16 Facebook Groups for Writers You Don’t Want to Miss

Whether you’re a freelancer, a blogger, a fiction writer or anything in between, we could all use a little company on the sometimes lonely road known as the writing life.

Maybe you just got your first offer to ghostwrite a book and have no idea what to charge. Maybe your characters refuse to do what you want them to do (isn’t that just like them?), and you could use someone to commiserate with. Maybe it’s after midnight and you’re still up trying to wrestle the words into submission, and you dearly need to be talked down off the ledge.

Whatever the reason, Facebook groups can be a fantastic way for writers to connect, trade advice, swap war stories and find new opportunities. Knowing there are other people out there who “get” what it’s like to be a writer can be a huge comfort, and the chance to share experience and tips with people on all stages of the writing journey is invaluable.

So we polled writers to find out which Facebook groups they personally could not live without. (Want to share this list? Click to tweet it.) Here are the results:

1. The Write Life Community

We’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you about our own Facebook group! Writers of all experience levels can share their struggles and wins, ask each other questions and otherwise support and encourage the community throughout the writing life.

2. Calls for Submissions

More than 32,000 members must be onto something. This group collects submission calls for poetry, fiction and art and presents them all in one easy-to-follow place. If you’re looking for publication opportunities, it’s worth checking out.

3. Create Your Nomadtopia

If you’re taking your leap into the writing life one step further and considering a location-independent lifestyle (one of the many perks of being a writer), this group is a great resource for learning more about it, finding advice and ideas and getting support from those who are also living their own nomadtopias.

4. Indie Author Group

One of the bigger communities of indie authors and self-publishers (with a focus on fiction), this group is a great place to get advice, air your grievances and find lesser-known authors. The only downside is that membership is so big it can be hard to connect one-on-one with individual members.

5. Indie Writers Unite!

Open to indie writers of all kinds, this group allows self-promotion only in admin-created threads, and has a fair but firm panel of moderators who keep spammers and trolls at bay.

6. Rockin’ the Side Gig

By The Write Life founder Alexis Grant, this group is for “side hustlers” — those holding down day jobs while building their writing biz on the side. Share motivation and resources, ask questions and get much-needed support for this demanding (but rewarding) spin on the writing life.

7. Smart Passive Income Kindle Group

Ever wanted to write a Kindle book or wondered how the process works? Join this group to get a behind-the-scenes look at popular blogger Pat Flynn’s own journey to publish a Kindle book from start to finish. In addition to watching Pat’s journey, readers have a chance to ask questions, share their own advice and experiences and get feedback on similar projects they’re working on.

8. We Blog…A Blogging Community

A great place for bloggers to connect, share ideas and find new readers by promoting their own blogs.

9. Blogging Boost

Another group chock full of advice, resources and support for bloggers, this group limits self-promotion to Mondays only, which helps save your feed from over-saturation.

10. Write On! Online

An extension of a live group that started at a Barnes & Noble in California in 2002, this “writer’s support group” aims at helping writers set goals, troubleshoot and network. It tries to foster a sense of community and energy among its wide range of members, who vary in terms of age, experience and writing genre. As one member told us, “They have a supportive environment and a very informative podcast. Another great group to provide that much needed ‘kick in the pants’ without the guilt.”

11. Fiction Writers Group

Created in 2009 with 7,500+ members around the world, this group also publishes three anthologies a year. Whether you’re a traditional, self-published or indie author, this group is a great resource for information, support or simply “a kick in the butt to get you going,” as one TWL reader commented. Self-promotion is not allowed, but you are able to post an excerpt from your current project for critique by other members.

12. Children’s Authors and Illustrators on Facebook

Whether you pen picture books or YA novels, this group is a place to connect with aspiring writers, published authors and children’s lit fans. Trade tips, share the latest industry news, discover new authors and share your own project (on one dedicated thread that keeps all other self-promotion out of the group’s feed).

13. Writers Write

If you’re looking for less of a participatory experience and more of a compendium of all things writing, this group is a fun news source of recent doings in the writing world. Recent posts include a Sotheby’s auction of the first edition of The Great Gatsby, interviews with famous writers seen online and on TV and a story on NASA’s desire to launch haikus into space. Dare we say it’s a great way to kill a little “writer’s block” time?

14. Careful Cents Freelancers Club

When you join the Club, you get access not only to the exclusive Facebook group, but also many other goodies like targeted job offers and opportunities, guest posting gigs and media opportunities, monthly Q&As and Twitter chats. It’s a community and job board all in one!

15. Writers Helping Writers

Whether you’re a newbie looking for advice or an established pro who’d like to pay it forward, this community is a great place to support and learn from other writers, as well as editors, publishers, agents and more.

16. The Literati Writers

This group came up several times in our discussions with writers and is also highly recommended, but at a price tag of $197 per quarter, it may not be for everyone. That said, this fee covers much more than just access to the Facebook group; you also get to participate in live author interviews, Google+ Hangouts, weekly accountability check-ins, personal sessions with founder Dave Ursillo and the chance to contribute to the Literati blog and digital book projects. You can request an invite through The Literati Writers’ site. source www.thewritelife.com