i know a big part of the reason people like NaNo was for the community, are there are other places / hashtags to follow so new writers can find digital writing groups? (I'm super out of the loop here, but would love to share any that exist as alternatives for ppl looking!)

I run a paid online writing community named Called to Write. We have writing sprints Mon to Sat at 9 am PT, weekly writer check-ins, a monthly zoom, community threads, and some member benefits. We also have a free plan with free courses for writers with more to be added soon: calledtowrite.mn.co

Called to Write

Called to Write helps you take practical action on your writing, goals, craft, and vision for your writing life. We aim to help you build and create a lasting writing career.

I’d like to know as well!

#HorrorWritersChat#WeeknightWriters#LateNightWrite#QueerWriters#LGBTQWriteAThon

Get Your Words Out (@gywo.bsky.social) is a yearlong writing challenge on Dreamwidth (you do not have to have a DW to participate) and they've got lots of little challenges going throughout the year to help people meet their goals!

I do a little online "Writing Church" with friends on Sundays from 10-Noon via zoom. We socialize the first 15 minutes, write like the wind for 45, then repeat. Gives a nice solid 90 minutes of productivity on the weekend and makes it feel less like shouting into the void.

I asked that question in another thread and was told the dreamfoundry.org discord is a good place!

The Dream Foundry

Helping new professionals in the Speculative Arts

#TheWriteStart month-long novel writing challenge will begin on January 1. Discord and details to come.

Also Susan Dennard runs themightypens.org which used to do NaNo for charity but they exist and have a discord all year round and may pivot

The Mighty Pens

The more we write, the more we raise!

My sub discord does a monthly nano that we rename every month; it's glowrimo right now for the fireflies. Maybe some key players could host a grassroots version. I'd be up for helping coordinate.

I've been connecting with great people in the #WIPSnips#LGBTQWriteAThon@roseevenstar.bsky.social mods in some excellent writer Discords including We Write At Dawn.