About ten years ago I belonged to an online group called East of the Web,a short story review and critiquing community, and this is where I learnt the process of critique, writing almost 400  during my time as a member. I was also an active member, for a number of years, of Zoetrope, which was established 1998 and required writers to review five stories by others writers for each story they submitted. 


I found the experience of review and critique invaluable in  learning more about my own writing. Zoetrope is still operating, and I have added some other sites her for anyone with an interest in mutual review. I haven't checked any of these out, but would be interested in hearing from those who have.  






Online Writers Groups

• The Alien Flower Poetry Workshop will fulfill the needs of those interested in poetry. Also, be sure to visit the extensive Poetry Links at this site. They are extensive and useful, I think, for those interested in Poetry.
• Aylad's Writing Group is an email critique online group. Her site also has a variety of resources that might prove useful, including extensive agent listing.
• Coffeehouse for Writers is a number of things, including resources, for pay workshops and free critique groups. Most of this handled through mailing lists. Check it out and see if works for you.
• Comedy Screenwriting Discussion Group is an egroups mailing list with associated egroups page for those interested in comedy screenwriting.
• Critique Circle is a free-to-join writing forum where both new and experienced writers can post their work online and receive critiques from other members, as well as offer critiques on other work posted. Handy tools to help writers are also available, as well as a forum for discussion with members.
• Critique Partners Connections attempts to match writers with critique partners. The one cautionary note in this is that you are charged $15 to be added to the database.
• The Critters Writers Workshop is the first of several writers workshops I hope to have links to from here. Writers workshops that accept and dispense critiques via the Internet. I would also like to point out it's Workshop Library which has a wealth of interesting links to peruse.
• 4-Writers.Com and Writers' Village University is a combination of free areas and an online writers' group with an annual membership fee.
• Fantasy Writer's Outlet is an online critique area with an emphasis on fantasy. Check their web site for details.
• Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal (FFP) Chapter of Romance Writers of America focus is helping those interested in more speculative themes for romance and helping those writers to get published.
• The Hatrack Writers Groups is a collection of online writers groups based off of the Orson Scott Card site.
• The Internet Writers Guild is an online free service for those who have used the Internet in general and the web in particular to publish their works and those of others. Well worth a look see.
• The Internet Writing Workshop appears to have a get serious workshop approach that might appeal to those who need some motivation and structure. Worth checking out at the very least. They have a whole range of mailing list to provide the means for review and critique.
• Longhand-The Black Quill is an internet based round robin group that describes itself as 'Our current Project is titled, "Catch Me If You Can!", which is a mystery-action-thriller set in the world of cybercrime and high finance. Our next adventure will be ala "24", with this twist ... These project grow synergistically, by topsy and we are never sure of the direction they will take or the outcome of the story.'
• Mystic Visions is an online community for writers of speculative romance. This could be a possible useful resource for any interested in SF and fantasy romance, psychic romance or cross-time romances.
• The National Association of Women Writers describe themselves as being 'founded in Jan. 2001 to support, encourage, entertain, motivate, and inspire women writers. NAWW offers a FREE weekly inspirational/how-to e-magazine, an online Member Portfolio, a Member Publications page, a bimonthly printed WRITER'S GUIDE, Daily Inspiration, a Writer's Online Library, and much more.' Check their web site for further details.
• NovelDoc is the web presence for a mailing list that concentrates on revising and critiquing completed novels of 60,000 words or more.
• Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror is the successor to the Del Rey Digital Writing Workshop and now has a free one month trial and then an annual fee to belong to the workshop.They also have the Online Writing Workshop for Romance which is currently a free workshop while they build up a membership.
• rememory.com is a very nice site indeed from the land down under. Here is a virtual spot where people from all over the world can share their memories and experiences with each other. This is both an example of electronic publishing and electronic community in a very nice package.
• The Imaginaries is a global writer's copperative for science fiction, fantasy and horror and also a group that shares stories via the web and solicits critiques as well as many other roles.
• The Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop is a by mail critique workshop and newsletter that costs $15.00 for the newsletter and $5.00 for membership in the workshop. It does appear to have possibilities and has been around since 1980.
• The Science Fiction Writers Workshop is an AOL based writers workshop concentrating on science fiction. They includes critique areas, chat rooms and more. They have online chats on AOL the 2nd Monday of each month and on iPlanet open to the entire internet every fourth Monday. And all of this is free.
• Screenwriters - Producers Welcome describes itself as 'A virtual meeting place where Spec screenplay writers and Producers do lunch!' What this means is a simple, virtually graphicless message board where writers, producers and others can leave requests.
• SFRT on the Web is an ongoing online community for readers and writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror and now it's on the web. Of particularly interest here is their Writers Workshop.
• Short Story Writers Group is a noble effort to group writers from novice to expert in a mailing list critique group. They also have a bookworm group as well. Check their web page for details, especially (as is the case as of this posting) that their active member list is full and how to get on the waiting list.
• Spoiled Ink is an online community, news and magazine that describes itself as '
  Spoiled Ink is a community of writers that provides each other with feedback for eachother's short stories and poems.'
• The Wild Poetry Forum is precisely that, a broad range of forums in which you can share your works with other writers. Take a close look at the requirements for joining. The emphasis here is on producing and rightfully so. Check it out and see if this is a point in your development as a writer.
• Wolfrunners is an online community for women writers and artists working in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Their own description of themselves has as their goal 'to encourage members to form lasting ties, both professional and personal, to aid in the conceptualization, composition, and marketing of their work. Works-in-progress may be offered for critique, new markets and submission tips shared, and ideas bounced off the only people who can truly understand the life and mind of the writer: other writers in that genre.'
• Women Who Write is an AOL based writers group with a website that has a wealth of links and a schedule of meeting times for AOL chats at the Jugglers chat room.
• The Writer's BBS - Message Forums is a site with a host of discussion areas to leave messages and share ideas. It is a sole effort of Writer's BBS after the closure if inkspot.com.
• Zeugma is an online workshop and peer group for serious and skilled poets. Zeugma is free, but you must apply to join.