You don’t have to go it alone. There are a lot of great writing sites out there. Whether you want to develop your writing skills, spark your creativity, learn more about publishing, or network with other writers, these are some of the most popular sites. These are listed by category and alphabetically. It’s up to you decide which ones are the “best” for your writing style. Be sure to add them to your writer’s toolbox.

The Best Writing Sites for Writing

You may be born with talent but you need to develop it. There’s so much to learn!

DIY MFA (diymfa.com)

Are you interested in going back to school but cannot afford to get a Master of Fine Arts (MFA)? No problem! DIY MFA is here to teach you free of charge.

Fiction University (blog.janicehardy.com)

Not only does Janice Harding tell you what you should be doing with your writing, she shows you how to actually do it.

Helping Writers Become Authors (helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com)

K.M. Weiland becomes your mentor in the most compelling way. She offers practical and user-friendly content.

Live Write Thrive (livewritethrive.com)

Novelist, copyeditor, and coach C.S. Lakin shares her experience and makes you a better writer in the process. She also offers courses on writing.

Writer’s Digest (writersdigest.com)

The mother of all writing sites, Writer’s Digest offers courses, contests, and content galore! If you’re looking for it, they have it. Their Annual Writing Conference is a stand-out.

The Best Writing Sites for Creativity

Looking for some inspiration? These sites offer writing prompts, games, and other content that can cut through any writer’s block.

Language Is a Virus (languageisavirus.com)

Ripe with word games and writing exercises, this site will definitely pump up your creativity muscles.

The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest (newyorker.com/cartoons/contest#thisweek)

Do you remember that episode of The Office where they try to caption one of Pam’s drawings? This is that but with the prestige of The New Yorker.

Reedsy Weekly Writing Prompts (blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts)

Reedsy is an excellent writing site all its own, but it’s short story contest based on weekly writing prompts is your opportunity to win a $50 cash prize!

Six Word Memoirs (sixwordmemoirs.com)

Fans of flash fiction, rejoice! The power of words really shines through when you tell a story in less words than you have fingers.

Writing Exercises (writingexercises.co.uk)

With so many writing prompts to choose from (a random first line, a random plot, a random subject, and even 3 random nouns), think of all the possibilities.

The Best Writing Sites for Marketing and Publishing

There’s a lot to learn about the world of publishing, almost too much. Knowing how to pitch your work is half the battle. From editing to query letters to marketing, build a strong foundation to find your audience.

Ashlyn Writes (ashlynwrites.com)

Master the art of copywriting to market your books. From social media to email campaigns, Ashlyn Carter teaches you how to work it to your advantage.

Jane Friedman (janefriendman.com)

Take it from this experienced literary agent. Jane Friedman knows the ins and outs of the publishing business. She is a great speaker, too.

Kindlepreneur (kindlepreneur.com)

Dave Chesson uses the site to take you step by step through the successful marketing and publishing of your book.

Query Shark (queryshark.blogspot.com)

Writing query letters can be hard! Literary agent Janet Reid breaks down real-life queries, points out what went wrong, and shows how to improve them.

Self-Publishing Advice (selfpublishingadvice.org)

Not everyone will publish their books traditionally. The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) guides you through the self-publishing process.

The Best Writing Sites for Networking

Finding a place where you can upload your work and get honest feedback is everything. Writing communities not only allow you to network with fellow writers, they provide a valuable resource for advice and support on your writing journey.

Critique Match (critiquematch.com)

If you are looking for someone to critique and beta read your work, you’ve come to the right place. You can seek out someone based on genre and publishing experience. You can even get paid for your own critiques (if your own critiques are rated high by users)!

Insecure Writers Support Group (insecurewriterssupportgroup.com)

Writers need a thick skin but if yours is still on the thinner side, you might like this kinder gentler group. The focus is on lifting you up rather than on being hypercritical.

NaNoWriMo (nanowrimo.org)

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place every November but that’s no reason not to write throughout the year! Camp NaNoWriMo allows you to work on projects in April and July too. This is a fun community that motivates you daily to reach a hefty word count in 30 days.

Scribophile (scribophile.com)

It’s time to earn some karma! The more critiques you give, the more you can pitch your own work. The community encourages engagement and offers free tutorials and contests for you to enjoy.

She Writes (shewrites.com)

Unfortunately, there is a gender gap in the publishing world. She Writes turns that on its head by building a community of women writers. Together, 36,000+ members strong, we can close the gap!

There are a number of other great sites out there! What sites would you recommend?