How to join/start a DnD group?

I've been trying to get into Dungeons and Dragons for years and I've never been able to break through. The only game shop around isn't starting any new campaigns any time soon and I don't really want to jump in the middle and have to scramble to catch up, and with covid going there isn't even an option. I've also floated the idea of starting a group to some of my friends but it always falls apart either because there's not enough people, no one wants to DM, and the fact that none of us really know how to play. If anyone knows anything about this I'd love to get some advice! 

I’ve been having the same problems as you, as I’ve wanted to join a D&D group for years, but the ones I’ve been in either fell apart or had a bad dungeon master (at least in the ones where I was with people I didn’t know very well). Another problem is that I’ve been wanting to do a play-by-post D&D, I’m not sure if that’s exactly what you’re looking for (basically where there isn’t a set schedule/meet-up so people can post when possible, which usually works better for online and people with different schedules), and a lot of the D&D groups (or at least the DMs) I was in would insist on doing set schedules which wouldn’t work either. I’m also really only interested in doing it by text (like on Discord) since I’m not super comfortable with speaking over voice with people I don’t know as well;;

So, I only really know a small bit of D&D, but probably not enough for what you’re looking for ^^; though if you do happen to find people, and/or are looking for people to join, I would be interested!

In my country and my city there's a tabletop players association, and under that an RPG club. That's where I play. But I figure in your place IRL gatherings for playing aren't an option as you said.

So the most realistic option for you guys is to get one of you to DM. It's very daunting at first, but starting from one-shots lowers the bar. If none of you have the books, you can try to see if your library has the basic books, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual and Player's Handbook. Those are what you need to start and loaning them for at least getting acquainted is a good step forward. There are many online tools to help you with streamlining stuff, and on youtube a LOT of guides for different aspects of gameplay. This [link] is just one of many so I recommend doing some research and find the information you need in the form that you most easily ingest it.

If you feel intimidated by DMing, you can always negotiate with your players. Tell them that you have a certain kind of adventure prepared and that it won't be complete freeform, but that it's giving you and them experience. 

I use this calculator for player character building [link]
And for reference of literally anything a site you can find by googling "5e tools"

A lot of people do conduct games through Roll20 and Discord due to covid but I have no experience with that. I figure you could try and find discord groups dedicated for remote gaming on Disboard or other sites.

Really hope you'll get to play, maybe DM sometime soon. It sucks to not be able to get to the place where you can do that, but there's things you can do to make your way there.

Honestly, a big part is just finding people (be it offline or online.) who would also like to play! 

As stated above, the major thing you might need right now is the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. Look online if you have questions pertaining to rules or even watch how others play. (Critical Role is fun to watch, hella higher up there in D&D knowledge but, it's kinda how you can see if you'd like a more roleplay rather than combat-focused gameplay out.)

Making characters, DnD Beyond has the ability to make a few characters. Also, there are tons of sites online which offer physical character sheets. The Player's Handbook also leads you through the Character making the process so it's easy to get once you read through it. 

Finding a DM can be rough, but once you get one just be sure to communicate with them. Usually, they know the rules more, so if you're confused about how something works just ask! I'm sure they'll be more than happy to ask. Tell them how you'd like to play be it combat-focused, more roleplay focused, or a nice mix of both. By working with them you can have a more enjoyable time and a smoother game. 

If you can't find a DM, then I'd recommend trying your hand at DMing. (This is where the Dungeon Master's Guide comes in) It's a little intimidating at first, but a majority of the time your players will love the work you do anyway. You don't have to create your own story either, there are tons of Campaign books out there for D&D that outline a story and what is supposed to go on so you have a basis of how to play it out. Plus there are one-shots to follow which can help you go from story to story and slowly get comfortable with running a long-running story like a campaign. I am DMing for the first time ever and am running Hoard Of The Dragon Queen. I was terrified at first and made sure my players knew I wasn't the most experienced from a DM side and to please work with me, they were very understanding and we've been having a FANTASTIC time. Just refer to the handbook when you can, and be creative with it. Plus there's nothing wrong with adding your own twist to the narrative which I find is SUPER fun. You don't have to follow the rules to a T. There is homebrew which is practically house rules.

Thanks to covid tons of people are playing online, which is a route I decided to take too. I personally use Discord and Table Top Simulator. Discord is for the voice calls and for a big ole server I made with my players where I send them pictures of references throughout the session, play music to set the mood, or communicate with them outside of sessions if they have questions or need help. Table Top Simulator has tons of assets for D&D from tables, dice, and figures to ENTIRE maps from certain campaigns. It is like 15-30 or so dollars on steam?? (I can't remember exactly I got it on sale.) But it is SOO worth the price. The assets you get are free off the steam workshop so you're just paying for the game, plus it's super easy to use too.

Hope this helps a bit! 

You need to make a summoning circle with dice and hope for DnD pals to manifest.

The subreddit /r/lfg may be able to help you out! It’s for people looking for tabletop groups (both IRL and online).