Free Online Writer Resources
A few of my favorite websites and online communities for writers.
I’ve been blogging for 10 years. Teaching online for 16 years. In that time, I’ve seen a LOT of websites, outfits, and groups for writers come and go. Some I miss. Most I do not.
However, there are some pretty awesome folks doing some pretty excellent things to provide resources and support for writers, particularly screenwriters. So as long as I’m celebrating Go Into The Story’s 10th birthday this month, I thought I’d give props to a select group of other online entities.
The Bitter Script Reader: I have to begin the list with my dear old friend Bitter. His blog has been around almost as long as mine and Twitter (@BittrScrptReadr) as well (I joined in March 2009, Bitter in August 2009). While he doesn’t blog as much as he used, his website has hundreds of posts about the craft. Plus, he is quite active on Twitter, so a great account to follow.
#ScriptChat: The good folks here and on Twitter (@scriptchat) have an active Twitter feed, but the main thing is their weekly ScriptChats on Sundays at 5PM Pacific. You can find archives of dozens and dozens of previous ScriptChats with writers, filmmakers, and industry insiders at their website.
#TheWRACGroup: Started a few years back by screenwriters @thegarygraham and @thathennessyguy, they are all about WRiter ACcountability… hence, WRAC. They have a sprawling set of initiatives including @TheFilmBrigade which invites people from anywhere in the world to watch a movie at the same time as other folks, then provide a running commentary on Twitter. But perhaps their main thing is #WRAC18. They invite people to publicly announce writing goals for the year (next year will be #WRAC19), then group members do their best to support each other in attaining those goals.:
Cinephilia & Beyond: Hosted by @LaFamiliaFilm, the stalwart lover of all things cinema, this is simply the finest movie site on the web. Hundreds of in-depth articles for movie fans of all types with rare photos, articles, scripts, you name it, this site has it. A wonderful resource lauded and respected by many top filmmakers around the world.
Zero Draft Thirty Facebook Group: In 2015, I announced to the world I was going to write a first draft of an original screenplay in a month. It got picked up by Indiewire and other outfits as over 1,000 writers joined the cause. That led to the bi-annual Zero Draft Thirty Writing Challenges and my creating a Facebook group. It has grown to nearly 3,000 members and is similar in spirit to Go Into The Story, only there is a more active community there. We don’t allow any advertising or promoting products to sell to writers, so it’s a safe haven. Also, it’s a reality-based, yet positive-minded environment, nothing like some of the toxic message boards and outfits I’m sure most of you have seen.
We also have a ton of fun. For example, our spirit guide is Scamper the Hamster.
That’s because we don’t have writing sprints, rather we invite our fellow writers to go on writing scampers. Indeed, we sometimes call ourselves Scamperers… and also Outlaws, Word Warriors, and Zeronauts.
It’s a place where you can post questions, confess your emotional ups and downs, ask for research help with a project, and support each other.
In fact in what has become a monthly tradition, we hold a 24 Hour Writing Scamper-A-Thon the first Friday of each month. 24 writers from around the world hold 24 hour-long writing scampers from Midnight Friday (EDT) to Midnight Saturday. The host writer kicks off each hour, then passes the virtual baton to the next hour’s host. The main idea is to get people to write on weekends with the belief that the best way to be the most productive is to write every day. It’s great knowing that wherever you are and whenever you’re writing, even if 3 or 4AM your time, there are OTHER WRITERS sharing that hour with you.
Our next 24 Hour Writing Scamper-A-Thon begins this Friday, June 1st at Midnight Eastern Daylight Time. As always per our monthly tradition, I will kick off the first writing hour. Come join us! You check it out here. While you’re at it — if you like the vibe here at Go Into The Story — ask to join the Zero Draft Thirty Facebook Group. We have some wonderful moderators who help oversee the site and even as large as the group has become manage to keep it a productive, empowering, and upbeat site.
Those are just some of the best online resources I’ve found along with — of course — Go Into The Story. If you have some recommendations, feel free to share in comments.
Bottom line, while there may be plenty of assholes in the online screenwriting community, there are plenty of great, supportive people as well.
Onward!
