From writers’ workshops, to seminars and contests, we do our best to make sure we’re 
providing our members with the best resources we can muster. Out of these, one of the most valuable (and little known) tools we offer is our Writers’ Forum.
The Writers’ Forum is a private community where writers can post work 24/7, and receive objective feedback from other writers. To ensure we’re facilitating a place for serious exchange, the forum is only open to paid CCC Members. (A Writer Membership is just $15/year.) There are no ads, no trolling, and no self-promotion.
To show you just how awesome the Writers’ Forum can be, we’ve created a nifty list of six excellent reasons to join the CCC Writers’ group:
TL;DR version: Participating in a writers’ forum is a great way to improve your writing, help other writers, and get active in the writing community. Become a CCC Writer Member here to gain access to the forum.
1. You’re considering submitting a story to a publication, but you want to make sure it’s ready. The folks on the forum have no reason to lie to you. If something’s not working in your story they’ll let you know. If you’re seriously pursuing publication, this type of honest feedback is invaluable. Don’t waste your shot with an editor by submitting a story that’s not ready. Get some feedback, use it to make your story better, and THEN submit.
2. You’re a new writer who’s testing your chops. Putting your work out there is scary. If you’re not quite ready to face a room full of writers at a writers’ workshop, the writers’ forum is a great way to get your feet wet. The folks who use the forum are honest, but trolling, meanness, and bad attitudes are prohibited. Go for it!
3. You’re not able to get to a writers’ workshop. Whether you’re limited by a crazy work schedule, a growing family, or you’re physically or geographically incapable of getting out to a writers’ workshop, you can get feedback on your work from home on the writers’ forum. While nothing can truly compare to face-to-face feedback, the writers’ forum is a great substitute.
5. You’re looking for submission opportunities. Each week we post a submission opportunity from an outside publication. Scrolling through sites like Duotrope or Writer’s Digest for submission opportunities can be tedious and time-consuming. We do the time-wasting for you! We vet publication opportunities and post only those we think are legitimate, interesting and worth pursuing.
6. You want to swap writing tips, or discuss the craft. The Writers’ Forum has a separate section for “General Discussion.” Whether you’re sharing a cool article, or asking for advice on writing your query letter, there are a host of other writers waiting to chime in.
7. Help other writers while sharpening your own skills. Other writers are taking the time to review your work, and we assume that you’ll return the favor by giving feedback now and then. In addition to helping your fellow writer, providing constructive criticism is a great way to hone your writing skills. Learning to see and articulate what doesn’t work in the writing of others, in turn makes you better at recognizing the same problems in your own work. Everybody wins.
We all have a stack of half-finished stories, sitting sadly in a file labeled “Writing Crap.” Why not throw one on the Writers’ Forum, and see if you don’t get unstuck?
If you’re not already a CCC Writer Member, you can easily become one by clicking here. In addition to access to the Writers’ Forum, a Writer Membership comes with tons of other cool perks, including discounts on books, extra anthology submissions, and discounts at our partner business.
Questions about the Writers’ Forum, membership, or any other aspect of Columbus Creative Cooperative? Contact us here.
I’ll be giving an extended seminar this Saturday from 10am to 2pm at the public library in Somerset, Ohio. This event is sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council and is free to the public. You must register before the event however, by emailing register@ahoot.org.
