8 great groups for freelancers and other writers

There’s only so far you can take your independent writing business by yourself. At some point, you’re going to want company. You may want to bounce story ideas off someone, or get a second read on an important story before turning it into your editor. Maybe you just want a couple of hours working next to a warm body that’s not your cat.

There are only a few reasons why it makes sense to join a writer’s group.

The subject of writers’ groups came up this week in a discussion on the Google Group I started for the 2011 blogathon. Even though the blogging challenge has been over for half of a month – has it been that long already? – several dozen bloggers and writers are still meeting online there every day to share posts and talk about writing.

Some are happy with that level of sharing, but others want more. With them in mind, I’ve compiled a list of some of the top groups for freelancers and other writers, online and off.

If you’re contemplating joining a group think about what you want out of it: a support system? Tips for doing your job better? Names and email addresses of New York magazine editors? Connections with writers who cover the same subject as you?

Determining what you’re looking for will help focus your search, and could save you wasted time – and in some cases money – joining groups that don’t have what you need.

Here are my picks for the best writers’ groups, organized in alphabetical order.

1. American Society of Journalists and Authors – This members-only professional organization caters to freelance magazine, newspaper and other writers, as well as fiction and nonfiction authors. To be admitted, you need to fill out an application listing the type of work you do and include clips from national and regional publications. Annual dues are $195. ASJA has a monthly magazine, website with message board and offers members insurance and other benefits. The annual writers’ conference in New York that attracts hundreds of writers, if not more, to hear from editors, book agents and publishers.

2. FreelanceSuccess – The subscription-based website has a weekly newsletter, pay rate database and nifty new(ish) blog. Most people who sign up for FLX, as it’s affectionately called, do it for the forums, which are active, civil and cover markets for nonfiction writing, blogging, essays, corporate writing, travel, books and more. Subscription is $99 a year. The vast majority of FLX members are part- or full-time professional freelance writers and authors.

3. LinkedIn – The business network has a plethora of writers groups including LinkedIn Eds & Writers and Informed Ideas for Writers. I’m not active in many, mainly because a lot accept anyone who asks to join, so the experience level is low. But see for yourself: go to LinkedIn’s Groups Directory and type in “writing” to bring up more than 1,500 groups to choose from. If you’re looking for work, check out LinkedIn Jobs; as the network has grown, so have the full-time and freelance opportunities advertised there. In the early days, a search on the term “editor” turned up 10 or 12 help wanted ads for writers or editors; today the same search turns up 10 to 12 pages of ads for writing or editing positions.

4. Mediabistro – This website for independently employed writers and other freelancers publishes blogs and weekly or biweekly e-newsletters on a number of media-industry related subjects. It also sponsors conferences, holds online classes on a myriad of freelance topics, and runs a freelance jobs database. The site is free, or pay $79 a year to join the AvantGuild service level and get pitching guides to particular publications, plus discounts on events and media databases. Mediabistro also throws cocktail parties for freelancers, writers, editors etc. in multiple cities around the country on a regular basis.

5. Online News Association – This professional organization for journalists who work for online news organizations or the online divisions of traditional media companies accepts freelance journalists as members. As the media moves from paper to pixels, ONA has become the place to learn about the the latest trends and tech tools, through its website, annual conference and hands-on seminars sponsored by local chapters. I’ve been to the annual conference before and highly recommend it.

6. UPOD – Online since 2003, this Yahoo Groups-based writers’ group is comprised of experienced magazine writers and other freelancers, many based in Los Angeles and New York. UPOD is hosted by David Hochman, a LA writer whose byline can be seen in Parade, The New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Playboy and Forbes.

7. Writer’s Digest – The venerable writer’s magazine and publisher of the annual Writer’s Market also runs online forums and blogs. Each year, Writer’s Digest publishes a list of the 101 best websites for writers, which itself is a great resource for finding other writers’ groups; to get the list, however, you’ll have to register for the free Writer’s Digest e-newsletter.

8. Writer Strategy Groups – If what you’re looking for is a small group of people to share story ideas with or ask to read your manuscripts, you’re probably looking for a writers’ strategy or critique group. Tracking down existing groups could be difficult. Even if you find some they might not be open to taking new members. A better way might be to start your own. Freelancer Maya Smart explains how in a post on her The Writing Coach Blog called The Freelance Writer’s Best Resource: Strategy Groups. In it she gives several examples of successful freelancers who’ve started their own groups, and ends with a few pointers. One is to choose members wisely. “For maximum results, all participants should be good communicators who are willing to share advice, leads and experiences helpfully, openly and honestly,” Smart writes. “Members should also be at or above your level of professional expertise, so they broaden your network.”

If you’re interested in more on this subject stay tuned – I’ll be running a guest post on writers’ strategy groups in early July.

Got a favorite writers’ or bloggers’ group? Add them to this list by leaving a comment.