• Genres: Novel-length fiction, all genres
• Leader: Mark Willen, [email protected]
• Description: This is a virtual online group for authors seeking to exchange critiques of full-length novel manuscripts
• Status: Open to new members

• Genres: Any type of script (stage, screen, graphic novel, eetc.)
• Leader: Scott D. Morrow, [email protected]
• Location: Meets online
• Status: Accepting new members. If you are interested, please contact Scott.

• Genre: all genres welcome, but we focus primarily on novels
• Leader: Caryn Devincenti, The Write Coach
• Group Contact Email: [email protected]
• Description: Attendees will read for approximately 5 minutes then receive constructive feedback in a supportive atmosphere. Regular attendees are both published authors and new writers. We meet online via Zoom the third Thursday each month from 6:30pm - 9pm. Attendees will receive a Zoom link and a reminder email.
• Status: Currently open to new members.

• Genres: All
• Leader: Ms. Donna (Q) L. Quesinberry [email protected]
• Description: The Last Thursday Writer's Collective Critique Group offers writers a supportive, craft‑focused space to refine their work and grow their skills. Meeting on the final Thursday of each month, this group welcomes fiction and nonfiction writers at all levels who want constructive, respectful feedback rooted in clarity, craft, and community. Participants share short excerpts, exchange insights, and learn effective critique methods that strengthen voice, structure, and storytelling. Guided by the chapter’s commitment to encouragement and professionalism, the group provides a consistent place to build accountability, deepen technique, and connect with fellow writers dedicated to moving their work forward.
• Virtual meetings on the last Thursday of the month 6:30pm - 7:45pm.

• Genres: All forms of fiction and poetry
• Leader: Ted Weber, [email protected]
• To join: Request membership at https://www.facebook.com/groups/601650623311708/about/
• Status: Currently open to new members.

• Genres: All genres welcome! Mostly speculative/SFF
• Leader: Sill Bihagia [email protected] 
• Location/Schedule: Severna Park MD. We meet most Mondays ~5-8pm, usually at Taichi Bubble Tea in Severna Park. See up-to-date location/event details at sillauthor.com. Weekly meeting locations can be found on the front page of sillauthor.com. Click to add to calendar
• Status: Currently accepting new members! (All ages welcome)
• Description: In-person drop-in group with ongoing Discord support. All genres welcome; currently a mix of speculative/SFF writers and editors. We lock in for writing sprints, discuss each other’s projects, and support each other’s publishing goals. Avoiding GenAI in our creative work. Queer and neurodivergent-friendly. 

• Genres: Fiction and drama, all genres welcome
• Leader: Andrew McDowell, [email protected]
• Location: Meets monthly in Waugh Chapel
• Status: Currently closed to new members.

Non-fiction Writers' Group

• Genres: Nonfiction History, Politics, Current Issues
• Leader: Arnold Kraft Sherman, [email protected]
• Description: New group. Meetings in Baltimore City if enough are from there. Otherwise, only online.
• Status: Accepting new members

• Genres: General/literary fiction
• Leader: Jaclyn Paul, [email protected]
• Description: Since 2014, Red Pen Addicts Anonymous has provided a monthly critique space for serious writers seeking honest and thorough feedback. We typically meet in Baltimore at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. Full guidelines for prospective members can be found at http://www.jaclynpaul.com/rpaa/.
• Status: Currently closed to new members.

• Genres: All
• Leader: Lew McIntyre, [email protected]
• Description: Meets third Wednesday of the month at 6pm at Christ Church in La Plata or on Zoom
• Status: Currently open to new members

• Genres: All, including poetry
• Leader: Nora Azzi, [email protected]
• Description: We are a fun group who enjoys critiquing in a relaxed (virtual) atmosphere with a cup of tea and cookies. We review all types of writing with a 3,000-word limit taking a professional approach to help you improve your work. Come join us!
• Status: Currently open to new members

• Genre: All fiction genres of novel writing
• Leader: Rick Cotter, [email protected]
• Contact: Kimberly Schreder, [email protected]
• Description: We welcome any genre of novel writing. Applicants must have a novel in process and commit to monthly participation via Zoom. Submissions are limited to twenty pages. Members read and critique submissions to discuss them at meetings. Our goal is actionable criticism to improve our writing. For consideration, please submit twenty pages double-spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins (standard publishing format) to [email protected]. The next step will be participation in one of our meetings.
• Status: Closed to new members

• Genre / Genres: ALL; memoir, legacy, poetry, creative non-fiction and fiction
• Group Leader: Phyllis Jovich
• Group Contact Email: [email protected] 
• MWA Member Contact Name: Phyllis Jovich
• MWA Member Contact Email: [email protected] 
• Additional Contact Information: Kay Armstrong Baker, [email protected]
• Listing: We meet online twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Fridays, from 10:00am -12:00pm. Our goal is to encourage the art of writing no matter your experience with supportive, positive feedback as well as constructive criticism.
• Status: Currently open to new members in Howard County and beyond.

• Genre: All
• Contact: Steve Lubs, [email protected]
• Description: Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at members’ homes
• Status: Limited openings

• Contact: Suzanne Forest, [email protected] to check on openings, wait list.
• Description: Meets on alternate Wednesdays at 1:00 at a member's home or local cafe, by agreement at the previous meeting. Note: Members are all in some stage of working on a novel.
  
  

• Genre: Primarily science fiction and fantasy
• Contact: Amy Kaplan, [email protected]
• Description: Maryland Dream Weavers meets once a month at a member’s house
• Status: Currently has no openings

• Meets the third Tuesday of the month at BJ’s Restaurant and Brew House, Columbia
• Genres: Mainly Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror
• Visit https://www.meetup.com/Weird-Wondrous-Writing/  or write [email protected] for more details. Currently full, waitlist available.

Ali Parson's Project (2025)

• Genre: Any
• Leader: Jack Campbell, [email protected]
• Description: The focus of the group is on supportive critiques and suggestions. This group usually meets once a month. 
• This group is for both Howard and Montgomery County participants

• Genre: All, but with an emphasis on short stories
• Leader: Ken Weiss, [email protected], phone 301-947-8150 
• Description: This group was established in 2017. It has been meeting on Zoom the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Beginning in March, 2022, we expect to meet the first Tuesday on Zoom at 7:30 p.m. and the second at Don Jorge's restaurant, 108 East Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg, at 6:30 p.m.
• Status: There is no ceiling on the number of members or attendees but, normally, no more than four people read in a meeting. There is information on our group and its meetings at  www.gaithersburgcreativewriters.net.

• Meets monthly: Virtually and/or sometimes in members' homes in Montgomery County.

• Genres: Fiction and creative non-fiction. We are open to both genre and literary fiction.
• Contact: Elisabeth Lang at [email protected]
• Currently full; accepting names for Wait List

•  Genre: Multi; Short stories, CNF, Memoir
• Contact: Cathy Ruckard and Bob Matthews [email protected]
• Description: Small online Maryland-based critique group that has been meeting for over 5 years. We are seeking a few new members. We write mostly short literary non-fiction and fiction but have also critiqued longer projects. We meet virtually on the second Thursday of the month from 7:30-8:30pm to share comments on two pieces by our members, or occasionally, to discuss craft. 
• POC: [email protected]