Would you like to connect with other writers while you learn how to improve your writing skills and create books that will sell?
Writing websites aren’t a new thing, but there are so many out there on the world wide web, and it can be hard to know which ones are really worth your time.
So, we’ve curated this list of twelve top writing websites to help you grow as a writer.
Some are writing blogs written by passionate and knowledgeable authors; others are writing websites with resources to help you further develop your writing skills and connect with other creative thinkers.
Some will challenge the way you think, leading you down a rabbit hole of brilliance and unconventional insight. Others will offer practical advice on how to not only create a book you’ll be proud of but also to make sure it actually sells.
So, when you’re not actually writing, take some time to check out the following links and bookmark the ones you’ll want to spend more time with.
Top Writing Websites to Inspire and Motivate
The best creative writing websites offer not only practical instruction on writing (food for the mind) but also creative support and inspiration (for the heart).
Every one of the sites listed below has real people behind the words — challenging you even as they encourage and celebrate your efforts. Bringing them into your writing world can only make it richer.
1. The NaNoWriMo Blog
This is what it sounds like: the blog for the annual NaNoWriMo challenge — supporting and celebrating every writer who participates. If you’ve never undertaken the challenge and would like to know more, check it out.
The website is about more than the challenge itself; it also contains down to earth articles on the process of editing your NaNo manuscript. The article, “6 Tips for Polishing Your Manuscript” alone is worth a visit. The number one tip? “Forget everything you’ve heard about grammar.” Curious? So was I.
2. Write It Sideways
The keeper of this writing blog, Suzannah Windsor, has written hundreds of articles on everything from fiction writing (novels and short stories) to traditional publishing to blogging to her own novel-writing journey.
Start with her “New? Start Here” tab, and you’re more than likely to find some articles worth reading, no matter what stage you’re in.
If you enjoy the articles and want to share your own knowledge and experience to benefit other writers, use the “About” tab and select “Write for Us.”
3. Helping Writers Become Authors
This is K.M. Weiland’s blog, and it’s a treasure vault of helpful articles, particularly for writers of fiction. Weiland has become a writer’s household name, especially when it comes to outlining and writing successful novels.
Whether you describe yourself as a “plotter” (an outliner) or a “pantser” (someone who writes without an outline) — or as something in between — you can learn plenty from Weiland’s articles on character development, plot design, and story structure.
Sign up for her emails for writing tips and a free copy of one of her books: Crafting Unforgettable Characters.
4. Brain Pickings
On this blog, you’ll find carefully researched and thoughtfully written articles on the lives and insights of famous authors. Maria Popova chooses her topics carefully, and it’s not hard to find an article that will pique your curiosity and reward you well for your time.
Some of the most interesting articles on this site involve an intersection between two different authors — like Neil Gaiman and Ursula Le Guin or Bram Stoker and Walt Whitman.
5. Storybird.com
Storybird has free online writing courses at different grade levels (from Kindergarten to adult) to help students improve their skills and become more confident writers.
Whether you sign yourself up or use this as an educational tool for your kids, this site is a valuable resource for young writing students and professional writers alike.
Check out the writing challenges or the free writing courses from Storybird’s own teachers. Earn crowns for every day you come back to write, and redeem those crowns for writing rewards — such as a beautifully formatted printable PDF of your story or the addition of your story to their public library.
6. The Book Designer
The tagline reads “Practical Advice to Help Build Better Books,” and that’s what Joel Friedlander’s site is all about. Writing isn’t the only important thing to consider when creating a book that will sell; marketability is also about the packaging.
And you’ll find a huge storehouse of knowledge to help you make the experience of reading your book as enjoyable as possible for your readers.
Happy readers are more likely to leave 5-star reviews and spread the word about your books. So, it pays to take the time to carefully craft your book. And Joel Friedlander knows what it takes to make it shine.
7. The Creative Penn
Joanna Penn created this blog to help her fellow writers (of fiction or nonfiction) create high-quality books, publish them, and become highly-paid authors.
Whether you’re writing a novel or a nonfiction book, you’ll find plenty of helpful content on this site — not only for the writing but also for publishing and marketing your work.
Go to the “Start Here!” page to download a free copy of Penn’s Author 2.0 Blueprint and click on the topic you’re most interested in to learn more. You’ll also see links to professional editors, book formatters, and book cover designers.
8. Positive Writer
Bryan Hutchinson’s blog is all about helping writers stay positive and create work that matters. As the unsinkable author of Writer’s Doubt, Bryan isn’t afraid to call out and defy popular ideas (like “The first draft of anything is sh#!”), and he recently hosted a writing contest with the theme, “You are enough.”
Check out his blog for heartfelt, creative advice on how to be an “unstoppable writer.” And don’t forget to sign up for his email list and download your free copy of his books, Good Enough and The Writer’s Manifesto.
9. Quiklit.com
This site not only provides 100 writing prompts at four different levels (for their 100-Day Writing Challenge), but it also highlights the cultural salad bowl of literature in the United States. The articles are varied, creative, and well worth a look.
Connect with the writers on Facebook in the Tapestry Story Reader page to interact and to receive updates on new articles.
10. Scribophile
From their active community of writers to their varied collection of free writing resources to their detailed and helpful writing critiques, Scribophile has earned the compliment, “Finally, a writing group that works!”
Sign up to find beta readers, receive genuinely helpful feedback on your writing, learn how to publish your work, and become part of a friendly and supportive online writing community. It might just replace one of your social media channels.
11. Creative Thinking
Michael Michalko is the creative thinking expert behind this innovative website, which provides not only helpful articles and information on Michalko’s fascinating background but also creative exercises and thought experiments to help you think like a genius and remove any block in your path to success.
Check it out if you want to know more about how to generate breakthrough ideas and creative solutions to any problem — including those related to your books.
12. Wattpad
Wattpad is “the world’s most-loved storytelling platform.” Sign up for free to share your fiction — one short story or chapter at a time — with “a global community of 70 million readers and writers.”
It’s easy to get started on this platform, and with the Wattpad app for your smartphone or tablet, you can add to your work and receive updates on reader responses even when you’re away from your computer.
There’s nothing quite like seeing that someone new is following you on Wattpad to receive a notification every time you publish a new chapter. You’ve just hooked a new reader, and the game is on to keep that new reader’s attention.
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Did you enjoy this article?
If we’ve helped you learn more about some of the best writing websites available, would you please share this article to help your fellow writers?
Who knows what impact you’ll have with the content you share. With just one of the links in this article, you could inspire a fellow writer to create a story or nonfiction series that will have pride of place on your own bookshelf — inspiring you in return.
In the meantime, spend some time with a creative writing website that has what you need right now. And don’t forget to give them some love by sharing their content with others, too.
May your thoughtfulness and creativity influence everything else you do today.