Top Five Online Writing Workshops: A Must for Aspiring Writers

One of the musts for any writer is finding an early audience to not only give advice on the work they have written, but to get the nudge to keep writing no matter what, and to make new friends with similar interests.

It sounds simple, but writers have a tendency to get discouraged, and sometimes a good review can push them to keep writing. As a writer for the past few years, I have found that writing groups are the best way to learn about the craft, to get ideas and encouragement, and to put yourself on a deadline so that you continue to write.

Some writing groups are really small, but can be life savers for major problems with a story .

The following writing groups should be a good start for any aspiring writer. That said, if you get a bad review, like I have countless times, it can be damaging to the self-esteem. I have actually quit writing before because of negative reviews; it's a fine line. But I have also increased my output when I received positive reviews. In the end, a good writing group can propel a novice piece into a publishable piece. These groups can help any writer.

1.Urbis.com: This used to be my second favorite writing group, but the simple rules and the point system push it to the tops on my list currently. Let me explain: You don't have to critique others works to post your work, but you do have to critique if you want to be able to read reviews of your work. It's all a point system; the thing is, the longer the story you review is, the more points you will get. This is different from other groups, where there is no difference whether you review a long work or short work. This is the main reason Urbis is #1. As a note, the reviewers here sometimes go for the jugular, stick with it, and try to learn.

2. Critiquecircle.com: This group used to be my number one. As said, Urbis has a points system. Well circle does to, but it doesn't reward writers for reading longer works. It's a friendlier site than Urbis, and in many ways is superior, as you can give or receive a line-by-line critique of your work.

3. Fmwriters.com: This group is fairly old, but not as active as other groups. They do have a good core group of reviewers, but there are no set rules saying you have to review others. If your work is long, the chances of it being reviewed are slim. Still, I've learned a lot from being part of this group.

4. critters.org - I have never submitted here. I have reviewed other peoples work. It's good because you can submit an entire novel and have a good chance of it being looked at. The system needs to be upgraded, as its getting old, but there is a sound point system for this group. .

5. lastwords.com - This is a good, honest group that prefers short stories to anything else. I've submitted a couple stories here over the years, and got some good insights. You get maybe two or three critiques, unless everyone knows you. The layout is top notch, but the point system could be better