Writing groups on Telegram are where many indie authors find beta readers, swap critiques and keep each other going through the middle of a difficult draft. Members share excerpts, cover drafts and launch news, which makes these groups a natural target for people selling dubious services.

This guide is for admins of writing-critique circles, indie author communities and genre-specific writing groups.

Disclosure: we created 虾宝 (Xiabao), a bot that keeps Telegram groups clear of spam. It is free for group owners.

Common traps in writing communities

• Fake literary agents. Accounts that praise an excerpt and then ask for a "reading fee" or an "editorial assessment" before representation. Legitimate agents do not charge authors upfront.
• Paid review swaps. Schemes that promise dozens of reviews on retail sites for a fee, which can get an author's book removed.
• Vanity-publisher pitches. Offers to publish for a large up-front payment, presented as a traditional deal.
• Cover and editing services that disappear after taking a deposit.
• Mass-posted junk: gambling, crypto and adult promotions from accounts created that week, often dropped right after a launch announcement when the most members are reading.

Rules to pin

• Service offers (editing, covers, formatting) are posted only in a dedicated topic, with a portfolio and references.
• No paid review schemes.
• Agent and publisher offers are discussed openly, and members are reminded that real agents do not charge reading fees.
• Critique swaps stay inside the group, not in private chats with strangers.

Structure and new members

Topics such as Critique Exchange, Publishing Questions, Services and Launch News keep things readable. Ask newcomers "What are you writing, and in which genre?" Real writers answer, and most automated accounts do not.

Automate the dull part

Admins of writing groups would rather be writing. Xiabao, available as @xiabaotg_bot, helps by removing the spam layer: added as an admin, it spots promotional links and scam offers in new messages, deletes them and bans accounts that keep posting them after a warning, while critique threads and excerpts stay untouched. The Xiabao guide for writing and creative group admins walks through the setup, which is quick.

Regular upkeep

Swap the invite link after a public workshop or online event, prune silent accounts every few months and repost the rules when membership jumps. It also helps to thank the members who report suspicious offers, because writers often notice a fake agent before an admin does. A calm group is a better place to write.