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Hi Manuscript Workers,
Earlier this year I shared a post about how to establish a writing group to exchange drafts and get peer feedback from other scholars. Today’s post is about another kind of writing group — the online coworking group.
The idea behind this type of group is that you meet virtually with other people who need to get writing done and you work together in the same online space for a scheduled period of time. Ideally, writing with others can bring a sense of solidarity and support, even if you don’t specifically discuss your work with other members of the group. Establishing set meeting times can also bring structure and routine to your writing practice, helping you cultivate productive habits. Not everyone needs or wants to write with others, but if you do, this post is for you.
An online coworking group could be an excellent complement to the programs I’m offering this summer — if you want to devote some time to working on your book proposal through my Book Proposal Accelerator or self-paced Book Proposal Shortcut programs, or learning developmental editing skills through my Developmental Editing for Academics self-study course, you could sign up for a coworking group and designate the scheduled time to complete my programs. Of course you can use your coworking time to work on anything else too!
I recently started collecting a list of online coworking groups for writers. Thank you to everyone who sent me links on Twitter and to my colleague Elizabeth DeWolf who helped me compile them.
You can see that list below, sorted into three categories: free groups, groups that charge a membership fee and may come with more interaction and support, and groups associated with larger organizations (which also may carry a fee).
If you run a group or know of one that you think other scholarly writers should know about (that isn’t listed below), please leave a comment on this post with a link and description so we can continue building the list!
Free Groups
Writing Sessions with Katherine Fusco: two-hour sessions for academic writers hosted by editor and coach Katherine Fusco, offered every Friday.
Shut Up & Write!: sessions ranging from an hour to 90 minutes for writers of all genres offered on multiple days and time zones.
Writers’ Hour: one-hour sessions for writers of all genres hosted by the London Writers’ Salon offered four times daily on weekdays.
Zoom Cowriting Time for Writers & Creatives: 90-minute sessions for writers of all genres hosted Monday–Thursday by writer, editor, and coach Allison K Williams.
#1000wordsofsummer: a two-week accountability challenge for writers of all genres to write 1,000 words per day hosted by author Jami Attenberg.
Focusmate: three co-working sessions per week ranging from 25 to 75 minutes for people trying to make progress on any kind of task (not only writing).
#100DaysOfWriting: a 100-day accountability challenge for academic writers hosted by Margaret Echelbarger.
14-Day Writing Challenge: two-week accountability challenges for academic writers to write 30 minutes each weekday hosted by the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity.
Co-Working and Parallel Play for Storytellers, Writers, and Everyone: 90-minute sessions for writers of all genres hosted by storyteller and coach Laura Packer a few times per month.
(pRn) Writing Groups: two-hour sessions for writers of all genres hosted by the Posthuman Research Nexus twice per week.
#MelbWriteUp: day-long pomodoro-based sessions for academics hosted by RMIT University once every two weeks, based in Australia.
Let’s Write: a ten-day accountability challenge for writers of all genres hosted by Epilogue Editing and Consulting, offered seasonally.
Virtual Writing Groups: sessions for authors writing about schools and education hosted by Schoolmarm Advisors.
A Very Important Meeting: one-hour sessions (including mindfulness meditations) for writers of all genres offered on multiple days and time zones.
Membership-Based Groups
A Meeting With Your Writing: 90-minute sessions for academics hosted by Jo Van Every of the Academic Writing Studio, offered Mondays and Thursdays for a sliding monthly membership price of 25–75£ per month.
The Writer’s Helm: two sessions per week hosted by Scribe & Sunshine Editing Services as part of the broader Writer’s Helm membership package (which also includes Q&As, brainstorming sessions, a Slack community, and access to workshops), ranging from $27–47 per month or $500 per year.
Creating in Community: six-week packages of two-hour weekly sessions for academics hosted by Goldenrod Editorial on Wednesdays for a membership price of $295 per package.
Heart-Head-Hands Writing Group: two three-hour sessions per week for writers of all genres hosted by educator, writer, and coach Beth Godbee on a sliding-scale basis (free option available).
Thrive PhD: daily “work togethers” for graduate students hosted by Dr. Katy Peplin as part of a broader membership package (which includes scholarship resources, coaching, a podcast, and a network of other scholars), starting at $4.99 per month.
Faculty Career Launch Co-Working: 90-minute sessions four times per week for early-career faculty hosted by Dr. Kimberly Hale as part of the broader Faculty Career Launch program (which includes career planning resources, coaching, and a Slack community), for $2,500 per year.
Online Writing Room: weekly two-hour sessions for writers of all genres hosted by the University of Arizona Writing Skills Improvement Program on Wednesdays, free for UA students and $70 per year for other writers as part of a broader writing skills development program.
Virtual Writing Studio: weekly two-hour sessions for writers of all genres hosted by writer Helen Sword as part of the broader WriteSPACE membership package (which also includes writing resources, events, workshops, and coaching), for $15 per month or $150 per year.
Association-Based Groups
MLA Site and Write Sessions: monthly 90-minute sessions hosted by the Modern Language Association for its members.
SWS Writing Groups: daily sessions ranging from 2-3 hours hosted by Sociologists for Women in Society for its members.
Online Writing Retreats: three-hour sessions hosted by the Women’s History Network on Fridays for its members.
Happy writing, and I’ll see you here next week. I’ll be sharing a bit more about my upcoming developmental editing course and a free masterclass I’ll be offering on editing scholarly texts like a pro, so be sure to check your email on Wednesday if those sound interesting to you!
How to find an online writing group
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