Creative Writing Classes for Adults: Everything to Know Before You Enroll

Sean Glatch  |  July 30, 2024  | 

online creative writing classes for adults

There are hundreds of creative writing classes for adults, both online and in a city near you. Adult learners looking to work on their writing skills will find no shortage of options around them. But, which courses are right for you? What are creative writing classes for adults like? How do you get the most out of them?

This article answers those questions and plenty more. Whether you’re writing poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, or something in-between, this article guides you through the world of creative writing education. Here’s everything you need to know about creative writing classes for adults.

Creative Writing Classes for Adults: Contents

The Best Places for In-Person and Online Creative Writing Classes for Adults

To start, where can you take online writing classes for adults?

We can’t recommend ourselves enough as a great place for writers of all stripes to hone their craft. Writers.com has been in the business of online creative writing classes for adults since 1995, and in that time, we’ve helped thousands of writers find, sharpen, and share their voices with the world. Whether you want to write for your own wellbeing, get into an MFA program, or publish with the Big 5, our online writing classes for adults are sure to help.

That said, there are plenty of creative writing programs, both online and in-person in plenty of U.S. cities. Here are some schools that offer online creative writing classes for adults:

If you’re looking to weigh your options, take a look at our ever-growing list of MFA, in-person, and online writing programs:

https://writers.com/creative-writing-programs#best-writing-programs

What Do Creative Writing Classes for Adults Include?

While it depends on the writing program and the syllabus for the class, you can expect most creative writing classes for adults to include the following:

  • Weekly lectures and readings.
  • Generative writing prompts and assignments.
  • Opportunities to read and critique other students’ work.
  • Opportunities to get your work read and critiqued by both the instructor and the other students.

If the class has an in-person or Zoom component, then you can expect some or all of these elements to take place live.

What Are Creative Writing Classes for Adults Like?

Your class experience will obviously depend on a number of factors, including the genre of writing, the course instructor, and even the other students who enroll.

That said, most creative writing classes for adults are:

  • Supportive: Your work will receive the care and attention it deserves no matter what stage it’s in.
  • Constructive: Other writers will point out opportunities to help your piece get more closely aligned with your vision for it.
  • Creatively nurturing: Creative writing classes for adults provide loads of inspiration, ideas, and doorways into writing and editing your work.
  • Community-oriented: You’re more likely than not to leave your course with new friends, connections, and writing partners.

Some classes are more challenging than others, and a good writing program will mention what experience, if any, a student should have before enrolling in a class. That said, the best creative writing classes for adults aren’t necessarily the most challenging ones—it’s the classes that help you write what you need to write.

How Writing Classes For Adults Are Different From School

Some students worry that taking a creative writing course will have the same feeling as taking a class in high school or college. That fear is valid—but, luckily, creative writing classes for adults are nothing like English Class.

For one thing, you’re choosing to be in the class, as is every other student. For another, nobody is trying to punish you, correct your behavior, or tell you how wrong you are about something.

However, the most important distinction to be made is that you’re in the class learning what you want to learn, not what anyone else thinks you need to learn. In the best classes, you can respond to the lectures and assignments in whatever ways make sense for your own writing projects and interests. And, you’re in the class with other people who share your passion and excitement for writing.

As a result, the energy of a creative writing classroom is probably nothing like any class you’ve taken in the past.

Other Reasons to Look Forward to Adult Learning

The differences between high school and writing classes for adults cannot be overstated. Here are some other reasons to get excited for whichever courses you end up taking:

  • Everyone wants to be there: Being in a room of people who share your passion is hard to find. Creative writing classes for adults make it easier.
  • Everyone is more interesting: As you grow older, you become more specific as a person. You have more unique life experiences and a stronger sense of self, which isn’t the case in high school or even college. As a result, everyone can learn from each other in a writing course.
  • There’s no grade at the end: So you don’t have to worry about whether you’re good enough, slacking behind, or getting into college.
  • You don’t have to deal with any real hierarchies: In high school, the teachers and administrators have more power than you; so do the upperclassmen. That’s not the case in writing courses—often, the teacher speaks to you like you’re on the same level as them, which they often are.
  • You’re there for yourself: Whether it’s to work on your writing skills or work towards a project, your class is for your development, not for you to keep busy on useless information.
  • The class isn’t meant to overwhelm you: Most adult learners have other obligations—children, family expectations, full-time jobs, etc. While you certainly need to make time and be diligent in your class, you don’t need to rearrange your entire life like you would for an MFA program.
  • The learning is more targeted: You are learning only what you intend to learn for your own writing goals and projects.

Why You Are Already Ready for Your Class

You are also more primed for success in creative writing classes for adults than you might think, because:

  • You have more depth and life experience: In other words, you already have a ton of material to work with in your class. A good instructor simply gives you the tools and prompts to bring that experience onto the page.
  • You have excitement around your writing: Learning is a whole lot easier when you actually care about the topic.
  • You are more up to the challenge than you may realize: Writers have a tendency to not believe in themselves, even when they’re good at what they do and are pursuing an artistic vision. Yes, even NYT bestsellers. Yes, even tenured professors.

You’re Never Too Old for a Writing Class

Some writers might talk themselves out of taking a class simply because of their age. Perhaps they feel like they were last in school so long ago, how can they expect to learn anything now? Or, why try to catch up on learning creative writing, when there are so many people who are younger and more ahead of the game?

It might also feel disheartening, in a way, to take up a skill you wanted to learn so many years ago, but never had the chance to. Is it worth trying to learn creative writing at this stage in life?

Absolutely, yes. Writers.com has students taking our classes well into their 70s and 80s; a few are even older.

More importantly, worrying about whether you’re good enough, smart enough, talented enough, young enough, or anything else are simply manifestations of the feeling that your words don’t matter. They do. Everyone has a story that deserves to be told, and everyone deserves to learn how to tell their stories.

If anything, it’s brave and inspiring to learn new skills later in life. We can always grow and develop as people. Besides, there are plenty of people who know how to write well, but have nothing to write about. Now that you’ve been alive for a while, you probably have much more to say than someone in their 20s or 30s—which is not to say that their stories are unimportant, only that they don’t have as much depth and life experience.

Again, if you’re considering enrolling in creative writing classes for adults, take the plunge. You will find yourself getting excited and comfortable much sooner than you think, and once you start writing, you probably won’t be able to stop.

Things to Think About Before Taking Creative Writing Classes for Adults

Of course, creative writing classes still involve work—even if it’s work you want to do. So there are a few things to think about before you enroll to make classes you take truly beneficial towards your writing journey.

First, ask yourself: what is it that I want to get out of a class? Some options include:

  • Writing a large portion of a writing project, such as a novel, memoir, or poetry collection.
  • Strengthening my abilities as a writer and learning new skills.
  • Getting feedback on work that I want to eventually publish.
  • Finding inspiration and new ideas to write towards.
  • Developing community with writers who share my passion and interests.

There are other reasons to join creative writing classes for adults, but these ones stand out as the most common. Not every class will meet every need, so you want to consider what it is you’re hoping to gain from a class so that you enroll in the right one for you.

How to Get the Most Out Of Online Writing Classes For Adults

Once you enroll, you can ensure you get the most out of the class by having a consistent writing practice and dedicating enough time for the class.

While online writing classes for adults are a lot of fun, they can also be a lot of work. Setting aside a consistent amount of time to read the lectures, write towards the assignments, and respond to other students’ work is essential to learning what you enrolled to learn. Be prepared to focus—and, if you need to, be prepared to create the space you need to focus, whether that’s in your house, at a coffee shop or library, or even out in nature.

And, once your class ends, treat that time you carved out as sacred. When you have a consistent writing practice, you’ll be amazed at how much work you can get done.

More Resources for Learning Creative Writing

Here are some additional guides we’ve put together on getting the most out of online creative writing classes for adults:

Take Your Next Course at Writers.com!

Whether you’re new to writing poetry or finishing the Next Great American Novel, Writers.com has a class for you. Take a look at our upcoming online courses, where you’ll receive expert instruction and feedback on everything you write.

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Sean Glatch

Sean Glatch is a poet, storyteller, and screenwriter based in New York City. His work has appeared in Ninth Letter, Milk Press,8Poems, The Poetry Annals, on local TV, and elsewhere. When he's not writing, which is often, he thinks he should be writing.

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