If you want to stay on top of your game as a freelance writer, it’s important to keep learning new skills. Investing in yourself as you build your business is something that makes good sense. When you enroll in one of the online courses for writers that are available, you gain skills that will help you attract a more diversified set of clients. You can also choose courses that will benefit you in your personal writing projects.

When you enroll in one of the online courses for writers that are available, you gain skills that will help you attract a more diversified set of clients. You can also choose courses that will benefit you in your personal writing projects.

Keep in mind that the money you spend on business-related courses is tax deductible. That’s another good reason to decide to invest in yourself in 2017 (and beyond), and these online writing courses are a great place to start.

Online Writing Courses

1. Creative Nonfiction 101

If you are interested in exploring different genres of writing, this six-week class offered by Gotham Writers is a great place to start. Students are introduced to six forms of creative nonfiction: feature articles, profiles, personal essays, memoirs, travel writing and reviews. There is “no pressure to work on a specific project or settle on which type of nonfiction you prefer.”

Price: $299.00

Learn more here.

2. Stanford University Online Creative Writing Program

If you have ever wanted to “attend” Stanford, here is your chance! The Continuing Studies Division offers a number of creative writing courses on a semester system (Spring, Summer, Fall).

These courses are geared toward all adult learners. Topics are varied, and include creative nonfiction, travel writing, learning how create a daily writing habit, short story writing, novel writing, and more.

Class sizes are limited. If you are interested in one of these programs, do register early.

Price: $170.00-$990.00 depending on course; average cost is $850.00

Learn more here.

3. Scribble: Writing for New Writers

This 14-week course is for people who want a basic writing course to “go back to the beginning” or who would like to learn English writing for the first time. It was developed to provide some building blocks that a student can use to work with to improve their skills over time.

New students can join the course at any time. It’s an OpenLearning platform.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

4. Crafty Writer’s Creative Writing Course

This creative writing course is entirely self-paced. It’s meant for people who are able to learn independently. Topics covered in the course include how to release your creativity, short story writing, character writing, dialogue, poetry, markets, and more.

Please note that this example of online courses for writers doesn’t include any critiquing of your work. It is available, on request, for a fee. You can also request a professional opinion on your creative writing beyond the scope of the course.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

5. Writing What you Know

Open University’s introductory course in descriptive writing teaches students how to develop their ability to see everyday things in a new light. It focuses on using the senses to write rich descriptions and a writer can bring their personal experiences into their fiction work.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

6. Start Writing Fiction

Do you have a story that you would like to tell, but aren’t sure where to start? This introductory course from Open University will help you get on the right track. It covers character, setting and genre.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

7. University of British Columbia Continuing Studies Writing Courses

UBC offers several writing courses in its summer and fall semesters for 2017. All online courses are open to adults aged 18 and over, and there are no prerequisites required. Check out the list of offerings to see whether there is anything that appeals to you; topics available include introductory copywriting, creating children’s books, food and travel writing, scientific writing, basic television writing, video game narrative, dialogue for games, content marketing, blog writing, and nonfiction book writing.

Price: $335.00-$590.00

Learn more here.

8. Creative Writing: Introduction

This course is designed for beginning writers who may not have decided on a direction for their writing. Offered by the University of Toronto’s Continuing Education Division, students who wish to enrol in 2017 can choose from several start dates. Each course is self-paced, but must be completed within a specific time frame to comply with the school’s semester system.

Price: $599.00

Learn more here.

9. Writing Science Fiction

Offered through (MIT) Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s OpenCourseWare (OCW) program, the course focuses its attention on writing this exciting genre. All assignments and materials are provided, and this is a non-credit course. Some materials will need to be purchased on amazon.com.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

10. English Composition

This course is offered by Arizona State University online. It includes a number of writing projects, and learners will be able to develop and practice their research and critical thinking skills. Students who obtain a “C” grade or higher can earn a credit in a first-year composition course.

Price: Free, pay $600.00 for a credit after passing the course

Learn more here.

11. The Essentials of Poetry Writing

Sign up for this eight-week course, taught completely by email to learn techniques for effective poetry writing. The topics covered include how to choose subject matter, strategies for choosing words and images, dividing your poem into lines and stanzas, writing metered poetry, rhythm, rhyme, and patterns.

Price: $26.95

Learn more here.

12. Creative Nonfiction Online Classes

Creative Nonfiction offers a number of online courses for writers. There is still time to enroll in fall class sessions (September start date). Class sizes are kept small (14-16) students to keep the environment similar to a workshop.

There are a variety of course titles available, to appeal to writers at different stages. Examples of titles include the following:

Creative Nonfiction Boot Camp

Historical Narratives

Introduction to Audio Storytelling and Podcasting

Spiritual Writing

The Thirty-Minute Memoir

Writing the Personal Essay

Price: $300.00-$475.00 depending on course length

Learn more here.

13. writers.com Online Classes

Find out about classes on a number of interesting writing topics. Visit the website to see a list. New classes are always being offered, and examples include:

Plotting and Outlining for the Novelist

Food Writing: Food-Focused Memoir

Starting to Write

A Novel First Draft in 70 Days

The Art of Storytelling

Private classes are also available, on limited topics. A list is posted on the website.

Price: $175.00-$360.00 for group classes; $250.00-$460.00 for private classes

Learn more here.

14. BraveWriter: Online Classes for Young Writers

If you are looking for online courses that will help the young people in your life express themselves through words, BraveWriter is an option worth considering. This program was designed for homeschooling parents and offers classes ranging from three-six weeks. Each one focuses on a specific writing topic, and new ones are offered every quarter.

Price: $99.00-$249.00

Learn more here.

15. University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies Writing Program

UW-Madison offers a number of flexible online courses for writers. Choose the one you are interested in, start anytime and complete it within one year. Examples of available titles include:

Brushup Class for All Writers: Business, Academic and Creative

Creating an Online Presence

Feature Writing in the Digital Age

From Notebook to New Work

Grammar and Punctuation: Paths Toward Clarity

How to Compose your Selling Book Proposal

Playwriting

The Writer’s Journey

What’s your Story? Writing the Memoir

Writing your TV Pilot

Price: $125.00-$375.00

Learn more here.

16. The Modern Marketing Workshop

If you want to learn about marketing, entrepreneur and author Seth Godin is an expert who has plenty of insights and tips to share. This course will teach you the foundations of modern marketing. If you are writing web copy, sales letters, brochures, etc., this course is worth checking out.

Price: Free during 14-day trial to website; $19.00 separately

Learn more here.

17. Become a Better Blogger: Content Planning

By the end of this online course, you will complete a three-month editorial calendar for your blog content. It will help you plan ahead so that you won’t be caught wondering what you write about for either your own blog or ones that you are managing for your clients. It takes you through the process in a logical, step-by-step manner using a series of video lessons that you can watch on your own schedule.

Price: Free during 14-day trial to website

Learn more here.

18. WordPress Basics: How to Manage your Website

Writers who want to learn ho to configure and manage a WP website will learn about content creation, widgets, plugins and more through this online course. The 12 lessons are self-paced, and learning takes place through video tutorials.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

19. Write Big: A Fear-Busting E-Course for Freelance Writers

If you have been allowing your fear of rejection or fear of failure to hold you back in your freelance writing career, this downloadable course promises to provide you with practical tips you can use to take control and move past it. Stop asking yourself if you’re ready and just click on the box to order it instead.

Price: $29.99 (money back guarantee)

Learn more here.

20. Alison: English Writing Skills

This course was developed for anyone who would like to improve their writing. It will also benefit English students who would like help with their essay-writing skills.

It covers several writing styles, including opinion pieces, descriptive writing, instructional text, comedy, spy, thriller and poetry. Correct use of punctuation is also part of this course.

Price: Free

Learn more here.

21. Hayhouse Online Learning: Writer’s Workshop Online Course

Hayhouse’s six-week online video course includes 40 hours of content. The material includes writing exercises, tips and step-by-step instructions on how to build your own writing platform to market your book. It also includes stories from a wide variety of industry experts, including Deepak Chopra, MD, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Doreen Virtue, Mike Dooley, Louise Hay, and more.

Price: $999.00

Learn more here.

22. The Creative Penn: How to Write a Novel

J. F. Penn, who has 12 novels to her credit and over 500,000 in sales in multiple countries, is your instructor in this self-paced online course. If you have always wanted to write a novel but feel stuck at where to start or have started but have become bogged down in the process, you will find the material here helpful. How to Write a Novel also contains tips for novelists who have completed a first draft but want to improve it before moving on to the next step (self-publishing or submitting it to agents).

Price: $297.00

Learn more here.

23. American Grant Writers’ Association: Program Development and Proposal Writing

This course covers grant writing and how to make proposals and applications more competitive. Students complete exercises that allow them to develop the following skills:

Develop a program

Write a project narrative

Write a letter of inquiry

Prepare budgets for Foundation Grants

Prepare budgets for Federal Non-construction Grants

Students can start the program at any time they wish and has 90 days from the date they purchase the course to complete it. A 90-day extension may be purchased for an additional $100.00.

Price: $699.00

Learn more here.

24. MIT OPEN COURSEWARE Media Studies/Writing

MIT Comparative Media Studies Open Courseware gives students access to readings, assignments and materials on a number of topics. Simply download the class material of the class you are interested in and work through them on your own schedule. Examples of available courses include the following:

Writing and Rhetoric: Rhetoric and Contemporary Issues

Writing and the Environment

Science Writing and New Media

Writing About Literature

Writing About Race

Writing and Reading Poems

Writing Science Fiction

Price: Free

Learn more here.

25. Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder

This course is for true crime writers and bloggers, as well as crime fiction writers, who are interested in delving into the complexities of this specialized genre. It teaches how to thoroughly research a murder case using examples taken from true crime and crime fiction. Both sides of the story are represented, so that writers can learn how to present it from the point of view they choose.

Price: $195.00

Learn more here.

26. Make Time to Write

Would you like to find time to write a book but have no idea where to fit it into your jam-packed schedule? This course promises to help you find time in your day to get words written. It will help you discover small pockets in your schedule where you can be getting some words down that will build up over the course of the day.

Price: $147.00

Learn more here.

27. Successful Self-publishing

If you want to learn about self-publishing your own printed book or ebook on Amazon, this course goes over process in a step-by-step manner. You’ll find out how to choose the best publication method for your work, how to get it printed, the necessary elements of cover design that will make it appealing to readers, how to upload your ebook to Amazon, and more.

Price: $245.00

Learn more here.

28. Build your Author Platform

The world of e-publishing is highly competitive. It’s not enough to have a great novel or book; you need to take the time to build an author platform so that you can promote your product, too. While this may sound daunting, the steps are broken down in this informative course for novelists and fiction writers.

Price: $165.00

Learn more here.

29. Inside Publishing

Discover the business side of publishing in this five-part course. It is a good fit for self-publishing writers as well as those who are interested in getting a book deal. The content covers copyright and territorial rights, choosing between self-publishing and working with a traditional publisher, how to get a publisher to read your work and more.

Price: $165.00

Learn more here.

30. Pitch your Novel: How to Attract Agents and Publishers

Learn the techniques required for making a successful pitch to agents and publishers with this on-demand course. It also covers how to tell whether your work is ready to be sent to a publisher, choosing the right agent or publisher for your work, how to write an effective pitch, and why keeping track of submission is important.

Price: $147.00

Learn more here.

31. How to Get More Blog Readers

Enroll in this course to discover how to develop a strategy to grow your blog readership. It also covers topics such as creating an editorial plan, tips for creating great headlines and content, how to attract sponsors and advertisers and tips for using social media for promotional purposes.

Price: $97.00

Learn more here.

32. The Loft Online Writing Classes

The Loft offers numerous writing classes with start dates throughout the year. Most of them include video or text lectures, real-time chats, peer critiques and feedback from the instructor. Examples of available classes include the following:

Comic Writing and Graphic Narrative

Scripted: Writing for TV

The Art of the Novel Query

Writer as Reader: Active Reading and Improving Craft

Triggering Poetic Inspiration

Writer as Witness

Writing to Persuade

Price: $156.00-$390.00

Learn more here.

33. Creative Nonfiction Online Classes

Visit the Creative Nonfiction website to check out the selection of online classes for writers, including the list of summer classes. Fall classes are 10-weeks long, and summer classes run for five weeks. Options include the following:

Audio Storytelling and Podcasting

Creative Nonfiction Boot Camp

Historical Narratives

Magazine Writing

Spiritual Writing

Travel Writing

Writing the Tough Stuff

Price: $300.00 ($50.00 credit for early enrollment)

Learn more here.

34. The Writers Bureau: Creative Writing Course

This creative writing course was designed for beginners who want to develop their creative writing skills. Students receive individual guidance from their tutor. Try the course for a 15-day trial. Full refund guarantee.

Price: £394

Learn more here.

35. University of California Irvine, Division of Continuing Education: Online Academic English Courses

Do you feel confident in your English grammar, speaking and listening, and research for essay writing skills? If there are some facets that you would like to work on, feel free to consider one of the available courses offered by UCI. Titles include the following:

Grammar and Punctuation

Introduction to Research for Essay Writing

Perfect Tenses and Modals

Adjectives and Adjective Clauses

Tricky English Grammar

Speaking so that People Listen

Verb Tenses and Passives

Price: Free

Learn more here.

36. New York Film Academy: Online Screenwriting Courses

If you are looking for a rigorous online program where you can develop your screenwriting skills, consider one of the 15-week workshops offered by the New York Film Academy. Students enrolled at NYFA attend classes weekly through message boards and video downloads, and receive feedback from the instructor in between sessions. Sessions start in September 2017, for courses offerings that include:

Screenplay Story and Structure

Television Spec

Television Pilot

Television Rewrite

Writing for Comic

Price: $1,750.00

Learn more here.

37. Berklee Online: Creative Writing: Poetry

Sign up for this course to study examples of great poetry and learn how to improve your own writing. You’ll study a new poem each week during the course and have the opportunity to have your work reviewed by your instructor and fellow students. Start dates for the course are available in June and September, 2017.

Price: $1,299.00 for non-credit; $1,479.00 for credit

Learn more here.

38. American Medical Writers Association: Essential Skills Express Package

Order this package of materials online and complete the self-study materials to complete the credits necessary for the AMWA Essential Skills Certificate. This program can help you enhance your skills if you are interested in taking on medical writing projects.

Price: $975.00 AMWA members; $1,275.00 non-members

Learn more here.

39. Check. Correct. Improve. Be Your Own Best Editor.

Learn the skills necessary to check your work carefully and discover errors before submission.

Price: $75.00

Learn more here.

40. Unlock the Keys to Freelance Writing Success

This three-part video course is filled with practical advice for those interested in building a business writing medical content. It includes tips and hints for setting your fee structure, separating your business from your personal life, finding clients, marketing and client satisfaction.

Price: $210.00

Learn more here.

41. Effective Graphs and Tables

When working with data, do you know when to share this information with your readers in the form of a graph or a table? Are you familiar with the best methods to display it so that the reader is able to grasp what you are trying to convey? This course will give you the skills required to interpret existing graphs and tables and determine when to use them in your own work.

Price: $150.00

Learn more here.

42. Time4Writing: Writing Courses for High School Students

High school students who want to improve their writing skills can take courses in Writing Essays and Writing Research Papers. Each one is eight weeks in length and weekly lessons and individualized feedback from certified teachers.

Price: $99.00 per course

Learn more here.

43. Savvy Digital Journalism: Best Practices for Writing for the Web

This course is for new writers who are starting out, as well as those who are making the move from print to online work. It covers strategies for writing headlines, SEO and keywords, using social media platforms and tips for building traffic through linking.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

44. Infographics and Visual Data

Learn how to identify trends in infographics with this useful course. It also covers how to generate new infographic ideas for your website and gives tips for compiling data and conducting research to build your own infographics.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

45. Copywriting Fundamentals

Discover how to create eye-catching headlines, long form copy and more in this introductory course. It covers elements such as word choice, sentence structure and plays on words to help you create copy that persuades and influences readers.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

46. Facebook Marketing

Would you like to learn how to use Facebook to promote your business? Are you interested in offering Facebook marketing to clients? Sign up for this course to learn how to create effective posts and build community for your business.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

47. Web Analytics

If you have a website, you need to be familiar with how it’s performing. If you are going to be writing about web analytics, this course will give you a base of knowledge about the topic. It covers setting up an analytics tool, the difference between analytics and metrics and how to use website optimization strategies to make data-driven decisions.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

48. Introduction to Copyediting

Copyediting is a skill that all writers need. Sign up for this course to learn about the major style manuals, the standard copyediting symbols and guidelines for writing headlines. You will acquire skills that you will be able to use on any assignment you take on.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

49. Grammar and Punctuation

Even experienced writers can get tripped up by errors in grammar and punctuation. This course goes over parts of speech (subjects, objects, and verbs) and punctuation to ensure that a sentence is formed properly. It also covers what style is and how it varies between different guides.

Price: $129.00

Learn more here.

50. Podcasting

Find out how you can create your own podcast and share it with the world. You will learn how to use Audacity to edit your podcast and produce it for iTunes and other podcast directories, as well as monetizing and marketing tips and hints.

Price: $149.00

Learn more here.

More:

Here are writing ideas to help you, and for a change of pace, options for print magazine writing jobs.

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