Online writing workshops can help you improve your writing while helping hundreds of other writers improve their work at the same time.

Unlike local writing workshops which are dependent on the schedules of a dozen or so busy people and may meet for an hour or two each week, online writing workshops are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They offer the added benefit of combining people from different cultures around the globe to add new and different perspectives.

Most online workshops operate via email, and require specific levels of participation. Many require that you critique other people's work more often than you submit your own.

In many cases, the exact requirements of the list are not available until you subscribe. If the requirements do not suit your needs, just unsubscribe from the list.

The Internet Writer's Workshop

The Internet Writer's Workshop provides separate workshops in a variety of genres including Non-fiction, Poetry, Novels, Children's, and Short Stories. It also provides a forum for teenage writers.

Each genre has its own group of participants and its own participation requirements. The main workshop site contains links to each genre as well as membership information, a showcase of workshop members, and links to other writing sites.

Writesite

The Writesite is the home of the Write List writing workshop. Write List posts a weekly exercise to the list on Mondays, a topic for group discussion on Tuesdays, a useful link on Wednesdays, a writing tip on Thursdays, a quote on Fridays, a market listing on Saturdays, and another writing tip on Sundays.

This group mixes all genres together andoffers something for everyone. The Writesite also houses many articles on writing and writer's block, provides links to other writing sites, and promotes a "member of the month."

New Writers

The New Writer's List encourages new writers in all genres to share their experiences and learn how to be writers together. The two moderators, one an experienced writer and one a new writer, post a weekly exercise on Mondays, a weekly discussion topic on Tuesdays, a tip on Thursdays, and choose one exercise submission to post on their web site on Sundays.

The New Writers site maintains a list of resources for new writers and a new writers FAQ. They also showcase a different member every month.

The Poet List

The Poet List is a relatively new mailing list for poets. It is a loose list with little structure and no submission requirements. The list moderator simply asks that you use a simple set of subject prefixes on all postings.

The PoetsList

The PoetsList is a list for submitting poetry for critiques and critiquing other member's poetry. You must post to the list at least twice each month and must post more critiques than submissions.

Shortfiction

The Shortfiction list is for the submission and critiquing of fiction from 1000-10000 words long in any genre. Members must submit one story per month and critique other people's work.

TeenWrite

TeenWrite is a general writing workshop for teenagers. Although originally launched as an outlet for short stories, TeenWrite now welcomes submissions from all genres. The list limits its members to the ages of 13-16.

Online writing workshops are an emerging resource available to anyone with an email account. Each list has a distinct personality formed by the totality of its membership and offers a different perspective on writing. Experiment with different workshops until you find the one that meets your needs. Most importantly, keep on writing!