# Online Writing Workshop Communities That Actually Work?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 10, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635 "2009-01-10T04:28:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635/1 "2009-01-10T04:28:24Z")

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Is there anywhere online where people exchange (preferably fictional) writing in “workshop” style, and where the criticism actually tends to have some value?

I’ve seen a few in the past but usually everyone is too fluffy and gentle with each other and no real critique gets done.

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**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635/2 "2009-01-10T04:35:06Z")

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I’d imagine this forum would be as good a place as any.

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635/3 "2009-01-10T05:14:25Z")

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Well…

I feel too much like I sort of know and am known by people here. There are people here I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of, you see.

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**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635/4 "2009-01-10T05:40:24Z")

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Triggerstreet.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-writing-workshop-communities-that-actually-work/480635/5 "2009-01-10T16:10:31Z")

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For science fiction/fantasy/horror, the answer is clear: [Critters](http://www.critters.org). As proof, here is the list of publications by member for last week:

> [@](#):
>
> Woohoo! Congratulations to…
> 
> ```
> - Richard S Levine, whose (Critter'd) short story, "Myron's
> Debarkation" is now out in the current issue of Raygun Revival
> magazine online.
> 
> - Seth Herman, who sold his (Critter'd) short story, "Outcast"
> to Golden Visions Magazine.
> 
> - Chad Jones, who reports "my horror/sci-fi comic book,
> "Netherworld," is available for order in this month's Diamond
> Previews. Check it out at http://www.studio-407.com".
> 
> - Jay Werkheiser, who sold his (Critter'd) short story,
> "Thanksgiving Day" to Analog. {This is my very first sale!
> The story went through the Critters queue twice. Many thanks
> to all those critters who forced me to take a hard look at it
> and make the necessary improvements.}
> 
> - Richard Zwicker, who sold his (Critter'd) short story,
> "Radiance" to Golden Visions. {Thanks to everyone who critiqued
> this story.}
> 
> - Matthew Wimmer, who sold his short story, "Just a Room,
> Out in Space" to Ray Gun Revival. {I owe a lot to Critters for
> this sale.}
> 
> ```

Remember, this is for _one week._ There are, of course, many in the group (several hundred active), but as you can see, people are selling ficion.