5 Professional Literary Networks to Join Online

Online Literary Networks for The Professional Writer

Professional writers have an opportunity to take the digital world by storm, thanks to the following five professional literary networks. The following are those with several factors going for them. First, they have been around for a while…so they aren’t going anywhere and offer a wealth of information. Secondly, they are relevant, up to date and support the ongoing development of writers of all abilities. Last, these literary networks offer creative online spaces for writers to develop ideas, obtain objective critiques of works in process and a chance to connect with like-minded creatives.

1. Absolute Write Water Cooler. — You know it’s a literary group worth joining when it has a well-placed pun in its name. The Absolute Write Water Cooler boasts an impressive 68,000 (and growing) list of members. The incredibly active community features threads on practical subjects related to the literary and publishing industry. From writing prompts and exercises, to discussions about freelance writing, to critiques, the Absolute Write Water Cooler is the ideal place for any writers looking to join an active and supportive community.
2. Camp NaNoWriMo. — This online site is world renowned for its “camp sessions.” Like heading to a writer’s retreat, Camp NaNoWriMo focuses on giving writers the encouragement and self-empowerment that they need to reach new levels of success within their careers. The site encourages writers to band together as they work through drafts, revisions, and editing.
3. The Writing Cooperative — This network of writers all have one goal in common, earning money for “claps.” The Writing Cooperative is hosted on Medium and gives writers the opportunity to join Slack discussions, enter writing challenges, and offer critiques. This online network also provides a great introduction to the Medium platform.
4. Writers Helping Writers. — The best aspect of Writers Helping Writers is the creative library, which hosts a large selection of free writing tools, webinars, idea generators, and a significant thesaurus collection. It is the ideal free to register community for writers and editors who need help building their literary toolboxes.
5. Critique Circle. — The Critique Circle is practically medieval by digital standards. It was founded in 2003 and is considered one of the oldest online writing communities. The Critique Circle features a large portion of young members, ages 21 to 30; however, it also has a big group of older members. As its name suggests, the Critique Circle is the place to go for writers who need help fine-tuning their literary works. It is also an incredibly supportive community that thrives on camaraderie.

Whether you have written numerous books, or are just starting in your professional career, the above five literary groups can help you to receive the support, insight, and critiques needed to reach new levels of success. Remember that in order to get the most out of your chosen literary networks, you must “put in what you want to receive.” Through an open mind and a positive attitude, you can find the right online networks to help you thrive in your literary career.

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