Recommended Books

• A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story
• On Writing Short Stories
• The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction: 50 North American Stories Since 1970 (Touchstone Books)

Featured Courses in Creative Writing

Other Related Classes in Creative Writing

• Writing Basics 101: Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, Writing Structures Most of us learned spelling and grammar in elementary school and brushed up on the rules occasionally in junior high or middle school. Once we entered high school, it was assumed we knew and remembered all of the essentials -- and slowly we discovered t...
• ABCs of English Grammar This self-paced online course will provide you with a review of the grammar and writing skills necessary when taking any high school or college test, or with your everyday work-related writing and correspondence. Divided up into 15 easy-to-understand le...
• ESL Basic Grammar and Writing This ESL basic grammar and writing course will provide an introduction to the basics of American English grammar and writing. We'll be covering the following topics in detail: - review the basic English structure in the form of nouns, verbs, prepositi...
• Business Writing Basics We live in world where communication is paramount to survival. In a work environment where communication is equated with the professionalism and efficiency of an individual, would you jeopardize your career because of bad writing? Do you want the embarra...
• Punctuation and Grammar 101 Do you need a refresher course in basic punctuation and grammar? Is your business writing, school writing or personal writing a disaster and you're tired of stressing over mistakes? Improper grammar and punctuation is a sign for some people, right or w...
• Spelling 101 Do you use your Spell Check on your computer obsessively? Are you afraid to write anything without a dictionary or computer spelling program? Are you receiving low grades on schoolwork because of poor spelling? Are your business emails filled with emba...
• Novel Writing 101 From character and plot-conflict development to infusing a unique style and specialized writing techniques, the steps to writing a novel--while not utterly impossible--do require a dedicated, disciplined approach. By committing to the steps outlined ...
• Writing Improvement 101 We know that effective writing will help students in their coursework but it's equally important to write well in the workplace. If a job interviewer is considering two qualified candidates, the candidate who can write well will have the edge. If you're ...
• Proofreading and Copyediting 101 Become a Skilled Proofreader or Copyeditor If you're looking for a new career path or if you're a writer who wants to improve your writing skills, learning how to proofread and copyedit with our easy to follow, in-depth course, may be just what you nee...
• Creative Writing Workshop Do you dream of writing poetry, short stories, or novels? Have you ever watched a movie or a play and felt the desire to write a script of your own? Or have you already done some writing but want to find ways to bring more creativity, more originality, t...
• Creative Writing 101 'Creative Writing 101' is an attempt to capture what cannot be held in hand or thought--the elusive riddle of human creativity as we find it in our writing. Here we look at various forms and genres (books, dramas and plays, poetry, essays, film-writing, ...
• Essay Writing 101 Essays are a vital part of writing, both in academic circles and in many professions. Being able to write good essays is a rare ability and those that can demonstrate a mastery of this writing form will quickly distinguish themselves from those who write...
• How to Write a Grant Proposal Did you realize that you are most probably an experienced grant writer already? NO , you say, I've never written a grant in my life before -- but you have. Most people out there have asked somebody, at some time, for something in writing (one way ...
• Poetry Writing 101 This poetry course is created for the lover of poetry who wants to learn how to appreciate the art even more. It is also for student poets who want to improve their craft. This course is thorough in teaching all students everything they need to know abo...
• How to Write Short Stories for Children 101 Do you long to write but feel like you're too busy? Writing for children can be the answer. Children's stories are generally far shorter and simpler than stories for adults. You can draft an 800 word children's story during a couple of lunch hours or dur...
• English Composition 101 Acquiring and developing the fundamentals of English composition is a vital skill that can be used in a variety of settings and situations. Being able to competently compose an essay and organize a thesis is not only useful in academic environments, but ...
• How to Write a Short Story 101 If you're a reader and thought you might like to try your hand at short story writing but just don't know how to get started, this course will help! We'll take you through the entire process…preparing your mind, getting ideas on paper, and he...
• Freelance Writing 101 If you have ever dreamed of being a freelance writer this course is for you. Get started today learning about this exciting field and in no time you can be on your way to earning a living, extra income, and more, by doing something that you love – ...
• Basic Research Skills Basic Research Skills teaches you how to determine what you need to know when you need to know it. With all of the information readily available today, it's difficult to deciper good information from bad information. Instead of turning to an Internet se...
• Screenwriting 101 This is a basic, nuts-and-bolts course, for people who wish to write screenplays, but don't know much about it. Because screenwriting is demanding both technically and in the market for jobs and sales, 'Getting Into The Screenwriting Game to Win' attempt...
• Mystery Writing 101 This course is perfect for those who have an interest in either Creative Writing or the Mystery Genre . If you love to write and want to move into this popular genre, or you love to read a great mystery and have often thought you could do it, this cours...
• Philosophy 101 Philosophy is a mystifying, confounding, and wondrous discipline that affects virtually every aspect of human existence. While it attempts to consider the big issues of our lives, including our very existence, the nature of the world, whether or not know...
• Romance Writing 101 Writing a romance novel is the dream of many people all over the world. It's no wonder: as the most popular fiction genre in the United States for the past three decades, there are more opportunities in romantic fiction than ever before. What's uniq...
• Resume Writing 101 One of the most important and intimidating steps in the job search process is writing a solid resume that gets the attention you want and need. Unfortunately, many job seekers get overwhelmed before they even get started. The result is poorly-written res...
• Nonfiction Writing 101 The famous Ayn Rand once wrote, Like every human activity, [writing] requires practice and knowledge. But there is nothing mystical about it. Any person who can speak English grammatically can learn to write nonfiction. This is as true today as when Ms. ...
• Humor Writing 101 Humor Writing There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you. (Will Rogers) Laughing- the salve of the soul. When we feel at our lowest sometimes the only thing that can turn our mood around and lift ...
• How to Teach Reading Fundamentals Reading is the process of absorbing the written word. Whether in English or another language, reading is an essential part of communication between human beings. Reading comprehension is the ability to process, think through and connect ideas that are ex...
• Book Editing 101 Writers are a unique breed. They spend their lives creating things that were, or never have been, and they hope to make enough money so that they can live comfortably while others read their work. To be a successful writer, one needs to do many things. ...
• Travel Writing 101 Travel writing is a fun, interesting and fulfilling career. If your goal is to become a full-time travel writer who is able to live off your income from writing alone, it is important to understand that travel writing, like any other career, requires you...
• Reading Comprehension 101 Whether you are a student who is seeking to pass the reading comprehension portion of such standardized tests as the SAT, ACT, CLEP, College Placement Test, ACCUPLACER, GRE, MCAT, LSAT, or GMAT, or you need to improve your reading comprehension for work ...
• American Literature Review Reading and learning about American literature is synonymous with understanding the history and culture of a nation that has undergone dramatic social, economic, and cultural change in its relatively short history. This course is a reveiw of the literat...
• Proofreading and Copyediting 201: Tips, Techniques, and Exercises We're excited to now provide an intermediate to advanced proofreading and copyediting course for students who have requested more in-depth information about these fields. This self-paced class is geared for those people with little or no experience in t...
• Historical Fiction Writing 101 Writing historical fiction is quite simply writing a story that is set in the past. You will do research to create a correct and realistic setting, based upon facts. Historical fiction can even include real people. You are writing fiction, but it is so ...
• Paranormal Romance Writing 101 Paranormal romance is all the rage lately. From books to movies, sexy vampires and gothic love stories are blazing up the bestseller lists and hitting the top of the box office. Paranormal romance falls under the umbrella term 'speculative fiction' whic...