11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words (2024)

11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words (1)

Craft beautiful words with help from the internet.Credit: bob al-greene / mashable

Writing is a much-prized skill and a difficult one to master and, while some are naturally gifted in stringing sentences together, we all need to take the time to learn the craft.

Whether you want to write your first novel, pen a poignant poem, pull together a screenplay, or create better business content, there is a free, online course out there to help. We've rounded up a list of free, online writing courses so you can find the perfect program of study to help you write gooderer.

1. Rhetoric: The art of persuasive writing and public speaking (Harvard X)

This eight-week online writing course is an introduction to the theory and practice of rhetoric, the art of persuasive writing and speech. Using selected speeches from prominent 20th-century Americans — including Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Margaret Chase Smith, and Ronald Reagan — to explore and analyze rhetorical structure and style, this course will teach you when and how to employ a variety of rhetorical devices in writing and speaking.

It also covers how to differentiate between argument and rhetorical technique, how to write a persuasive opinion editorial, and how to evaluate and identify strengths of logical fallacies in arguments.

2. Creative writing: The craft of plot (Wesleyan University)

This short course can be completed in one day and is one of five modules in Wesleyan University's Creative Writing offerings.

In this writing course, aspiring wordsmiths will be introduced to the concept of plot. You will learn what keeps it moving and how it can manipulate readers’ feelings, expectations, and desires. The course examines the choices storytellers make to snag people's imaginations, drag them into a fictional world, and keep them there. You will learn how to outline and structure a plot, discuss narrative arc, pacing and reversals, and reveal the inevitable surprise: connecting the beginning, middle, and end.

3. Business writing techniques (DoaneX)

Do you want an intensive writing course? This class that can take up to eight hours a week for four weeks, but the learning is self-paced so you do have some flexibility. It will help you to study the different communication styles and discuss the best practices of business writing by providing real-world scenarios and applications.

You will examine how to use the six Cs (spoiler: consideration, clarity, conciseness, coherence, correctness, and confidence) to enhance your business messages. This contemporary course also looks at the proper etiquette of business writing, and examines the use of emoji in business communications.

4. Songwriting: Writing the lyrics (Berklee College of Music)

Described as "an invitation to let your inner songwriter step into the sunlight," this online writing class will have you singing a tune (or that's the goal).

If you haven't written any or many songs, it promises to show you an efficient, effective process for tailoring songs to express your ideas and emotions. If you have, you’ll look at your process differently, taking control of aspects of the process you may have not noticed. This course will get you working both lyrically and musically, although it’s not necessary that you either read music or play an instrument — the course offers you a number of musical loops to work with that you can sing your melodies over. During this course you will create lyrics and/or melodies for peer review.

11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words (2)

Pretend you're back in college and learn to write with your buds.Credit: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

5. Writing successfully for the stage (University of Cambridge)

This course will teach you to structure your dramatic writing to a professional standard, as well as develop professionally transferable communication skills. This course is designed to improve your understanding of how to write engaging and interesting stories in order to attract producers and directors to your work.

You will be taught how to write effective dialogue, and how to edit your work. This course looks at the work of Brecht, Richard Schechner, Augusto Boal, Japanese Noh theatre, and other forms of theatre from around the world.

You will be sent writing exercises over the course of the module, keep a creativity journal, and by the end of the course you will have completed a plan for the structure of a new play.

6. How to write an essay (University of California, Berkeley)

This course is described as an introduction to academic writing, focusing on essay development, grammatical correctness, and self-editing. This five-week course includes a review of basic grammar terminology and understanding, writing effective sentences and paragraphs, how to tackle writing introductions and conclusions, strategies for writing longer texts, and thesis statements. The course materials will be offered via readings and videos and you will participate in online discussions. You will complete an essay for this course.

7. Stand up: Comedy writing and performance poetry (University of Cambridge)

This course will give you specialized knowledge of histories, forms, and traditions of writing for stand-up comedy/performance poetry, as well as the cultural contexts of innovative practitioners and practices within stand-up comedy/performance poetry. You will study contemporary critical, analytical, and narrative theories of stand-up comedy/performance poetry. It will arm you with detailed understanding of key performance components within the discipline, including ideational sources, body, space, image, sound, text, movement, and environment. This course aims to develop advanced self-management skills to include working in planned and improvisatory ways, as well as the ability to anticipate and accommodate change, ambiguity, creative risk-taking, uncertainty, and unfamiliarity.

8. Memoir and personal essay: Write about yourself (Wesleyan University)

This course will teach you "how to write about yourself … so that someone else wants to read it." This is the heart of this specialization in memoir and personal essay from Wesleyan University.

You will get tips, prompts, exercises, readings, and challenges to help you imagine, construct, and write compelling pieces of non-fiction's most popular form: the personal narrative. Coursera says learners will develop a toolset to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) and write the story of their life. As a result of taking this course, you will collect a portfolio of work that you can use as components of your memoir or essay.

9. Screenwriting: Building your Screenplay (University of Cambridge)

This course will teach you how to build a screenplay and the ins and outs of becoming a professional screenwriter. It's an intermediate course that requires no previous knowledge of screenwriting. The course will focus on visual storytelling, screenplay structure, and character development and how those work together to convey the central meaning of your work. It will also teach you concrete skills like script-editing, time management, and how to work as a screenwriter. In addition you will gain knowledge the history of film and film theory.

10. Become a journalist: Report the news (Michigan State University)

This course is a specialization that's part of a journalism study program from Michigan State University that's designed to develop and enhance your understanding of the global field of journalism.

You'll learn best practices and ethical standards for news gathering processes and compiling a news report through hands-on projects, peer-to-peer feedback, and issue exploration. You will also study journalism's impact on societal issues and trends, plus explore career opportunities in newspapers, magazines, social media, Internet multimedia, television, radio, corporate, and community journalism.

11. Write your first novel(Michigan State University)

This is a beginner level 26-week course that will guide you through the process of writing your first novel. The course boasts that you will leave the class with a 50,000 page manuscript. By breaking down the writing process and providing you with deadlines, the course can help make writing a novel a less daunting pursuit. It even schedules writing breaks for you. Additionally, the course will provide you with the space for peer review.

This post was originally published in April 2021 and was updated in January 2022.

Additional reporting by Elena Cavender.

11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words (3)

Amy-Mae Turner

Amy-Mae is a freelance writer covering tech at Mashable.

Recommended For You

22 of the best UC Berkeley courses you can take online for free

Find free courses on Bitcoin, mindfulness, creative writing, and much more.

By Joseph Green

I spent a week using AI tools in my daily life. Here's how it went.

Some are useful, some aren't the gamechangers that are promised.

By Cecily Mauran

47 of the best Harvard University courses you can take online for free

Here's your chance to learn about Python, AI, JavaScript, and more without spending anything.

By Joseph Green

Webb telescope spots proof of the first stars to light the universe

Could these be the OG stars?

By Elisha Sauers

More in Life

Get up to 45% off Max annual subscriptions and stream the biggest 2024 NCAA games for less

This is a slam dunk of a deal.

By Brittany Vincent

How to watch 'Dune' at home: Where is Part One streaming?

Reacquaint yourself with the Duniverse before heading to the theaters.

By Christina Buff

How to watch Denver Nuggets vs. Dallas Mavericks online for free

Bypass geo-restrictions to stream the NBA without spending anything.

By Joseph Green

How to watch the star-studded new show 'Palm Royale'

See Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney take over Apple TV+ this month.

By Christina Buff

Watch Taylor Swift perform 'Cardigan' ahead of 'The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)'

Sorry to Android Swifties.

By Elena Cavender

Trending on Mashable

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 15

Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #278.

By Mashable Team

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 15

Here are some tips and tricks to help you find the answer to "Wordle" #1000.

By Mashable Team

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 15

Stuck on any of the clues? We have the answers you need.

By Mashable Team

Pornhub just banned Texas. Here's why.

Horny Texans will have to look elsewhere for a good time.

By Amanda Yeo

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 14

Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #277.

By Mashable Team

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!

11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words (2024)

FAQs

How do I improve my writing skills? ›

How to improve your writing skills
  1. Review grammar and spelling basics. Grammar and spelling form the foundation of good writing. ...
  2. Read what you want to write. Knowing what a finished piece of writing can look like can guide your own. ...
  3. Proofread. ...
  4. Get feedback. ...
  5. Think about structure. ...
  6. Write. ...
  7. Know some common fixes.
Mar 15, 2024

How to become a good writer for beginners for free? ›

How to become a better writer
  1. Set specific goals. Before you begin writing, it's important to clarify your objectives for improvement and determine your goals. ...
  2. Use simple and concise language. ...
  3. Read often. ...
  4. Take notes. ...
  5. Practice on personal time. ...
  6. Match your tone to your audience. ...
  7. Use a writing aid. ...
  8. Outline each piece.
Feb 3, 2023

What is the best course for writing? ›

Other topics to explore
  • Creative Writing Specialization.
  • Writing for Business Course.
  • Memoir Personal Essay Specialization.
  • Journalism Course.
  • Resume Writing Course.
  • Poetry Workshop Course.
  • Teaching Writing Specialization.
  • Writing in the Science Course.

What is the best free online site for learning content writing of websites? ›

University content writing courses

Open University offers free courses on a wide range of topics, including writing, digital marketing, and more. You can learn at your own pace and get a certificate upon completion. EdX offers free online courses from top universities around the world like HarvardX.

What are the 12 steps to improve writing skills? ›

While you're writing
  • Keep it conversational. Writing is more engaging when it reads like it was written by a person, not a robot. ...
  • Don't be a perfectionist. ...
  • Watch out for weak words. ...
  • Don't give too much information. ...
  • Use a writing tool.
Aug 2, 2023

What are 5 good writing skills? ›

Writing skills don't just include the physical act of writing. Skills like research, planning and outlining, editing, revising, spelling and grammar, and organization are critical components of the writing process.

What are 3 rules of free writing? ›

Keep your hand moving the whole time. Don't pause to reread the line you have just written. That's stalling and trying to control what you're saying. Don't cross out and especially don't erase.

Can you teach yourself to be a good writer? ›

The first and most obvious way to train yourself to become a great writer is to read a lot. Reading exposes you to different styles, genres, formats, and techniques of writing. You can learn from the best writers in your field, as well as from writers outside your niche.

What kind of writing is in most demand? ›

‍1. Book writing (ghostwriting)
  • Case studies. Case studies are another profitable type of writing that's in high demand. ...
  • Cryptocurrency. ...
  • Digital Marketing. ...
  • E-commerce. ...
  • Email marketing. ...
  • Healthcare and medical writing. ...
  • In-depth guides or long-form blog posts. ...
  • Landing pages or sales pages.
Jan 4, 2023

What is a basic writing course? ›

Basic writing, alias remedial, developmental, pre-baccalaureate, or even handicapped English, is commonly thought of as a writing course for young men and women who have many things wrong with them.

How to learn online writing? ›

Online writing course curriculum

Start with the fundamentals in an online grammar course, where you can learn about the different parts of speech, punctuation, conjugation, and sentence structure. Or more advanced writers can practice their storytelling and persuasive writing skills with an essay writing course.

Is there a website that makes your writing better? ›

Wordtune speeds up our entire writing process by 15%. Additionally, it improves the quality of our messages and accurately captures the 'melody' of what we want to say in a more fluid language.

Can I learn content writing by myself? ›

Read extensively, practice writing regularly, and consider taking writing courses or workshops to refine your skills. Research your topics: To create valuable content, research is crucial. Dive deep into your chosen niche and gather information from reliable sources.

Is there any free course for content writing? ›

Great Learning offers free online content writing courses with certificates to help you develop the critical, creative abilities currently in demand. You need to understand that content is "King" when it comes to connecting with your target market and boosting sales of your products or services.

How should a beginner start writing? ›

8 Great Ways to Start the Writing Process
  1. Start in the Middle. If you don't know where to start, don't bother deciding right now. ...
  2. Start Small and Build Up. ...
  3. Incentivize the Reader. ...
  4. Commit to a Title Up Front. ...
  5. Create a Synopsis. ...
  6. Allow Yourself to Write Badly. ...
  7. Make Up the Story as You Go. ...
  8. Do the Opposite.

How do beginners learn to write? ›

Write every day

This is the best writing tip for beginners. Write like it's your job. Practicing every day is key to learning how to write good. It helps you stretch those writing muscles and learn from doing.

Can you become a writer with no experience? ›

Once you commit to pitching independently for work, many doors will be open to you, to find decent-paying writing jobs even if you're a beginner. And usually, you'll be the only writer they're considering. Your success odds just soared.

What does a beginner writer need? ›

Advice for Beginning Writers
  • READ. A LOT. ...
  • WRITE. A LOT. ...
  • FIND OTHER WRITERS. One of the great joys of the writing journey is connecting with other writers. ...
  • WORK ON YOUR CRAFT. ...
  • BUILD A HAPPY LIFE OUTSIDE OF WRITING.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6344

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.