Online Writing Courses with Writers.com
Enroll in online creative writing courses with Writers.com, and take the next step on your writing journey with support from our award-winning instructors and welcoming community.
You’ll get regular instructor feedback on your work, ongoing collaboration with other committed writers, and a nourishing and supportive course structure.
Learn from published authors who have spent decades perfecting their craft, and are dedicated to supporting you and your work. Don’t miss out: find the online writing course for you today!

Upcoming Online Writing Courses
February Courses
Crafting the Romance Novel
with Jeanne De Vita
More than happily ever after. Writing a romance novel is about more than just telling the story of how two characters meet, fall in love, and ride off into the sunset of happily ever after. A romance novel follows the same structure as powerful novels in other genres and employs the building blocks of great…
Plot Your Novel
with Jack Smith
Over eight weeks, you'll develop a solid basis in the fictional elements—protagonist, setting, secondary characters, point of view, plot, and theme—while you develop the outline of your novel. You'll receive feedback at all stages from your fellow writers and your instructor.
Style and Sense: Bring Your Writing to Life
with John Gottberg Anderson
How do we transport our readers to vivid worlds? In this course, learn the skills that evoke the senses and bring your writing to life.
What to Do When Your Characters Fall in Love: Writing Romance in Any Genre
with Briana McGuckin
Relationships are an important feature of fiction—and not just romances! If your non-romance work has love involved, learn the ropes in this 5 week course, open to writers of all genres.
How to Craft a Poem
with Zining Mok
A poem has many moving parts, from sound and rhythm to form, voice, and figurative language. Weave these elements into richer, fuller poetry.
Mastering the Elements of Fiction
with Jack Smith
In this course, you’ll work with the basic elements of fiction--the fundamentals that drive the story and determine the quality of the work.
The Spirituality of Poetry
with Joy Roulier Sawyer
Let the spirit of language move through you. In this 6 week course, we will study, write, and share poetry about the sacredness of human experience.
Scene Study: Strengthen Your Writing with Compelling Scenes
with Susan Pohlman
Great stories are constructed with great scenes. Immerse your reader in your stories by learning the ropes of scene development.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Turn Up the Heat: How to Write Good Sex
with Jeanne De Vita
How do you write sex scenes that are both erotic and realistic? Make your reader's heart race in this webinar on writing good sex.
Writing Spontaneously: How to Let Your Stories Surprise You
with Jessie Roy
Some of the best stories don't follow a specific plot structure; they develop organically. Learn how to hone spontaneity in your fiction writing and come away surprised by your work.
Twoness Poems
with E. Ethelbert Miller, Miho Kinnas
Twoness poems are poems written collaboratively with another poet. Learn something new about yourself, your writing partner, and poetry in this collaborative Valentine's Day workshop.
Essentials of Character Development: How to Create Characters that Move and Breathe and Can’t Stop Talking
with Gloria Kempton
Bring your characters to life in this in-depth character development class with Gloria Kempton.
Manuscript Workshop: Writing For Young Readers
with Denise Santomauro
Author Denise Santomauro leads this intermediate/advanced workshop on writing for children. It offers support, structure and detailed feedback on manuscripts.
Syllables to Stanzas: Crafting Your Poetry Portfolio
with Derek JG Williams
Discover the elements of poetic mastery: structure and form, sound and tone, image and metaphor, character and voice, and much more.
Creating the Visual Journal
with Lissa Jensen
Go beyond narrow definitions of “journaling" to include visual images and let writing give what is seen a new voice. Surprise yourself.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay
From Writing Circle to Poems of Kindness, Wonder, Connection & Joy (Mondays and Fridays)
with Susan Vespoli
Explore the power of joy, kindness, and community in this four week poetry workshop.
From Writing Circle to Poems of Kindness, Wonder, Connection & Joy (Tuesdays and Saturdays)
with Susan Vespoli
Explore the power of joy, kindness, and community in this four week poetry workshop.
Rapid Story Development: A Master Plan for Building Stories That Work
with Jeff Lyons
In this 10 week story writing class, Jeff Lyons pairs the Enneagram with story development techniques to revolutionize your writing practice.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Iconoclast: Reimagining the Line Break
with Shankar Narayan
Poets can express so much in just a line break. Hone this tool of the poetic craft in this two part Zoom workshop.
March Courses
The Art of Storytelling
with Gloria Kempton
It’s an age-old art form—storytelling—and you can learn the craft.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
The Lyric Essay
with Gretchen Clark
Explore non-traditional and imaginative ways to tell your stories with this ten-week writing course online. Creative nonfiction teacher Gretchen Clark provides detailed feedback on weekly writing assignments that emphasize creative freedom.
Writing Mindfulness: Sensual World/Poetry Mind
with Marc Olmsted
A four-week class, melding the language mind with the sensual: How to turn detailed observation into a poem. With Marc Olmsted.
Poetry and Performance: Slam Poetry 101
with Ollie Schminkey
In these workshops, master the elements of poetry and performance, and learn to take your poems from the page to the stage.
Crafting the Poetry Novel for Young Adults
with Kelly Bingham
Even if you’ve never written poetry before, you can begin the rewarding process of crafting a poetry novel for Young Adults. Is there a market for novels written in verse? Are they well received? Yes, there is, and yes, they are!
The Healing Power of Poetry
with Joy Roulier Sawyer
Poetry heals. Journey alongside several poets whose works resonate with a variety of healing themes, and learn how to use craft elements as healing tools.
Poems of All Sizes: Haiku, Tanka, and Japanese Poetic Forms
with Miho Kinnas
Explore the history and poetics of Japanese poetry forms, and write haiku, tanka, renga, haiga, and linked verse poetry.
Discover Your Writing Niche
with Gloria Kempton
Fiction or nonfiction? Article, short story, or how-to book? Do you want to write for children, teens, adults? There is a type of writing that is best suited for you, and the discovery process can be an adventure.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Finding Confidence in the Braided Essay: A Craft and Empowerment Workshop for Literary Nonfiction
with Margo Steines
Weaving your story with facts and research can help you craft a stronger essay. Tell your story with confidence in this empowering essay writing course.
The Only Submission Workshop You Will Ever Need
with Meghan Sterling
How do you get your poems in literary journals? This two part webinar shows you the ropes for getting your work published, read, and celebrated.
Flash Fiction: Writing the Short-Short Story
with Barbara Henning
Write 1–3-page flash fiction in this online course with Barbara Henning, drawing on classic, poetic & experimental elements. Read the form’s masters.
Let It Rip: The Art of Writing Fiery Prose
with Giulietta Nardone
You'll write prose that gets folks so hot and bothered they won't be able to put it down, even if it isn't about sex.
Write Your Picture Book!
with Kelly Bingham
Picture books have changed greatly over the last few decades, and the market is wide open for fresh ideas. Join us in this six-week intensive where we’ll take that idea of yours and turn it into a manuscript!
Writing Our Grief: How to Channel Loss into Creative Expression
with Rudri Patel
Writing about grief is a powerful healing tool. Turn pain into power in this personal essay course, with instructor Rudri Patel.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay
How to Firm Up the “Mushy Middle” of Any Story
with Jeff Lyons
Ensure a strong middle throughline for any story. Say goodbye to the "mushy middle," and hello to stories that work.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Poetry Workshop: Bring Your Poems to Life
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Join us for this workshop on creating powerful poems—poems that are clear and organized, fresh and moving, full of life.
April Courses
Death Riding Shotgun: How Awareness of Our Mortality Impacts Poetry
with Lisa C. Taylor
How can your own mortality inform your work? In this 6-week course, you'll use death to inspire and motivate your poetry writing.
Write Your Novel! The Workshop With Jack
with Jack Smith
Get a good start on a novel in just ten weeks, or revise a novel you’ve already written. Free your imagination, move steadily ahead and count the pages!
From Writing Circle to Poems in 8 Contemporary Forms (Mondays and Fridays)
with Susan Vespoli
From the sonnet to the villanelle, turn your journal entries into formal poetry in this 8 week writing circle workshop.
From Writing Circle to Poems in 8 Contemporary Forms (Tuesdays and Saturdays)
with Susan Vespoli
From the sonnet to the villanelle, turn your journal entries into formal poetry in this 8 week writing circle workshop.
Getting Started Marketing Your Work
with Gloria Kempton
Solve the mystery of marketing and get your work out there in front of readers in this 4-week online class taught by Instructor Gloria Kempton.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
The Literary Essay
with Jonathan J.G. McClure
Explore the literary essay - from the conventional to the experimental, the journalistic to essays in verse - while writing and workshopping your own.
Next-Level Creative Nonfiction: Elevating Essays, Memoir, Travel Writing & Literary Journalism
with Wendy Call
Elevate your memoir, travel writing, literary journalism, & lyric and personal essays.
May Courses
The Hero’s Journey For Storytellers
with Gloria Kempton
Structure your story and give it meaning with Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey.
Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Use Story and Premise Development for Writing Success
with Jeff Lyons
The premise line is the only reliable tool that can tell you, BEFORE you start writing, whether or not your story will “work.” In this class participants will learn how to master the process of premise line development—the essential first step in any book or screenplay’s development process.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Stage and Broadcast
Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Telling True Stories
with Nicole Hardy
How do you tell your stories beautifully and authentically? Learn the fundamentals of creative nonfiction with Nicole Hardy.
June Courses
In Bloom: Nature Writing Workshop
with Dana De Greff
Want to write about nature like Robert Frost, Henry David Thoreau, or Annie Dillard? Join us for this six-week nature writing course.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Opening the Door to Poetry
with Jude Nutter
How do we use poetry to express life's marvelous complexity? Learn how to control language beyond the "ordinary" and discover the many possibilities of poetry.
Untie the Tropes: Write In-Depth YA Protagonists
with Elisa Bonnin
Do you want to write YA, but you're terrified of teenagers? Learn how to write authentic teen characters without tropes in this generative YA course.
July Courses
Starting to Write
with Gloria Kempton
For those who want to kick start their writing into high gear.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Unscheduled Courses
(Live Workshop) Dream Writing
with Zining Mok
How can writers harness the power of dreams? Let your slumber supercharge your creativity in this three hour dream writing workshop.
(Live Workshop) Get Clear on Your Story and Voice
with Nadia Colburn
What is your story about? What is your voice? Whether you write poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, hone your writing in this 3 hour workshop.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
(Live Workshop) Haiku & Senryu: Rekindling A Sense of Wonder
with Marc Olmsted
Haiku, Senryu, and other Japanese poetry forms encourage us to slow down and write mindfully. Learn how to write these forms in this meditative writing workshop.
(Live Workshop) Intro to Screenwriting
with Susan Pohlman
In this workshop, you'll learn the ropes of screenwriting and create living pieces of collaborative storytelling.
(Live Workshop) Move Your Writing Forward: The Art of the Bullet Journal
with Rudri Patel
Only 3 seats left!
Want to have a productive new year? Set up your bullet journal in this one day live workshop.
(Live Workshop) Revising the Novel: Take Your First Draft to the Next Level
with Donna Levin
Ready to start revising your novel? Get rolling in this in-depth webinar.
(Live Workshop) Starting Off Right: How To Build A Blog, Grow An Audience & Make Money
with Jessica Festa
Only 2 seats left!
When planned right, a blog allows you to share your passion and make money in the process. Learn how to build a blog in this one-day webinar.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Live Workshop, Personal Essay
(Live Workshop) The Art Friend’s Dilemma: Advice on Writing from Real Life
with Briana McGuckin
Are you writing about people from real life? This one-day live workshop answers the question of how to be a good art friend.
(Live Workshop) The Art of Love Stories: A Flash Fiction Workshop
with Zining Mok
How do you distill love into 1,500 words or less? Zining Mok explains in this love stories flash fiction workshop.
(Live Workshop) Writing Beginnings and Endings
with Sarah Aronson
How do you write a story that's compelling to start and satisfying to finish? Sarah Aronson explains in this comprehensive one-day workshop.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
(Live Workshop) Writing from a Strong Sense of Place: A Generative Workshop
with Jacquelyn Stolos
Develop powerful and realistic settings in this generative three-hour workshop, with Jacquelyn Stolos.
Fiction, Live Workshop, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
*Private Class | Create Story Characters Using the Enneagram
with Gloria Kempton
In-depth character development using an ancient personality study of human motivation--the Enneagram.
*Private Class | Shadow Writing
with Gloria Kempton
Your unconscious can drive your writing or block it. Gloria Kempton will guide you in coaxing your shadow out of hiding.
Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
*Private Class | The Anti-Hero’s Journey for Storytellers
with Gloria Kempton
Throughout her writing career, Gloria Kempton has met many anti-heroes. In this course, you’ll receive feedback on your story antagonists.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
A Writerly Life: Develop a Writing Routine that Works for You
with Shelby Hinte
What does a writer's life look like? Build a productive writing habit in this course for writers of all backgrounds.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Accessing Your Writer’s Voice
with Gloria Kempton
Voice: What is it and how do you find yours? Instructor Gloria Kempton offers feedback on assignments in this 3-week online class.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Architecture of the Creative Heart: Writing Formal Poetry
with David Mills
Learn how diving into form—the coherent relationship of all of a poem’s parts—can enhance your creativity and freedom as a poet.
Beyond Formula: Writing Love Scenes With Spirit, Passion, Grit And Character Truth
with Anya Achtenberg
Write about love beyond trite sentiment and shallow fictions. Work down to the real thing: deep, powerful, destructive, exalted, fundamental.
Block Buster: Turbocharge Your Creativity with Breakneck Writing
with Gretchen Clark
Banish writer's block, unearth fresh ideas, and sharpen your storytelling ability with the practice of fast, timed writing.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Boost Your Imagination and Reap the Literary Rewards
with Giulietta Nardone
It happens to all of us: life gets in the way and our creativity falters. Get back on track with this four-week creativity boosting class!
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Branches of Creative Nonfiction
with Tess Fahlgren
What are the different types of creative nonfiction? From the personal essay to the hermit crab, learn the ropes of CNF in this 8 week class.
But What Is Your Story Really About? Finding the Core of Your Short Memoir, Story, or Personal Essay
with Giulietta Nardone
Take a four-week writing adventure deep into the core of your story, to find the true theme of your personal essay, short story, or short memoir.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Personal Essay, Short Story
Character Transformation Workshop: How to Write Stories that Emotionally Resonate
with Giulietta Nardone
Learn how to write emotionally resonant journeys that stick with the reader, using the power of character transformation.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Claiming Our Stories: Autobiography, Memoir & Autobiographical Fiction
with Anya Achtenberg
Turn your experience into fiction, autobiography, or creative memoir. Bring forward stories with a powerful truth at their core. Instructor Anya Achtenberg.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Personal Essay, Short Story
Comics for People Who Can’t Draw!
with Aubrey Hirsch
Comic strip artists rely much more on creativity than on artistic skill. In this workshop, you'll learn all the tools you need to make fun and engaging comic strips—even if your drawing level is "stick figures."
Craft Your Story: Short Fiction and Memoir Live Workshops
with Margo Perin
Get tailored advice and inspiration for your fiction or nonfiction stories, in this weekly live workshop with award-winning instructor Margo Perin.
Crafting a Story or Novel Chapter Using Forward-Moving Tension
with Sandra Novack
How do writers tell stories with tension, action, and emotion? Learn how to write forward-moving tension in this 5 week fiction course.
Crafting the Poetry Novel: Advanced Workshop
with Kelly Bingham
Want to make headway on your poetry novel? This workshop offers the structure and resources to get it done, with instructor Kelly Bingham.
Creative Nonfiction and the Personal Essay
with Gretchen Clark
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Gretchen Clark pick axes her way into the volcanic marriage of real life and fiction. Weekly writing with incisive feedback.
Creative Writing & Storytelling Techniques For Business Professionals
with Giulietta Nardone
Good writing helps business connect deeply with the clients they're hoping to work with. Learn how to hone the power of story in your professional career.
De Novo: How to Build Your Own Fantasy or Sci-Fi World
with Elisa Bonnin
Create captivating worlds in this comprehensive worldbuilding course. You'll come away with fantastic settings that make your stories mesmerizing, believable, and real.
Deepening and Organizing Our Stories: Memoir/Creative Nonfiction and Autobiographical Fiction
with Anya Achtenberg
For writers of memoir, creative nonfiction and fiction, with some experience. Particularly helpful to writers in the midst of a longer work.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Discovering the Lyric Essay
with Derek JG Williams
The lyric essay challenges us to tell authentic stories without concrete forms. Learn the ropes of the genre in this 3 hour workshop.
Drafty in Here: Write Your Novella in Ten Weeks
with Jack Smith
Write the entire first draft of a novella-length story, with plenty of feedback from stage to stage, and finish with a plan for revising toward a publishable manuscript.
Dread and Desire: Gothic Fiction Techniques to Lure and Horrify Your Readers
with Briana McGuckin
This Halloween, learn how to write eerie, haunting moods in this comprehensive course on Gothic writing techniques.
Embodied Writing: Improve Your Writing with Full-Body Creativity
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Have a grand time with specific physical exercises that honor your health, generate imaginative ideas, explore deeply and make your creative writing entertaining.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Embodied Writing: Somatic Practices to Improve Your Work
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Have a grand time with specific physical exercises that honor your health, generate imaginative ideas, explore deeply and make your creative writing entertaining.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Fall (Back) In Love with Poetry
with Moriel Rothman-Zecher
Whether you're new to poetry or returning after a hiatus, rekindle the spark that puts verse to page in this exploratory poetry class.
Find Your Brave: Publishing As An Act Of Courage
with Giulietta Nardone
In this fun, transformative four-week program, get tips and techniques to bring out your courage to publish a story in print or online.
Finding the Real Story: Essential Elements of Story in Fiction and Memoir
with Anya Achtenberg
Address the larger issues of writing story through a look at the essential elements of narrative in fiction and memoir.
Finding Wildness and Freedom in Poetry
with Moriel Rothman-Zecher
Find a greater sense of comfort, ease, lightheartedness, and freedom in reading and writing poetry.
Finish Your Manuscript: Next-Level Picture Book Mentorship
with Kelly Bingham
During this six week program, you will work closely one-on-one with Kelly to finalize, refine, and polish your picture book into a manuscript ready to submit for publication or representation.
Food Writing: Food-Focused Memoir
with Jennifer Billock
The food we eat and enjoy tells volumes about our lives and experiences. Write it all down in this food memoir course, with Jennifer Billock.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay
Food Writing: Meals And Manuscripts
with Jennifer Billock
Do you love cookbooks, cooking, or reading anything about food? This food writing course is for you. With award winning writer Jennifer Billock.
Free Panel Discussion: Romance Reader to Writer
with Jeanne De Vita
Join us for a free Zoom panel discussion with three industry experts in the field of Romance writing!
From Pitch to Publication: Writing Narrative Journalism
with Rudri Patel
Explore literary journalism as a powerful means to share fascinating characters, stories, and perspectives. Learn all you need to start pitching, landing, and writing reported essays and features.
From Writing Circle to Finished Poem: Turn Raw Writing into Poetry (Session 2)
with Susan Vespoli
Gather together in a virtual writing circle, hit the mute button on your internal editor, and uncover inspiration to shape into poetry.
From Writing Circles to Poems of Gratitude & Hope for the New Year
with Susan Vespoli
Want to move forward into the new year with gratefulness and clarity for 2022? Join us for 4 weeks of writing about gratitude and hope.
From Writing Circles to Poems of Gratitude and Hope
with Susan Vespoli
Poetry is a powerful method for healing and happiness. Write poems about gratitude and hope in our intimate, live-video writing circles, with instructor Susan Vespoli.
Fundamentals of Travel Writing
with Jennifer Billock
Take to the skies in this online travel writing course. We'll discuss the market, different types of travel writing, and pitching your piece!
Get That Novel Finished! Tools and Inspiration to Complete Your First Draft
with Donna Levin
Finishing a novel requires guts, dedication, and stamina. When you find yourself struggling, our 10-week course with Donna Levin will help!
Get Your Book Done Intensive! 4 Weeks to Measurable Progress
with Giulietta Nardone
The summer is the best time to get the ball rolling on your book. Join us if you really want to get your book into the world.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Graphic Novel Writing Bootcamp
with Cristian Aluas
Put pen to graphing paper in this workshop on crafting the graphic novel. By the end of the Zoom call, you'll have an 8 page graphic short story that's ready to illustrate.
Growing Smaller: The Art of Micro- and Short Fiction
with Tina Barry
Less is more. Learn the ropes of flash and micro-fiction in this 4-week course and hone the art of the short-short story.
How to Pitch
with Rachel Krantz
Learn the ins and outs of pitching your work to print and online publications from Rachel Krantz, a full-time writer and formerly the Senior Feature Editor at Bustle.
How To Start A Blog
with Jessica Festa
Create your blog, brand it, create engaging content and successfully promote posts. Taught by journalist, writer and photographer Jessica Festa.
How To Turn Your Blog Into A Career
with Jessica Festa
From branding to search engine optimization and advertising, this course puts bloggers on the path to earning an income through their blog.
How to Write Character-Driven Stories
with Lisa C. Taylor
Characters don't just drive the story, they are the story. Learn how to craft character-centered fiction and give life to the people on your page.
How to Write Great Stories
with Amy Bonnaffons
Learn how to combine character, setting, plot, and other elements of fiction to write powerful, compelling stories.
Humor Is The New Black!
with Giulietta Nardone
Ready to add a splash of fun to your writing life? Join us for a four-week humor writing class. We’ll read. We’ll laugh. We’ll write. We’ll experiment.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
I’ve Drunk Your Poisoned Nectar: Writing with the Goddess
with Shankar Narayan
Dig deep into the rich mythology of South Asian goddesses to find new inspiration for your work in this generative, open-genre writing class.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
In Your Own Words: Transforming Life Into Memoir and Fiction
with Margo Perin
Learn how to draw inspiration and material from your life experiences or those of people you know, or want to know, to craft compelling, publishable memoirs, personal essays, autobiographical novels and short stories, and/or narrative poetry.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Intro to Fiction Writing
with Donna Levin
What makes a good fiction story? Learn how to write compelling stories in this eight-week intro to fiction course, with Donna Levin.
Introduction to Writing Genre Fiction
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Take the whirlwind tour! Learn the conventions of eight major fiction genres, try them out, and figure out your niche.
Kickstart Your Novel
with Dana De Greff
Writing a novel requires planning, strategy, and an understanding of the fundamentals of fiction. Get the guidance you need to start your novel the right way.
Let’s Get Personal: The Art and Craft of the Personal Essay
with Margo Perin
Draw inspiration and material from your life experiences or “real life” people you know to craft compelling, publishable personal essays. With author Margo Perin.
Make Your Prose Sing
with Leslie Lawrence
Enrich your prose with techniques from poetry. Bring paper and pens; leave with a better ear and lots of ideas about how to make your prose sing.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Manuscript Review for Children’s Writers: Summer Edition
with Sarah Aronson
Instructor Sarah Aronson welcomes all writers who are working on manuscripts for kids and teens. This advanced workshop will focus entirely on the participants' own work in progress.
No More Excuses! Four Weeks to Finish and Submit Your Personal Essay or Short Memoir
with Giulietta Nardone
Join us for this insightful four-week “get the writing done” program, give and receive thoughtful comments from your fellow writers and the instructor, and enjoy heaps of encouragement and writing wisdom along the way.
Observing What’s Vivid in Prose and Poetry
with Marc Olmsted
Learn how to spotlight beauty through fresh, vivid, and surprising language, in this four week mindfulness writing course.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Ordinary to Extraordinary: Turning Everyday Experiences into Poetry
with Tina Barry
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
No experience is too small or mundane to serve as a foundation for extraordinary poetry and short fiction.
Overcome Writing Anxiety: Boost Your Storytelling Confidence in Four Short Weeks!
with Giulietta Nardone
"Who are you to want to write?" Someone great, that's who! Politely ask Mr. or Ms. Fear to step aside while you sign up for this fun, freeing and functional adventure.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
Plumbing the Past: Turning Life Experience into Poetry, Flash and Creative Non-Fiction
with Tina Barry
Dig deep into personal ritual while studying narrative poets, short fiction and non-fiction authors, and food writers.
Poetic Prose: The Prose Poem
with Barbara Henning
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Explore the border between prose poetry and flash fiction. For writers of fiction, poetry, essay and memoir.
Poetry as Sacred Attention
with Nadia Colburn
Poetry asks us to slow down, listen, and pay attention. In this meditative workshop, we'll open ourselves to the beauty and mystery of poetry.
Putting It All Together: Completing Your First Poetry Manuscript
with Caitlin Scarano
How do you put together a poetry book? From choosing a theme to ordering your poems, you'll end this course with a ready-to-publish manuscript.
Revision Strategies for Novels
with Randy Susan Meyers
You've finished your novel. Now what? Develop in-depth revision strategies for your book in this two-part workshop series.
Roads Into Writing: Opening New Terrain In Your Work
with Anya Achtenberg
Write like mad, read brilliant books & deepen your craft while exploring new paths to inspiration. With novelist and poet Anya Achtenberg, .
Show and Tell: How to Write Captivating Memoir and Nonfiction
with Brad Wetzler
Your true story of healing or transformation can captivate and empower your readers. Learn how to balance showing the vivid details of your own journey with telling the broader themes for readers to apply in their own lives.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay
Simple Winter Sanity-Saving Writing Circles
with Susan Vespoli
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Write your way to the finish line of 2022: let go of and say goodbye to a momentous year, honor the changes in yourself and the world, and set your intentions for a new chapter.
Suspense Sells! Power Up Your Writing With Conflict, Tension and Emotion
with Giulietta Nardone
Inject suspense into your stories to keep readers turning pages. For writers of all kinds of fiction: thrillers, mysteries, romance, humor, literary and memoir. A four week class with Giulietta Nardone.
Tales From The Memory Palace: 6 to 250 Word Memoirs
with Giulietta Nardone
If you want to be an in demand storyteller in the digital age, you need to get in, get out and get going. In this "short" four-week memoir writing adventure, you'll learn to scope out, swoop down and snatch up important memories from your life then speed write them into miniature masterpieces.
Techwashed!: Writing with AI, Data, and Surveillance
with Shankar Narayan
Raise a mirror against society's relationship to technology in this two part workshop series where we will learn how to write about tech.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Telling Truth: A Poetry Workshop
with Ollie Schminkey
Learn how to tell your story and write a mini chapbook of poems in this truth-driven poetry workshop.
Telling Your Food Story
with Hannah Howard
Let's write at the kitchen table together, as we explore using food as a lens to tell our stories.
Ten Steps to Creating Interesting, In-Depth Characters
with Sarah Aronson
How do you write about people convincingly? Empower your character development in this workshop filled with exercises and character discussion.
The Chronology of Mind: From Journal to Poem or Prose
with Barbara Henning
Gather material through writing and experimenting with journaling, researching and taking notes to develop into poems or prose works.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy
with Elisa Bonnin
Create fantastical worlds with mythical beings in this comprehensive introduction to fantasy and science fiction.
The Craft of Poetry
with Jonathan J.G. McClure
Poetry is alive and well. Contemporary poets can be touching, terrifying, and laugh-out-loud funny. Join us for an exploration of writing and reading poems.
The First Fifty Pages of the Novel
with Sandra Novack
Only 1 seat left!
The first 50 pages sets up plot, characters, and voice, and it lays the groundwork for your book's overall structure and success. Receive critical, supportive feedback on your book's start from novelist Sandra Novack.
The Five Ws (and One H) of Drafting Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels
with Amanda Hosch
Asking yourself these six questions will give you the scaffolding for your next young adult or middle grade novel.
The Joy of Poetry: A Beginner-Friendly Workshop
with Joy Roulier Sawyer
Have you wanted to get into poetry, but don't know where to start? Learn the craft from the Joy of poetry herself in this welcoming workshop.
The Micro-obstacles/Flow Technique
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Create new work with fresh language, universal themes, sustained mystery and memorable characters. Stimulate your imagination.
The Next Fifty Pages of the Novel
with Sandra Novack
So now that you have your opening novel pages, what next? Get detailed, constructive feedback on your work-in-progress, wherever you're at in writing it.
The Sixth Sense: Writing Horror with a Message
with Giulietta Nardone
Looking to write the substance of nightmares? Learn the ropes of horror writing in this spine-chilling fiction course.
The Soundtrack of Your Life: Writing About Music, Memories and Mix Tapes
with Giulietta Nardone
In a song inspired class, write several essays about the music that has moved you through life: the emotions, the relationships, the events, the outcomes.
The Wandering Heart: Tales of Connection
with Giulietta Nardone
Wander through the rooms of your own life to discover stories of deep connection, reconnection or loss of connection and fashion your findings into stories suitable for blog posts, essays, short memoirs, short plays, scenes in screenplays, or chapters of novels.
The Watching Eye/Thinking Mind: Writing Flash Fiction
with Barbara Henning
In this ten-week workshop with poet and novelist Barbara Henning, write tiny fictions while experimenting with first and third person points of view and analyzing how point of view affects the craft of fiction writing. Barbara will provide practical instruction and assignments, suggestions for revision, and lectures and and articles.
Using Bullet Journaling to Achieve Writing Goals
with Rudri Patel
Looking to keep your writing goals organized? Make it happen in our bullet journaling course. Learn the art of the BuJo with Rudri Patel!
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Poetry
Using Your Poetry Skills to Write Memoir
with Freesia McKee
How do poets tell their stories in prose? Take the leap from poetry to memoir in this hybrid writing workshop.
Word Flashes & Eye Snapshots: Sketching Your Life Awake
with Marc Olmsted
For any writer wanting to root writing in vision and vision in the body: for poetry, fiction, essay, memoir & pleasure.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Write from the Untamed Mind: Find Your Voice
with Susan Vespoli
Join Susan in two writing circles each week: intimate spaces for writers to free-write together, saying yes to whatever shows up, followed by group read-arounds. These writing sessions are spontaneous, intimate, freeing, and transformative.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Write into Mystery: Writing Flash Memoir on Wonder and the Unexplained
with Joanna Penn Cooper
We often encounter wonder, mystery, and the unexplained in our everyday lives. Turn those experiences into flash essays in this community-centered course.
Write Your Children’s Book!
with Kelly Bingham
If you’re looking for accountability, support, enthusiasm, feedback, and a chance to make progress on your Children's Book or YA story, then this is the place for you.
Write Your Memoir in 12 Weeks
with Blaise Allysen Kearsley
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Writing can be a solitary experience, but writing a full memoir takes energy, momentum, and moral support. Find all three in this memoir writing intensive.
Write Your World: Express Your Creativity through Article Writing, Blogging, and Essays
with Rudri Patel
Only 2 seats left!
Want to write your world, your way? Join us for this six-week program on article writing, blogging, and essays.
Writing Autobiographical Fiction
with Jack Smith
Only 2 seats left!
Learn to depart from "what really happened," and write compelling fiction from your own life experiences.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Eight Contemporary Poets (Section 2)
with Susan Vespoli
By studying the poems of Billy Collins, Ellen Bass, Natalie Diaz, and more, write stunning poetry in this generative writing circle workshop.
Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Nine Contemporary Poets
with Susan Vespoli
Write freely and expressively in this 8-week poetry workshop. Along the way, we'll explore the transformative work of 9 contemporary poets.
Writing Circle Workshop: Finding Community and Creativity in a Challenging Time
with Susan Vespoli
Write out the storm: Join supportive, friendly faces in twice-weekly virtual community writing circles.
Writing Circle Workshop: Writing for Happiness, Healing, and Health (Monday/Friday)
with Susan Vespoli
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Expressive writing can be a powerful elixir for what ails you. Learn and practice tools for writing expressively, including two virtual writing circles each week, turn raw writing into poetry or prose, and come away with a better understanding of how writing can lead toward wellness.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Writing Circle Workshop: Writing for Happiness, Healing, and Health (Tuesday/Saturday)
with Susan Vespoli
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Expressive writing can be a powerful elixir for what ails you. Learn and practice tools for writing expressively, including two virtual writing circles each week, turn raw writing into poetry or prose, and come away with a better understanding of how writing can lead toward wellness.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Writing Circles & Exercises to Spark New Poems (Mondays and Fridays)
with Susan Vespoli
Looking for inspiration? Write, vent, laugh, and honor your writing practice in these generative writing circle workshops.
Writing Circles & Exercises to Spark New Poems (Tuesdays and Saturdays)
with Susan Vespoli
Looking for inspiration? Write, vent, laugh, and honor your writing practice in these generative writing circle workshops.
Writing Circles: Finding Community, Clarity, Poetry, and Prose
with Susan Vespoli
Join our writing circle to form a writing community, find clarity in your words, and turn your untamed free-writes into poetry and/or prose.
Writing for Kids: Entering the World of Children’s Literature
with Amanda Hosch
Learn the fundamentals of writing for children in this one day workshop, and write the kinds of stories that kids simply can't put down.
Writing Place in Creative Nonfiction
with Tess Fahlgren
In Creative Nonfiction, place is a character in itself. Deeply explore a narrative and a place of your choosing, and make weekly progress on your essay or memoir.
Writing Short Stories with the Empathic Approach
with Troy Wilderson
Great fiction brings deeper understanding. Foster a greater sense of connection and supercharge your stories in this empathy-driven fiction class.
Writing the Absurd
with Jack Smith
If you turn on to the absurd in life—to the ironic, edgy, bizarre, and grotesque—this is the course for you. Learn the key techniques of writing absurdist fiction, dark fiction, and satire.
Writing the Short Story
with Rosemary Tantra Bensko
Create new work with fresh language, universal themes, sustained mystery and memorable characters. Stimulate your imagination.
Writing with Consistency and Courage
with Tamara Dean
What makes a successful writer? It's not talent, craft, or even the right connections—it's consistency and courage.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
Writing with Tarot
with Sandra Novack
Jump-start your creative juices, and explore a world of divination, symbolism, and imagery right at your fingertips: learn short story and novel writing through Tarot.
You Yourself Are the Beloved: Writing with South Asian Ghazals
with Shankar Narayan
The ghazal poem has a rich history with a tricky form to master. Learn the ropes in this inspiring and electrifying workshop.
Unscheduled Courses
These online writing classes don't currently have a next session on our calendar, but will soon. If you see a course you're interested in, use the "I'm Interested" button to let us know, and we'll follow up with you when the course is on our calendar next.
Want to reach us or our instructors with questions about our online writing courses? Contact us at writers@writers.com, or visit the contact form.
About Our Online Writing Courses
We've been offering writing classes online since 1995 to all kinds of students. Whether you're completely new to the Internet (back then, everyone was) or more experienced learning online, our writing courses will be a great fit for you.
Online Course Platform
We offer our classes through an online course platform called Wet Ink. It's designed to be simple and usable for people without a technical background. You'll be sent instructions for joining your class in Wet Ink on the day it begins.
Weekly Assignments
Most classes are structured around weekly assignments: once each week, the teacher emails or posts a lecture to the list that includes a writing assignment, and the students complete the assignment and send it to the list. This means that the teacher and all students in the class see all completed assignments.
The instructor writes his or her feedback on the assignment and sends it back to the list, and students are encouraged to offer feedback on each others' work.
Additionally, some classes are set up as workshops, and are organized around feedback on student manuscripts.
There are no specific times that you must be online. This allows you to work on the class material at your convenience: it's the ideal way to take a class.
Class Discussion and Connection
The list also hosts class discussions about lessons, assignments, and writing in general. The more interaction among students, the more valuable and enjoyable the class. We offer guidelines to keep dialogue supportive and beneficial, and no negative or abusive behavior is allowed.
Writing can be a lonely pursuit, and it's often difficult for writers to make contact with each other. Part of our reason for being here is to change that. We encourage class members to develop ongoing correspondence in which they can share their work. Often a sense of community forms, and some groups have continued to work together long after the class is over.
With the odd "anonymous intimacy" of the Internet, it's easier to take chances in your writing, and to be honest and thoughtful in your criticism of others' writing. First-time students in our online writing courses are often surprised how much they learn, and how much they enjoy the experience.
If you have further questions, browse the Writers.com FAQ.
Our Online Writing Class Format in Detail
Most of our courses take place on an online learning platform called Wet Ink. We also offer some workshop-style courses through Zoom, which will be clearly marked in the course description. The details below are for our Wet Ink-based courses.
When you enroll in one of our online writing classes, we'll send an email confirming your participation. On the start date of the workshop, your instructor will send a welcome letter explaining how to access the Wet Ink classroom.
You'll access the entire course within Wet Ink, including:
- Reading lectures
- Starting or joining discussions
- Submitting assignments each week
- Commenting on other students’ work
- Receiving direct weekly feedback on your work from the instructor
When the course wraps up, we’ll send you a questionnaire about your experience in the course.
You won't need to be online at a particular time or day. In general, you should plan to check in with the course at least a few times each week.
Thousands of our alumni have returned to study with us again, and some have been with us since the beginning in 1995. We hope you’ll become part of the Writers.com community, too.
Questions about our online writing courses, our community, or anything else? Email us at writers@writers.com, please!
What Sets Our Online Writing Courses Apart
At Writers.com, we have 25 years of experience offering the best writing classes online. Many elements set our courses apart:
- Our instructors are gifted, experienced teachers who are writers themselves. They also care about their students and the progress they make. Any good "school" or workshop can teach you the craft of writing; we offer personal attention and inspiration as well.
- Each instructor develops his or her own courses. Unlike other online writing schools, we have no prepared, prepackaged classes randomly taught by just anyone who has the time to teach it. You know exactly who your teacher will be before you ever register, and you'll receive feedback from that teacher on your writing.
- We accept a maximum of 12 students per class in most classes. You will never be a face in the crowd in a Writers.com class.
- We take your work seriously, but we also have fun. Some of our classes are rigorous and intense. If you want to be a professional writer, you need a tough, but supportive, environment. We have that. But we also offer other classes that are a chance to experiment, learn for the sheer joy of learning, explore new ideas, and discover new pathways.
- Our classes fit into your daily life – no matter what time zone you are in.
- If you are able to visit websites, you can participate fully in our classes. The course software is simple to learn and designed for learners of all kinds across the globe.
- Writers.com is operated by a small, dedicated staff of human beings who genuinely want to help you meet your writing goals. Having a technical problem, or finding that a course isn't the right fit for you? Contact us and we'll work it out, person-to-person.
Join one of our writing courses, and experience the Writers.com difference for yourself!