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The 10 Best Online Creative Writing Courses (2023 Rankings)

Published on: 03/22/2023

By Fatima Mansoor

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With the best online creative writing courses, you can learn the techniques and skills you need to become a better writer.

Do you feel like your writing has hit a plateau?

Are you struggling to convey your ideas and bring your stories to life?

Are you tired of staring at a blank page?

It is normal for writers to feel stuck, discouraged, and doubt their writing skills.

In the past, the solution was to enroll in a creative writing class at your local college or join a writing group. But these options are often either expensive, time-consuming, or inconvenient — or all of the above.

These days, though, there are lots of great creative writing courses online that let you learn from some of the world’s top experts all from the comfort of your own home.

You can learn how to write compelling stories, craft convincing dialogue, create vivid characters, understand structure and pacing, and much more, while enjoying the flexibility, convenience, and affordability of online learning.

Whether you’re looking to become the next bestselling author or you just want to write for fun, these courses will give you the tools you need to take your writing to the next level.

We’ve reviewed and ranked the best online creative writing courses based on a number of key criteria, including content, instructor credentials and experience, price, student reviews, and more.

This guide is fully updated for 2023 to include the best current course options so you can make an informed decision for investing in your writing passion.

Disclosure:  Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost for you, we might get a commission if you click the link and purchase.

How We Chose the Best Online Courses for Creative Writing

With hundreds of online creative writing classes out there, we wanted to help people like you find the ones that are truly the best of the best.

We reviewed dozens of creative writing courses online, and ranked them based on the following criteria:

• Curriculum quality– We carefully reviewed the curriculum of each course to make sure it was up-to-date and comprehensive.
• Instructor reputation– We checked the background and reviews of the instructor to gauge whether or not they had the experience and expertise needed to teach a great creative writing course.
• Student reviews– In addition to forming our own opinions of these courses, we also looked carefully at the reviews and ratings left by other students to get a feel for what others had to say.
• Value– Finally, we compared the cost of each course to the quality of instruction to determine which ones had the best value for what was being offered.

After going through this in-depth process, we came up with a list of what we believe are the 10 very best online creative writing courses available today.

What are the Best Online Creative Writing Classes?

Here are our picks for the top creative writing courses online in 2023…

1. Creative Writing Bootcamp: Start a Brand New Story (Skillshare)

Skillshare offers a One-Month Free Trial . After that, a Skillshare subscription is around $165 per year for unlimited access to all courses. See our Skillshare review  for more info.

14 video lessons, 1 hour

This course is designed to help aspiring authors of all skill levels launch their creative writing careers. Myla Goldberg, a renowned author, teaches this course, covering everything from character and plot development to dialogue writing.

Students will participate in various interactive activities and writing prompts throughout the course to evaluate their current performance and navigate their way upwards. Each lesson builds on the previous one, guiding students through creating a completely new story from start to finish, from idea generation to writing captivating opening lines.

Students can take advantage of Myla’s guidance on overcoming writer’s block, her insights into the publishing industry, and how to get their work noticed by agents and publishers.

2. Creative Writing: Crafting Personal Essays with Impact (Skillshare)

Skillshare offers a One-Month Free Trial . After that, a Skillshare subscription is around $165 per year for unlimited access to all courses.

11 video lessons, 1+ hours

This course by Roxane Gray gives you the tools to tell your story with impact. It will help you craft compelling personal essays whether you’re looking for an introduction to essay writing or an experienced writer needing a refresher course.

You’ll learn how to brainstorm essay topics, structure your essays for maximum impact, and revise your work so it’s polished.

The course also emphasizes the importance of storytelling and using specific, vivid details to bring essays to life. It will give you useful strategies for engaging your target audience and making a lasting impression, whether you write for personal or professional reasons.

Overall this course comprises a step-by-step process for writing a personal essay that captures your unique personality. You’ll also develop the skills and self-assurance you need to keep writing and hone your craft.

3. The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: Writing a Character Study (Skillshare)

5 video lessons, about 30 minutes

If you’re looking for rigorous training related to character development, this course will be the right fit for you! It is taught by a famous Wattpad writer, Lindsey Summers, who provides a detailed guide in translating vague ideas into interesting characters.

Over the course of 5 insightful video lessons, Lindsey will discuss the core aspects of character development, such as using an archetype in the right context and using character flaws to drive the story.

Whether a novice or an aspiring author, you can sign up for this course to study character creation and upskill yourself to use unique approaches in different scenarios.

4. Teaching Writing For Television (Masterclass)

Plans starting at $15/month billed annually

30 video lessons, about 6.5 hours

Shonda Rhimes’ Masterclass course on writing pilot scripts is another empowering and informative course.

Rhimes has been working in television for over 20 years and has created some of the most popular shows on TV today, including How to Get Away With Murder, The Catch, Grey’s Anatomy, etc. Her experience working with writers of various genres qualifies her to teach you how to write a catchy pilot script.

The course covers everything from developing your idea into a pitch to writing your first draft.

Rhimes walks you through each step of the process, providing clear instructions and examples from her own experiences and those of other writers with whom she has collaborated over the years. All these real-life examples give you a good head start, shed light on common pitfalls, and accelerate your growth as compared to learning on your own. She also gives you time estimates for each section of your script so you can plan accordingly.

This course is ideal for anyone interested in learning more about writing television shows but is intimidated by the process or lacks access to an experienced professional who can provide feedback on their work.

5. Creative Non-Fiction Writing – You Can’t Make This Stuff Up! (Udemy)

Regularly priced at $19.99

27 lessons, 1 hour and 50 minutes

If you’re a writer who’s fond of writing biographies, history, and philosophy, this course will make you a pro at the non-fiction genre. Led by the mastermind of the non-fiction genre, Trace Crawford, this course will teach you the primary concepts of creative non-fiction writing.

You will learn to develop story plots, use literary devices to make content more impactful, and structure a narrative. Trace believes comprehending practical aspects of the non-fiction genre makes you an outstanding writer. Topics such as primary and secondary research and navigating ethical concerns when writing about people and events are all crucial to convey your work to the target audience.

Apart from the core concepts, this course includes skills such as pitching, submitting work to publishers, and using the right medium to create your brand in the market.

In essence, this course is an excellent opportunity to learn non-fiction writing, whether you want to pursue it as a side hustle or a profession.

6. Secret Sauce of Great Writing (Udemy)

Do you feel like your mediocre writing is holding you back? Look no further than the “Secret Sauce of Great Writing” course on Udemy by former Wall Street Journal editor Shani Raja!

Shani teaches you the insider secrets to great writing that only a seasoned professional could know. He discusses the four main ingredients of great writing: simplicity, clarity, elegance, and evocativeness. With his years of experience in the industry, Shani knows exactly what it takes to write content that hooks your readers.

You’ll also get the chance to brush up on some basics, such as sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, style, tone, and storytelling. With Shani’s guidance, you’ll become a pro at writing informational and commercial content.

7. Creative Writing Specialization (Coursera)

Included with 7,000+ other courses with Coursera Plus subscription ($59/mo).  Try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.

About 10.5 hours of video lessons

Are you a budding writer yearning for a community that values the art of creative writing and supports your journey of self-expression? This Creative Writing Specialization on Coursera is the perfect course for you.

You will learn different forms of creative writing, such as fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and screenwriting. What makes this program unique is the exceptional instructors who are experts in their fields and passionate writers.

The program’s peer review process enables participants to share their work with other writers and get regular feedback. Such interactive lessons foster a sense of belonging and the opportunity to grow no matter your proficiency level.

You’ll also learn how to create engaging stories that capture readers’ attention, write poetry, develop characters, develop intriguing dialogues, and write descriptive settings that readers can relate to.

The program’s main learning outcomes include gaining a deep understanding of the different genres of creative writing and developing the necessary skills to write effectively within each genre.

You’ll also learn practical tips on how to get published and build your portfolio.

Overall, this specialization on Coursera is more than just an online course; it’s a community of writers who understand the struggles and joys of creative expression.

Students have the option to audit the course for free. However, you’ll have to pay a fee if you want a certificate upon completing the class.

8. Writing Your Story (CreativeLive)

Plans starting around $13 per month

26 video lessons, 5+ hours

Another area of non-fiction writing is memoirs. Many people are willing to write about their personal experiences and memorable moments. This is where Joyce Maynard comes in and sheds light on the skills needed to write a profound memoir.

The primary motive of this course is to discuss the outline of memoirs and the right methodology to inculcate drama, relevance, and authenticity. Joyce teaches how to organize your writing and use sensory devices to make your memoirs engaging.

Overall, this course gives you all the knowledge needed to pen down your personal perspective. You’ll be able to write a memoir that strikes a chord with the audience and leaves a lasting impression.

9. Grammar Lion: A Grammar Refresher (Grammar Lion)

100+ lessons

Essentially, this course covers the fundamental English grammar lessons to enable budding writers to polish their language and avoid frequent mistakes. After all, a competent writer must be proficient in grammar.

Students will learn parts of speech, sentence structure, and punctuation. They will also learn how to compose sentences and paragraphs and rectify common grammar mistakes.

Apart from grammar, you will also improve your analytical and critical thinking abilities via various case studies, which can be useful in both academic and professional situations.

This is the perfect course for anyone wishing to enhance their communication and writing skills in general.

Overall, these lessons will provide the foundation necessary to write with clarity, precision, and assurance.

10. Creative Writing: How to Start a Writing Habit (Skillshare)

Skillshare offers a One-Month Free Trial . After that, the  Skillshare price is around $165 per year for unlimited access to all courses.

7 video lessons, about 11 minutes

Becoming a proficient, creative writer requires effort, determination, and guidance. If you are just getting on the bandwagon and looking for a well-defined roadmap, this course on Skillshare will be a worthwhile investment.

A renowned writing coach, Whitney Strong, offers actionable advice to help you hone your creative thinking skills and gives you direction to develop a writing habit.

Strong encourages students to maintain a notebook from the beginning of the course. In this way, one can establish a writing routine that fits their lifestyle and goals and learn techniques for writing down impactful ideas.

The abundance of practical advice by Strong makes this course stand out. She does not only focus on the methodology of writing engaging stories or dialogues but also emphasizes conceptual learning.

She discusses abstract concepts and provides students with specific writing exercises and prompts to help them overcome common writing obstacles and develop their writing voice. Whitney also shares her writing experiences, providing insights into the creative process and the challenges that all writers face.

The course is appropriate for writers of all levels, from novices looking to improve their skills to seasoned writers looking to establish a writing practice.

A Final Word on the Best Online Creative Writing Courses

With so many great online creative writing classes, it’s easier than ever to study from acclaimed authors, receive insightful comments, and interact with a community of professional writers who share your interests.

Remember, most of these course providers offer free trial periods, giving you a great chance to check out classes at no cost to see which ones you like best.

Have any questions about our guide to the best online creative writing courses? Leave a comment below to let us help.

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Top 5 Best Creative Writing Courses

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best creative writing course for most people is Masterclass : Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing or Coursera : Creative Writing Specialization.

Creative writing courses help develop your writing skills, build conscious writing habits, and teach you how to build a professional portfolio for your writing career. Most creative writing courses offer educational and practical assignments that help you advance your creative writing abilities. 

Whether you’re a complete beginner or just want to sharpen your creative writing tools, the courses below have you covered.

The Top 5 Best Creative Writing Courses 

• Masterclass : Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing – Best for writing development
• Coursera : Creative Writing Specialization – Best for experiential learning
• Udemy : Complete Creative Writing Course – Best for portfolio creation
• Gotham Writers : Creative Writing 101 – Best for building a writing habit
• Reedsy Learning : Understanding Point of View – Best for beginners 

Continue reading for our in-depth reviews on the five best creative writing courses to help you become a better writer today. 

Masterclass: Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing – Best for Writing Development 

If you’re an experienced writer looking to develop your writing abilities, the Masterclass course Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing is an excellent option for you. 

This course compiles advanced material that Atwood simplifies with 23 slow-paced video lessons that span across about four hours. 

Author of The Handmaid’s Tale and instructor of this creative writing course, Atwood takes you on a journey of the creative writing process from getting started to getting published. Her first-ever online class will teach you to develop your writing with advanced material and personal advice. 

Whether you already have a first draft or a half-written book, this in-depth course teaches all about core writing elements. Atwood discusses how to write a compelling story, create structure, develop nuanced characters, keep your readers interested, and how to stay motivated while writing—helping you turn your work into a masterpiece. 

The best part about this specific creative writing course is how participatory it is. You get access to a class workbook that includes additional writing assignments you can complete after each lesson, as well as helpful resources for writers. 

The course also comes with a community hub for all students to interact with each other. The community page gives you a place to discuss lessons, share your work, get feedback, and network—creating a sense of classroom-like community. 

The structure of the Masterclass course is easy to navigate, with all 23 lessons being split into three to five sections and are around 10 minutes long each. 

Lessons one through 16 are about the general elements of writing, like story and plot, structure, characters, and point of view. Lessons 17 through 23 discuss the business side of writing, including getting published and working within different genres. 

Masterclass offers one membership fee to receive access to every class on its website. The fee is $10 per month, billed at $120 per year.

A Masterclass membership gives you access to more than 180 classes, audio-only lessons, offline viewing, downloadable instructor guides, and new classes added every month. 

Masterclass also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscriptions.

Coursera: Creative Writing Specialization – Best for Experiential Learning 

Not every creative writing course offers practical and interactive assessments, but the Creative Writing Specialization courses offered by Wesleyan University for Coursera stands out because of its experiential learning experience. This is a set of five courses within one larger specialization, all leading to a capstone project.

As a creative writing course with extensive hands-on projects, each specialization will teach you how to master a different writing technique that successful writers use in the three major writing genres. 

There are more than 113,000 students already enrolled in this set of courses, and for a good reason. The course structure has helped many people understand the short story, narrative essay, and memoir genre. 

What makes this course so experiential is during the last lesson, where you have the chance to write and edit your own original story. 

Using the elements and techniques you learn throughout the five courses taught by different instructors, you will draft a short story, narrative essay, or memoir. With the help of your peer readers and instructors, you will revise, rewrite, and complete the story in whichever genre you choose. 

Each course within the overall Specialization focuses on a different element for each genre. During this course, you will learn the craft of plot (course one), crafting characters (course two), settings and descriptions (course three), and style (course four) before you put these skills to the test and write your story in course five. 

Even though this Specialization is more in-depth, it’s still flexible, as you can take each of the first four courses in any order (ending with the course five capstone). It’s also 100% online, so you don’t need to show up to a classroom, and you can access all course material via a desktop or mobile device. 

The Creative Writing Specialization currently takes one month to complete at 10 hours a week, which you should keep in mind. However, Coursera lets you set and maintain flexible deadlines, even though you cannot change the course duration to be any shorter than it already is. 

Currently, Write-Bros, Scrivener, and Scribophile are sponsors of the Creative Writing Specialization course and are offering discounts for all students who complete their assessments.

Upon completing your first assignment, you receive an 80% discount from Write-Bros, a 30% discount on your first purchase from Scrivener, and a 30% off membership pricing for Scribophile’s online writing community. 

You can enroll in the course for free to read and view the course content. However, if you want access to all courses in the Specialization and receive a certificate upon completion, you need to sign up for Coursera Plus. Coursera Plus offers both monthly and annual subscriptions. The cost is $59 per month or $399 per year with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

With each Specialization course, you get access to shareable course certificates, course videos and readings, practice quizzes, graded assignments with feedback, graded quizzes with feedback, and graded programming assignments. 

Coursera also offers financial aid and a seven-day free trial of Coursera Plus.

Udemy: Complete Creative Writing – Best for Portfolio Creation 

If you want to learn about the four writing genres and create a strong portfolio with your writing samples, the Complete Creative Writing course by Udemy is an excellent option. 

Creating an outstanding portfolio can be difficult for many writers, especially beginners, but this course will help you create a digital portfolio in just five concise sections. 

Instructed by teacher and author Trace Crawford, this course delves deep into the world of fiction, poetry, drama, and creative nonfiction. In the fifth and final section, you’ll learn how to create a digital portfolio.

Including the introduction, the course has 162 lectures and a running time of about 12 hours. By the end of this course, you will understand the ins and outs of all things creative writing. 

Crawford breaks down the course into four subsections: Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Creative Non-Fiction. You will receive a writing journal prompt for every lesson, 145 downloadable resources, and a certificate of completion. Each subsection offers between 20-50 lectures that range between one and four hours in length in total.

The final course section focuses only on the digital portfolio. Many creative writing courses don’t touch on portfolio creation, even though it’s an essential aspect of a writer’s career. These lectures will leave you feeling ready to pursue a career in writing. 

This course is also flexible, as you can complete it at your own pace and receive lifetime access for one price. If you have the time, you can complete this course within a day or two, which is helpful to retain as much information as possible. 

The course comes with 37 online quizzes, 145 downloadable resources, and journal prompts. You also receive a daily writing assignment, a lesson covering the course content, and a practical application project. 

Crawford aims to further develop and perfect your voice by teaching you about the four genres. You will also learn about writing techniques, writing concepts, how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your writing projects, and of course, you will build a portfolio. 

The regular price is $109.99 for the Complete Creative Writing course, and Udemy often has discounts throughout the year. This specific course usually goes on sale each month, so look out for this. 

Udemy also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

Gotham Writers: Creative Writing 101 – Best for Building a Writing Habit 

Are you struggling to build a writing habit and don’t know where to start? The Creative Writing 101 six-week course by Gotham Writers is an excellent place to start. 

This level one online six-week class focuses on slowly building a writing habit while teaching you about the show and tell of writing, individuality, fiction, nonfiction, and how to get better at the craft. 

This course is unique because each class size is limited for students to get enough personal attention from the instructor. There are a maximum of 16 students in each Creative Writing 101 class, which is 100% online. 

Creative Writing 101 helps you slowly build a writing habit by encouraging you to complete daily observation exercises and free writing. These writing activities help stimulate the brain and create a way to write freely without the burden of writer’s block. 

The course also offers weekly writing assignments that the instructor grades and provides feedback for, which will help you feel more confident about your writing abilities as you progress through the course. 

Because this course is online, Gotham Writers provides the Lounge feature for all students to meet weekly for a one-hour live chat. The Lounge is open 24/7 for all students to chat and get to know each other, network, and discuss feedback. 

You also get access to a weekly planner, class roster, guidelines, and syllabus. The notebook, booth, library, and blackboard are other essential features that store lectures, assignments, resources, and student feedback.  

The course layout is the most similar to an online classroom, especially for collaboration purposes, making it easy to navigate and complete tasks. Each class session lasts for a week, and you have the flexibility to complete tasks at any time of day during the week. 

Gotham Writers offers this course online, on Zoom, or one-on-one (either in NYC or long distance) for different prices. 

• Online: $319 
• Zoom: $319 
• One-on-One: $1,195

There is also a $25 registration fee that you pay once per term. All course dates are listed on the website and are subject to availability.

Reedsy Learning: Understanding Point of View – Best for Beginners 

Beginners need to start somewhere, and there’s no better place to start than enrolling in the free Reedsy Learning course, Understanding Point of View. 

Taught by TEDx speaker and author Gabriela Pereira, this course focuses on the technical element of point of view, which challenges many writers in the beginning stage. If this sounds like you, you will be delighted to hear that this course is free and gets delivered to your inbox every morning for 10 days. 

This is a quick and easy 10-day course. Each lesson is just five minutes, and Pereira takes you on an immersive journey through the challenges of establishing the correct point of view in your creative writing. 

This course will familiarize you with each primary POV, including first, second, and third person. With the help of practical writing exercises, you will complete the course understanding how to master each point of view within your writing. 

During this course, you will also learn: 

• The differences between third-person limited and third-person omniscient 
• The strengths and weaknesses of second person 
• How to work with multiple points of view
• Epistolary and Journal forms 

To enroll, include your name, email address, and time zone so that Pereira can deliver each lecture to your inbox on time. You can start each morning on the right foot by completing a quick five-minute lesson and go about your day, making it a simple course for the complete beginner to follow and get used to writing each day. 

Reedsy Learning offers this and many other free online courses to help you establish your career and transform your writing skills. 

How to Find The Best Creative Writing Course For You 

There are a few factors that go into finding the best creative writing course for you. Sometimes it can be challenging to choose the right course, especially since there are many different goals you may want to achieve. So we put together this methodology of the three most essential elements to consider before investing in a creative writing course. 

Schedule and Flexibility

The first thing to consider before investing in a creative writing course is the flexibility of your schedule. Consider the duration of each writing course, as some can go for days, weeks, or even months. 

The Complete Creative Writing Course by Udemy is a flexible option, as it allows you to go at your own pace and offers 12 hours of content you can complete in as little as a day or two.

However, some courses aren’t as flexible with timing, such as the Creative Writing Specialization by Coursera and Wesleyan University—which takes one month to complete. 

Make sure you check whether the timing is flexible, or you might need to change your schedule to fit in with your studies. 

Payment Method

Each course offers different prices depending on the duration, topic, and how in-depth the content is. Some writing courses have a subscription-based payment method, while others are one-off payments for lifetime access. 

It’s crucial to look for lifetime access, as you don’t want to invest in a course that will expire, and you lose all access to the materials. The course Understanding Point of View by Reedsy Learning is a free course perfect for beginners or anyone who isn’t sure where to start. 

You can enroll in a free course to learn the ropes of online studying, or you can choose one that offers a one-off payment, as most of the courses on this list. We wouldn’t recommend paying for a subscription unless you are dedicating a few months to learning or are interested in multiple courses from the same company. 

Learning Community 

A learning hub or community page can help you reinforce the learning materials, network, and build on your overall learning experience. Courses like Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing by Masterclass and Creative Writing 101 by Gotham Writers offer community hubs or lounges for students to interact and connect. 

Although not required, a central hub is essential for building a community and connecting with other writers. It can make your learning experience feel more like a classroom, even when it’s online. 

You might even complete the course with a few fellow writer friends along with the knowledge you obtained from the writing course. 

The Top Creative Writing Courses in Summary 

Overall, the Masterclass and Coursera courses are our top two recommendations for the best creative writing courses on the market today. 

With workbooks, learning hubs, video content, and downloadable resources, you can learn how to become a successful and confident writer using the courses reviewed in this guide.

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Certificate in Creative Writing

About the Online Creative Writing Certificate

The Certificate in Creative Writing offers an innovative, collaborative course of study for those who have always wanted to unlock their creativity. Each online course is designed as a workshop in which you explore new ideas, tackle new writing tools, generate original insights and discover your own powers of expression. You create, collaboratively discuss and revise your original writing with feedback from your instructors and your peers. You also engage with a range of assigned readings and multimedia that inform and grow your innovative practice.

The Certificate in Creative Writing offers both basic and advanced workshops and appeals to students new to creative writing as well as students with writing experience who want to learn new skills. Through a series of online courses in fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and screenwriting, the Certificate in Creative Writing focuses on creative writing as a form of critical thinking as a way to reimagine audience and as a space of innovation. Taught by professionals in the field, our courses cultivate both individual and group learning, providing an overview of the field as well as deep dives into literary genres. These online creative writing courses are designed as hands-on, intensive study of the subtleties and power of language.

Creative Writing Certificate Requirements

The Certificate in Creative Writing is a 4-course, 4 c.u.* credit program of study taught by University of Pennsylvania faculty. To earn a certificate, students complete any four courses offered, in any order.  Students who complete the basic certificate may pursue an advanced certificate (6-course, 6 c.u.*) by adding two additional creative writing courses.

Flexible Course Schedule and Tuition

Penn LPS Online courses in the Certificate in Creative Writing are offered in accelerated 8-week terms and full terms. Courses in the online certificate program are largely asynchronous with some optional synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors.

You have the option to enroll in individual creative writing courses without committing to the entire online certificate, enjoying the flexibility and expertise offered by Penn LPS Online to suit your schedule and interests. Visit the Cost of Attendance page for course tuition and fee rates.

Watch a video of a recent virtual information session to hear from the program team about the Certificate in Creative Writing.

If you are having trouble viewing this video, watch it on YouTube .

*Academic credit is defined by the University of Pennsylvania as a course unit (c.u.). A course unit (c.u.) is a general measure of academic work over a period of time, typically a term (semester or summer). A c.u. (or a fraction of a c.u.) represents different types of academic work across different types of academic programs and is the basic unit of progress toward a degree. One c.u. is usually converted to a four-semester-hour course.

The Certificate in Creative Writing prepares you to:

• Understand how text conveys meaning across a variety of literary genres and styles
• Explore how to use innovation, flexibility, and collaboration to cultivate a creative writing practice
• Create, revise and edit your original writing in multiple literary genres, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting

Online Creative Writing Courses

Certificate students who complete four of the online courses listed below earn a Certificate in Creative Writing. Those students are then eligible to pursue an Advanced Certificate in Creative Writing by taking two additional courses.

• CRWR 1010: The Craft of Creative Writing
• CRWR 1600: Modern and Contemporary US Poetry
• CRWR 2010: Poetry Workshop
• CRWR 2400: The Art of Editing
• CRWR 2500: Writing and Meditation
• CRWR 2600: Fiction Workshop
• CRWR 2800: Narrative Collage
• CRWR 3000: Writing About Place
• CRWR 3200: Screenwriting
• CRWR 3600: Advanced Nonfiction *
• CRWR 3700: Journalism

*This course may not be offered every academic year. Check the course page or our course guide to see when upcoming terms are added.

Courses are subject to change.

See Course Tuition

Meet The Faculty

Julia Bloch

• Faculty Director, Penn LPS Online Certificate in Creative Writing
• Director, Creative Writing Program

• Director, Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing

Laynie Browne

• Poet, prose writer, teacher and editor

Scott Burkhardt

• Lecturer in cinema and media studies

Christy Davids

• Teacher, poet and assistant editor at The Conversant

Lise Funderburg

• Lecturer in creative writing

• 2017-2018 Digital Studies Fellow at Rutgers University-Camden

Dick Polman

• Povich Writer-in-Residence at the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing (CPCW)

• Writer, editor, teacher

Zachary Tyler Vickers

Careers related to creative writing.

The Certificate in Creative Writing is designed to enhance your writing and storytelling skills and provide a framework for a creative process that can be applied to a myriad of professional roles including:

• Advertising copywriter
• Fundraising/development consultant
• Author and journalist

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Diploma of arts and social sciences, art/science collaboration wins waterhouse natural science art prize, associate degree of creative writing, course snapshot, domestic snapshot.

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2 years full-time; 4 years part-time

Inherent Requirements

Language requirements.

IELTS Overall Score 6.0

Entry Requirements

View full entry requirements

Course abbreviation

AssocDegCreatWrite

Course code

Credit points, equivalent units, indicative fee.

Commonwealth supported

Effective storytelling connects and engages an audience, whether they read, watch or listen, and creative writing skills are highly sought after by industries worldwide.

Take the first step towards making your wordsmithing career a reality by studying with renowned professional writers. This course offers a rich blend of study across fiction and non-fiction, experimental writing, journalism, life writing, poetry, writing for stage and screen, and writing for young adults.

As well as being taught by published writers from the Northern Rivers arts community, you'll benefit from hands-on experience at iconic Australian literary events such as the Byron Writers Festival , and the  Kyogle Writers Festival .

Learn more about this degree in the  creative writing showcase .

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Placements, work experience and study hours.

Opportunities exist for writing students to undertake work placements with Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA) (an education partner of our University), the Byron Writers Festival , and the Kyogle Writers Festival.

You can undertake an optional professional placement unit of 70 – 100 hours in an appropriate organisation, developing your knowledge and skills.

Specialisations, majors and minors

While this course has no majors, studies in fiction and non-fiction writing include:

• Experimental writing
• Life writing
• Writing for stage and screen
• Writing for young adults.

Availability

Requirements.

We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you are not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, our team will work with you to find the best pathway option.

Before applying, make sure you double check all entry requirements, gather required documentation and review the University’s Rules Relating to Awards , noting any specifics listed below.

Course requirements

To be eligible to receive the Associate Degree of Creative Writing, students must complete the equivalent of 16 units (192 credit points) comprising:

• 15 core units (180 credit points), and
• 1 project unit (12 credit points).

To be eligible to receive the Diploma of Creative Writing, students must complete the equivalent of 8 units (96 credit points), comprising:

• core units (96 credit points).

Entry requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this course are as follows

Language requirements

Course structure.

• Course progressions
• Schedule of Units

Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.

Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment .

Creative Writing

Second year.

CREEES Professional Resources Forum

Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin

Grad Program: MA in Creative Writing in Russian (Moscow)

Application opens February 2019

For fiction/non-fiction writers in Russian.

MA “Creative Writing”  is:

• Practical and theoretical/historical courses, such as  Creative Writing Workshop ,  Storytelling in Different Media ,  Literary Editing , Poetics of Novel and Screenwriting ;
• Unique professors and teachers, among them famous Russian writers, screenwriters and critics –  Marina Stepnova ,  Lyudmila Ulitskaya ,  Lev Danilkin ,  Sergey Gandlevsky  and  Maya Kucherskaya  as well as prominent philologists, authors of academic and non-fiction books  Oleg Lekmanov ,  Ekaterina Lyamina  and  Alexey Vdovin ;
• Participation in open readings, discussions and  literary expeditions ,  publications in students’ projects ;
• International exchange  – lectures and workshops of the leading specialists in Creative Writing, students’ exchange in the best world universities;
•  Help and support in the process of  employment  in various publishing houses, editorials, Mass Media, high schools and universities and PR;
• Creation and participation in  cultural projects ;
• Flexible timetable  enabling students to work while studying.

Our graduates already work in the best publishing houses, universities and schools in Moscow. Their writing is published in the authoritative literary magazines. Their projects (such as prize  “_Litblog”  for the best literary blogger and first Creative Writing Internet resource in Russian  “Mnogobukv” and collections of prose) have gained much attention.

Language of instruction: Russian

You can apply to non-paid place as a foreign student in February. Looking forward to seeing you at Higher School of Economics!

More information about the programme:  https://www.hse.ru/en/ma/litmaster

Technical Writing

Heads up! This course may be archived and/or unavailable.

This course is a part of English for Research Publication Purposes, a 5-course Specialization series from Coursera.

OpenCourser is an affiliate partner of Coursera and may earn a commission when you buy through our links.

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What people are saying.

According to other learners, here's what you need to know

technical writing in 11 reviews

It's an amazing begin for peoples that need to have a first contact with the technical writing.

I enjoyed learning technical writing course from Coursera.

The entire "first week" is background information about the university and instructors, along with a short animation related to technical writing with no commentary that seems like it was made to be inserted into a video but was uploaded alone instead.

You can skip straight to Week 2 "Characteristics of Technical Writing" and not be any worse off for it.

", could've easily been combined with the course information in a text document or with "Characteristics of Technical Writing" for a more robust understanding of what technical writers do and how it relates to their writing.)

For how much the course tries to impress that technical writing should be clear, concise, and well-presented, it fails in nearly all of those aspects.It's not unwatchable and there's solid information to be found, but those are only part of what makes a quality educational video.

Great course and got great insights about Technical Writing.

Adding some Technical Writing Tools would have been even nicer.

This course was a great opportunity to learn the pros and cons of technical writing.

This course is very helpful for developing technical writing skill.

Is a product description an example of marketing or technical writing?

I think the information you learn about the reasons for technical writing as well as the types, and intricate parts of a body of work are valuable information.

This course is a great gateway to the world of technical writing.

The course was very well structured... a perfect balance between theoretical and practical aspects of Technical Writing.

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Finding Your Voice

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So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Austin

Austin: the City of the Violet Crown, the live music capital of the world, and a haven for artists down South. In the writing world alone, Austin has been home to countless famous authors, from Julie Powell to Katherine Anne Porter. By taking a creative writing class in Austin, you could join their ranks.

This directory of the best writing courses in Austin is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Austin? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Austin for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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