# What are some good ways to get feedback on your writing skills? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 28, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745 "2013-07-28T18:29:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/1 "2013-07-28T18:29:59Z")
Lets assume you are out of school and want to become a better writer. None of your friends are good at giving writing feedback, nor do they have the time to continuously read your work. What can you do? ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/2 "2013-07-28T18:38:17Z")
I’ve had the same question, and I think the trick is to find some writing message boards where members share their work and offer constructive criticism. Still trying to find one that works for me, though. What kind of writing? ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/3 "2013-07-28T18:46:46Z")
If you’re talking non-fiction, I know of board full of people more than willing to criticize your grammar skills and give feedback on how well you stated whatever case you’re trying to make… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/4 "2013-07-28T18:56:07Z")
And if you’re talking fiction, I know one where budding writers have been able to find volunteers to check out their work, attacking it with their thinner nit-picking comb but in a constructive manner. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/5 "2013-07-28T19:30:25Z")
Non-fiction. I work in the legal field, and I thought it would be a good idea to keep my writing skills sharp by doing more extra-curricular writing. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/6 "2013-07-28T20:20:34Z")
Night school. Or, go to your local community center and see if they have a sheet up for the writing equivalent of Toastmasters, people who write stuff & critique each other. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/7 "2013-07-28T20:34:39Z")
There are over 1300 [meetup groups for writers](http://writers.meetup.com/) in 30 cities. Maybe there’s one near you. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/8 "2013-07-28T22:44:26Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > If you’re talking non-fiction, I know of board full of people more than willing to criticize your grammar skills and give feedback on how well you stated whatever case you’re trying to make… Funny, so do I. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/9 "2013-07-28T23:02:38Z")
I’m fond of the writer’s cafe website ---
**Author:** ![NotDeadYet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotDeadYet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotDeadYet)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-good-ways-to-get-feedback-on-your-writing-skills/664745/10 "2013-07-29T03:14:28Z")
A writing class at a good college. You will learn good grammar and be required to write papers on topics assigned as opposed to writing only what you want.