The result is a thriving on-line community dedicated to the art and craft of writing. One way to participate in this community is to become involved in a critique group. Critique groups work through e-mail. Like traditional writer's groups, not all on-line critique groups are created equal. Some are considered highly effective, others less so.
Some groups permit submissions as often as once a week.
You don't have to sit in front of the entire group, redfaced and squirming, while someone cuts your submission to shreds. Anonymity also helps if you're shy about commenting on another person's material. If you wish, you can conceal your identity completely with an on-line pseudonym. That means you may receive feedback from someone who knows far less about writing than you do. As a result, you may find yourself doing more critiquing than writing.