Looking to improve your writing skills? Then check out these online writing courses.
Good writing skills are an asset to any industry. Reaching a decent level of expertise, however, takes time and practice. Reliable training makes the process easier and faster, especially if you do it online.
Luckily, there are some excellent platforms that offer some of the best online writing courses in 2021. They provide training for a wide range of writing styles. Let's have a look at what they are.
Masterclass is one of the best resources for online training in several fields and has a slew of famous teachers. You will be learning from experts who write novels, short stories, poetry, and TV scripts.
You have the likes of Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, and Aaron Sorkin showing you the ins and outs of their craft. And it’s mostly done through video lessons which will make you feel like you're face-to-face with your favorite writers.
Because of its prestige, Masterclass doesn't come free, but its plans are reasonable and include a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
You can also organize writing courses alongside any learning management systems for training employees. Businesses that buy five or more Masterclass memberships can get group discounts of up to 35%.
Websites like Masterclass are popular because they branch into various industries and are usually cheaper than services that are entirely focused on writing. Coursera offers these perks too, along with reliable qualifications.
Whether you pay for a subscription or do the free courses, your lessons come straight from universities and official bodies from around the world, including Google.
Coursera’s lessons are high-standard, suitable for everyone from beginners to advanced students, and creative writers to academics. You can expect flexibility, great content, and a certificate at the end of each course.
These writing courses might demand a bit more work than those on other platforms, but they’re worth it.
You may already know the ProWritingAid app, a digital writing assistant. Well, it also offers online creative writing courses and tools through its Academy service.
With a monthly or annual subscription, you get loads of courses, regular writing challenges, and special live workshops. You can learn everything from outlining and fleshing out your novel to editing and marketing it.
If you’re looking for a well-rounded package and community for creative writers, ProWritingAid Academy is a great option.
Another website to consider for online writing courses is The Novelry. It’s specifically for creative writers who need help with their novels.
Unfortunately, The Novelry has no free services and is one of the most expensive course providers, but you do get discounts if you buy in bulk. How much you spend depends on the skill level you’re at and what type of perks you want.
For example, there are individual, intensive courses with their own fees, the lowest being $149 per month. On the other hand, you can do all The Novelry's courses with a 15% discount if you get the annual Book in a Year package for $1,999.
The highest tier also gets you a manuscript assessment. These are steep prices, but you walk away with a novel ready for publication. Alternatively, you can choose a cheaper course and complete it in tandem with one of the best manuscript assessment services to perfect your book.
If you like the idea of an online community dedicated to writing and enjoy different kinds of projects, the Writers' Villiage University might be just what you need. It offers online courses related to fiction, short stories, poetry, essays, non-fiction, flash fiction, vignettes, and writing structure.
Each course follows a specific schedule and can last two to eight weeks, so it really is like following a class, just online.
What the service lacks in flexibility, it makes up for in benefits. Whatever membership you choose—which is significantly cheaper than The Novelty—you get access to over 300 courses alongside extra tools for creative writers. They also offer certification.
CreativeLive is another multifaceted platform to consider with a lot of online courses for writers. It will require you to do some research, however. You'll need to look into each teacher’s qualifications, reviews, and offerings to ensure you get your money's worth.
On the plus side, there are usually discounts available, and the cost of a course can be as low as $8. CreativeLive also welcomes different kinds of writers, whether they compose memoirs, songs, write essays, or create marketing content.
We couldn't exclude Udemy from this list. It’s suitable for both creative and business interests, and the pricing, discounts, and flexibility are similar to that of CreativeLive.
You’ll find great online writing courses for every booming industry of 2021. Whether you want to start a book or blog, take your copywriting to the next level, or produce more effective reports, Udemy will have a teacher for you.
Once again, you should explore each course in detail before investing. If you want to practice these tips for becoming a successful content writer, for example, it’s best to go for a lesson plan with plenty of exercises.
Skillshare’s system caters to several fields. There's a seven-day free trial, but you'll need to pay for a subscription when it runs out. After signing up, you’ll have access to all the writing courses you could possibly need.
The courses are created by independent tutors, and you can filter through them based on factors like staff pick, class level, length, skills, and when they were created.
You can also hit the Follow button on your favorite writing category to be notified when new courses are added. Keep in mind that creative and business writing is in different categories.
There’s no shortage of online writing courses available in 2021. No matter what field interests you, the internet has plenty of platforms and teachers for you to pick from.
While developing your writing skills, you also need an efficient workflow to keep you focused and motivated; it's time to look at the ways you can overcome writer's block.
Every writer will encounter writer’s block at some point, but it can take on many forms. You can overcome it with these tools!
Electra is a Staff Writer at MakeUseOf. Among several writing hobbies, digital content became her professional focus with technology as a key specialty. Her features range from app and hardware tips to creative guides and beyond.
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