Roomie Cafe for writers
A writing group that meets whenever you write
Roomie Cafe is a free focus timer you share with friends. Start a writing sprint, see who else is writing right now and note what you got down when the timer ends.
- No webcam
- Nothing to book
- Free, no session limit
How it works
Start a sprint
Pick the project, say your novel draft, and a length from 5 to 90 minutes. Twenty five minutes is a good first sprint.
Write next to other writers
See which friends are writing right now and what they are working on. Nobody sees your screen or your face.
Log the words
Write one line when the timer ends, like a word count or the scene you finished. Friends can cheer you on.
Your writing group, between meetups
Writing meetups work because everyone sits down at the same table and writes for an hour. The hard part is the six days in between, when you are alone with the draft again.
On Roomie Cafe you can invite your writing friends into one shared project. You see each other writing live, the time adds up to one running total, and you can set a goal for the week together. Anyone can start a sprint at any hour, so a friend in another time zone still counts as company.
Writing a novel in November
The NaNoWriMo nonprofit shut down in 2025, along with its website and word count tracker. Plenty of writers still aim for 50,000 words in November, which works out to about 1,667 words a day.
To do it with friends, create a shared focus area called November novel, invite your group and set a weekly goal. Roomie Cafe tracks time, so put your word count in the line you write after each sprint. By the end of the month every day you wrote is a filled square on your calendar.
What writers get
A timer next to your draft
On the web, pop the running timer into a small window that stays on top of your document.
Focus Shield on iPhone
Block the apps that pull you away while a sprint runs, and silence their notifications.
Every writing day on a calendar
Each session fills a square on your heat calendar, next to your total writing time. A missed day is just an empty square.
Weekly goals
Set a target for the week for one project or for all your writing, and watch the bar fill.
Books you are reading
Keep the books you read for research in a library and log pages as you go.
Private when you want
Make your account private, and people have to ask before they can follow you.
Free on the web and on iOS
Everything you need is free, with no limit on sessions, on the web and on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Android is coming. Supporter is an optional subscription for people who want to fund what gets built next.
Questions from writers
Is there a free online writing group?
Yes. Roomie Cafe is free with no limit on sessions. Create a shared focus area, invite your writing friends and your group can write together at any hour.
What is a writing sprint?
A writing sprint is a short timed block, usually 15 to 30 minutes, where you only write. You leave editing and research until the timer ends, and many writers sprint alongside others.
How do I find a writing accountability partner?
Start with a writer you already know, or someone from a local writing group. On Roomie Cafe you follow each other and see when the other person is writing, so you keep each other going without a call.
What can I use now that NaNoWriMo has closed?
The NaNoWriMo nonprofit closed in 2025, but writing a novel in November still works with friends. Set up a shared focus area on Roomie Cafe, sprint every day and share your word count in the note after each session.
Do I need a camera or microphone?
No. Nobody sees or hears you. People only see your name, what you are working on and your timer.
Does Roomie Cafe count my words?
Roomie Cafe times your sessions and keeps your history. Write your word count in the one line note at the end of a session.