The Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers has a virtual campus in the form of a private Discord chat/voice server combined with Zoom meetings where its members can exchange encouragement, news, and other thoughts as well as participate in critique swaps, writing sprints, and career/craft discussions.
Our campus is an online space where fantasy and science fiction writers of all levels can talk with each other and exchange story and novel critiques. Its Discord server provides chat rooms where members can trade critiques as well as discuss market news, tips, and trends, recent rejections, and supportive advice and feedback. Critiquing is totally optional and there is no pressure to participate! Join for the gossip and chatter if you feel so inclined.
With the isolation created by the pandemic, we’ve added more and more events intended to help us socialize and be productive, including:
- On-going co-working sessions
- Monthly short story and craft book discussion groups
- Weekly sessions for playing writing games
- Periodic guest speakers and other craft-related events
- Class discounts
Our lively server discussions include channels devoted to market news, writing craft, and rejectomancy, as well as less serious ones for celebrating foods and pictures of one’s pets.
The community is open to:
- Patreon supporters at the $2 level and above. Click here to find out more about supporting Cat on Patreon.
- Subscribers through Paypal Subscribe using one of the buttons below for $5 per month or $50 per year. After you subscribe, you will receive acknowledgement and an invitation to the Discord server within 24 hours.
- Can’t afford it? I understand that expenses add up. As with the live classes, I’ve got plenty of free slots available, with the only criteria being that you think it would be useful to you as a writer but can’t afford it. I particularly encourage you to apply if you’re a writer of color, QUILTBAG, a writer with disabilities, or are otherwise othered. We want you as part of the community.
Campus FAQ
Question: Do I have to post or can I just lurk?
Answer: Your level of participation is totally up to you! If you want to just hang out and chill, that’s fine.
Question: Is the community moderated?
Answer: Yup. Our primary rule is: be kind. We also keep all mentions of COVID-19 to a specific channel, so people can avoid it if they want to.
Question: Do I need to use Discord to be part of the Chez Rambo community?
Answer: Nope. There’s plenty of overlap with Patreon posts, which include weekly goal setting, co-working sessions, and free/discounted classes.
Question: Why did you create this space?
Answer: This space answers a question that writers have expressed to me over and over again in workshops, on panels, in e-mail and one-on-one conversations, including several of the mentoring sessions I did last weekend at DragonCon: How do I find an online community of other fantasy and science fiction writers where I can trade support, tips, market news, critiques, and photos of my pet?
Question: What other benefits come with supporting Cat on Patreon?
Answer: Depending on the level, benefits include special badge ribbons at conventions, classes, editing sessions, one on one coaching sessions, and more.
Question: Why is it so much cheaper to access the community through Patreon than Paypal subscription?
Answer: Because I need to track the latter and it’s a pain in the butt.
