Freelancing can be an isolating way of working. While traditional employees are surrounded by people every day by default, working remotely means having to make deliberate efforts to connect with people. Whether it’s sharing a joke, asking for a second opinion about a new project, or finding a business partner — nothing just falls into your lap.

Joining online communities is therefore essential if you want to avoid social isolation and gain the resources you need to advance your freelance career. That’s where Slack comes in.

What is Slack?

Launched in 2013, the messaging app Slack is used by many companies (including Scribbr) to communicate internally and has become indispensable for most remote teams. It has since moved beyond the corporate world and is used as a platform for public topic- and interest-themed communities.

Slack is free of charge, approachable, and easy to use. With subject-focused channels (‘chatrooms’) and direct messaging, it allows for real-time collaboration and is a great way to stay connected.

Why join a Slack community?

Being part of a Slack community of like-minded professionals offers you visibility, professional advice, and access to resources that are often not shared publicly. These assets do not usually come naturally to freelancers but are critical for the growth of your freelance career. Whether it is asking for feedback on a blog post you have written or taking part in discussions about your field, Slack communities can introduce the benefits of having peers in a traditional job.

Slack also gives you great insight into what your fellow freelancers are doing. While freelancers are often seen as lone wolfs, communicating with other professionals and developing a strong understanding of your industry will help advance your freelance career.

Last but not least, it’s important to have fun on the job! With who else would you share these inside jokes and funny articles that your friends might not get and your feline coworking buddy won’t care about? Slack communities offer room for non-work banter and humor that make the workday enjoyable.

Which Slack communities can I join?

I’m personally a member of nine Slack communities. Although it’s practically impossible to be regularly active in every one, I always know I’ll have clever and helpful professionals in my field who I can ask for advice and start discussions with.

Besides that, joining Slack communities in your country or region is a great way to make sure you don’t miss out on intriguing career opportunities or real-life connections.

Here are some free Slack communities you might be interested in:

• Digital Freelancer
• World of Writers
• #smallbiz
• Wanderbrief

Here you can find a list of Slack communities. You can also create your own community!

In Scribbr’s Slack community, more than 600 international freelance editors share editing advice, discuss tricky language questions, and celebrate accomplishments.

Would you like to be part of the Scribbr editor community? Test your language knowledge by taking our quiz and apply to be an English, German, Dutch or French editor.

What Slack communities are you a part of?