Internet Writing Communities Are Helping Freelance Writers Grow

Thanks to internet writing communities, you don't have to live near a local writer's group or take a costly writing correspondence class to learn more about freelance writing. You can live anywhere and benefit from other writers worldwide. All it will cost you is some of your time.

I stumbled upon Faithwriters.com. two years ago and have called it my home since. I can't say enough about this loving Christian community of writers where I've not only grown as a writer, but met friends worldwide who've helped develop my craft, as well as encourage, critique, and pray for me.

The FaithWriters' Weekly Challenge has not only stretched my creativity, challenging me to "think out of the box", but has also taught me to meet deadlines. Each Thursday morning (9 AM EST) participants are given a different "word" as a topic to write an entry, from 150-750 words. The genre can be most anything as winning entries have been everything from nonfiction, short stories, to poetry. As the Challenge has grown tremendously since it started in 2004, it's now limited to the first 200 entries. Levels of writing skill are divided up into "Beginners", "Intermediate", "Advanced" and "Masters." Each level competes for the top five placings. Then, the top ten entries, overall, receive an Editors' Choice award, allowing the winners to have their winning entries be included in FaithWriters' quarterly books. Since beginning the Challenge, I've amazed myself by placing five times in the EC (Editor's Choice,). After you have placed three times in Editor's Choice, you must move up to the Master's level.

Anyone who's ever place in EC can serve as a judge. I've served twice and have grown from that experience, despite all the reading involved. After the challenge is closed, members leave comments on one another's entries. I've learned more from other FaithWriters than any writing correspondence course I could take or did take years ago.