Are you a resident of New York who is interested in joining a writing group? Check out our list of 10 top writing groups in NYC below.
1. 420 Friendly Writer’s Group
420 Friendly Writer’s Group is a writing group that was founded by organizer Azariya Ferall. Run through a public Meetup.com website, 420 Friendly Writer’s Group is a collection of writers who get together at Grace Health & Wellness Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Writing group meetings are held every two weeks on Sunday afternoons. Participants are encouraged to participate in writing sprints, which are periods dedicated to purely writing together. Writers who participate in 420 Friendly Writer’s Group’s writing events can feed off of each other and push through whatever writer’s block you would face writing on your own.
Check out 420 Friendly Writer’s Group!
2. Astoria Writers Group
Located in Long Island City, New York, Astoria Writers Group is a writing group with over 4,400 active members. Organizer Kara Elsayed and her co-organizers are behind this New York-based writing group and are committed to helping their members accomplish their writing goals.
Astoria Writers Group’s writing meetings are held online every Sunday evening, once a week. Writing submission from writers looking for feedback and critique can be done through Blogger links and posted on Astoria Writers Group’s Meetup page comments section. No matter how incomplete your writing is or what genre you happen to be working on, Astoria Writers Group is a place where you can find a community that understands your challenges and can provide you with the support you’re looking for.
For more information about Astoria Writers Group, check out their Meetup.com website.
3. Gay Women’s Writing Group
Based in New York, Gay Women’s Writing Group is a writing group welcoming all gay women in the area. Writers of all experience and skill levels are welcome to Gay Women’s Writing Group, which aims to be a positive space for gay women to bring their writing, ideas and energy.
Group meetings for Gay Women’s Writing Group are held online on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Writing group participants are welcome to bring in their work-in-progress, no matter what genre they are working on, including poetry, fiction or journal entries.
For additional information, check out Gay Women’s Writing Group’s private Meetup.com web page.
4. New York City Writers Critique Group
New York City Writers Critique Group is a writing group with over 4,000 writers that regularly participate in their writing group meetings in New York City. New York City Writers Critique Group has been organized on Meetup.com by Christopher Keelty and a number of over co-organizers, who are all passionate about writing and supporting writers.
New York City Writers Critique Group offers different events and services to group participants including monthly critique meetings and social gatherings held in person in New York City. Writing meetings happen online every other week on Saturday afternoons. Every meeting, writers will benefit from discussions with fellow members and also provide constructive criticism for pre-selected writing samples submitted by New York City Writers Critique Group participants.
Learn more about New York City Writers Critique Group!
5. Gay Men’s Writing Group
Situated in New York City, Gay Men’s Writing Group is a writing group that is managed by an organizing committee that include Jef Blocker. The writing group welcomes gay men who are professional or amateur writers looking for a supportive community. Gay Men’s Writing Group provides an opportunity for participants to get advice, build relationships and just had a place to go when faced with writer’s block.
Gay Men’s Writing Group meets online once a week on Tuesday evenings. The writing group encourages participation by writers no matter what genre they enjoy, whether that’s fiction or non-fiction, and even genres like screenplays and plays. Although the group is based in New York, Gay Men’s Writing Group welcomes participation from gay men who write from all over the country in today’s current online configuration.
Find out more about Gay Men’s Writing Group!
6. Harlem Writers United
Harlem Writers United is a writing group created for writers in New York. The writing group welcomes participation by any professional or amateur writer, regardless of gender or background. Harlem Writers United asks that all participants under the age of 18 have a parent or guardian in attendance with them.
Harlem Writers United meetings take place online on Saturday afternoons and Monday evenings. Every meeting consists of a number of writing critiques for writing samples submitted by members. Writers interested in getting constructive criticism from other members should check out Harlem Writers United’s submission guidelines on their Meetup.com web page. Submission samples should be a maximum of 8 pages, double-spaced and submitted by email by the indicated date and time for future meetings.
Take a look at Harlem Writers United!
7. Bushwick Writers Group
Serving writers in Brooklyn, New York, Bushwick Writers Group is a group of writers that meet and work on their work-in-progress and build relationships with other local writers. The writing group currently has over 3,000 writers and is managed by organizer Joe Borrelli and his fellow co-organizers.
Writing meetups allow Bushwick Writers Group participants an opportunity to write alongside other supportive writers in New York. Meetings are held on Sunday afternoon every week usually at Ange Noir Cafe, their regular location. Meetings are organized in three 25-minute writing sprints, between which writers can engage in conversation and get advice from other writers.
Start a conversation with Bushwick Writers Group!
8. 20Somethings Creative Writing Community
20Somethings Creative Writing Community is a writing group with over 800 active members. In addition to their New York Chapter, based in Astoria, New York, the support for 20Somethings Creative Writing Community’s activities has allowed them to establish an additional writing group in neighboring New Jersey.
Writers of all skill levels and experience in their 20s are welcome to join 20Somethings Creative Writing Community’s writing meetings. Writing group participants are normally held on the first Sunday of every month in the afternoon, with the exception of special events that 20Somethings Creative Writing Community organizes, such as group participation at book festivals and social events.
Discover more about20Somethings Creative Writing Community!
9. Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group
Brooklyn, New York is home to Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group, a writing group that was established in 2017. Originally held in person, Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group’s writing meetings are now also held online, to make writing meetings more comfortable and accessible for participants.
Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group welcomes all women, including cisgender, transgender and anyone else on the non-binary gender spectrum who identifies as a woman. Online writing meetings are held on Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, and allow for personal sharing, a time of private writing and socialization. For writers who prefer to meet in person, Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group meets in person on Saturday afternoons.
Join Brooklyn Women’s Writing Group at one of their next writing meetings!
10. Black Women’s Writing Group
Black Women’s Writing Group is a writing group created by Eman Rimawi to support black women who write, no matter what experience or skill level. The writing group will incorporate writing assignments between writing meetings into their weekly review and critique sessions that will take place at writing group meetings.
Writing group meetings happen once a week on Sunday afternoons. After initial introductions, writers are given an opportunity to participate in writing exercises, aimed at improving writing skills and introducing new techniques that can be then used at home. Black women who write and are able to join Black Women’s Writing Group’s in person writing sessions in New York are all welcome to join.
Plan a visit to Black Women’s Writing Group!