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13 Best Free Online Writing Courses For Beginners (2024)

Updated on April 10, 2024 by Patrick

Are you just starting out blogging? Or do you desire to write more persuasive marketing copy, impactful business letters, or engaging books?

If yes, then taking an online writing course designed for beginners is the right path to follow. And that’s why we’ve put together the 13 best online free writing courses for beginners (and all levels).

Let’s improve your writing skills.

Best Free Writing Courses Beginners Can Learn Online

1. skillshare: writing for online engagement: fiction in a digital world.

Now, if you’re a beginner who’s interested in fiction writing, there’s no better way to kickstart your writing journey than taking a free online writing course.

But don’t think because this course is free, it lacks content.

The instructor of this course is Rebecca Sky. She’s worked with some of the world’s top companies, including Microsoft, Paramount, Sony, Lay’s, and Kraft. She specializes in writing YA fiction, and she’s an accomplished author at that.

In the 11 lessons spanning 1 hour 8 minutes, Rebecca takes her students through several writing classes to help them;

• Understand how writers can write in the digital age.
• Grasp writing for an audience and grow a community.
• Know how to get into writing serialized fiction.
• Merchandise their stories.

You’ll also get marketing tips to promote your brand and become a successful writer.

And if you’ve been writing fiction without achieving the success you deserve, you can also take the course.

Bloggers and other creative writers can also study her innovative strategies for producing successful books and building an online community of enthusiastic readers.

Another exciting thing about this course is that it’s free for students to learn on Skillshare. For 30 days, you can take this and other writing courses.

• Outstanding online writing course for beginners and experienced creative writers.
• Free for students interested in learning to write fiction.
• An established and published author taught me.
• It teaches you how to grow a community of raving fans and market your work.
• Requires little time commitment.
• Teaches you self-publishing
• Contains interesting projects.
• The classes are designed for only fiction writers.
• It doesn’t issue a certificate of completion.

In all, this is our pick for the best free online writing course in 2024. The free online writing courses help you improve your skills, and they guide you on how you can be a successful writer.

Visit Skillshare.com

2. Skillshare: Creative Writing for All: A 10-day Journaling Challenge

Many writers struggle to write down their ideas. And this is where classes like this 10-day challenge can help.

First, it helps you overcome writer’s block to get the job done. Second, writing requires consistency and discipline. And this course will take you through some strategies to help you write down your thoughts.

The instructor of this course is Emily Gould, an established author and a co-owner of Emily Books (a bestselling indie project).

Her approach is to use creative writing prompts to nudge her writing mojo. And in 6 short video content that lasts only 26 minutes, she’ll help you;

• Develop your skills in writing personal essays .
• Become more creative by writing for 10 minutes daily and using the creative writing prompt “Today, I noticed…”).
• Get more actionable steps to improve your productivity.
• Write a personal short story in 10 days.

And at the end of the challenge, you’d have produced words you’re happy about and learned a simple technique to commit to writing. And as with other Skillshare courses, you can take this course by activating the platform’s 1-month free trial.

• Get actionable steps to be a more productive writer
• Probably the best free online writing course for beginners.
• Gain access to downloadable course materials.
• You can share your work with other students and get their feedback.
• It is not a certification course.
• It doesn’t teach you about becoming a better writer.

If you’re enthusiastic about fiction and nonfiction writing but find yourself procrastinating or dragging your heels, this course is for you.

3. Open University: Start Writing Fiction: Characters and Stories

If fiction writing is a genre you’re passionate about, then you’ll love this course hosted on Open University.

In the in-depth online writing courses, the instructors will walk you through a series of topics to teach you how to develop ideas and characters for your story.

This course will also train students to have healthy habits like keeping a journal and show you ways to turn past or present events into a plot.

Several established writers teach different topics so you can understand them better. However, one notable instructor is Dr. Derek Neale – one of the Open University’s senior lecturers in Creative Writing. He’s also an award-winning novelist and short story author.

Together with the other writers, they’ll engage you in video lessons for 8 weeks and teach you;

• Introduction to fiction writing.
• How to start your writing journey, adopt a journaling habit.
• Develop your characters
• To create your own space, pick ideas, and learn from other writers.
• To research, develop a plot, and adopt a notebook habit.
• To edit and criticize your work.

It is one of the best free online writing courses for fiction writers as it contains more information than you can get from most other courses on this list.

• Established writers teach these writing classes.
• You’ll understand character development.
• It’s free for students to take online writing courses at Open University.
• It contains extensive topics to make you a great fiction writer.
• Students will develop ideas, research topics, structure a plot, write, and self-edit their work.
• The writing classes are in-depth and take around 8 weeks to complete.
• It is an introductory course.
• Requires a high commitment level.

This course is one of the best free online writing courses for beginners or students looking to kickstart their writing careers in writing fiction.

Visit Open.edu

4. Skillshare: Creative Writing: Crafting Personal Essays with Impact

Have you got a personal story to share but don’t know how to make it impactful? Have you thought about writing a story that people can learn from and make a difference in their lives?

If yes, then this is the online writing course for you.

Your instructor for this class is Roxanne Gay, a professor, editor, and New York Times, bestselling author. In this course, you’ll develop the skills for first-rate personal essay writing. The instructors will also walk you through the stages, from developing ideas to the final manuscript.

In eight lessons spanning 1 hour, Roxanne will teach you how to;

• Connect with your audience using your texts.
• Find your purpose for writing your story.
• Search inward to bring out those personal memories truly you’ll love to write about.
• Research to make your story watertight.
• Avoid mistakes that’ll undermine your work.

You’ll also get tips to revise your essay writing for publishing. The good news is that Skillshare offers you the opportunity to be a great writer with its 1-month free trial.

• Great course for beginners and all study levels.
• A New York Times bestselling author teaches this course.
• You’ll learn to edit your work for publishing.
• You’ll get insights on how to write words that appeal to various audiences.
• A good number of downloadable resources and course materials.
• You’ll get to practice writing essays while receiving feedback on your work.
• It’s not a certification course.
• The short course may not contain the information an experienced writer seeks.

5. Udemy: Secret Sauce of Great Writing

Many writers struggle because they don’t know what makes excellent writing that people love and enjoy reading.

The thought process and techniques that go into creative writing are pretty complex; however, this course distills the ingredients of good writing.

The instructor of this writing course is Shani Raja. He’s a former Wall Street Journal editor who’s also written and edited for other top companies and publications such as Microsoft, PwC, Financial Times, Bloomberg News, etc.

With that wealth of experience, there’s no better person to give you writing classes than Shani. According to him, the four main ingredients for writing great content and stories are;

• And evocativeness.

So in the 45-minute course, Shani promises not to show you writing tips but a system that’ll change the way you write marketing copy. You’ll see how to apply these in your writing so you can;

• Create more engaging and exceptional content or exciting books.
• Spot weaknesses in your writing and improve them.
• Write more compelling and persuasive emails and sales copy.
• Create an impression on HR managers with your cover letter.

The good thing is that the creative writing courses aren’t only for those interested in writing books. You can take the course if you own a blog or desire to improve your writing skills.

Interestingly, this is one of the best free online writing courses. But this course is designed mainly for experienced writers and journalists, not beginners.

• Best for intermediate to more experienced writers.
• Full lifetime access to course materials.
• You’ll learn to write more stylish and exceptional content, whether it’s fiction, blogs, poetry, marketing copy, etc.
• You’ll get a certificate of completion.
• A very experienced instructor that’s written and edited for some of the top companies in the world.
• It isn’t the best free online writing course for beginners.
• The course is not so comprehensive.

Visit Udemy.com

6. Wesleyan University: Creative Writing Specialization

If you’ve dreamt of being the author of a short story, an essay, or a nonfiction book like a memoir, this in-depth specialization course is for you.

The creative writing class is offered by Wesleyan University and taught via Coursera. And since it’s a specialization rather than a standalone course, it contains four lessons that four visiting instructors teach from Wesleyan University.

The four modules include;

• The craft of plot: Here, you’ll learn to develop a scheme that’ll arouse readers’ interest in your short story. Plus, you’ll learn to draft an outline that’ll connect the beginning to the middle and the end.
• The craft of character: Here, students will learn to relate experiences from their real lives to develop characters. This way, they can easily create characters with feelings, behavior, and habits to make their story interesting.
• The craft of setting and description: Writers will learn exercises and research to develop realistic and fantastical scenes. It is so they can make their audience read and picture the writer’s imagination.
• The craft of style: The course lecturers will teach you to develop your unique voice using metaphors and imagery. You’ll also learn to make your short story clearer, and you’ll acquire the revision skills needed to finish off a good story.

You’ll also get lots of practice assignments to help you brush up your writing skills.

• It is a free online writing course.
• The in-depth courses are safe-paced and take around 3 – 6 months to complete.
• Earn a shareable certificate.
• You’ll get feedback on your assignments.
• There are subtitles in 12 languages, including English.
• You don’t need to meet any requirements to take this program.
• The time commitment is high
• You’ll have to pay the get the certificate.

Visit Coursera.org

7. Alison: Business Communication – Fundamentals of Business Writing

If you’d love to express yourself clearly and efficiently to your employees, bosses, and clients, this online writing course on Alison has got you.

This program will train you to write the kind of cover letter that’ll impact your prospective employer. It’ll also help you write better and more professional business letters, proposals, and reports.

In 3 hours, the expert instructors will guide you through;

• Understanding the how, why, what, who, where, and when of business writing.
• Learn how to plan and write a business document.
• You adopt a writing style that’ll make your business letter easy to understand, persuasive, compelling, and memorable.
• I am writing more valuable reports.
• The structure you can use to write texts in your business communication.

At the end of the course, you’ll earn a certificate of completion from this free course. However, you’ll have to pay a fee to get your certificate. But you can get discounts on the certificates, so it’s worth it.

• This lesson will help you understand the legal implications of business writing.
• Write better reports, cover letters, and other business documents.
• Course assessment leading to certification.
• Professional instructors teach this writing class.
• You’ll have to pay to get certified.
• The course is for beginners to intermediate-level students.

Visit Alison.com

8. LinkedIn Learning: Writing Ad Copy

If you have poor conversions from your social media advertising, there’s a possibility the problem is not with your strategy.

It’s likely the problem lies with your ad copy. The good news is that this course is aimed at helping you write effective ad copy that will increase not only your clicks, traffic, and engagement but also your conversions and sales.

And there’s no other person more qualified to teach this online writing course than a seasoned marketer. The instructor of this course is Mike Duquet, a growth and conversion optimization strategist at Hootsuite.

In this course, Mike takes you through a range of topics to help you understand how ads work on different platforms and how to convert your clicks to sales.

Here’s an overview of the topics and content of this 1-hour course;

• Introduction to crafting your message and picking the right tone of voice.
• The psychological triggers that increase conversion.
• Rules for writing ad copy for your website, email, direct mail, and social media.
• Designing your customer persona
• How to set your copy goals and achieve them
• How to write effective headlines and call to action.

And at the end of the courses, you’d have learned the triggers that encourage online buyers to buy products and services. And your copywriting game would have changed for the better.

We’re excited to announce that you can take this course for free on LinkedIn Learning as they’re offering students a 1-month free trial.

• Teaches learners how to increase conversion by generating the right ideas to write effective ad copy.
• Free training program for you to take.
• You’ll get a recognized certification.
• You’ll be adept at writing marketing copy for the web, emails, social media, and direct mail.
• A marketing director with lots of copywriting experience teaches this course.
• Requires a minimal time commitment.
• Improve your advertising and copywriting skills
• Only teaches students how to write copy that drives sales; doesn’t teach you to become a better writer of other prose.
• The short courses are not so in-depth, so you’ll probably need more courses to expand your knowledge.

Visit Linkedin.com

9. Alison: English Writing Skills

If you desire to become a better writer who is versatile in writing in several English writing styles, then Alison’s English Writing Skills course is for you.

This writing course will guide you on passing your message across regardless of the type of audience you’re writing for. And at the end of the classes, you’ll be confident in your writing skills.

In this under 3-hour course, the top-class instructors will teach you how to;

• Write engaging content in different types of writing styles; comedy, science fiction, opinionative, thriller, descriptive, poetry, suspense, etc.
• Combine various writing styles into a story.
• Write engaging pieces for your ideal audience.
• Identify the kind and situation of your audience.

So whether you’re interested in learning more about poetry or Sci-Fi, there will be a module (or two) that’ll interest you. You’ll also get a couple of assessments to help you fast-track your learning and writing process.

The good news is that this course is one of the best free online writing courses you can take.

• Structured for almost all skill levels.
• Requires minimal time commitment – 3 hours.
• Seasoned professionals teach this course.
• You’ll get a free certificate of completion.
• Doesn’t teach the classes in-depth.

10. Coursera: Writing in The Sciences

Now, if you’re a scientist who does a lot of research, you may not be interested in fiction and nonfiction writing. And that’s where this class offered by Stanford University via Coursera can help.

Here, this online writing course takes a deep dive into medical writing and other science fields to help you put your research work into proper writing.

The instructor of the writing courses is Dr. Kristin Sainani, an associate Professor in Health Research and Policy. And through lots of video lessons, she’ll guide you through a range of topics to make your scientific writing more effective and impactful.

In 30 hours of on-demand, Kristin will walk you through;

• The introduction and key principles to effective scientific writing.
• Getting a grasp of English grammar; writing with active verbs, using strong verbs, the right punctuations, and making your writing follow a logical structure.
• Tips to make you more organized and ease your writing process.
• Formatting tables and writing sections for discussion.
• How to avoid plagiarism and attend/host interviews.

Each section has got practice writing assignments to make you quickly grasp the concepts. And you’ll also learn peer review and grant writing.

But what we love about this Coursera course is that it’s one of the best free online writing courses for students and lecturers.

• The in-depth classes are free for interested students
• The writing course is easy to understand and created for beginners.
• Coursera issues shareable certificates.
• The online writing courses are self-paced.
• It’s subtitled in English and 8 other languages.
• Compared to the other online writing courses on this list, this class requires more time commitment.
• It’s only for science writing, and not for other writing styles.

11. LinkedIn Learning: Writing with Impact

The basis of writing impactful prose, poetry, or scientific manuscripts lies in how well your content suits the purpose of your words. And that’s what you’ll learn in this LinkedIn Learning online writing course.

The instructor – Tom Geller – will introduce you to concepts that’ll make your writing more appealing to your readers regardless of the genre you’re writing for.

And why should you care about the instructor? He’s a seasoned communicator and trainer who has worked with Apple, Association or Computing Machinery, Nature.com, etc. So, when it comes to writing and evoking a reaction from an audience, Tom is pretty good at it.

In 1 hour, he’ll show you how to;

• Shorten your sentences and paragraphs, making them easier to read.
• Understand your readers and know what they want.
• Write with purpose by finding your reasons.
• Pick the most impactful words that will pair well with your reasons.
• Choose the tone of voice that’ll resonate with your audience.
• And use appropriate grammar and sentence structure to make your content crisp to read.

There are lots of chapter quizzes to make you quickly grasp the concept of writing shorter and clearer. And interestingly, you can activate your free trial on the LinkedIn Learning platform and take this online writing course for free.

• You’ll learn how to find your purpose and write more impactful prose regardless of your genre.
• The instructor has over 20 years of experience as a communicator and trainer.
• This is a certification course.
• A good number of chapter quizzes to fast-track your learning process.
• Minimal time commitment.
• The units you’ll get from this class qualify you for continuing education.
• The course is mostly for beginners.
• The class is not so in-depth.

12. University of California Berkeley (edX): Academic and Business Writing

University programs tend to be more in-depth than other MOOC courses: so let’s explore this writing class for English language learners.

This program takes an easy approach to teaching students the English language to be beneficial to them in their academics and writing careers.

In this course, students will be taught English grammar and vocabulary that’ll help improve their business communication skills. There will also be topics and classes that will center on grasping structuring texts and editing.

In this 5-week online writing class, the College Writing Programs director, Maggie Sokolik, will help you improve your business and academic writing by;

• Acquainting you with different writing styles – whether for business or academic purposes.
• Teaching you how to improve your diction and tone to enhance your communication skills.
• Showing you how to develop an essay.
• Teaching you how to edit, proofread, and revise your words.

A couple of chapter quizzes, readings, essays, and writing assignments encourage you to hone your writing skills.

• There are lots of writing programs on edX, but this one from the University of California is one of the bests.
• It’s free to take this training program.
• Recognized certificate upon completion (paid).
• Self-paced class offered by a reputable university.
• The university programs director teaches this course.
• Lots of downloadable course materials.
• The assignments and exams are graded.
• Requires a high level of commitment compared to most of the other free online writing courses on this list.
• You’ll have to pay to get the certificate.

If you desire a recognized certification from one of the most reputable universities, this one from the University of California will make a great choice.

Visit Edx.org

13. CalArts: Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop

If you’re looking for a dedicated poetry course to help you express your thoughts better, you’ve got that in this program created by CalArts.

In this course taught by Douglass Kearny (an assistant professor in creative writing), you’ll study a couple of contemporary poets and try your hands on a few practice assignments.

The training will last for 6 weeks, and the instructor will engage you with the following topics;

• The importance of line breaks in poetry and how to do it.
• Using abstractions and images to create more empathetic moods and relationships.
• How to use metaphors and other elements to create more poetic effects in your writing.
• The different types of rhymes and how to apply them in your writing.

Each module has quizzes to help you brush up on your knowledge and skill. And it’s free to enroll in this course.

• This is a free course that’ll teach you poetry in-depth.
• It’s great for beginners.
• It’s taught by a top-class instructor and offered by a reputable college.
• It’s a certification course.
• You’ll need to pay to get the shareable certificate.
• You can only access the peer-reviewed aspect of the class.

FAQ’s

How can i improve my writing skills online for free.

You can improve your writing skills by taking courses on the internet. There are lots of free courses you can take on Skillshare, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning. There are also paid courses with more in-depth topics and content, but taking the free programs is a great way to improve your writing skills.

After taking an online writing course or more, you can begin writing and editing your words with tools such as Microsoft Word, Grammarly, Hemingway App, Pro Writing Aid, thesaurus, Readability-Score.com, etc.

Can I teach myself creative writing?

Yes, you can learn to write creatively and improve your creative writing skills. And these tips will help you develop your creative writing skills;

• Take one of the best creative writing classes on the internet (check the above-listed courses).
• Read the books or works of some of the best authors that you love their writing style.
• Keep a journal. Describe the places you visited and activities you partook in vividly.
• Write a personal essay or memoir or a story of someone (a friend, relative, or neighbor) close to you.
• Create a story using the snowflake method . In the snowflake method, you come up with a summary or big picture for your story and begin adding more elements as you develop the story.
• Leave your writing for a while. Go outdoors or do something else. You may get inspiration from engaging in other activities.
• Connect with other writers (experienced and amateur).
• Engage in freewriting. Freewriting is when you write without following an outline, structure, or editing your text. Just write as the random thoughts come in without refining them. The unrefined text may not make much sense but this can help you be more creative in the long run.

Writing can be a rewarding career because you have the skill to express your thoughts clearly.

There are rewarding careers worth checking out: data entry clerk, AutoCAD professional. Here are more free courses to help you become a professional. Plus you can take Coursera courses for free by using this guide.

And even if you’re not interested in a writing career, an online writing course can help you write more impactful letters, emails, and sales texts.

• Free Online Courses with Printable Certificates
• Best Online Transcription Courses & Training
• Best Free Online Interior Design Courses
• Best Free Udemy Courses with Certificates

About Patrick

Patrick is a teacher and education enthusiast. He is passionate about online education and always looks for new and innovative ways to learn new skills. He writes about different online courses, career opportunities, and self-improvement with the goal to help others succeed in their journey

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65 Best Free Creative Writing Classes in 2024

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Blogging for Business

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This free course teaches bloggers about legal requirements, compliance to avoid lawsuits, copyright protection, necessary legal pages, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and income tracking.

Website: https://school.bloggingfornewbloggers.com/

Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop

California Institute of the Arts

The course focuses on writing poetry through a variety of exercises, peer feedback, and discussions. It encourages students to explore their personal voice and develop their poetry skills.

Website: https://www.coursera.org/

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Green Street Poetry

The workshop fosters collaboration and provides a constructive environment for sharing, editing, and discussing poetry. Participants can bring a poem for critique or simply join the discussion.

Website: https://www.greenstreetpoetry.com/workshop

Duke Graduate School Scientific Writing Resource

Duke University

An online resource aimed at improving scientific writing skills, focusing on communication principles tailored for scientific literature. It includes lessons on sentence structure, cohesion, conciseness, and revision strategies.

Website: https://sites.duke.edu/scientificwriting/

Prerequisites: Intended for graduate-level science students.

College Writing 2.1x

In this course, English Language Learners will be introduced to academic writing, focusing on essay development, grammatical accuracy, and self-editing. The course includes reviews of grammar, crafting effective sentences and paragraphs, developing thesis statements, and participating in peer reviews.

Website: https://www.edx.org/course/how-to-write-an-essay

Tech Writing for Accessibility

Google Developers

This course teaches how to make documentation and websites more accessible, focusing on inclusive design principles, writing helpful alt text for diagrams, and checking color contrast. It includes hands-on exercises and class discussions.

Website: https://developers.google.com/tech-writing/accessibility

Technical Writing One

This course teaches the fundamentals of technical writing, focusing on clear documentation, active voice usage, sentence clarity, and audience identification. It includes pre-class and in-class components for comprehensive learning.

Website: https://developers.google.com/tech-writing/one

Technical Writing Two

The course covers intermediate topics in technical writing, including drafting strategies, self-editing techniques, document organization, and effective use of illustrations and sample code.

Website: https://developers.google.com/tech-writing/two

Poetry Club Meetup!

Miami Poetry Club

Bi-monthly no-cost community workshops focusing on creative writing and feedback sessions, designed to support writers of all levels.

Website: https://www.miamipoetryclub.org/

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HerPaperRoute

In this course, participants will learn how to brand themselves as authorities in their niche, with content tailored for both beginners and more experienced individuals, helping them establish a strong presence in their chosen field.

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Hubspot Academy

The course provides insights into starting and maintaining a blog, developing an effective blogging strategy, engaging an audience, and enhancing business visibility through blogging.

Website: https://academy.hubspot.com/

How to choose a free creative writing class

Looking to build your writing skillset, learn more about your genre, or finally finish that book you’ve been working on? You’re in the right place. That’s why we built this directory of the best creative writing courses.

However, creative writing classes aren’t one size fit all. If you’re planning to join a free writing class in particular, you’ll want to make sure that it matches what you’re seeking to learn about creative writing.

So make sure to consider the following questions when you’re researching free writing courses:

• Who is the instructor? How many years of experience do they have in creative writing?
• Is there something in particular you’d like to learn about creative writing? Does this course include it?
• How long is the course, and where is it taught?
• Are there any hidden fees advertised in this free creative writing class?

More free creative writing resources

Whether you’re a new or established author, there are always evergreen resources out there to how to get a headstart on writing a book. 

Free online materials

• Creative Writing Prompts (resource)
• How to Self-Publish a Book (blog post)
• How to Publish a Novel (blog post)
• How to Edit a Book (blog post)

Recommended books

• For writers in the UK:  Writers' & Artists' Yearbook  
• For writers in the US:  Writer’s Market 2020

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Learn How To Write Well With 2024‘s Top 12 Best Free Online Writing Courses For Beginners

Do you want to learn how to write an essay, book, poem, or article, but you are not sure exactly where to begin? Perhaps you want to write a killer blog post without completely relying on Grammarly ?

Well, this is the guide for you!

In this guide, I have rounded up some of the best free online writing classes that are great for beginners and all skill levels. This means that you can learn at your own pace without paying a single dime for quality online courses while learning the writing process!

While each of the below creative writing courses is slightly different from one another, each delivers great insights on how to become a master of the craft and even a freelance writer! Let’s begin on your road to a bestseller!

Table of Contents

Top 12 Best Free Online Writing Courses For Beginners 2024!

1. crafting personal essays with impact (skillshare).

Have you got a masterpiece in your mind but are not sure how to portray it on paper? Well, this is your course!

Your instructor for this class is a best-selling author and editor Roxanne Gay who has written for major publications such as the New York Times, Dexter and Marvel. Being an editor as well, she can guide you away from common pitfalls that could weaken your work.

In the one hour of on-demand video training, you will cover topics like choosing your key thoughts, researching the subject, writing your first draft, how to rewrite and edit yourself, and how to get published.

This course will also inspire you, giving you the tools to transform your thoughts into a readable personal essay. Take yourself seriously and give your ideas a real voice. Being hosted on Skillshare, users can this course for free on a 1-month free trial.

Overall, a well-rounded course that is ideal for beginners!

• 1 hour on-demand video
• Taught by successful writer
• Includes editor insights
• Downloadable resources including FAQs
• Class projects

Activate FREE Skillshare Trial

2. Create Successful Writing Habits (Skillshare)

Next up on my list is a great course that aims to teach you some of the fundamentals of engaging and impactful writing. From learning these skills and habits, you will be able to apply them to fiction, non-fiction, poetry , copywriting, creative nonfiction, and the list goes on!

To give you tools and teach you how to use them, best-selling author and screenwriter Simon Van Booy will show you 6 essential steps to becoming a great writer.

The steps are 1, make your space, 2, find your medium, 3, read inspiring works, 4, set your conditions, 5, stick to a routine, and 6, sketch to stay inspired. What these 6 things all mean and how they apply to your writing is what the 38 minutes of on-demand video will teach.

This is a great course for anyone aspiring to be a writer as well as established writers wishing to hone their skills to a higher quality level. Being hosted in Skillshare, this course is completely free!

• Beginner level
• 38 minutes on demand video
• Established and successful writer is instructor
• 15,000 students enrolled
• Online community to join

3. Writing for Online Engagement (Skillshare)

Moving on is another great course for beginners that is taught by Rebecca Sky in this 1 ¼ hour class on fiction writing in a digital age. Rebecca is an author of YA fiction and has also written for companies including Paramount, Sony, Microsoft, Lay’s, and Kraft.

Some of the core modules included in this course are writing skills, plot details, finding an audience, marketing, creative strategies, and more!

So if your goal is to become a successful author of fiction and maybe even to publish your own stories yourself, this instruction concerning online engagement is a great class to take. It’s not just for beginners either, any level of writer wanting to better their skills can also take a lot from this class.

Overall, an interesting course for those looking to publish online via a blog or news website.

• All levels • 1 hour 8 minutes • Published author teacher • Focused on fiction writers • Covers self publishing and promotion • 8,000 students enrolled

4. Writing Articles (LinkedIn Learning/ Lynda)

Up next is a great masterclass from LinkedIn Learning (previously Lynda) that helps you to write accurate, engaging and interesting articles for businesses. While this course is more intermediate, it is still a great resource for complete beginners also.

Instructor Tom Geller is a writer of technology-centered articles and a trainer for communication skills in the workplace. His class is just under an hour and covers all the basics you need to know to get started.

This course starts out by showing you how to find assignments, then moves on to the research needed for informative articles. From there, he shares the best way to conduct an interview for an article, and then how to wrap it all up. With all LinkedIn Learning course, there is a certificate of completion available once completed.

Like Skillshare, LinkedIn Learning provides a free trial so you can take this course for no charge whatsoever! To learn more, check out my LinkedIn Learning Vs Lynda guide .

• Focuses on industry and business article writing
• Professional writer trainer
• Exercise files
• Certificate of completion

Visit Linkedin.com

5. Creative Writing for All: A 10-Day Journaling Challenge (Skillshare)

One of the worst things any writer may have to deal with is writer’s block. Luckily, this class will show you how to take the offensive against that problem, making sure it never happens in the first place.

Author and editor Emily Gould leads this short series of lessons that guides you into a mindset of creativity. If you commit to writing for 10 minutes for 10 days in a row, you will be able to put her ideas into practice which makes this an incredibly actionable course.

While this course isn’t for everyone, it may be ideal for those in the early stages of writing who are hitting writing blocks.

• Published author and working editor as trainer
• Class project
• Downloadable resources
• 19,000 students enrolled

6. English Writing Skills (Alison)

Expressing yourself clearly is vital for engaging people with your writing. If you don’t communicate the idea well, the article, story, or advertisement is not going to do the job you wanted it to do.

There’s more to writing than just knowing what words to use and how to punctuate properly. There are also certain styles of writing that lend themselves to be better for one purpose or another. You write one way for suspense fiction another way for comedy. Instructions and informative articles use different styles than poetry or inspirational pieces.

The course takes about 3 hours, has assessments, and a certificate of completion is available. Over 124,000 students have taken this class. The instructors are all professionals in their fields and are certified to be trainers on the Alison online learning platform. When deciding on what free online writing course for beginners to take, this is a good one to examine.

• Beginner to intermediate level
• Course assessments
• Professional instructors
• 124,000 students enrolled
• Certificate of completion available

Visit Alison.com

7. Secret Sauce of Great Writing (Udemy)

What makes for good BBQ? “The secret’s in the sauce!” The secret sauce of great writing is found in this 42-minute course detailing the four ingredients of elite writing. Those ingredients are simplicity, clarity, elegance, and evocativeness. Put those into practice and your writing will certainly benefit.

The instructor Shani Raja is a former editor for the Wall Street Journal. He includes writing exercises in with the lesson instruction. It’s 45 minutes of on demand video and online resources are included. You can dive deeper with our journalism course reviews as well.

The techniques and methods of good writing taught in this class work when writing business compositions, personal blogs, fiction, or poetry and prose. These same methods are also effective for editing your own work before turning it over to a publication or editor.

• Intermediate level
• 45 minutes of on demand video instruction
• Includes writing exercises
• 126,000 students

Visit Udemy.com

8. How to Write Stories That Thrill in Any Genre (Skillshare)

Award-winning novel, short story, and Marvel writer Benjamin Percy is a master of writing thriller and suspense fiction.

The instruction in this intermediate level class is designed for writers of fiction but it holds up as good practice for any type of writing. If you want your readers to hang on to every word and be eager for more, you’ll want to pay attention to the tips and tricks taught in this course. There is no better way to learn novel writing!

Some of the things discussed are developing a workable plot, controlling what the reader knows, building believable character development, and blending emotional content with the suspense narrative.

• 1 hour 16 minutes
• Award winning author teacher
• Thriller and suspense genre
• Online resources

9. Writing with Impact (LinkedIn Learning)

The purpose of this course is to show you how to write with purpose for whatever the subject, genre, or audience is. A concept taught in the lessons is that there is no such thing a generic good writing. What you are doing, you have to target your audience.

Grammar and sentence structure are important, but there are subtle nuances that you will learn to identify and implement after finishing this instruction. You’ll learn the goals “write short, write clear, and write right.”

You will learn how to make long paragraphs easier to read and how to effectively make use of shorter paragraphs and efficient word choice.

The instructors is Tom Geller, an established professional and certified for being a trainer at LinkedIn Learning. With this course, you get extra resources, chapter quizzes, and a certificate of completion.

• 1 hour on demand video
• Qualifies for continuing education units
• Chapter quizzes
• Professional author instructor

10. Essay Essentials: Improve Your Academic Writing (Udemy)

Academic writing is a different type of writing than many of us are used to. There are some specific rules that need to be followed for most essays.

In this writing workshop, you’ll learn techniques useful for either high school or collegiate level essay writing. Included in the training are writing exercises, chapter quizzes, and a downloadable essay guide. You will also learn about using the resources in your classroom or school library, what it means to achieve effective revising, and how to properly edit. Concepts concerning paragraphs for introduction, conclusions, and the body of the essay are discussed as well.

The trainer is Andrew Sippie, an English composition teacher and tutor. He has a specialization in teaching in classrooms and online for several years as a college professor, bringing his skills and experience (and Masters Degree) to the Udemy online learning platform.

• Beginner level (self-paced)
• Taught by college professor
• Concentrates on academic essays

11. Writing Ad Copy (LinkedIn Learning)

Advertising is one of the hardest genres of writing. It seems so simple, just tell what it is or does in a few short words. But which words? What part of the product or concept to highlight? That’s vitally important information to dispense.

Ad copy is not limited to the printed page, but also as commercial scripts. As for printed words, media varies from blogs to emails to social media. This class helps you find the best way to get your ideas across in the best way possible.

Michael Duquet is the instructor for this course. He is a marketing director for online activity for a software company and has years of ad copy writing experience.

• 1 hour 7 minutes
• Specific information for advertising writing
• Marketing director is the trainer

12. Business Communication – Fundamentals of Business Writing (Alison)

Business to business (B2B) is big business. Effective business communication is vital for successful companies.

It’s also important to communicate well within your own workplace. Resumes, cover letters, and reports are also required to be as good as possible if they are to be useful and effective.

Even filling out a job application needs good writing skills if you want your application to make it to the right pile of papers.

This class will give you the ability to write clear, concise, and efficient words for your workplace writing endeavors.

• Course assessment
• 46,000 students enrolled

Final Thoughts

I’m a writer. (But I really want to direct.) Writing seems to come naturally for some people. Even if doesn’t, free online writing courses for learners can train you to write well. If you are already a good writer, these same courses will help you do a better job.

To learn more, check out my guide on the  top online proofreading courses !

More goes into writing than merely being talkative. These free online writing courses for beginners will show you how to create a narrative and how to engage people’s interests. You could be writing ad copy for an online store, a term paper for school, a short story for publication, a business proposal for your job, or an inspirational poem for someone you love.

All of those situations and more can be tricky to get right. It doesn’t have to be hard, though. Writing can be fun and profitable. These classes provide the valuable training you need to be able to communicate with skill and panache.

My name is Lewis Keegan and I am the writer and editor of SkillScouter.com. I'm extremely passionate about online education and what it can do for those to better their lives. I spend most of my time blogging, hiking, and drinking coffee. I also have a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Teaching.

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Free online English Literature / Creative Writing courses

Creative writing and critical reading

This free course, Creative writing and critical reading, explores the importance of reading as part of a creative writer’s development at the postgraduate level. You will gain inspiration and ideas from examining other writers’ methods, as well as enhancing your critical reading skills. Examples will cover the genres of fiction, creative ...

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Writing what you know

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Level: 1 Introductory

Start writing fiction

Have you always wanted to write, but never quite had the courage to start? This free course, Start writing fiction, will give you an insight into how authors create their characters and settings. You will also be able to look at the different genres for fiction.

Exploring books for children: words and pictures

Many people have fond memories of the stories they encountered in childhood, perhaps especially of those wonderful picture books and illustrated tales which fired our young imaginations and transported us to magical worlds. To an adult’s eye, some picture books may seem remarkably simple, even oversimplified. However, in this free course, ...

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Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It

Do you enjoy watching Shakespeare's plays and like the idea of finding out more about them? This free course, Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It, will guide you through some of the most important speeches and scenes from one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies.

Icarus: entering the world of myth

This free course, Icarus: entering the world of myth, will introduce you to one of the best-known myths from classical antiquity and its various re-tellings in later periods. You will begin by examining how the Icarus story connects with a number of other ancient myths, such as that of Theseus and the Minotaur. You will then be guided through an...

Sam Selvon, The Lonely Londoners

This free course concentrates on Sam Selvon's twentieth-century novel, The Lonely Londoners. It considers the depiction of migration in the text as well as Selvon's treatment of memory as a vital part of the migrant's experience.

Introducing Virgil’s Aeneid

This free course offers an introduction to the Aeneid. Virgil’s Latin epic, written in the 1st century BCE, tells the story of the Trojan hero Aeneas and his journey to Italy, where he would become the ancestor of the Romans. Here, you will focus on the characterisation of this legendary hero, and learn why he was so important to the Romans of ...

Exploring Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd

This free course, Exploring Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd, is designed to tell you something about Hardy's background, and to introduce you to the pleasures of reading a nineteenth-century novel. Why do we believe in fictional characters and care about what happens to them? You will discover some of the techniques that Hardy ...

John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi

This free course, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, concentrates on Acts 1 and 2 of John Webster's Renaissance tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi. It focuses on the representation of marriage for love and the social conflicts to which it gives rise. The course is designed to hone your skills of textual analysis.

Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus

What does Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus tell us about the author and the time at which the play was written? This free course, Christopher Marlowe, Doctor Faustus, will help you to discover the intricacies of the play and recognise how a knowledge of the historical and political background of the time can lead to a very different ...

Approaching poetry

Do you want to get more out of your reading of poetry? This free course, Approaching poetry, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary texts. You will learn about rhythm, alliteration, rhyme, poetic inversion, voice and line lengths and endings. You will examine poems that do not rhyme and learn ...

Approaching prose fiction

Do you want to get more out of your reading? This free course, Approaching prose fiction, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary texts. You will learn about narrative events and perspectives, the setting of novels, types of characterisation and genre.

Approaching plays

Do you want to get more out of drama? This free course, Approaching plays, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary plays. You will learn about dialogue, stage directions, blank verse, dramatic structure and conventions and aspects of performance.

Approaching literature: reading Great Expectations

This free course, Approaching literature: reading Great Expectations, considers some of the different ways of reading Great Expectations, based on the type of genre the book belongs to. This is one of the most familiar and fundamental ways of approaching literary texts. The novel broadens the scope of study of a realist novel, in both literary ...

The poetry of Sorley MacLean

Sorley MacLean (1911-1996) is regarded as one of the greatest Scottish poets of the twentieth century. This free course, The poetry of Sorley MacLean, will introduce you to his poetry and give you an insight into the cultural, historical and political contexts that inform his work. MacLean wrote in Gaelic and the importance of the language to ...

Exploring Virginia Woolf’s Between the Acts

This free course introduces Virginia Woolf’s last novel, Between the Acts (1941), with the aim of understanding how she writes about time, memory, and ideas about identity. It also considers why Woolf’s fiction is often considered difficult. Selected extracts from her essays on writing help to clarify some of these perceived difficulties, ...

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The Crafty Writer's

Creative writing course.

Check out some books by your tutor Fiona Veitch Smith … (click on the book covers to find out more)

Please note: This is a free course but that does not mean you will receive free critiques of your writing. The critiquing service mentioned in the FAQ is separate to this course. I do not give feedback on the exercises. If you would like me to give my professional opinion on your creative writing beyond this course please contact me for a quote. There is a link to these rates on the FAQ page.

And now, back to the fun (and free!) stuff. The creative writing course will cover:

• Releasing your Creativity Explore how to tap into your creativity, and whether you are naturally more inclined towards writing poetry or prose.
• How to write a short story A look at how writing a short story differs from writing a novel, and some tips on short story structure.
• Writing from a point of view (POV) How your choice of first, second or third person POV can have a dramatic effect on how readers engage with your story.
• Bringing your writing to life How to activate your writing and transform it into a sensual experience.
• Writing characters Writing complex, believable characters to inhabit your literary world.
• Writing dialogue Your voice as an author, writing dialogue between characters, use of dialect, and some tips on the mechanics of laying out your text.
• Poetry: how to write poems The basics of writing poetry – lyric versus narrative, structured versus free verse, rhythm and meter.
• Markets, competitions and opportunities How to further develop your writing by joining a writer’s group and entering competitions, and some tips on getting published.

Any questions? Then check out the Frequently Asked Questions page. Otherwise…

>> Click here to get started.

Happy writing!

306 comments on “ Contents ”

I want to write a book about my family’s history and the impact it had on my life good and bad. I want my readers to feel like they were there from the first to last pages. However, I’m having a bit of a bumpy start with describing. Can you help me??

Lauren, if you send me a message through the contact form I can give you a quote for a critique of the opening chapters of your book. That way I will be able to see your strengths and weaknesses and what needs to be improved. However, I suggest you work through this free course first. There is a session on ‘bringing your writing to life’ that I think you will find helpful.

I am looking for a free online creative writing. Course. I have grade 12.

I’m writing about my mother’s infidelity and I’m just starting out. I’m new to writing. Would you like to read it? It’s only several pages long. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Hello Waylan. I can look at your writing, but be aware I will charge you as it is not part of the free course but a separate service. If you would like to proceed with the critique contact me via the message form, telling me how many words you are submitting, and I can tell you how much it will cost.

There’s really something special about the approach here, I don’t know what but it makes me motivated and I don’t want to just rush through the exercises! Really wonderful, not overwhelming, and I really really feel like something is happening.I wish you could teach other teachers. If you had your own in person writing school I would be definitely there!

Hello Mwinji,

Thank you. That is a lovely thing to say. I am first and foremost a writer myself. So in my teaching I look back and ask myself: what do I wish someone had told me when I was first starting out? I’m very glad you are getting something out of the course. Happy writing!

So happy to have found this page! Brand new to taking steps in my writing and am interested in writing picture books. While I am sure that all course material will benefit this, is there anything that deals specifically with this genre? Thanks.

Hi Amanda. You may find this article useful. http://www.thecraftywriter.com/2007/08/29/writing-for-children-picture-books/

Dear Fiona,

It was a pleasure to go through your website, it has so many useful tips that I have printed out for my reference. I wish to publish my second book , dedicating to my sister in the form of a verse novel. I was very impressed by the books Sonya Sones wrote like “Saving Red” and “Opposite of Innocent”. Can you please send me some tips on how to get started as I have never written a verse novel before.

Hi Sweedle. I’m glad you enjoyed the course. I’m afraid this is all I have for you for free. I can do paid critiques of a work in progress or a finished short story / novel. However, I have never written a verse novel before so would be unable to give you input on that. Good luck with it.

How do I sign in?

You don’t. It’s all available on the website without having to sign in.

Just want to improve my writing better. So ima hoping this course will help. Iam A full time worker and just want to do some improvements with my writing. Just really shy.

Hello- I am interested in going through this class, along with others. I am curious tho I feel like without feedback, I don’t feel that I would be getting sorta “the good, bad, & the ugly” of my writing. For you to actually “grade” or offer feedback on actual or suggested assignments- what would that fee be? Is there an option for more of a traditional instructor led class with instructor participation. Not knowing how my work is fairing or if I am going in the right direction,!would make me crazy. It’s already a short trip. ???? Thanks for the information.

Hi Stacy, I’m afraid I am not able to offer that option for you. I already have too much work on and cannot devote any more time to this course. I’m afraid it is what it is – self-directed and free. There are plenty of paid courses online that will provide that type of feedback you want. I wish you luck finding one that suits you. Fiona.

Hi, Fiona Umm” am really appreciate your devoted time been here to sharing with the world your visualize this your articles are great and specially encourage. I need more of your quotes I guess I can improve my skills and experience being an actor. With love thank you more blessing ????.

I desire to be part of you.

What is the cost?

Hi Jessica, there is no cost.

Hello I want to write a fiction/fantasy book but don’t know where to start. Will this program be beneficial for this genre?

Hi Brandy, This course teaches you good, basic prose writing technique that can be applied to any genre. It won’t teach you how to write a fantasy novel, but it will help you improve your writing style. Happy writing. Fiona x

As far as I know , there are many sites that teach one how to write. I think this is a good one and I am happy with it. Becoming a writer is my utmost aim , but I also know that writing is a tyring process and it needs patience to suceed in. Thank you

I’ve been wanting to write a book (s) fiction and non-fiction got many years. Now that I’m reaching retirement I’m needing to get serious.

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Creative Writing Course Contents

• Releasing your Creativity
• How to write a Short Story
• Writing from a Point of View (POV)
• Bringing your Writing to Life
• Writing Characters
• Writing dialogue
• Poetry: How to Write Poems
• Markets, Competitions and Opportunities

What you have said:

• “The first three lessons have revitalized me as a writer. I decided to start a course to help me get in my discipline as a writer. I had been stuck, not finishing a short story and I lacked motivaton. Now, in a couple of hours, I have written a poem and short story that I feel good about. The information on this course and the exercises have been a huge help and I am excited about doing more! What a fantastic service!” - Jude Pedersen
• “I am enjoying this course very much. I have a novel going but am very unsure of myself and this is helping a lot.” - TJ Pearson
• “I have worked my way through the exercises and found them to be really helpful. The ’show don’t tell’ advice is something I always struggle with. It is beginning to make more sense now.” - Soobdoo

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These free online creative writing courses will teach you how to craft original and self-expressive writing. Creative writing encourages writers to exercise their creative minds and use their imaginations. It helps improve memory function and promote greater feelings of happiness among other benefits. It is also a great way to jumpstart a career in creative writing or improve an existing one.... …Read More These free online creative writing courses will teach you how to craft original and self-expressive writing. Creative writing encourages writers to exercise their creative minds and use their imaginations. It helps improve memory function and promote greater feelings of happiness among other benefits. It is also a great way to jumpstart a career in creative writing or improve an existing one. Read Less

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Stanford Continuing Studies' online creative writing courses make it easy to take courses taught by instructors from Stanford’s writing community. Thanks to the flexibility of the online format, these courses can be taken anywhere, anytime—a plus for students who lead busy lives or for whom regular travel to the Stanford campus is not possible. These courses are open to all adults, and we encourage all levels of writers to enroll.