The 5 Best Online Writing Platforms for Building a Community

While I have enjoyed publishing two of my novels on Amazon KDP, I still get nostalgic for the earliest days of my self-publishing journey. As a teen, I published the first novel I ever wrote on FictionPress.com, one of the best online writing platforms available at the time. I was lucky enough to get some readers fairly quickly and really enjoyed the sense of community that developed between us. My readers could leave reviews on each chapter, and I would respond to them in an author’s note at the bottom of each new chapter I released. I learned a lot about interacting with readers and fielding questions about my writing. I also had a ton of fun.

FictionPress sadly isn’t as active as it once was. But never fear! If you are a writer looking to self-publish your book online, there are still plenty of fiction platforms out there where you can foster a great sense of community with your readers. Here are five of the best online writing platforms that make it easy to connect with readers and other writers alike from all across the world.

1) Wattpad

You have almost definitely already heard of this wildly popular self-publishing platform, and may have even read a few stories on the site. Readers not only have the option to comment on each story, but they can also leave comments on each chapter and each paragraph. Readers will often respond to one another’s comments and even become friends. They can also follow authors and send them private messages. The site also holds the Watty Awards each year where you can get the chance to connect with other writers as you strive to meet your personal writing goals.

2) Movellas

Movellas is a fiction platform with a very large emphasis on social networking. The site’s tagline is even “Your Social Storytelling Platform”. You can post works in several different genres, including paranormal & supernatural, fantasy, nonfiction, and manga. Movellas makes it extremely easy to follow and connect with readers and fellow authors. You can also connect to other writers and readers by participating in one of the contests frequently hosted on the site. One particularly fun recent contest prompt was to write a story inspired by a particular song.

3) Fictionate.Me

Fictionate.Me is a newer addition to the online fiction platform landscape. What’s great about that is that there’s a smaller pool of writers than you’ll find on Wattpad or Royal Road, so it’s less likely that your story will get lost in the crowd. Readers can “heart” their favorite stories and also leave comments. The site’s upcoming mobile app will offer authors even more opportunities to interact with their fans—they’ll be able to post articles, short stories, and updates.

4) Teen Ink

If you’re starting out as a teen like I did, there’s now a site that caters specifically to teen writers and readers. You can post novels in several genres, like romance, sci-fi/fantasy, and thriller/mystery. You can also post poetry, art, and TV and movie reviews. Readers can interact with you by commenting on each chapter or poem. The site regularly hosts poetry and flash fiction contests as well, which are both great writing practice and will give you the chance to connect with other passionate teen writers like yourself.

5) Commaful

Commaful proclaims itself to be “The Largest Library of Multimedia Stories”. Writers are able to share stories, poetry, fanfiction, and comics in the site’s unique “picture book” format. This means you can pair each page of your story with a visual component like a photo or drawing. Readers can comment on each post/story and follow their favorite authors to see their latest work. If you’re into creating shorter pieces like short stories, poetry, and comics, this is a great place for you to find your people.