Free Online Creative Writing Courses For Beginners

Free Creative Writing Courses

Creative writing requires the application of hard work, discipline and much practice. Use these free creative writing courses online to hone your skills and become a better writer.

Open University

Open University offers a plethora of writing courses, on topics such as poetry and fiction. Read through these lessons on the website or download them as a single eBook.

Writing What You Know
Start Writing Fiction
Approaching Prose Fiction
What is Poetry
Approaching Poetry
What is Good Writing

Creative

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT offers courses in fiction, editing and publishing, in addition to courses on writing essays. The fiction course has required reading with titles like Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. Textbooks for the writing and editing course include Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers by Maasik, Sonia and Jack Solomon and Easy Writer: A Pocket Guide by Lunsford, Andrea and Frank Horowitz. The advanced essay workshop entails readings from literary magazines and the science essay course assigns eight sets of readings on topics like literary techniques and public health.

Introduction to Fiction
Writing, Editing and Publishing in Cyberspace
Advanced Essay Workshop
The Science Essay

Purdue University

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers free online writing lessons. Subjects include poetry and proofreading. These quick lessons can be downloaded and printed.

Pattern and Variation in Poetry
Proofreading Your Writing

Yale University

Yale University offers a free online course in modern poetry. Texts include The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry. Vol. 1, Modern Poetry, in addition to selections from the course packet, with readings from The Complete Poems of Elizabeth Bishop and Selected Poems from Ezra Pound. Students can choose from 25 audio lectures, on poets like Williams Carlos Williams, Hart Crane, Langston Hughes, and more.

Modern Poetry

The Crafty Writer

This free online tutorial offers individuals text lessons in the form of an article on topics like writing short stories, character development, poetry, and more. Lessons also recommend books for purchase.

Intro to Creative Writing

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing

This science fiction and fantasy writing course is offered online for free by science fiction writer, Jeffrey A. Carter. A multitude of lessons are available, in a variety of subjects like language and style, creating characters, rewriting, alien creatures, conflict and plot, and much more.

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Creative Writing Prompts

This website offers free writing prompts. Use this as a resource to get your writing started.

200 Creative Writing Prompts

WritingClasses.com

This website offers two questionnaires for writers. Answer questions about characters in order to help your development process for writing.

Character Questionnaires from Fiction Writing Workshop

Free Online Creative Writing Courses At a Glance

Course & School	Program Level	Format	Assignments	Quizzes & Exams	Downloadable
Writing What You Know course from Open University	Beginner	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
Start Writing Fiction course from Open University	Beginner	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
Approaching Prose Fiction course from Open University	Intermediate	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
What is Poetry course from Open University	Beginner	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
Approaching Poetry course from Open University	Intermediate	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
What is Good Writing course from Open University	Beginner	Text lessons	Yes	No	Yes
Introduction to Fiction course from MIT	Undergraduate	Text	Yes	No	Yes
Writing, Editing and Publishing in Cyberspace course from MIT	Undergraduate	Textbooks	Yes	No	Yes
Advanced Essay Workshop course from MIT	Undergraduate	Workshop	Yes	No	Yes
The Science Essay course from MIT	Undergraduate	Readings/writing essays	Yes	No	Yes
Pattern and Variation in Poetry course from Purdue University	Undergraduate	Text lesson	No	No	Yes
Proofreading Your Writing course from Purdue University	Undergraduate	Text lesson	No	No	Yes
Modern Poetry course from Yale University	Undergraduate	Text/audiovideo lectures	Yes	No	Yes
Intro to Creative Writing course from The Crafty Writer	Beginner	Text lessons	Yes	No	No
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy course from Writesf.com	Beginner	Text lessons	No	No	Yes
200 Creative Writing Prompts from CreativeWritingPrompts.com	Beginner-advanced	Writing prompts	Yes	No	No
Character Questionnaires from Fiction Writing Workshop	Beginner	Questionnaire	Yes	No	No

Popular Schools

Online Programs Available
1. Saint Leo University
Program Options
Master's
- - MA: Creative Writing - Fiction
- - MA: Creative Writing - Non-Fiction
Online Programs Available
2. Grand Canyon University
Program Options
Master's
- M.A. in Communication with an Emphasis in Education
Bachelor's
- B.A. in Professional Writing for New Media
  
  Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an Emphasis in Interpersonal Communication and Human Relationships
- Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an Emphasis in Political Campaigns
  
  BA in Digital Film - Screenwriting
Online Programs Available
3. Colorado Christian University
Program Options
Bachelor's
- - Creative Writing, B.A.
Online Programs Available
4. Northcentral University
Program Options
Master's
- - M.Ed. - Reading Education
Online Programs Available
5. Penn Foster High School
Program Options
High School Diploma
- - HS Diploma
Campus and Online Programs

6. Full Sail University
Program Options
Master's
- Master of Fine Arts - Creative Writing
Bachelor's
- Bachelor of Fine Arts - Creative Writing for Entertainment
Online Programs Available
7. Liberty University
Program Options
Doctorate
- PHD: Communication
Master's
- MFA: Creative Writing
  
  MA: Composition
  
  MA: Professional Writing
- MA: Communication
  
  MA: Strategic Communication
Bachelor's
- BS: English and Writing: Creative Writing
  
  BS: English and Writing: General
- BS: Strategic Communication
  
  BS: Strategic Communication: Social Media Management
Associate's
- AA: Creative Writing
Certificate
- CTG: Communication
Boston, MA
Boston University
Athens, GA
University of Georgia
New York, NY
New York University