creative writing courses boston

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22 Best Creative Writing Classes in Boston

Showing 22 courses that match your search.

Create: Free Draft Generator with Camille Cabrera

This course provides a platform for new writers or those seeking inspiration to generate new writing projects through engaging prompts. Participants will connect with peers and learn about further writing opportunities.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/seminar/create-free-draft-generato...

Categories: Fiction, Short Story, Essay, Memoir, Nonfiction, and Poetry

Start date:

December, 2024

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Jumpstart Your Writing

The course focuses on creative writing through engaging exercises that promote character creation, dialogue, and vivid imagery, catering to both beginners and experienced writers. Participants will read various short pieces from renowned authors.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/find-a-class

Categories: Book, Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, and Poetry

October, 2024

Intro to Poetry

This in-person course emphasizes practical writing exercises, encouraging students to explore their poetic voices through studying modern and contemporary poets. The atmosphere is collaborative, with on-the-spot feedback from peers and the instructor.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/find-a-class/

Categories: Poetry

September, 2024

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Writing the Risky Personal Essay

This course focuses on writing personal essays that tackle dark and emotional subjects like trauma, loss, and relationships. Students will analyze exemplary works and engage in writing exercises to develop their essay-writing skills.

Categories: Essay, Memoir, and Nonfiction

Finding Your Memoir

This hands-on course helps writers in the early stages of memoir writing. It covers the structure of memoirs, themes, voice, and story arc, with in-class writing exercises and discussions on published memoirs.

Categories: Book, Memoir, and Nonfiction

This six-week online course focuses on essential poetry techniques, including imagery, musicality, and persona, using published poems for inspiration. Students will engage in writing exercises, receive feedback, and leave with several new poems.

August, 2024

Intro to the Personal Essay

This course teaches the essentials of personal essay writing through weekly discussions on craft elements and published examples. Students will write and workshop at least two essays during the course.

Categories: Essay and Nonfiction

Queery-ing: Navigating Agents and Publishers While Queer

A 3-hour online seminar focusing on the publishing industry for LGBTQ+ writers, covering query letters, industry language, agent contracts, and challenges faced by marginalized writers.

Categories: Book and Publishing

Prerequisites: Intended for LGBTQ+ writers only.

Backstory and Flashback

This seminar explores how backstory and flashback can enhance narratives by providing context and character motivation. Participants analyze passages from noted authors and engage in writing exercises to apply techniques learned.

Website: https://grubstreet.org

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Short Story

Prerequisites: Come prepared to write, and bring a brief one to two paragraph description of your project.

Teen Summer: DIY Comic Book Making

This course allows teens to create a mini-comic over the course of a week, focusing on story development, writing, sketching, and finalizing comic pages. It includes workshops, peer collaboration, and is designed for all experience levels.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/teen-summer-diy-comic-boo...

Categories: Book, Short Story, Fiction, and Kids

Prerequisites: Only for teens aged 13 to 18

Viable Paradise

Viable Paradise is a one-week residential workshop focusing on writing and selling science fiction and fantasy. The program offers personal critiques, lectures, and informal discussions with experienced authors and editors. Emphasizing a supportive atmosphere, it also includes group meals and social activities.

Website: https://viableparadise.com/

Categories: Science Fiction and Fantasy

Prerequisites: Application with cover letter and 8,000 word manuscript.

Working Characters

This seminar focuses on how a character's occupation influences their decisions and perceptions, using readings from notable authors and writing exercises based on prompts.

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Boston

Congrats! By committing to taking a creative writing class in Boston, you’ve taken a big step towards improving your writing skills, and what better place to do it than in The City on a Hill? Some of the world’s most famous authors have come from Boston, including Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, and Louisa May Alcott—and you may be next to join their ranks.

This directory of the best writing courses in Boston is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Boston? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Boston for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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BU Creative Writing

for writers at Boston University and beyond

• Contributors

The Creative Writing Department’s Summer Class Offerings Are Here!

March 21, 2022 at 12:25 PM

It’s that time of year again — summer course listings have gone live! We have plenty of fantastic courses to offer — including a completely new, interdisciplinary class — and this summer is the perfect time to join us in the study and practice of Creative Writing! All Boston University Summer Term courses will be held on-campus and are open to more than just BU students — in addition to those already enrolled at BU, visiting domestic and international students, high school students, as well as adults and professionals, are welcome to register!

The department is running four sections of CAS EN 202 (“Introduction to Creative Writing”) this summer, and each of our wonderful instructors will bring a different twist to the class! In the first summer session, section A2 will be taught by program administrator and poet Annaka Saari, who often infuses her syllabi with multimedia content; in particular, she is fascinated with the overlap between film and poetry). Section A1 will be taught by current fiction student, graphic novelist, and comic artist Jess Ruliffson. In the second summer session, section B1 will be taught by current fiction student and journalist Melkon Charchoglyan, while section B2 will be taught by current poetry student and Favorite Poem Project content creator Nate Miller. All sections of this course will center around the writing workshop and will allow students to create original work while receiving feedback from their peers and instructor.

Taught by award-winning poet and editor Lisa Hiton, CAS EN 304 (“The Writing of Poetry”) will allow students to dedicate themselves to studying the craft of poetry. Students will learn to read poems closely, with their attention focused on the craft elements of the work, and will be encouraged to apply what they learn to their own work. Students will receive feedback on their original poetry from their instructor and peers in the workshop environment.

CAS EN 305 (“The Writing of Fiction”)  is designed for students who wish to immerse themselves in the study of fiction. Taught by fiction writer Nayereh Doosti, this is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn from great works of fiction what they might apply to their own work. Students will learn to read like writers (that is, with an eye towards how stories are made) and will receive feedback on their own creative work from their instructor and peers in the workshop environment.

Our new course, CAS EN 549 (“Interdisciplinary Studies in Creative Writing: The Writer as Historian”) promises to indulge the curiosities of those interested in History, Creative Writing, or the overlaps and differences that exist between these fields. In this workshop-based course, students should expect to engage with both creative and historical readings, and some historical and historiographical lectures may be given. In engaging with this variety of instructional material, students will be asked to consider the ethical implications of infusing creative works with details taken from the pages of history.  Unlike our other course offerings, this class does require an application ; see the poster above, or contact program administrator Annaka Saari at [email protected], for details about the application process.

Among all of these classes, there should be something for everyone! Email program administrator Annaka Saari at [email protected] with any questions you may have and feel free to read more about our course offerings on the Summer Term website.

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Nadia Colburn

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Creative Writing Classes in Boston

Classes include nonfiction, poetry, mindfulness, and more, join my unique boston writing workshops.

NOTE: At this time, all of my classes are online. Check out my online classes:  Poetry of Attention ,  Write From Your Center ,  Align Your Story

Do you want to join a strong, respectful community of poets and creative nonfiction writers?

Do you want to tap into your creativity and expand your unique voice?

These courses focus on process, content and craft, and use mindfulness techniques, as well as my experience as an award-winning writer, editor and scholar to help you produce your most enduring, forceful and original work.

Classes also look closely at work by inspiring published authors such as Rumi, Rilke, Dickinson, Virginia Woolf, Lucille Clifton, Maxine Hong Kingston, Mary Oliver, Rebecca Solnit, Ross Gay and many others.

Space is limited! Classes are between 7-10 students to allow for plenty of individualized attention and real community.

Because of the small class size, writers are able to focus on individual projects and to ask for the kind of support and feedback they need.

Classes are open to writers of  all  levels, from beginners to professional writers working on their second or third book. Because the class is so small, I ask that everyone talk to me before signing up to see if you will be a good fit. This is one of the most unique creative writing classes in Boston.

Writers needn’t worry about being experienced enough. What’s important is that students are readers and come to the class with curiosity and a desire to be in a community of other writers.

Students report not only growing as writers, but also having breakthroughs in their lives outside of writing as they develop their voices and visions.

“Taking Nadia’s class changed my life, and I do not exaggerate when I say it is how I found my true life, my true self. I would highly recommend it!” –Joanne Reynolds, author of Comes a Blossom.

New classes will start March 30th. I’m enrolling for all my creative writing classes in Boston now and spaces will fill quickly. Contact me if you are interested, to ask any questions, and to enroll.

Workshop Goals

In this intimate, rigorous workshop, we will look closely at the work of other writers and at our own work, and at our processes as writers.

The writing class is open to writers of all levels, from beginning writers to published authors (and some of our beginning writers have gone on to publish their own books). Because of the small class size, the class is able to meet you where you are and help you define and meet individualized goals for yourself.

The class fosters a sense of curiosity about the process of writing itself and encourages experimentation and revision, play and seriousness.

The strong, supportive community always welcomes new members.

Form and Function

Class time will be divided between discussing published texts and workshopping students’ work. Pasts writers we have studied include Emily Dickinson, Mary Oliver, W. H. Auden, Linda Gregg, Ross Gay, W. G. Sebald, Ann Lamott, Eula Biss, and many others.

The small class size (capped at 8 or 9) allows students to engage deeply in individual projects and allows for much individualized feedback.

The class is open to poets, creative nonfiction writers, memoir writers and fiction writers.

I like to work in different genres, and I find that writers in one genre often grow by reading other genres. Similarly, it is helpful to have readers who write in different genres.

For example, it can be helpful for a memoir writer to look carefully at the way a poet attends to every word on the page. Similarly, it can be helpful for a poet to explore how a creative nonfiction writer explores perspective.

Class time may include meditation and time to write from prompts. This class cultivates mindful attention to the creative process itself as well as to the work on the page, and to careful reading and editing skills.

When and Where

NOTE: At this time, all of my classes are online. Check out my online classes: Poetry of Attention , Write From Your Center , Align Your Story

I offer these creative writing classes in Boston from my home. (8 minute walk from the Davis T stop and permits available for on-street parking for students in class)

Classes normally meet for ten Mondays, skipping holiday Mondays. Contact me to enroll or to ask questions.

Monday mornings from 10am-12:00 noon. This class will focus  on poetry, though we also have some prose writers

Monday afternoons from 12:30-2:30 This class will focus on developing prose works, especially memoir and creative nonfiction/personal essays.

If neither of these times work for you, contact me because I may offer a class at another day or time.

Cost for a ten class session: $600 (some discounts are available)

Read what students have said about the class  here

These courses are appropriate for writers at all levels, but because it is a private workshop in my house, students must CONTACT ME first to see if it will be a good fit.

To read more about me click  here

To read more testimonials from students click  here

If this course doesn’t fit your schedule, you may be interested in my  ONLINE COURSE Align Your Story , which you can go through at your own pace and which also offers module-by-module support one time per year. Once you enroll in Align Your Story, you have lifetime access.

And sign up for my newsletter to be notified of upcoming classes and workshops and to get free resources for writers.

See more about my philosophy and what to look for in a writing class in this blog post :   https://nadiacolburn.com/ten-important-things-to-look-for-in-a-writing-class

Contact me for more information or to join my Boston writing classes

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GrubStreet, Boston Public Library offer free creative writing classes

The free workshops this fall take place at the library’s Egleston Square and Mattapan branches.

GrubStreet, one of the nation’s leading creative writing centers, and Boston Public Library (BPL) have announced the relaunch of their neighborhood writing program, Write Down the Street. Together, the organizations will offer free creative writing workshops at BPL’s Egleston Square and Mattapan branches. This fall marks the second year of the program.

Participants can choose from low-commitment drop-in classes or a six-week bilingual writing workshop. Each drop-in session focuses on a unique theme, including natural disasters, immigration stories, and food.

The fall term of Write Down the Street will launch on Friday, October 6 with a six-week bilingual writing workshop at the Egleston Square Branch of the Boston Public Library, followed by drop-in classes at the Mattapan Branch of the Boston Public Library, beginning Tuesday, October 17.  BPL’s Teen Central at the Central Library and GrubStreet will also offer free teen classes, starting with a podcasting series that begins October 3.

“No matter your writing experience, these workshops are a great way to do fun exercises, get inspired by other writers, and receive feedback from classmates, if you choose to share your work,” says Denise Delgado, Write Down the Street instructor and GrubStreet Program Fellow.

Write Down the Street workshops not only provide free writing opportunities but also create inclusive spaces for writers. Workshop readings highlight literature by international writers and authors of color. The program also provides flexibility for caretakers, allowing participants to bring their families to drop-in sessions. With funding from the Calderwood Foundation, GrubStreet and the BPL will be expanding to offer free drop-in workshops for teens in the near future.

“The goal of Write Down the Street is to ensure that everyone in the city who wants to participate in the literary arts has access to great instruction and community,” says GrubStreet’s Executive Director, Eve Bridburg. “We believe in creating opportunity for communities currently underrepresented in publishing. Our hope is to help a diverse range of writers get inspired, hone their work and find audiences.”

“Boston Public Library is excited to collaborate once again with GrubStreet on the Write Down the Street program,” says David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “We had a great turnout last year at our Egleston Square and Grove Hall branches. This fall we look forward to engaging members of the Egleston Square and Mattapan writing communities, welcoming teens into the program, and we hope to expand this program to even more locations in the future.”

To learn more about these classes and for program updates, visit https://grubstreet.org/programs/neighborhood-classes/ .

Boston Public Library has a Central Library, twenty-four branches, map center, business library, and a website filled with digital content and services. Established in 1848, the Boston Public Library has pioneered public library service in America. It was the first large free municipal library in the United States, the first public library to lend books, the first to have a branch library, and the first to have a children’s room. Each year, the Boston Public Library hosts thousands of programs and serves millions of people. All of its programs and exhibitions are free and open to the public. At the Boston Public Library, books are just the beginning. To learn more, visit bpl.org .

Founded in 1997, GrubStreet has grown into the nation’s largest independent creative writing center. By rigorously developing voices of every type and talent and by removing barriers to entry, GrubStreet fosters the creation of meaningful stories and ensures that excellent writing remains vital and relevant. We offer over five hundred classes and events a year for writers of all genres and ambitions—from first-time poets or fledgling memoirists to MFA graduates and published novelists. Our flagship conference, The Muse and the Marketplace, was recently named “the #1 writing conference in North America” by The Writer Magazine, and attracts more than 800 attendees every year in Boston for three days of interactive sessions, meetings, and events.  For more information, please visit www.grubstreet.org and http://museandthemarketplace.com .

• Last updated: September 28, 2017

617.859.2319, [email protected]

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UMass Boston

• Creative Writing MFA

Further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life.

Intensive study and practice of fiction and poetry writing with award-winning and nationally renowned faculty at the most diverse university in new england..

UMass Boston's Creative Writing MFA offers you an intense, 3-year program and focused opportunity to further your commitment to writing as the center of your professional life. Through a combination of mentoring by accomplished faculty in a series of creative writing workshops, courses focused on the study of literature offered through the English MA Program, and electives that include the practice of literary editing, the teaching of creative writing, documentary poetics, the art of memoir, and more—you will have the guidance to develop and shape your work to the full extent of your talent.

All accepted students receive funding. Graduate assistantships offer the opportunity to work with students as teaching assistants and fellows, or in editorial positions with one of our sponsors, including 826 Boston, Hanging Loose Press, Write on the Dot, Consequence Magazine, Breakwater Review, and Arrowsmith Press.

Career Possibilities

Pursue a career as a professional writer, publishing your work in literary journals, magazines. Work as an editor and collaborate with writers to refine their work and shape the final product for publication. These are just a few of the possibilities.

Become a(n):

• Writer/Author
• Literary Agent
• Writing Instructor/Professor

Attend An Info Session     Start Your Application

Plan Your Education

How to apply.

Applicants must meet general graduate admission requirements in addition to the following program-specific requirements:

• A 3.0 GPA overall and in the student’s major
• Two substantive and detailed letters of recommendation, from former teachers familiar with the applicant’s most recent academic and creative work
• A 3-5 page personal statement focusing on the role of the candidate’s reading life in his or her development as a writer. (Note: The general Graduate Admissions application refers to this as a statement of interests and intent. They are one and the same.)
• Applicants must indicate whether they are applying in FICTION or POETRY in their Statement of Purpose. If you want to apply in both genres, include one writing sample in FICTION and one in POETRY and indicate in the Statement of Purpose that the application is for both.
• A writing sample of 10 manuscript pages of poetry or 20 manuscript pages of fiction

Deadlines & Cost

Deadlines: February 1 (priority) for fall. While rare, if space is available, we’ll happily consider applications until June 15 (final deadline).

Application Fee: The nonrefundable application fee is $75. UMass Boston alumni and current students that plan to complete degree requirements prior to graduate enrollment can submit the application without paying the application fee.

Estimate Your Program Cost: Get a feel for your expected program costs using the Graduate Program Cost Calculator .

Program Cost Information: For more detailed information on costs, please visit the Bursar's website .

Writing Workshops (24 Credits)

Complete one from below four times.

• CW 601 - MFA Poetry Workshop 6 Credit(s) or
• CW 602 - MFA Fiction Workshop 6 Credit(s)

Literature Courses (9 Credits)

Complete three graduate literature courses.

Electives (9 Credits)

Complete three from below.

• CW 605 - Memoir Workshop 3 Credit(s)
• CW 606 - Literary Editing and Publishing 3 Credit(s)
• CW 614 - The Teaching of Creative Writing 3 Credit(s)
• CW 675 - Creative Writing Internship 3 Credit(s)
• CW 697 - Special Topics in Creative Writing 1-6 Credit(s)

Students may elect courses offered by other graduate programs with approval from the graduate program director.

• ENGL 459 Seminar for Tutors may be taken for graduate credit (see Undergraduate Catalog)
• ENGL 675 - Reading and Writing Poetry 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 676 - Reading and Writing Fiction 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 681 - Advanced Workshop in Poetry 3 Credit(s)
• ENGL 682 - Advanced Workshop in Fiction 3 Credit(s)

Thesis Courses (6 Credits)

Complete the course below both semesters of the third year.

• CW 699 - MFA Thesis 3 Credit(s)

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog .

Graduation Criteria

Complete 48 credits from twelve courses including four writing workshops, three literature courses, three electives, and two semesters of thesis workshops.

The MFA degree requires six semesters of full-time study, with 9 credits required in each of the first four semesters, and 6 credits in the final two semesters, during which students will concentrate on completing a thesis in fiction or poetry under the direction of a faculty member. MFA workshops are limited to 12 students, and seminars are limited to 15. Students have the opportunity to interact with writers in our Global Voices Visiting Writer series (recent visitors have been Raquel Salas Rivera and Carole Maso), and work with visiting prose writers - recently these have included Jane Unrue, ZZ Packer, and Fanny Howe.

Capstone: Completion of an MFA thesis of 48 to 64 pages of poetry or 100 to 200 pages of fiction written under the supervision of a thesis advisor, reviewed by a thesis committee, and subject to a public defense.

Statute of limitations: Five years.

Contact & Faculty

Graduate Program Director John Fulton john.fulton [at] umb.edu (617) 287-6700

English & Creative Writing MFA Department englishmfaprogram [at] umb.edu (617) 287-6702

Fiction Faculty

John Fulton , Program Director & Associate Professor Askold Melnyczuk , Professor Eileen Pollack , Visiting Assistant Professor

Poetry Faculty

Jill McDonough , Professor Shangyang Fang , Associate Lecturer

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For contact information, please visit the Creative Writing website .

Our nationally recognized Creative Writing Program offers an intensive MFA in two genres: poetry and fiction. The program prepares writers to teach creative writing at the university and/or high school level and to become better critics of their own work as well as work written by others. We strive to make our students scholars of literature—that is, writers and critics aware of those upon whose shoulders they stand. Literature courses and familiarity with a second language are essential to our program’s stringent, global outlook.

In our program, a distinguished faculty of world-class novelists, poets, and critics lead small seminars, advise independent student writing, and engage in professional mentoring; under the guidance of this faculty, students become better writers of original prose and poetry. Our ultimate goal is to produce readers, critics, poets, and fiction writers of the highest quality.

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Writing Fiction: An Introductory Guide: Writing Classes & Critique Groups

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Writing Classes & Critique Groups

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So you'd like to take a class to learn more about writing, or you'd like to get feedback from others to improve your work. Critique groups and classes offer support, feedback, accountability, and encouragement. You also stand a good chance of making life-long friends who also love the same thing you do: writing.

Writing Classes & Critique Groups contents

Take a Writing Class  - This is a list of classes that are online and/or in the Boston area. 

Choose the Right Critique Group for You - What should you consider when choosing a group? Find out here!

Join a Critique Group  - This is a list of existing groups that are online and/or in the Boston area. 

Start Your Own Critique Group - Tips for starting your own writing group! 

Free vs cost & local vs online

• The Join a Critique Group  tab has been split into two lists: Local first and online second.
• In the Take a Writing Class tab, each listing will say either "Local" or "Online" in parenthesis.
• Some of these groups and classes will be free, while others will have a cost associated with the group or individual classes. These have been noted for each listing as either "Cost" or "Free". Please check the individual websites for specific costs and possible discounts. 

A note on critique groups

You will see in Choosing the Right Critique Group For You a list of various types of groups, from writing to critique and social to accountability. For simplification, and because the most popular group among them is the critique group, this guide uses the term "critique" in a general sense to mean any of those types of groups.

Angela James' Classes - (Cost & Free/Online) Join editor Angela James as she teaches you how to edit your novel  and learn the ins and outs of publishing . 

The Writer's Roadmap   –  (Cost/Online)   A free email course by author, Tomi Adeyemi. Her website also includes downloadable writing tools including structure and character worksheets, back story templates and planners, writing prompts, and more. 

Gotham Writers   -   (Cost/Online)   A creative home in New York City and online where writers develop their craft and come together in the spirit of discovery and fellowship. We’ve been teaching creative writing and business writing since 1993. 

GrubStreet   -  (Cost/Local & Online)  By rigorously developing voices of every type and talent and by removing barriers to entry, GrubStreet fosters the creation of meaningful stories and ensures that excellent writing remains vital and relevant. Includes w orkshops, online classes, intensives, a Young Adult Writers Program, Consulting, and more. 

GrubStreet's Neighborhood Classes   -  (Free/Local)   Write Down the Street has a special focus on making creative writing workshops more accessible to those who have been underrepresented due to cost, racism, immigration status, language access, lack of access to transportation, and other barriers.  These are drop-in and multi-week classes offered by Grubstreet at your Boston Public Library neighborhood branches ! 

Holly Lisle's Writing Classes   -  (Cost & free/Online)   Here you’ll find writing classes, lively discussions in forums filled with writers who WRITE, and the answer to "How do I do that?"  The classes are available in ebook formats (Kindle/ePub) and printable PDFs.

LitReactor   - ( Cost/Online )  We bring in veteran authors and industry professionals to host classes covering a wide range of topics (from the writing craft to finding an agent) in an online environment that’s interactive and flexible. You get detailed feedback on your work and take part in discussions in a judgement-free zone. 

Master Class   -  (Cost/Online)  Take video-based writing classes with best-selling authors like James Patterson, Judy Blume, R.L. Stine, Margaret Atwood, and others.  

Peer 2 Peer University   - (Free/Local)  P2PU is a non-profit organization that helps get free online classes into the classroom setting. These are known as Learning Circles, where a facilitator helps students learn a specific topic, such as creative writing or computer coding. Check the class listings to see what is on offer or tell your community center or library that you're interested in a class.  

Skillshare - (Cost & Free Trial/Online)  These classes cover a wide variety of topics such as character driven stories and steps to a successful writing habit. They are also taught by published authors such as Roxane Gay, Simon Van Booy, Daniel Jose Older, and Yiyun Li.

Writer’s Digest University   -  (Cost/Online)   Whether you’re writing for publication, extra money, or to tell personal stories, Writer’s Digest University can help you get your writing career underway. Our expert instructors will provide advice, specific instruction, real-world experience, expertise, and the motivation and drive to help you achieve your goals.

The Writers’ Loft   - (Cost/Local)   The Writers’ Loft is a non-profit community which helps local writers foster their creativity, strengthen their spirit and grow professionally by providing them with quiet writing space, educational programs, opportunities to connect with supportive colleagues, and access to industry experts, as well as opportunities to give back to the greater writing community.    

Reasons to join a critique group

• You're looking for feedback in order to improve your work and possibly get published
• Share support, motivation, and a passion for writing with a long-term working group
• Discuss pitching, querying, and publishing insights
• Having a group at your back with deadlines helps to keep you accountable
• Meet and work with writers who share a love of your genre

Know the types of groups first

There are four major types of groups, but they do not have to be exclusive of each other, as some groups may want to combine elements of two or more.

Writing groups -  A writing group is traditionally a group of people who get together to write in the same space at the same time, and in general, keep each other motivated to get words down on paper. Keep in mind that many times a group labeled as a writing group could very well be a critique group as well.

Critique Groups -   A critique group will usually do their writing on their own time and then come together to read what they've worked on and offer advice and critique the work. 

Social Groups -   These groups exist for writers to get together and talk about writing, whether it's about their own work, the way a publishing trend is going, how to market their upcoming book release, or anything in between.

Accountability Groups -   Members will write on their own time and use the meetings as a deadline. The group is used to keep writers motivated and accountable for their work. They will check in with other group members to see where everyone is in writing and whether they're reaching their goals or are falling behind. Members can also read their work at meetings or use the time for other discussions on writing.

What to consider when looking for a group

• Do you need motivation to keep writing or are you looking for feedback on your work? 
•  This is often based on where you feel you are with your writing and how much help you need to improve your work. 
• Where do you think you will be in the future, in terms of how much work and effort you're willing to put in. Will you still need a group in six months? Will you quit once your book is published? Or do you have another book idea waiting in the wings? Or are you just starting your book journey?  
• Always err on the conservative side, because life happens, and sometimes the muse won't talk to you.
• Remember that if you join a group, you will be expected to read and critique others' work on your own time, while also carving out time to write your own book. 
• Do you live or work near the meeting location? 
• Does your free time line up with meeting dates and times?
• An In-person group , where you're in the same room with everyone, or an  online group , where you submit your work to the group and get it back electronically? 
• It helps to know what you're writing. If you're not sure of your genre, or age range, or if you like to read a wide variety of things, try a general group. Keep in mind that in a general group, they may not know the intricacies of your genre if you're the only one who writes in that genre.
• An open group where new members are always welcome or a closed group where you're working with the same people at every meeting? 

Local groups

Asian American Resource Workshop Writers Group   –  (Cost)  A hub for both accomplished writers as well as budding writers alike as a safe space to refine their craft. Members come together on a regular basis to share and discuss writings & ideas, get and provide support, and practice exercises to keep writing skills fresh.

Cambridge Writers’ Workshop   –  (Cost/Local & Online)  All writers from novices to professionals, who are looking for a serious writing community, are welcome to join the Cambridge Writers’ Workshop, which includes online creative writing courses and writing retreats.

Writing Meetups in Boston   -  (Free & Cost)  Many local writing groups use meetup.com to get together. Use this link to find writing groups not seen on this list, from casual writers to more serious critique groups, in and around Boston. 

Warrior Writers   –  (Free)  Warrior Writers is a national non-profit. Our mission is to create a culture that articulates veterans’ experiences, build a collaborative community for artistic expression, and bear witness to war and the full range of military experiences. Check the Events page for Boston area programs.

The Writers’ Loft   -   (Cost)   The Writers’ Loft is a non-profit community which helps local writers foster their creativity, strengthen their spirit and grow professionally by providing them with a quiet writing space, educational programs, opportunities to connect with supportive colleagues, and access to industry experts, as well as opportunities to give back to the greater writing community.    

Writers Room of Boston   –  (Cost)  Founded in 1988, the Writers' Room of Boston is a nonprofit organization that functions as an urban writers' retreat committed to providing a quiet, affordable, and secure workspace for emerging and established writers. Members can choose to meet regularly for readings, community gatherings and events. Periodic readings of the members' work are organized and open to the public.

Writers Rumpus   –  (Free)  A critique group in Andover, MA and blog for children’s, middle grade, and young adult authors.

Writers Without Margins   –  (Free)  Our mission is to expand access to the literary arts for unheard and under-resourced communities in Greater Boston — including those isolated by the challenges of addiction recovery, trauma, poverty, disability, and mental illness — through free, collaborative, writing workshops, public readings, and publication opportunities intended to empower community, amplify the voices of individuals, and to share stories with the world.

Online groups

Critique.org -    (Free) Workshops focus on in-depth critiques of your works, a process which helps both the recipient  and  the reviewer to grow. In addition to depth of analysis, much of critique.org's secret is our emphasis on respectful and diplomatic critiques.

Critique Circle   - ( Free & Cost ) Critique and be critiqued online. By critiquing work by others, you earn credits which allow you to post your own work for critique. 

Facebook   - (Free) There are many writing groups on Facebook, for all of your whims and desires.  

Goodreads   - (Free) It's easy talk about books on Goodreads in their Groups area, whether you wrote them or you've just read them and want to recommend them to others. 

Google Groups - (Free) Allows you to create and participate in online forums and email- based groups with a rich experience for community conversations.

Groups.io - (Free trial & Cost)  Email Groups. Supercharged. A modern platform for serious communities. Powerful management tools. Mobile ready. No ads, no tracking.

Inked Voices -  (Free)   A platform for writing groups and an online space for writers.

Scribophile   -  (Free & Cost Accounts)  A respectful online writing workshop and writer's community where writers of all skill levels join to improve each other's work with thoughtful critiques and by sharing their writing experience. 

Writer'sCafe - (Free) Post your poetry, short stories, novels, scripts, and screenplays. Get reviews and advice from thousands of other writers, enter hundreds of free writing contests, join writing groups or start your own, take and subscribe to free online writing courses, and more.

Writing.com - (Free & Cost) W elcomes writers of all interests and skill levels. Whether you're a writer looking for the perfect place to store and display your poetry, stories and other writing or a reader willing to offer feedback for our writers and their writings, this is the website for you. Meet and bond with fresh creative minds!

Reasons to start your own group

It may be that there isn't a writing group in your area or that the groups near you don't meet your needs. But you need to be interested in  helping other writers improve their work just as much as you're interested in having others help you improve yours. This should always be your top reason to start your own group. No writing group exists to help only one person. 

If you don't have the time to help others right now, but still want feedback on your work, consider hiring an editor or find some beta readers. See the Finding an Editor  tab under Publishing , for more information. 

Tips for starting a local group that meets in-person

Time: 

• Make sure you have the time to run a group, write your own work, and read & critique everyone else's work. If time is an issue, joining an existing group might be better for you.
• Will your group meet online or in-person?
• If in-person, choose a location that everyone can get to easily by car or public transportation. Make sure it will work for any members who are handicapped. And if it's a restaurant, make sure it can handle everyone's dietary needs, if you know these things in advance.
• Also keep your decibel level in mind. You'd be surprised, but a group of writers, when they get excited about their work and discussing the craft of writing, can get pretty loud. Make sure you choose a place that will be okay with however loud you end up.
• If you are interested in space at the Boston Public Library, you will find room use guidelines, forms to fill out, and contact information for our Events department on our website here:  Reservable Community Spaces .  Please note that these rooms are not intended for use as your organization's primary meeting place. 
• Choose a date and time that will work for everyone, and that you can keep consistent.
• How often will you meet? Once a week? Once a month? Choose something that will work with everyone's schedules.

Mission Statement:  

• Write a mission statement that addresses the purpose and parameters of the group that everyone can agree on.
• Do you want to talk about writing, have time to write in a group setting, critique each other's work, or something else? 
• Will you concentrate on a specific genre or topic?
• Some examples of language are: to support & encourage writing, guiding writers on the path to publication, to become stronger writers and editors, with an atmosphere of trust and caring writers can work to improve their manuscripts, to discuss the craft of writing...
• This will help attract members you want and get you off to a good start.

Membership:  

• Determine who you want to join your group, such as already published authors, or maybe you want to be open to everyone, regardless of where they are in their writing career.
• To find new members, if you don't have anyone in mind already, you can use social media, an ad in the local paper, blog about it, post it on Meetup  or Eventbrite , post fliers around town, or anything else you can think of.
• Make sure you determine ahead of time how many members you want so you don't end up accepting more than you are comfortable working with. Remember, you'll need to read all of their work! But also remember that in the beginning days of your group there may be a high turnover rate as people determine if the group is a good fit for them.
• Keep in mind if you keep membership open all the time, any time new members join you'll need to brief them on everyone's projects, which can get time consuming if new members don't stick around and more new members keep joining. 
• Your membership might be open to a select group of people if you only discuss science fiction, or if your group is for people who have taken a specific class (so you guarantee everyone has had the same experience), or if members have to be nominated by a current member. This allows for an open membership, where there won't be as many people coming and going.

Leadership:

• The group leadership role usually becomes a facilitator role once the group gets going.
• As a leader, remember to keep to your commitments or explain to the group when something prevents you from doing so. This will inspire other group members to do the same and will help to keep everyone accountable.
• If group participation starts to drop, speak up and ask the group, either privately or all together, if they're still interested. It might be that life is getting in the way, but they are still interested in being a member and speaking up about the lagging participation will inspire people to become active members again. It might be that you need to change the format of the group or the number of meetings you hold. But if you don't say anything, the problem will persist.
• The leader may have to cut members loose if it's not working out for that person and the group. It's not fun, but someone has to do it, if it becomes necessary.

Submissions:

• How much of their work should writers submit for critique at one time? (1-2 chapters, 5-10 pages, or by word limit?) Keeping the amount the same for everyone keeps members from dominating the group's time if they submit ten pages while everyone else has submitted only two. 
• To get good feedback, it is helpful for writers to ask for what they need based on where they are in their project. And it's helpful to add this to the document when submitting it. For example, if you are just starting your novel you may want to ask people to be on the lookout for plot holes, or weak characterization. If you're just starting the editing phase, you may ask people to look out for smaller things like continuity issues, or even smaller things like grammar and spelling mistakes.
• Determine whether you will read your work at the group meetings for the first time, or if members need to email their work to each other ahead of time by a specific date, say one week before the meeting, to give others a chance to read and review it.
• Will there be a trial period for new members where they will be required to only review others' works for a time before they can submit their own? This is a great way for everyone to determine if the new member is a good fit without the new person just getting the feedback they need on their own work and not sticking around.

Meeting Format:

• If the work is shared during the meeting for the first time, everyone should get a printed copy. Then someone will either read it aloud, or everyone will read silently. The copies will get marked up and returned to the author, and verbal comments will also be made.
• If the work is shared ahead of time, reviewers can email a marked up copy back to the author or bring a marked up printed copy to give them in-person. The meeting time is then used for discussion and critique of the work.
• How many writers will critique at the meeting? Will everyone get a chance at every meeting or will it rotate between members? 
• Will critique happen one-on-one with the group pairing up and rotating during the meeting or as one large group?
• How long will the meeting last? 

Feedback Format:

• Having a set format makes critiques feel like less of an attack on the writer when they know what to expect. See the two articles linked below for more critique guidelines.
• Will reviewers be allowed a specific amount of time to talk? Two minutes, as an example, cuts down on long winded diatribes.
• Some groups refuse to let the writer talk while the work is being critiqued so that they can't defend it and make excuses for decisions they've made. Once the critique is over then the writer can ask clarifying questions or respond however they need to. This can help keep things civil as well as keep the meeting to the desired length and flow without awkwardness.
• Will reviewers need to comment on something they liked as well as something they didn't, or will that not matter?
• Remember that if time limits are used, someone will need to keep track of the time during meetings.

Communication: 

• How will you communicate with each other outside of the meeting? Via email? A Yahoo! Group? Facebook? Goodreads?

Change Happens:

• Remember that as groups grow and develop, things may change and you may need to revisit these steps.
• It will also take a while, perhaps even up to a year, for your group to settle into itself with a core group of regulars that are comfortable working with each other. Patience is key.

Other things your group can do once you're set up:

• Write a blog
• Bring in speakers
• Schedule an open mic night at a local coffee house to share your work
• Celebrate members' successes

Online places to start your own group

See the Join a Critique Group tab, for websites that can host your group online as well as this list, which may overlap.

Discord   - Create a free chat space, known as a "server", where you can have multiple channels to discuss different topics as well as video and audio channels. 

Facebook Groups   -  There are many book groups on Facebook, and it's easy to start your own here as well.  

Goodreads   - It's easy talk about books on Goodreads in their  Groups  area, and they have a poll feature that makes voting on your next read super easy! 

Google Groups   - If you're comfortable connecting via email, try searching Google for online groups.

Groups.io   - (Free trial & cost) Email Groups. Supercharged. A modern platform for serious communities. Powerful management tools. Mobile ready. No ads, no tracking.

Google Meet   - Free video chat meeting space. It's easy to start a video and invite others to join or schedule something in advance!

Inked Voices - (Free trial & Cost) A platform specifically geared for small writing groups and workshops to collaborate intimately despite distance and strange schedules. 

Jitsi Meet  - A free, open source video chat platform. Simply type in the title of your meeting and you'll have an everygreen link you can keep forever! 

Proboards   - A free forum hosting service, where you can create your own forum and keep your discussions organized.

Slack   - This app works on iOS, Android, PC, and MAC and is a free forum where you can set up discussion threads, add photos and documents and easily set up meetings and decide what you're reading next!

Zoom   - This is a video chat platform that lets you have meetings up to 40 minutes for free. 

Ways to critique

Here are a couple of articles on how to write a critique that you may find helpful for your group.

Writing Groups: How to Write a Constructive Critique   by Mandy Wallace

Thoughts on Writing #12: Good Critique, Bad Critique by Seanan McGuire

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