Best Free Online Writing Courses for New Writers

Writing is a skill that anyone can learn, but it can be difficult for those who are just beginning. If you want to become a poet, novelist, or blogger, you need to improve your writing skills. As a new writer, you may need help figuring out where to learn. There are many free writing courses available online that teach you writing skills.

In this article, we will discuss some free online writing courses for new writers, which are as follows:

1. Creative Writing Specialization (Accessible on Coursera)

This specialization is accessible online on Coursera, offered by Wesleyan University. The lecturers of this specialization are Amy Bloom, Brando Skyhorse, Salvatore Scibona, and Amity Gaige. If you wish to learn creative writing, then you can comprehend this course by enrolling in it.

It is a specialization that consists of five courses as follows:

1. Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot: In this course, you will learn about the plot, the working of the plot in Harry Potter, structure, scenes, examples of effective scenes, editing & revision, etc.
2. Creative Writing: The Craft of Character: In this course, you will learn about desire, goals, hearing, selecting, seeing, voice, creating characters, dialogue & monologue, the connection between the character and the wide world, the voice of narrative, the voice of the narrator, etc.
3. Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description: In this course, you will understand why we write, the power of persuasion, moving through time and space, significant detail, three phases of research, meditation exercise, genre, etc.
4. Creative Writing: The Craft of Style: In this course, you will learn about style, meaning, sense, clarity, scatteration, the pyramid of language, introduction to writing with nouns and verbs, introduction to things, etc.
5. Capstone: Your Story: In this course, you will learn the elements of the story, gathering materials, composition strategies, working on a first draft, finishing the first draft, etc.

Key features of the specialization:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• Financial aid is available.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• You will comprehend how to write creatively without much effort.
• You can finish this course in about six months.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

2. Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization (Accessible on Coursera)

This specialization is accessible online on Coursera, offered by Wesleyan University, and the lecturer of this specialization is Patrick Barry.

It is a specialization that consists of four courses, which are as follows:

1. Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order: In this course, you will learn error & insights, punctuation & professionalism, how to map a decision, good sentences, mechanics & strategy, technical & tactical, the infinite power of grammar, the rule of three, etc.
2. Writing and Editing: Structure and Organization: In this course, you will learn sentence flow, architects of the time, Venn diagrams, architects of information, punctuation, etc.
3. Writing and Editing: Drafting: In this course, you will learn how to personalize your defaults, punctuation, etc.
4. Writing and Editing: Revising: In this course, you will learn dependent clauses, the discipline of breaks, attention restoration, shot selection, etc.

Key features of the specialization:

• It has got a 4.8-star rating.
• Financial aid is available.
• It is a beginner-level course for new writers.
• You can finish this course in approximately four months.
• You will acquire time management skills.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides several practice exercises.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

3. Writing with Impact (Accessible on LinkedIn)

This course is attainable online on LinkedIn. The lecturer of this course is Tom Geller. If you are looking for a course to learn how to write impactfully, this course is right for you.

In this course, you will learn several examples of writing with impact, using high-context language, learning about your readers, understanding how people read, grabbing the reader's first five seconds, shortening each sentence, getting to the point, sticking to one idea at a time, managing paragraph length, untangling grammar, using sentence rhythm for effect, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.6-star rating.
• Free trial for one month.
• It is a general-level course.
• The span of the course is around 1 hour and 1 minute.
• You will gain high-impact communication skills.
• Provides two exercises for practice.
• Provides five quizzes to test your knowledge.

4. Writing Articles (Accessible on LinkedIn)

This course is attainable online on LinkedIn. The lecturer of this course is Starshine Roshell. If you want to know how to write articles perfectly, then you must choose this course and start learning.

In this course, you will learn types of articles & publications, pitch articles, research the article's topic, conduct interviews, develop ideas for an article, write the article, edit the article, submit the article, and promote the article.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• It is a general-level course.
• The span of the course is around 29 minutes.
• You will gain the skill of writing the article.
• Provides one exercise for practice.
• Provides five quizzes to test your knowledge.

5. Write Your First Novel (Accessible on Coursera)

This course is attainable online on Coursera, offered by Michigan State University, and the lecturer for this course is Starshine Roshell. If you are beginning to write your first novel and want to know how to write one, then this course will go a long way in helping you write great novels.

In this course, you will learn to create the idea for the novel, create a logline, create the dramatic question, create character profiles, the structure of the novel, outline & writing chapter one, outline & writing chapter two, write chapter three, write chapter four, writing chapter five, writing chapter six, writing chapter seven, table read act one for chapters one to seven, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.2-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around 127 hours.
• You will gain the skill of writing a novel.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides practice exercises.

6. Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization (Accessible on Coursera)

This specialization is accessible online on Coursera, offered by the University of Colorado Boulder, and the lecturers of this specialization are Dr. Quentin McAndrew, Professor William Kuskin, and David Underwood. If you are an aspiring writer and wish to write effectively, then this specialization will be helpful for you.

It is a specialization that consists of four courses, which are as follows:

1. Business Writing: In this course, you will learn about good writing, ideas, basics of greatness, first paragraph roadmap, writing a paragraph, revising a paragraph, the power of active voice, etc.
2. Graphic Design: In this course, you will learn the importance of designing well, professionalism in design, developing a design vocabulary, the importance of inspiration, the necessity of structure, color & its meaning, image treatment, graphic elements, contrast, white space, repetition in design, writing, & presentation, interlocking elements, etc.
3. Successful Presentation: In this course, you will learn about the paradox of public speaking, stories & storytellers, creativity, the basic formula, the reverse outline, the importance of stance, effective communication, etc.
4. Effective Communication Capstone Project: In this course, you will apply the knowledge you gained from the graphic design course, business writing course, and successful presentation course to develop a portfolio of work.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.8-star rating.
• It is a beginner-level specialization.
• The length of the course is around five months.
• You will learn to write, design, and present effectively.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides many practice exercises.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

7. Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest (Accessible on Coursera)

This course is attainable online on Coursera, offered by Commonwealth Education Trust, and the lecturers for this course are Maria Gill, David Hill, and Alex Alexandrou. If you are an aspiring writer and want to know how to write for young readers, then this course is going to make your life easy.

In this course, you will learn about genre, form, audience, character, setting, plot & theme, language & dialogue, language tools, structural editing, proofreading, etc.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• The length of the course is around 13 hours.
• You will gain the skills to write for young leaders.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

8. Writing: Book Writing: Creative Writing Skills: Punctuation (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is accessible online on Udemy. Brian Jackson is the creator of this course. If you want to become a book writer and want to acquire creative writing skills, then this course is going to be the best option for you.

In this course, you will learn how to find your style, basics of storytelling, mode of narration, research using Pinterest, outlining with Index Cards, choosing the right word, writing section project, Word text selection, Word Error Correction, Word Accelerator Keys, Word Normal & Heading Styles, proofreading your work, dealing with word repetition, researching & outlining non-fiction books, writing non-fiction books, editing non-fiction books, punctuation, sentences, paragraphs, advanced writing techniques, character development, advanced dialog, blogging, comma usage, Word modifiers, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.5-star rating.
• The length of the course is around 29 hours and 53 minutes.
• You will gain creative writing skills.
• Provides additional material.
• Provides bonus lecture.

9. The Complete Freelance Writing Course (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is accessible online on Udemy. The creator of this course is Philippa Davies. If you are willing to become a freelance writer and looking for writing courses, then you must take this course as it will help you learn how and from where to get paid writing jobs.

In this course, you will learn how to research the topic, copywriting, blogging, the business of writing, find role models, rules for clarity, vivid writing, fluency & flow, use SlideShare for inspiration, podcasting, writing apps, writing for video, e-books, newsletters, web copy, presentations, speeches, reports, white papers, software for writing, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.4-star rating.
• The length of the course is around 7 hours and 50 minutes.
• You will gain the skills of a freelance writer.
• Provides practice activities.
• Provides bonus lecture.

10. Write A Feature Length Screenplay for Film or Television (Accessible on Coursera)

This course is accessible online on Coursera, offered by Michigan State University, and the lecturer for this course is David Wheeler. If you want to write the screenplay for any film or television and want to learn how to write, then you should enroll in this course and start learning.

In this course, you will learn to create the idea, create a logline, create your character profiles, create the dramatic question, screenplay formatting & software, outline act one, outline the first ten pages, the middle section of act one, write the final section of act one, etc.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.6-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around 93 hours.
• You will learn to write a film or television screenplay.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides practice exercises.

11. Learn English: Writing Effectively with Complex Sentences Specialization (Accessible on Coursera)

This specialization is attainable online on Coursera, offered by the University of California, Irvine, and Meg Parker is the lecturer of this specialization. If you want to learn how to write effectively using complex sentences, then you should take this course and begin studying.

This is the specialization which contains three courses, which are as follows:

1. Enhance your Writing with Adverb Clauses: In this course, you will learn about clauses, adverb clauses, punctuation & placement of adverb clauses, complex sentences, adverb clauses of contrast, adverb clauses of condition, writing with sentence variety, etc.
2. Enhance your Writing with Adjective Clauses: In this course, you will learn about adjective clauses, basic vocabulary, adjective clauses with prepositions, adjective clauses with possessive pronouns, punctuating adjective clauses, writing with adjective clauses, etc.
3. Enhance your Writing with Noun Clauses: In this course, you will learn about noun clauses, basic vocabulary, avoiding common mistakes with noun clauses, complex sentences, etc.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around three months.
• You will learn to write effectively with complex sentences.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides many practice exercises.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

12. Academic English: Writing Specialization (Accessible on Coursera)

This course is accessible online on Coursera, offered by the University of California, Irvine, and the lecturers of this specialization are Helen Nam, Tamy Chapman, and Brad Gilpin. This course will help students acquire academic writing skills in English. If you are looking for any course to learn writing in English, then you must take this course and gain writing skills.

It is the specialization that contains five courses, which are as follows:

1. Grammar and Punctuation: In this course, you will learn about verb tenses, conjunctions, adverb clauses, compound sentences, uses of commas, introduction to parallel structure, sentence variety, etc.
2. Getting Started with Essay Writing: In this course, you will learn about an essay, paragraph basics, compare or contrast essays, writing cause or effect essays, writing argument essays, etc.
3. Advanced Writing: In this course, you will learn about advanced argument essays, plagiarism, avoiding plagiarism, the synthesis essay, MLA format basics, documented essay, etc.
4. Introduction to Research for Essay Writing: In this course, you will learn about doing research & planning the paper, academic tone & language, using statistics in writing, using Purdue Owl, using EasyBib, etc.
5. Project: Writing a Research Paper: In this course, you will learn about choosing a topic & research question video, annotated bibliography, first draft, introduction paragraph, the rough draft, academic tone & language, etc.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.8-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around six months.
• You will learn academic English writing.
• Provides reading material.
• Provides many practice exercises.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

13. Writing successfully for the Stage (Accessible on edX)

This course is accessible online on edX, offered by the University of Cambridge, and the lecturer for this course is Abigail Docherty. This course is designed to help students learn playwriting basics and explore dramatic structure, dialogue, and character development. If you want to learn how to write for the stage, then you should enroll in this course and start learning.

In this course, you will understand the introduction to playwriting, the history of writing, forms of writing, traditions of writing, genres of play, the art of writing dialogue, advanced awareness of the relevant market, script-editing skills, advanced self-management skills, distribution demands of entertainment industries, creative risk-taking, epic forms of theatre, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It is an intermediate-level course.
• The span of the course is around four weeks.
• It is a self-paced course.
• You will understand to write successfully for the stage.

14. Start Writing Fiction (Accessible on FutureLearn)

This course is accessible online on FutureLearn, offered by The Open University, and the lecturer for this course is Derek Neale. This course is developed for aspiring writers so that they can develop skills in fiction writing. After learning this course, students will have basic knowledge of fiction writing.

In this course, you will understand the introduction to fiction writing, plotting, structure, creation of characters, dialogue, description, point of view & voice, the business of writing, how to present characters in stories, reading as a writer, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around eight weeks.
• You will learn how to get started writing fiction.

15. Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is accessible online on Udemy, created by Dani Alcorn and Steve Alcorn. This course is developed to teach writers of all levels who want to develop skills in fiction writing. You can comprehend this course by enrolling in it.

In this course, you will learn science fiction origins, fantasy origins, science fiction authors, fantasy authors, science fiction genres, fantasy genres, time travel, space travel, character building, dramatic elements, tense, voice, dialogue, pacing, mystery, manuscript evaluation, marketing collateral, self-publishing, cover art, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.3-star rating.
• It is a beginner-level course.
• The span of the course is approximately 7 hours and 23 minutes.
• Learn methods to develop great science fiction and fantasy.

16. An Introduction to Screenwriting (Accessible on FutureLearn)

This course is accessible online on FutureLearn, offered by the University of East Anglia, and the lecturer for this course is Michael Lengsfield. This course is designed to give learners the fundamental skills to write a screenplay. You will learn from industry professionals. If you wish to learn screenplay, you must take this course.

In this course, you will understand the basics of screenwriting, the basic characteristics of a screen story, effective visual descriptions, dialogue, writing and finishing a first draft, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.8-star rating.
• It is an introductory-level course.
• The span of the course is around two weeks.
• You will learn the essentials of screenwriting.

17. Introduction To Technical Writing (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is attainable online on Udemy, created by Dr. Katharina Grimm. This course is designed to provide learners with the basics of technical writing. The course is suitable for anyone who is interested in gaining knowledge on how to write technical content. You can register for this course and start learning.

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of technical writing, the writing process, the structure of technical documents, how to write concisely using easy language, organizing information logically & effectively, common pitfalls, tips & tricks, best practice examples, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.6-star rating.
• It is a basic-level course.
• The length of the course is approximately 2 hours and 48 minutes.
• Learn how to write technical writing content.

18. The Content Writing Course (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is accessible online on Udemy, created by Dr. Katharina Grimm. It is one of the popular courses on content writing on Udemy. It is designed to teach students the essential skills needed to be successful in content writing. This course is for all those who want to learn content writing and want to enhance their skills.

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of content writing, tools required for content writers, content writing business, writer strategy, niche selection, creating the outline, initial fast research method, paid topic research tool, paid SEO research tool, the importance of first drafts, desk and screen Ergonomics, editing the first draft, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.4-star rating.
• It is for both beginners and experienced writers.
• The span of the course is approximately 16 hours and 13 minutes.
• Learn a strategic approach to content writing.
• Provides exercises for practice.

19. COMPLETE Creative Writing - All Genres - THE FULL COURSE! (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is attainable online on Udemy, created by Trace Crawford. This course is designed for students who want to learn creative writing skills in a variety of genres, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama.

In this course, you will learn about fiction, types of plots, characters, narrators & advanced techniques, poetic concepts, sonnets, poetry for podcasts, developing dialogue, writing the monologue, creative non-fiction, writing the Vignette, writing in scenes, creating a digital portfolio, etc.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.7-star rating.
• The length of the course is approximately 12 hours and 7 minutes.
• Learn creative writing for genres like fiction, drama, non-fiction, and poetry.
• Provides quizzes to check your knowledge.

20. Creative Writing: how to write a novel. The full course. (Accessible on Udemy)

This course is attainable online on Udemy, created by Luca Panzarella. This course is created for students who want to learn how to write novels. If you are interested in writing novels, you must take this course and improve your writing skills.

In this course, you will learn the introduction of the protagonist, the beginning of the story, the theme & the plot, the use of verbs, the use of adjectives, the use of adverbs, how to write love scenes, how to write fight scenes, five functions of dialogue, the subtext of the dialogue, and more.

Key features of the course:

• It has got a 4.5-star rating.
• The length of the course is approximately 7 hours and 10 minutes.
• Learn how to write creative and engaging novels.

Conclusion:

You have read about various free online writing courses for budding writers. If you are an aspiring writer, you can choose any course of your choice and improve your writing skills. You can become the best writer if you put in hard work and dedication to learning writing skills. The courses discussed above provide guidance and support to budding writers to gain confidence in their skills.