriMo challenges poets to produce thirty poems during National Poetry Month each April.
• Storystorm , held in January, began as a way for children’s writers to brainstorm picture book ideas but has since evolved to encompass a broader range of writing.

Other Networking Opportunities

To find local groups, try networking in your community. Chat up local bookstore staff or your savvy librarian. Scan community bulletin boards or post to your neighborhood listserv. There may also be regional networking groups in your area, like the New York City Writers Network , that focus on connecting writers. Ask around or search the name of your area plus writing community , writing group , or writers networking .

To network for online partners, try social media or check out some of the online forums. There are many Facebook groups for writers, some set up for the purpose of manuscript swaps. Join them to find a group of like-minded writers. After you’ve oriented to the group, post that you are looking for partners and go from there. To find a group, search within Facebook or see what Facebook suggests for you —this works best if you have writing information in your profile.

Use a Twitter event like Dan Koboldt’s #SFFPit (for science fiction and fantasy writers) to look for partners. If you like the person’s pitch, reach out to the author and start a conversation.

Finally, there are many online forums for writers to check out for networking and critique, including Absolute Write , The Women’s Fiction Writers Association’s Critique Forum Facebook group , The Mystery Writers Forum , and myWritersCircle .

Online Critique Sites

Many online critique sites use technology, such as inline commenting, critique deadlines, private discussion boards, notifications, and writer profiles, to enhance the writing group process. Most of these sites are private to protect individuals’ work. Writers can participate in site-wide critique communities, large private groups, or small ones, depending on the site.

Online groups typically run on a credits or points system, where credits are used to submit work and earned for giving critiques. Sometimes, the credits system also works in conjunction with a queue system (basically, your submission waits in line for its turn).

Critique sites generally attract serious writers interested in improving their craft. Check out the technology and community to see if it’s a fit for you.

All Poetry is a writing community for poets. Poets may post their work to the sitewide community for comment, and premium members can start their own writing critique groups. Basic memberships are free, silver are $5.95/month, and gold are $14.95/month. Read more about memberships .

Critique Circle is an established writing community that uses a queue system. Members use credits to submit work to the queue and receive credits for stories they critique. New members have access to a separate newbies queue for their first few submissions as they learn the ropes. Premium members can create private critique groups with their own queue, ideal for groups using the site. There are basic, premium and premium gold memberships, each with its own benefits . Premium memberships are $10/month, $34/6 months or $49/year. Preview the site by checking out their YouTube tutorials .

Critique.org is the parent site of the well-known Critters.org site, which offers critique for science fiction, fantasy, and horror writers. Critique.org evolved from Critters to spread its popular format to other genres, including literary fiction, mystery, romance, and more. Critique.org genre groups are large and operate via email based on a queue system. When a writer’s submission reaches the top of the queue—usually about a month—the manuscript is emailed to the group for feedback. Members are expected to critique approximately one manuscript per week. The site is free and runs on donations.

Inked Voices is a site for writers looking for smaller critique groups and for pre-existing groups looking for a place to run their writing group online. It includes private, invitation-based groups, video lectures on craft, and a sitewide forum. Members search individual or group profiles to find partners and also get personal assistance matching. I also periodically facilitate three-month peer workshops geared towards members new to writing groups or still looking for the right fit. Memberships are $10/month, $75/year (discounts for pre-existing groups). Check out the demo on our homepage or see a screenshot tour .

The Next Big Writer offers a variety of private and public writing groups of varying genres and sizes, as well as online writing classes and an annual contest. Groups can be public or private and each can elect whether to use the site’s points system. Authors control who can see their work, whether site connections, group members, or a broader audience. Basic memberships are free and include participation in one group, while premium memberships allow participation in up to ten groups. Premium memberships are $8.95/month, $21.95/quarter or $69.95/year. See a demo on their About Us page.

Scribophile is a critique community with groups, contests, a helpful blog, and a discussion forum. Writers submit work to the site-wide community or to private groups using points. Either way, work is private to the site. Groups are generally larger and genre-focused and there are many options available. Premium members get additional tools for formatting documents and showcasing their work, and can post more than two works at a time. Free basic memberships. Premium memberships are $9/month or $65/year. Read their FAQ .

Writers Café is a large community of writers that includes contests, groups, critique, and a forum. The site is completely free. Read their FAQs .

Writing.com is a large community of online writers with a sitewide community for critique, the ability to join and create groups, and numerous contests. Members can store their manuscripts in an online portfolio and can control privacy of their submissions, whether private to the site or publicly viewable. There are five levels of membership , including a free plan.

Review Communities

Some of the big publishers also have online communities. These sites are generally more about getting reviews and the possibility of publisher discovery. The highest-rated submissions get read by the publishers, sometimes leading to manuscript requests and/or book deals.

• Underlined (Penguin Random House)
• Swoon Reads focused on YA romance (Macmillan)

Wattpad is similar to the sites above, but is not affiliated with a particular house. Wattpad writers often post their work in chapters, and some have built large reader followings in the process, leading to book deals for some members.

Email and WordPress Groups

Many email writing groups operate through Yahoo Groups . Try several searches to get a list of candidates to explore.

Hunt for other email and WordPress groups by Googling; scan beyond the first few pages of results. Internet Writing Workshop members join a critique list for manuscript exchange; participation requirements are listed on the site. The Desk Drawer is an email group that shares submissions and critique on writing exercises posted each week. NovelPro is for serious writers who have completed a 60,000+ word novel. Swirl and Swing is a private WordPress-based critique group for poets.

Final Thoughts

There are many paths to a writing group. Prepare to put in some elbow grease into your search. See what strikes you and give it a try. If it’s a fail, try again. It usually takes some persistence to find the right group. But once you do, it’s gold.

Brooke McIntyre is the founder of Inked Voices , a site where writers workshop in small, private online groups. She’s passionate about using technology to help writers collaborate. She enjoys working with people on a personal level and has found matching writers to be the most rewarding part of her role. Get help matching. Brooke holds an MBA from the University of Michigan. She lives with her family in Brooklyn.

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[…] Brooke McIntyre of Inked Voices explains what to look for in a critique group and how to find the best writing critique group for you.  […]

[…] In How to Find the Right Critique Group for You on Jane Friedman’s blog, Brooke McIntyre of Inked Voices explains what to look for in a critique group and how to find the best writing critique group for you. […]

I belong to a great critique group on FB called Writers World. The mane who runs it, Randall Andrews, has over 30 years experience in editing and writing. He’s willing to explain coments he makes on your posts and posts a variety of lessons to read and learn from. My writing has improved so much since I joine this group a couple years ago.

There are some great resources on Facebook for sure. Thanks for sharing this one, Anna!

I agree! After my work has been critiqued there, it has been accepted for more money than I had made until now!

[…] Award: “How to Find the Right Critique Group for Your Writing” – Writing groups are great for motivating us to write, every week. Here’s how to […]

[…] How to Find the Right Critique Group for You | Jane Friedman. […]

Excellent overview, Brooke. I am sharing this with several writers who’ve asked about finding, starting, or joining a critique gorup.

Thanks for your kind words, Carol! I hope your colleagues find this helpful.

[…] https://janefriedman.com/2015/06/10/find-the-right-critique-group/ […]

Fabulous information. I am looking forward to reading each link. Many thanks

[…] and editing are necessary to write a good story. Brooke McIntyre shows how to find the right critique group or partner, while Gabriel Storment lists 3 rules for getting feedback on your script. Connie J. Jasperson […]

[…] How to Find the Right Critique Group for You | Jane Friedman […]

13 best practices for creative writing critique groups

The value of quality creative writing critique for authors should go without saying. When you write, you’re full of intention and ideas and inspiration. But readers don’t get that. Readers get only what’s on the page. Crit helps you get some distance from your writing so you can see more clearly what really is there in your text.

For an author, receiving crit can be hard—hopes and intentions getting cut down with just a few words. “You need to develop a thick skin,” they say. I say you mainly need to learn how to get some distance from the material.

Giving good and useful critique is also hard. It’s a learned skill. Everybody has an opinion, but not everyone knows how to give quality crit. What most find is that learning how to provide criticism an author can use makes them a better author.

This is why every author working on a project or projects can benefit from belonging to a crit group.

What makes a good crit group? #

After years of writing workshops in college and grad school, teaching a couple as an adjunct, and working in a handful of crit groups both good and not so much, I’ve seen a wide variety of styles and ground rules for author groups engaging in critique.

General approach #

Most crit groups fall into one of two basic categories.

• Reading aloud. People on a rotating or productivity basis bring pages in and read aloud (or better, someone else reads aloud and the writer must listen).
• Pre-submit and discuss. Everyone in the group distributes pages in advance of meeting, everyone reads everything, marking up the printouts (or digital files) with comments. Then, in the actual meeting you have timeboxed discussion on each takes place.

Reading out loud #

The first method was how some of my best writing workshops were run. There’s nothing like reading your text out loud to everyone. You hear your words with their ears. Awkward phrases, repetitions, overwriting, and errors leap up off the page. Your first time can be mortifying.

But it can be downright terrifying to hear someone else read your text aloud. Having to listen to your prose without any hint of performance to convey intention can reveal unintended line readings. You the author must sit there at the mercy of your own words there on the page.

The catch for this out loud approach is the time requirement. Reading out loud is slow. You can cover only so much material per hour—fine perhaps for a 3-hour workshop meeting 2–3 times a week, but maybe not so helpful for a crit group meeting two hours every two weeks.

Pre-submission (before crit group meeting) #

For a group of authors who are working on longer projects or a number of shorts, I think the second type of group can work best. Each person emails out their pages (up to a mutually agreed-upon word count) 4–7 days in advance of the gathering. Then your meeting time can focus completely on discussion of the work. This way, you can cover a lot more material.

Just remember that you’ll have to take time reading and critiquing everyone else’s pages, so the time commitment is more than just the actual meeting.

That covers the logistics. But what about the content of the crit itself. The first thing to remember is:

Critiquing is a learned skill #

“Everyone has a right to an opinion,” right? Sure. But crit requires more than having an opinion. It involves learning how to read someone else’s pages and provide helpful feedback that is informative, clear, and respects the author. Vague judgmental comments like “it sucks” are not helpful. Kid-gloves comments are not helpful either.

The goals of crit groups and workshops are:

• the writer gets quality feedback; and
• everyone learns to critique better.

Nobody is born being able to critique well. You have to learn from doing it. Guidelines can help.

8 Recommended Rules #

• Keep the group small. 4–6 people can work best, I feel. Large groups can be difficult to manage unless you’re meeting frequently, and that requires a larger time commitment, not only for the meetings but to read all those pages of submissions.
• As an author, don’t submit raw pages that you know have problems. Make it as good as you can first. That way feedback will hopefully reveal to you things you don’t know rather than just things you already know need to be fixed. It also means that your crit partners will (hopefully) enjoy reading your submissions more.
• Members who don’t participate are dead weight and should be asked to take a leave of absence and come back when they’re refreshed and ready to participate.
• Authors need to learn to separate themselves from their text. Everyone writes crap now and then. Don’t take crit as judgement of you as a writer. This is only about these particular pages.
• Matching genres can be very helpful. On the other hand, members coming from other diverse genres can be helpful too, as long as nobody is imposing their own genre tropes onto other genres.
• Virtual groups are possible, but work best with video (Skype, Hangouts, etc). Something about seeing each other helps. Audio-only sessions can feel less cohesive. In my experience it’s harder to sustain.
• Open online “crit sessions” can be the most difficult and least productive. Readers are reading once and are asked to give what amounts to snap responses. Experienced members (working authors and editors) tend to adapt to this environment better, but it’s still hard. For authors sharing, off-the-cuff feedback coming from random folks can be hard to process. Bad (as in least-helpful) crit is more likely when random folks can jump in. This is perhaps not for the newbie.
• Authors must be prepared to hear disappointing news. Feeling bummed is a natural response. Roll through it and when feeling clear, review your notes and decide what’s most helpful. Don’t get defensive. Hear the feedback with an open mind. You have final cut. You can reject any crit. This is your story.

5 Helpful Gudelines #

I won’t call these rules. Consider these my preferences.

• Critique the writing, not the author. This goes all the way to not saying, “You wrote…” Rather, stick to the text . “This paragraph…”
• Include comments about what’s working, what’s really great. Some groups even have a rule that you always open by saying something nice, but this isn’t about coddling author ego. It’s about helping an author who may have lost any sense of what’s working anymore. Comments about questions or anticipations you have on the first read can be very informative to the author.
• Don’t solve problems for the author. Having a group brainstorming “better” solutions can lead the author away from her own story. Sometimes it can be an absolutely demoralizing process, destroying the author’s faith in her own story instincts. Instead, use “bad examples” of solutions to help illustrate the problem and how the author might approach fixing it.
• Don’t ask the author to explain herself. This invites the unwelcome problem solving noted above. And it cultivates defensiveness on the author’s part. Crit is about the text. Those offering criticism aren’t there to judge. What matters in crit is what’s on the page.
• The author should remain silent until end of discussion. Then the author can ask follow-up questions. iAs an author, you should come to crit with some specific questions in mind. Ask those questions if nobody addressed them in their own feedback.

These are my druthers, drawn from experiences that reflect great privileges I was able to enjoy. My conclusions to date are nowhere near universal, but I hope some of these are helpful.

What are your thoughts?

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INTRODUCING A NEW ONLINE WRITING COMMUNITY

No Gimmicks. 

No karma points. , just write., starts on jan, 1st, everything you need to, become a better writer.

Immerse yourself in the works of your genre's best authors. Study their techniques, plot structures, character development, and dialogue. Take note of what makes their writing stand out and how they connect with their readers. So keep reading, keep writing, and keep pushing the boundaries of your story & craft!

Who is your ideal reader?

Everyone is different is the correct answer. Every story has a unique audience. 

What kind of story are you writing?

Unlock the secrets to captivating writing! Before you put pen to paper, ask yourself these clarifying questions. Discover the power of genre – it's a promise to your reader, so don't break it. Skilled writers know where their readers want to go and take them there in surprising and delightful ways. Join the ranks of exceptional writers by mastering these essential skills!

As a writer, you lay your soul bare for the world to see. It's a courageous act that opens you up to both praise and criticism. But that's the beauty of art – it's meant to provoke and challenge. Embrace the vulnerability and seek out constructive criticism to hone your craft. The best writers know that feedback is the key to improvement, so don't shy away from it. By getting feedback early and often, you'll be able to refine your work and deliver your best to your audience. And don't forget to read and learn from the critiques of other writers – it's a treasure trove of inspiration waiting to be explored!

Our free writing forums provide an unlimited opportunity for writers to discuss their work with other forum members. Forums are genre specific. Forum topics include : creative writing,  poetry, prose,  fiction Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places in ways that are imaginary or inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a narrow sense, “fiction” refers to written narratives in prose – often referring specifically to novels, novellas, and short stories.[4][5] More broadly, however, fiction encompasses imaginary narratives expressed in any medium, including not just writings but also live theatrical performances, films, television programs, radio dramas, comics, role-playing games, and video games…. , non-fiction Non-fiction, a genre anchored in reality, offers a deep dive into actual events, lives, and ideas. It spans various forms, from historical analyses to memoirs, providing insights into our world's fabric. This genre educates, informs, and challenges, inviting readers to explore and understand complex concepts, cultures, and individual journeys. Whether it's uncovering scientific breakthroughs or personal narratives, non-fiction enriches our… , plot, narrative, story  structure, and more. 

Our members enjoy all the benefits of the site to come together as a community and pursue the art and craft of writing. WC is a common place offering support, feedback and encouragement. 

Our Groups are where you post your work for critique from other members of the WC community. Groups are genre specific so you'll receive critiques from others in your shared genre. Groups offer more specific community interaction than forums including:

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collaborate

Collaborating with other writers can bring a multitude of benefits to your writing practice. First and foremost, it can provide a fresh perspective on your work, helping you to identify strengths and weaknesses that you might not have noticed on your own. Collaborating with other writers can also spark new ideas and inspiration, as you bounce ideas off of one another and explore new directions for your writing.

Working with others can also help you to develop new skills and techniques, as you learn from their strengths and experiences. Collaborating with writers who have different backgrounds, perspectives, and writing styles can broaden your own horizons and give you a more well-rounded approach to the craft.

Beyond the benefits to your writing itself, collaborating with other writers can also provide emotional support, camaraderie, and a sense of community. Writing can be a solitary pursuit, and having a group of fellow writers to share your experiences with can be invaluable in terms of motivation and morale.

Overall, collaborating with other writers can help you to grow as a writer and as a person, and can make the writing process more enjoyable and rewarding.

Famous First Lines

Why another writing group, frequently asked questions.

Join Writers Critique to share your writing and get feedback and encouragement 

Any adult writer in any genre is welcome to join. 

During the beta-period there is no fee and no credit card is required to join. 

We request your email to authenticate your membership by sending you an email to prove your identity. We may occasionally reach out to you to request your feedback, but we will never sell or make your email available to anyone else, EVER. 

Join an existing discussion group in your genre or if you don't see a genre that suits you, email us and we'll create a new critique discussion group just for you. Keep in mind that existing groups will likely have more members and so your work will likely be seen by more readers, but this is a great way for your to build value on the site. 

You may post any type of writing on the site that is in keeping with the current site terms and conditions of use. 

In almost all cases, no. We respect the voice of our authors posts so long as your post abides by the terms of service.. In such case we may place a hold on your post and ask you to make corrections to abide by our terms of service . It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that their work is polished and ready for publication.

By design, Writers Critique automatically shares your work with other members of the critique group you have joined. We may occasionally make posts available to other groups that we believe might appreciate your work as well – genres frequently overlap. This will help show your work to a wider audience without burdening others and yourself with genres that are not personally relevant. 

You will receive immediate feedback on the status of your post. You can also choose to make your post private if wish to withdraw it temporarily from critique without the need to delete your post entirely. 

Yes. You're welcome to promote yourself and your skills to other members on the site and we encourage you do do so by keeping your profile and skills up to date.

There are no writing guidelines per se, but we do ask that you present your writing in a polished and ready to be read manner. 

Yes. We do ask that you agree to and follow our Code of Conduct in your critique of others. 

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Critique group formats and tools

There are many options for conducting your critique group in person or online. This discussion will focus mainly on how submissions and critiques are handled in different formats.

In person groups

In person groups meet face-to-face at a particular time and place. In some groups, members bring material to the meeting and distribute copies to attendees. Each person reads the manuscript silently or a reader—this could be the author or another group member—will read it aloud. Members mark their copies and then give critique verbally. They will often mark the copy too and give it to the author.

In other groups, members share the work in advance. They use the physical meeting to deliver the critique and discuss the work.

Finally, some in person groups do their critiques virtually with one of the methods below and use their meetings for writerly discussion, support and conversation.

Virtual groups

Virtual groups meet remotely. Most groups work asynchronously, meaning that group members do not need to participate at the same time. But groups that want a specific meeting time can meet by video chatting through a tool like Hangouts, Skype, or webinar software.

Email groups share their work over email, either pasting or attaching files and sending them to all group members for comments. Group members could either send comments back to the individual only or to all members.

Groups using Google Documents will post work in Documents and share it with their groups. Here, each group member’s comments appear on the same manuscript. Because the document is stored in the cloud and shared with members, the author eliminates inbox searching and attachment opening to find the comments.

Facebook groups share their work in a private Facebook group. Documents are posted and discussed on the group’s shared wall. Groups can chat as well, so there are elements of synchronous communication available.

Inked Voices is a service for online writing groups that combines many of the features discussed above, plus some unique features particular to critique groups.

Like Facebook groups, Inked Voices groups each have their own private space. A shared, common space helps groups stay cohesive, organized and up-to-date. Our groups have spaces for submissions, discussions, critique Q&A and submissions guidelines / schedules.

Group member submissions are posted to the group’s page and are assigned a deadline based on the group’s settings. Members are notified of new submissions and upcoming deadlines. Authors are notified of new critiques.

Like in Google Docs, group members have the ability to make inline comments and these comments display together on the final document. Unlike Google Docs, group members initially critique a clean (not marked up) copy of the document. There is also a space for making general comments on the manuscript.

Here is a comparison of the online tools above, broken down by feature. Note that you can combine tools as well.

Find the Perfect Partner for Your Writing

Free critique partners find the right critique partner or beta reader for free, hire professionals hire top-rated freelancers for critique or editing services., one account. no subscription. sign up for free , what we offer.

CritiqueMatch is an online platform that connects writers, beta readers, and freelance editors.

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Search for highly rated partners by sub-genre, experience level, location, and even favorite authors.

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Choose your partners and then exchange work privately. Your email address is never shared. After your work is critiqued, your critique partner no longer has access to it.

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Search for critique partners by sub-genre, experience, or favorite authors. Find top-rated users in your exact areas of need, such as grammar, plotting, etc.

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Your work is only visible to your critique partner for the duration of the critique. No more email exchanges where your work remains in someone's inbox!

Exchange Critiques

Specify the type of feedback you’re looking for, and receive in-line comments as well as high-level notes on your work.

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Rate and review the critiques you received. Hone your craft skills and also be a valuable member of our community.

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Stack up 5-star ratings from at least ten people, and apply to become a “Pro-Critiquer”. You will be able to set your price, and earn money!

Search Top-Rated Critiquing Professionals

Browse community-vetted Pro-Critiquers. Narrow down the list by service type, genre, ratings, price, and availability. View the Pro-Critiquers’ sample critiques to find a critiquing style that works for you.

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Order a critique through our platform without the hassle of managing payments, contracts, and non-disclosure agreements. You maintain your IP—our Terms of Service got you covered.

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Reach out to the critiquing professionals before you place an order for any questions you may have. The line of communication remains open during and after the service to allow for clarifications on either side.

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Rate and review the critique and editing services you received. Our community ratings bring you unparalleled transparency regarding the critiquers’ skillset, timeliness, and overall service.

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How to use the platform

5 steps to get started.

Five easy steps to successfully start your journey on CritiqueMatch.

Community Rules

A few simple user rules to ensure an inclusive, transparent and supportive platform.

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• Narrow down the list of our freelance professionals filtering by service type, genre, ratings, price, and availability.
• View the Pro-Critiquers’ sample critique files posted on their profiles to gauge if their critiquing style works for you.
• Use the “About me” section to share your background and interests, and to showcase your unique voice!
• Tag your experience level to set your partners’ expectations in advance.
• Mark your preferred authors. What a better way to find a stylistic match with a partner than finding those who share your favorite authors?
• Finally, you can select the genres and sub-genres you are writing in and/or are interested in critiquing.
• Before you go, switch your profile to “public” so that people can find you within CritiqueMatch. This shares all the information on your profile, except your email address. When you are “private,” you can still search all other public partners and request to connect with them.
• Go to the Free Critique Partners section and use the “Search Partners” feature to find partners. Narrow down your search by using the “search filters” button. Filter by genre, the level of experience you are looking for in your partner, and even by their favorite authors!
• It’s a numbers game: Inviting more people gives you a better chance to find someone who fits your needs. Don’t just wait for them to reach out to you!
• Additionally, you can always remove a partner (with or without a quick note) if you are not a good fit. No hard feelings. Finding the right partner is hard!
• Pro Tip: Invite a mix of users with a few as well as many ratings to increase your chance of partnering with others.
• You filtered the list of people in your genre, and there are still too many to choose from? Use the “Search Postings” feature to read the blurbs of what people are working on. Think of this as a message board or critique-partner classifieds.
• Create your own public posting on what you are writing about to increase your visibility within our community.
• A critique partner accepted your invitation? Perfect! Time to get to know each other. Chat about what you are both working on and what you need help with. It’s an excellent way to break the ice and set expectations.
• We recommend exchanging one chapter with your partner to test the waters of whether the partnership will work. Don’t be deflated if it doesn’t. This is a long, trial-and-error process, which is why we’re here!
• Pro Tip: Do not send your entire manuscript to a new partner unless you pre-agreed to do so! Imagine someone you barely know, dropping tens of hours of work in your inbox without first checking with you. Right? Not cool.
• When providing feedback to another user, please give specific, actionable feedback. You are encouraged to highlight problematic areas and recommend ways for improvement. Please remember to do so without trying to alter another user’s voice.
• Be polite. While the ultimate goal is to give constructive feedback, when done in writing, your tone can be misinterpreted. Please make a conscious effort to come across as encouraging while pointing out areas of improvement.
• Please respect people’s opinions. Hearing that your hard work may be flawed can be discouraging. You have the right to disagree with a critique you received, but please try to be polite when responding.
• If a writing partner’s style and tone do not work for you, thank them for their time and part ways.
• Posting work that is not your own or plagiarizing other people’s work.
• You are limited to one account per user. Users with multiple accounts will be removed.
• Using any part of the website to promote violence, degradation, subjugation, discrimination or hatred against individuals or groups based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, or religion.
• Using the CritiqueMatch website for any unlawful activities.
• Providing user content that is defamatory, libelous, hateful, violent, obscene, pornographic, invasive of another’s privacy, infringing of another’s intellectual property rights, unlawful, or otherwise offensive, as determined by CritiqueMatch in its sole discretion.

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- ALL participants get high-level feedback from 3 Pro-Critiquers on CritiqueMatch ( ~$80 value ).

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