Online Personal Essay Writing Courses
Enroll in a Writers.com online personal essay writing course, and explore this direct, flexible, and intimate form of literary expression.
You’ll get weekly instructor feedback on your work, ongoing collaboration with other personal essay writers, and a supportive course structure that will help you deepen and grow as an essayist.
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 personal essay writing class for you today!
Upcoming Online Personal Essay Writing Courses
June Courses
Scene Study: Strengthen Your Writing with Compelling Scenes
with Susan Pohlman
Only 2 seats left!
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
Finding Inspiration in Dreams
with Amy Bonnaffons
Our dreams are fertile fields of inspiration, meaning, and creativity. Learn how to use your dreams as doorways to future writing.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story
In Bloom: Nature Writing Workshop
with Dana De Greff
Only 2 seats left!
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
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.
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.
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
Telling the Stories Your Body Holds: Writing and Shaping Strong Personal Essays
with Sarah Herrington
Where do essays come from? In this course, they come from the body. Learn how to start—and finish—powerful essays that begin inside the self.
July Courses
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.
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
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
Story Lab: The Story-Subplot Connection
with Jeff Lyons
Subplots are key to maintaining narrative pace and tension in a story. Drive your story forward with this deep dive into the elements of good storytelling.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
August Courses
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
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.
September Courses
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.
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
Writing Autobiographical Fiction
with Jack Smith
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
November Courses
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
December Courses
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
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) Starting Off Right: How To Build A Blog, Grow An Audience & Make Money
with Jessica Festa
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) 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
*Private Class | 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, Stage and Broadcast
*Private Class | 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, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
*Private Class | 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, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
*Private Class | 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.
*Private Class | 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.
*Private Class | 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.
*Private Class | 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, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
*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 | Story Lab: Writing Loglines That Sell
with Jeff Lyons
Your logline helps you query agents, market your book, and figure out the story itself. Hone your logline and set your book up for success in this two-part private Zoom workshop.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
*Private Class | Telling the Stories Your Body Holds: Writing and Shaping Strong Personal Essays
with Sarah Herrington
Where do essays come from? In this course, they come from the body. Learn how to start—and finish—powerful essays that begin inside the self.
*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
*Private Class | 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, Personal Essay, Short Story
*Private Class | The Literary Essay
with Jonathan J.G. McClure
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Explore the literary essay - from the conventional to the experimental, the journalistic to essays in verse - while writing and workshopping your own.
*Private Class | 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, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
*Private Class | Write Your World: Express Your Creativity through Article Writing, Blogging, and Essays
with Rudri Patel
Want to write your world, your way? Join us for this six-week program on article writing, blogging, and essays.
*Private Class | 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.
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
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
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
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.
Creating Narrative in Comics
with Aubrey Hirsch
Art and storytelling have a rich relationship to one another. Explore that relationship in this class on writing narrative comics. Open to all artistic skill levels!
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Personal Essay, Short Story
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 Nonfiction: The Art of Telling True Stories
with Nicole Hardy
Only 2 seats left!
How do you tell your stories beautifully and authentically? Learn the fundamentals of creative nonfiction with Nicole Hardy.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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 It Done: Create the Scaffolding to Start (and Finish) a Writing Project
with Eman Quotah
Get your butt in the chair, your mind roaming freely, and your creative juices flowing in this motivational, all-genres writing class.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Live Workshop, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
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.
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
Let It Rip: The Art of Writing Fiery Prose
with Giulietta Nardone
Only 2 seats left!
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.
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Short Story
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
Next-Level Creative Nonfiction: Elevating Essays, Memoir, Travel Writing & Literary Journalism
with Wendy Call
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
Elevate your memoir, travel writing, literary journalism, & lyric and personal essays.
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.
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.
Rapid Story Development: A Master Plan for Building Stories That Work
with Jeff Lyons
Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.
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
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
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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 Your World: Express Your Creativity through Article Writing, Blogging, and Essays
with Rudri Patel
Want to write your world, your way? Join us for this six-week program on article writing, blogging, and essays.
Writing Chronic Illness
with Margo Steines
Creative nonfiction offers a container for the sharing and exploration of illness. Tell the story of your body in this healing-oriented workshop.
Creative Nonfiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Personal Essay
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 Cross Genre
with Nicole Hardy
On March 9th at 10 AM, Writers.com instructor Nicole Hardy will lead a workshop on writing cross genre at independent publisher Chin Music Press. Using Chin Music Press’s title, A Commonplace Book Of Pie by Kate Lebo, Nicole will demonstrate how poets can write nonfiction, novelists can tackle screenplays, graphic novelist can compose short stories, or any combination of writing in a…
Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Lifestyle and Wellness, Memoir, Novel, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story, Stage and Broadcast
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 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
Unscheduled Online Personal Essay Writing Classes
Browse our full personal essay offerings below. Let us know which personal essay writing courses you're interested in, and we'll contact you with dates when we're ready to put them on our calendar.
Articles on Personal Essay Writing
Why Take an Online Personal Essay Writing Course with Writers.com?
- We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and we are here for one reason: to support you on your writing journey.
- Small groups keep our online personal essay writing classes lively and intimate.
- Work through your weekly written lectures, course materials, and writing assignments at your own pace.
- Share and discuss your work with classmates in a supportive class environment.
- Your course instructor will offer you direct, personal feedback and suggestions on every assignment you submit.