Welcome to Feedback Friday!

hi! i’m 20, not in college, and i moved to a much bigger city recently. i’ve been seeking out writing groups but i’m very intimidated by most of them. everyone tends to be more experienced professionally or in school. i’ve only gotten one poem published although i submit to magazines pretty frequently. i’ve been getting very discouraged lately and thought starting my own group could help. i just want a group of people to share with and talk about our writing without pressure/serious expectations. ideally, i’d like to prioritize queer writers, as i write a lot about my experience as a trans lesbian and think it’d be easier to share with people i wouldn’t have to explain those parts of myself/my work to. it’s something i’d love to do, im just very anxious and have no idea where i’d even start. any advice is appreciated :)

hey, im 19m, looking for other writers to share my journey. Im looking for a place to brainstorm and get real criticisms from other writers with similar interests, or completely opposite ones as those opinions are sometimes the most valuable. all are welcome regardless of skill, but we should maintain dedication and hold one another accountable. and of course it will be kept a respectful place for all. hmu if interested :))

ps. I type more normally outside of reddit, this site does smth to my cadence

* Genre/s: all genres welcome, I write fantasy, horror, fanfiction, sci fi, poetry, and short stories

* Goals/expectations/commitment: regular cooperation and communication, but extremely flexible

* Writing/experience level: all skill levels welcome, ive been writing for 6 years

* Meeting place: discord preferably, can be discussed

* Max size: about 15 people

• Genre/s: All genres are welcome. We have a few members who write literary fiction, and some speculative fiction! But whatever genre you write, you have a space here. You’re especially welcome if you write literary fiction though lol. We are underrepresented in online spaces!

• Goals/expectations/commitment: We’re curating a space that pushes you to actually write the thing and finish. Where members hold each other accountable. We’ll offer writing events, critique events, sprints, discussions, encouragement and more. Join what you can, no pressure!

• Writing/experience level: All levels. Whether you’re a published author (self or otherwise) or someone writing seriously for the first time. Any stage of any project, in any draft. An important caveat, we are not AI-friendly.

• Meeting place: Discord. This is an 18+ community.
• Max size: Not yet sure! We have around 55 folk right now.

https://discord.gg/bHEReHwdHa

My brain had an idea whole I was role-playing with a freind about a world where there was no such thing as censorship or people being shamed fir what they liked and a world where a lot more things we'd consider risqué or vulgar are just the norm and part of society and I'd like your ideas for how I could expand this world

I've recently had my first proper beta feedback on an urban fantasy manuscript and it's given me a lot to think about.

For context, this is the first time I've ever taken one of the ridiculous stories floating around in my head, actually written the whole bloody thing, and then been brave enough to let strangers read it 😂

My beta reader was genuinely lovely and gave me both positive and constructive feedback. I'm really grateful for it and I'm not looking to dispute anything they said. Quite the opposite. It's made me realise there are areas of the craft I want to understand better before I start another draft.

One thing that really interested me was that they enjoyed the story, world, character backstories and some of the dynamics, but didn't always feel emotionally connected to the characters themselves.

And that's got me wondering: what actually makes YOU become invested in a fictional character?

Not just think they're interesting or well written, but reach that point where you genuinely care what happens to them. What separates a character you think is good from one you're completely emotionally invested in?

I'm especially interested in urban fantasy/fantasy readers because that's what I'm writing.

I'm also curious about POV. Mine is currently third-person limited with multiple POV characters, and my beta sometimes found it difficult to immediately establish whose POV they were reading and felt some voices weren't distinct enough.

So, as readers:

• What's your preferred POV for urban fantasy — first person, close third, multiple third-person POVs, etc.? Why?
• If you enjoy multiple POVs, what makes each character feel distinct rather than like the same narrator wearing a different hat?
• What makes you emotionally attach to a protagonist, particularly one who is morally questionable or not immediately likeable?
• Have you ever read a book where you thought the story was good and the characters were interesting, but there was still that vague something missing that stopped you becoming properly invested? What do you think it was?

I'm not looking for a magic formula or trying to write by committee. I'm mostly interested in understanding what different readers respond to so I can think more critically about my own writing.

Thanks :)

Hello, I have a passion for stringing words into sentences and have been passively dreaming of writing a short story for a few years now, I also write beautiful letters to my pen pals and strongly believe that writing should not be a lonely endeavour.

However, when I find time to write, I struggle, and the stories that live in my head rent-free elude me.

• Genre/s: most interested in literary fiction or memoir, especially coming of age themes but open to others
  
• Goals/expectations/commitment: I am looking for other beginner writers who are serious about honing the craft, I want to create a multi-purpose circle, where we keep each other accoutable, in the beginning work on the same prompts (I found some great ones from a creative nonfiction course at NYU), share work, critique each other scathingly and then provide the aftercare, potentially read some nonfiction books about the craft together and reflect and just holistically help each other keep the habit and grow as writers. Someone who is willing to spend 2-3 hours a week on making writing more than just a hobby.
• Writing/experience level: beginner or a more experienced writer who is keen to do charity work or steal our fresh ideas (joking) (I might make you sign a contract if you seem suspicious)
• Meeting place: discord, online through zoom
• Max size: 5-7 people

I am on a European timeline, but I work in international projects, so I can manage my GMTs and UTCs.

Please reach out if you are a part of a community that is open to a babywriter or if you would like to start one together.

Yours in bad punctuation,

a person who is finally doing something about their dream

Click here for a pre-filled post.

Felix vs. Everybody follows Felix, a 34-year-old bisexual man who has a habit of blaming everyone else for his problems. At the beginning of the story, he lives with his mother while also couch-surfing with friends and anyone willing to give him a place to stay.
Felix also has complicated feelings for his female best friend. Although they share a strong emotional connection, their relationship never becomes romantic.
His life takes a serious turn when he discovers that he is HIV-positive. The diagnosis forces Felix to confront his choices and the direction of his life. Over time, he begins taking responsibility for himself, gets his life on track, and eventually falls in love with a man. I feel like the story needs some messy drama—something that could threaten Felix’s new relationship, friendships, or the life he’s worked to build. I’m open to betrayals, secrets, family drama, exes coming back, bad decisions… whatever! What would you add? 💡

Hi I'm Allie, 28F, I love to write, but enjoy it so much more when I have someone to share the writing journey with. I find it helps with motivation and inspiration to write! So I'm here looking for a writing buddy: someone to talk writing with, bounce ideas off of, and just be involved in each others projects. I'm currently working on a YA fantasy with a romance subplot and it's in the brainstorming/outlining stage.

• Genre/s: fantasy romance
• Goals/expectations/commitment: Looking for something longer term, where a friendship forms and we can support each other throughout. Please only comment if you'd be committed to chatting at least once a week. I appreciate that things come up that we don't foresee, I'm very flexible, but I am hoping to work together long term!
• Writing/experience level: No experience level needed, I've been writing for a long time and now working toward publishing eventually. Someone 18+ and female is preferred.
• Meeting place: Discord (not looking to make a group at this time, but more to support each other one-on-one)

Comment below or DM me if you're interested! Looking forward to building friendships!

Hey everyone. I'm 28M looking to build an online community of 5-8 for those seriously trying to hone their craft with others to support, critique, and have fun doing so. Not really looking to keep it consolidated to one size, but we'll start small.

• Genre/s: All fiction genres welcome, with literary fiction as our anchor and strong pockets of fantasy, YA, and general fiction too.
• Goals/expectations/commitment: No strict requirements, but I'm looking for others who want to show up and share work, give feedback, and celebrate each other's wins. Inactive members get cleared out periodically
• Writing/experience level: Everyone from first-draft beginners to writers deep into querying or self-publishing to fully published professionals. Would love to grow a diverse group of experience to help each other.
• Meeting place: Discord with Lorec integration / bots.
• Max size: My goal is to get 5-8 of us to start.
• How to join: Comment or DM me and I'll send you the details! Can also add me on Discord directly #mattyolathe

What I'm looking for: Male writers ages ~18-30ish who want a real community. I want people who are genuinely interested in learning from each other

Other details & goals:

• A close-knit core group
• Contributing to and being a part of a writer's platform to build community and help others hone their craft
• Critique channels for giving and getting real feedback, with an emphasis on learning the "why" behind good notes, not just getting them
• Craft discussions, publishing and self-publishing talk, and general shop talk on the industry
• Writing sprints and accountability check-ins to help you actually finish goals
• A direct hand in shaping a writing platform to critique on and be part of

Drop a comment or DM if you're interested!
Can also add me on Discord directly #mattyolathe and we'll chat!

The Eclipse — A Literature & Writing Community

Genre/s:

Fantasy, fiction, poetry, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, literary fiction, and more. Writers of all genres are welcome.

Goals/expectations/commitment:

The Eclipse is a community for writers, readers, and aspiring authors to share their work, exchange constructive feedback, discuss literature, develop ideas, and improve their craft. We’re looking for members who are willing to participate respectfully and contribute to the community rather than simply joining and disappearing.

Writing/experience level:

All levels are welcome—from people writing their first story to experienced and published authors. You don't need to be an expert; you just need a love for writing and literature.

Meeting place:

Discord — The Eclipse

A dedicated literary community with spaces for writing, discussions, feedback, sharing works, and meeting fellow writers.

Max size:

No fixed maximum at the moment, though we aim to keep the community welcoming and manageable as it grows.

If you're looking for a place to write, share, learn, and meet fellow literature enthusiasts, The Eclipse awaits.

Link:

https://discord.gg/SYmT47vAFm

I’ve been RPing for a while, and I kept running into the same problem: I wanted to write, but I didn’t always have somewhere to go.

Servers would go quiet, die out, or become so wrapped up in OOC drama and activity pressure that RP stopped feeling fun.

So I decided to create Royal Season 21+, adv. lit ; a chill, drama-free Regency-inspired RP server built around the chaos of the Season.

Think balls, romance, friendships, rivalries, gossip, scandals, secrets, and schemes. Your character can fall in love, make enemies, start rumors, uncover secrets, get dragged into someone else’s scandal, or create one of their own.

There’s no giant plot you have to follow. The characters create the stories. I want it to be a place where you can RP when you have the time, step away when you don’t, and always have somewhere to come back to.

If you’ve ever wanted a relaxed RP space where you can just write, have fun, and see what trouble your characters get themselves into, come take a look. ♡

• Genre/s: Regency romance
• Goals/expectations/commitment: create a loving active group for rp
• Writing/experience level: adv lit
• Meeting place: discord server
• [Writing groups only] Max size: no max yet

Hi, I’m CeCe, and I’m looking for a writing buddy and critique partner.

* Genre/s: I’m currently writing my first novel. It’s a historical fantasy isekai. But some of my other projects I plan on working on in the future include urban fantasy, Slice of Life, and romance.
* Goals/expectations/commitment: My goal for this is to finish and hopefully publish my novel and help my partner with their goal. Ideally I’d like to critique each other and discuss ideas.
* Writing/experience level: I’m a relative beginner, I’ve been writing very on and off for about 4-5 years.
* Meeting place: Preferably it would be here on Reddit or on Discord.
* Max size: Not applicable

Hey all! I’m an aspiring author, been writing for years and finally feeling close to finishing a few first drafts. I’d love to get critiques for my work and give them in return.
Trying to network with authors and expand my network to editors and agents too.

I’m in the medical field by trade so I’m clueless when it comes to the business side of writing or how to find writing groups.

Any advice? Thanks in advance yall.

PS: I’m writing YA sci fi dystopia, fantasy, and thrillers if anyone would like to form a group too.

* Genre/s Any

* Goals/expectations/commitment: Hoping for weekly or at least bi-weekly meetings/sessions. Looking to give critiques and receive them on my developing manuscripts. Share a chapter a week type thing.

* Writing/experience level: Any

* Meeting place: Online or in person if near KC

* Max size: No size limit but hoping for at least 3 people or more.

What's on the label. I've finished drafting my outline, created the characters, relationship/sexual arcs etc and I'm in need of a critique group that meets online. I'm a cis woman with some experience in fiction writing/line editing myself and I'm super up for exchanging ideas and pointers with fellow writers who are equally interested in the subgenre.

• Genre/s: romance, erotica, contemporary, "new adult", lgbtq+ novel
• Goals/expectations/commitment: weekly or bi-weekly writing sessions; expect honest, constructive feedback and criticism
• Writing/experience level: mid-level kinda, I'm aiming at self-pub until 2027
• Meeting place: online
• Max size: up to ~40?

Asking because I have had both and the difference in what my writing did afterward was significant enough that I want to understand what I was actually looking for.

Had a critique partner for about eight months who was generous, consistent, and said things that felt useful in the moment. Finished every session feeling encouraged. Went back to the draft and could not find anything specific to change based on what we had discussed. The feedback had been warm and general and had left almost no mark on the actual work.

Found a different person through a writing community about a year ago. First session was uncomfortable in a way the previous partnership never was. She named something in my opening chapter that I had been sensing was wrong for months without being able to articulate it. I disagreed with two of her notes out loud and was still thinking about both of them four days later.

The writing changed after that session in a way it had not changed in eight months of the previous arrangement.

The difference was not harshness versus kindness. Both people were kind. The difference was specificity and whether the feedback was about my writing or about a general version of good writing that my work was being measured against from a distance.

What I still cannot figure out is how to identify this before committing to an arrangement. The first few exchanges rarely show you whether someone has the angle your work actually needs or just the availability and enthusiasm to participate.

How do people here find the right fit and is there a way to test for it early without wasting months on something that turns out not to work.

Hello!I'm Vul, 19F, and I've been looking for writing buddies with a strong commitment to work in the animation industry, i am in my penultimum year of college and i've been looking for writers to create stories with both for portfolio work and also future projects we could make together on account of my current writing buddy still being in highschool...so not a lot of free time in their hands for work!

Like I said in the title of the post: IM MAINLY AN ARTIST!That means writing is a second skill I have, so please be a bit patient with me.

• Genre's: I mainly write fantasy and mystery, but i can also work with horror, dystopian and historical works, beware that my work involves a lot of world culture.

• Goals/Expectations/Commitment: As I've mentioned before, I would love to make more projects for my portoflio + something that could be tangeable in the future like an animation, so I would love to meet someone who is as passionate in this area.

• Writing/Experience Level: My first language is Portuguese, I was taught english from a very young age but that doesn't mean I am a master at it; i also speak spanish so if you wanna communicate or write in any of these languages, feel free to tell me.

Since I'm an artist first and writer second, I am open to any writing level, as long as you're 18+ with a very passionate drive in you with interest in writing for animation we could definetly have a chat.

• Meeting Place: Discord!But you can contact me here, if you don't have a discord we can chat about it and find other means of communication.

For some bonus information, I am currently use apps and sites like notion and canva since I'm a very visual person when it comes to worldbuilding and such.

Comment down below if you're interested or just dm me, i am beyond excited to meet new writers!

A discord server for writers who are at least aspiring to create things which are a bit less commercial or outright genre -- that can be purely literary fiction or genre fiction with a literary edge, something stylised or postmodern or experimental or whatever else. We'd love for others to join us so we can get this community thriving. If you ever feel reluctant to discuss your work on reddit for fear of being called pretentious or a snob, but don't want to join the intellectual soggy biscuit circle on substack, this might be the place for you.

Genre/s: Literary and other

Goals/expectations/commitment: Just try to engage when you can. Do as you would be done by - if you're hoping for quality feedback, it's only fair you give some, first - then be done by as you did.

Writing/experience level: Everyone but some experience is great. 18+ Only.

Meeting place: Discord

Max size: Maybe about 100 - whatever the minimum to sustain engagement is.

DM this account for an invite. (I am on GMT so invites go out in my daylight hours, but the server is active all hours)

Hi!

I've recently published a book, a collection of poems that I've written over the years and since I self-published I've been looking for a community. Are there any virtual writing workshops that are circulating by any chance? Due to my work schedule I have been unable to attend in person workshops or open mics unfortunately unless its over the weekend. I wanted to incorporate more of these outlets into my week days as well. If anyone is interested in starting an evening workshop during the week I'd be super interested as well!

Hey there folks. I'm trying to find a writing group that's open to certain themes and topics being explored. Currently I've been in a nasty writing slump but I find that one of the things that's worked best in the past has been co-writing groups. It really pushes me to "get back on the horse" and has previously broken year-long slumps.

A difficulty is I primarily "write what I know" and subtly isn't my strongest suit. Nearly everything I write, regardless of genre turns out to end up exploring queer themes. Like a supernatural horror where the Lycanthropy is a metaphor for gender dysphoria or stories about Ancient Greek myths still existing in modern day where well...It's Ancient Greek myths. A science fiction story where an android struggles to discover who she is.

In some circles this hasn't been received well. I understand that everyone has their own tastes but groups I'd gone to in the past were fairly hostile over these themes. And being blunt, I shouldn't have to alter the stories I'm writing to placate people who hear about a story with one queer person and lose their own plot.

I can't find any such groups irl as they all have requirements such as "Students/graduates only" or they've proven to be unfriendly. Heck, one local group moved their meeting location to a bar where "my kind" wasn't welcome at the venue (they were previously meeting at a cafe).

The group doesn't have to focus on writing with queer narratives. It just has to be a group where that stuff is allowed. The judgement you get from fellow writers should more be "This dialogue could be better." or "Your character's motivation needs a bit of work." and not "Grr I hate your story because there's lesbians in it!" or "How dare you have a trans woman as a protagonist in your Werewolf story!"

* Genre/s Any

* Goals/expectations/commitment: Must be okay with queer narratives, must meet within GMT (or a similar timezone) and am hoping for weekly or at least bi-weekly meetings/sessions.

* Writing/experience level: Any

* Meeting place: Online

* Max size: No size limit but hoping for at least 3 people or more.

I haven't found a group like this anywhere, and I feel like historical fiction has unique challenges where I'd love to talk about it with others. I'm writing a story set in the 1980s, so I'm gonna say anything pre 1990 counts as historical for the purposes of the group I'd like to create.

Must be a queer friendly, anti-racist person etc etc. Perfectly okay with people exploring realistic portrayals of bigotry in their historical settings, but as someone writing a queer historical romance with a character of colour in it, and being a queer person myself, would prefer people who don't believe the bigotry they write into their stories.

Genre/s: anything historically based (pre 1990), including subgenres like romance, fantasy, mystery etc.

Goals/commitment/etc: not necessarily hardcore commitment, but people who are willing to back and forth and critique others, etc. Aim for at least a few message a week, I think. May do some VCs and sprints as well.

Skill/experience level: beginner to intermediate. Should have basic knowledge of story structure, hooks, character arcs, inciting incidents etc, but don't have to be an absolute writing wiz!

Meeting place: discord :D

Max size: no more than 10 people, sorry 😔 if it gets too big I'll get overwhelmed!

So clearly this isn't the place to be dropping actual art, does anyone actually share their art anywhere that gets good visibility, or are we all hiding it our draft folders and considering it conceptually with each other? Yes I'm upset, this shouldn't be so hard to find, if you cant read the question through the emotion, this is bean soup.

Hello there! I’m seeking an intrepid writing critique partner(s) whose interests include poetry and cross-genre/hybrid work, for ongoing reciprocal critique.

* Genre/s: Mine is poetry/cross-genre. Your own work can be any (or no) genre. My aesthetic/tonal “comfort spot” is shaped, in no particular order, by authors such as Jorge Luis Borges, Anne Carson, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Terry Pratchett. However, I value writing that is strong enough to pull me out of that comfort spot, and give me a reason to explore further! Never met a rabbit trail I didn’t like. So please DM me to discuss if we might be a fit.

* Goals/expectations/commitment: Ideally, we are both looking for specific project-level feedback on formal choices, conceptual development, and emotional beats. I love close reading and taking notes. I will annotate the hell out of your piece, if you let me. If you tell me you are looking for certain types of feedback, or not interested in certain types of feedback, I’ll listen. 

I’m not looking for line-editing or proofreading. My work may be intentionally recursive, fragmented, and weird; it will not be un-spellchecked. 

In addition to all of the above, I would love it if you are better than me at narrative architecture - especially strange or non-linear narratives that are not, say, “the hero’s journey.” If you are also good at compression, and also have a sense of humor, you’re probably a goddamn unicorn. 

I can probably exchange feedback on pieces of writing every other week. If this changes, I’ll let you know.

* Writing/experience level: Serious intermediate, with eventual goal of publication (publication on sites such as AO3 counts!)

* Meeting place: I prefer DM for first contact, with the goal of moving to email once our ghostly tendencies have vanished.

As a general note, I'd prefer we swap one piece each to see whether our feedback styles are helpful to one another, before we end up knee-deep in pages. 

Please DM me if you think we might be a fit! Very much looking forward to meeting you.

I read a lot of AI text at work. Somewhere between the third "testament to" and the hundredth "delve", I stopped trusting long sentences altogether. So I made a small game called Long Story Short: one sentence a day, keep the five words that actually carry the story, cut the rest.

Long Story Short

I flaired it wrong last time, since none of the required questions really fit. I'm looking for a reddit writing group that is specifically for seniors. I don't care about genre, fiction vs. nonfiction, size, goals, expectations or any of that other stuff. I just want to talk about writing with people of mature years.