Writing Accountability Partners: How to Find One, Progress Faster, and Collaborate

If you’ve just started out writing, or even if you’ve been writing for a while, you may be struggling with motivation or some kind of plateau that makes you feel stuck.

When facing writer’s block, it can help to brainstorm ideas for your story or poem with a friend. Other writers can give you feedback and help you improve faster.

This is just one of the reasons it can help to have a writing accountability partner, or be a member of a writing group. These are people you can check in with each day to stay inspired and motivated.

Below are my favorite resources that can connect you with other writers:

Critique Circle – this is an online writing community dedicated to giving and receiving feedback on fiction stories. You can make friends there or post a request in the forum saying you’re looking for an accountability partner.

Poetizer – this community is great for sharing poems and receiving comments. There’s a phone app you can download for easy access. This particular community is very encouraging, in my experience.

Scribophile– another community for giving and receiving feedback on creative writing.

Questions to consider

How often would you like to check-in with other writers? And would you prefer text, email, over the phone, or in an online community?

Do you already have any friends that are writers, poets, or artists? Tell them you want to work together!

Are you looking for a beta reader? A beta reader is someone who reads over your writing and gives you specific feedback for revision.

Are you ready to receive some honest feedback on your work? Are you at that stage yet?

Are you willing to review other peoples’ creative work? How much time do you have to dedicate to this practice?

Do you know how to share a document with someone on Google Drive or a similar platform so you can collaborate together in real time?

Are there local groups in your community, perhaps at the library or bookstore, that you could get involved in?

Do you want to collaborate with someone? For example, have you considered seeking a co-author to write the story alongside you? It can be a lot of fun!