Online Class: Creative Writing Workshop

A creative writer makes art just as a painter or sculptor does, but with different tools. Instead of brushes, canvas, and pigments, the writer uses words.

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$120.00 (with CEU Certificate)
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  • 13
    Lessons
  • 28
    Exams &
    Assignments
  • 7,284
    Students
    have taken this course
  • 14
    Hours
    average time
  • 1.4
    CEUs
 
 
 

Course Description

Awaken the Wordsmith Within: Dive Deep into the World of Creative Writing

Have you ever been captivated by the enchanting rhythm of a poem or lost yourself in a world depicted in a novel? Ever felt the chills from a particularly compelling scene in a movie and wondered if you could pen something just as impactful? Or maybe, you've stumbled upon a piece of writing and thought, "Surely, I could craft something far superior!" Perhaps, it's the mere allure of words, their texture and resonance, that fascinates you?

If you find yourself nodding to any of these reflections, you're at the right place.

Writing is an art. Just as a painter employs strokes of color to depict emotions and stories, a writer weaves tales and creates universes using words as their medium. The canvas might be different, but the intent is the same: to evoke emotion, to transport the reader or viewer to another realm, to communicate profound thoughts and stories.

While a visual artwork is laid out for the observer to perceive and interpret, written work casts a unique spell. Through mere combinations of 26 letters, punctuations, and spaces, a writer has the power to construct vivid images, emotions, and entire realities in the reader's imagination.

The Multifaceted World of Writing:

Creative writing is an expansive field with myriad forms:

  • Fiction: Dive deep into worlds of your making, crafting characters and plots that captivate.

  • Poetry: Paint with words, letting rhythm and meter evoke profound emotions.

  • Drama and Screenwriting: Visualize performances, imagining dialogues and scenes that will come alive on stage or screen.

Each form presents its own beauty and challenges. You might find your heart resonating with one or be intrigued to experiment with multiple. And within these broad categories lie numerous genres and styles, each awaiting your unique touch.

Course Highlights:

Throughout this immersive journey, we will:

  • Explore Common Techniques: Delve into foundational principles that underpin all forms of creative writing.

  • Dive into Specifics: Understand the nuances, challenges, and rewards of each writing form.

  • Engage in Hands-on Exercises: Stimulate your creativity with prompts and activities designed to hone your skills and ignite your imagination.

Whether you're an absolute beginner or someone looking to refine your craft, this course will equip you with the tools, insights, and inspiration to unleash the writer within. So, if you're ready to embark on an enchanting voyage, to breathe life into characters, to paint with words, and to sculpt stories that linger, this course beckons. Let's together explore the art and magic of creative writing.

  • Completely Online
  • Self-Paced
  • 6 Months to Complete
  • 24/7 Availability
  • Start Anytime
  • PC & Mac Compatible
  • Android & iOS Friendly
  • Accredited CEUs
Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider
 
 

Course Lessons

Average Lesson Rating:
4.45 / 5 Stars (Average Rating)
"Extraordinarily Helpful"
(5,153 votes)

Lesson 1: Small Steps

30 Points
As a student of this course, and as a creative writer, you will be writing. Decide where your words will go. Will you write longhand, with pen and paper, or will you type your words on a keyboard?
  • Lesson 1 Video
  • Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
  • Complete: Assignment 1: Starting Small
  • Assessment: Lesson 1: Small Steps

Lesson 2: Getting Out of Your Own Way

30 Points
If you long to write creatively, but you've had a hard time getting started, you are not alone. There are far more people in the world who wish they were writers, than those who actually write.
  • Lesson 2 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 2: Combatting Fear
  • Assessment: Lesson 2: Getting Out of Your Own Way

Lesson 3: Diving In

34 Points
The path to inspired writing,is to write whether you feel inspired or not. Get up every day, and go jogging with your pen and your mind. Work your writing muscles and your writer's mind.
  • Lesson 3 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 3: Freewriting
  • Assessment: Lesson 3: Diving In

Lesson 4: Gear

30 Points
If you have begun writing along with the exercises, rather than reading all the way through first, you have already made some decisions about the tools you will use as a writer.
  • Lesson 4 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 4: Evaluating Tools
  • Assessment: Lesson 4: Gear

Lesson 5: Words on a Page

35 Points
When asked how to write well, the Poet Dylan Thomas was said to have answered simply, "Love the words." As a writer, words are your primary tool. Fall in love with them.
  • Lesson 5 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 5: Show Don't Tell
  • Assessment: Lesson 5: Words on a Page

Lesson 6 : On the Shoulders of Giants: Learning by Imitation

34 Points
You can learn so much by reading and emulating the work of writers you admire. Learning from the work of those who came before us, is a time-honored and essential practice in all of the creative arts.
  • Lesson 6 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 6: Choosing Mentors
  • Assessment: Lesson 6 : On the Shoulders of Giants: Learning by Imitation

Lesson 7: Finding Your Voice

35 Points
No one has ever been exactly like you, and no one ever will be. You have a unique perspective on the world, a unique set of ideas, of values, of passions.
  • Lesson 7 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 7: Your Passions
  • Assessment: Lesson 7: Finding your Voice

Lesson 8: Poetic Devices

30 Points
More than any other kind of writer, poets play with words, combining them in ways they have not been combined before. One of many techniques poets use to communicate with readers is through figurative language.
  • Lesson 8 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 8: Using Metaphors
  • Assessment: Lesson 8: Poetic Devices

Lesson 9: Poetic Forms

35 Points
Poetry can be written using any number of set forms, structures which govern the number of lines, the number of syllables per line, how rhymes (if any) are organized, and where breaks between lines occur. Additional lesson topics: Slam Poetry
  • Lesson 9 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 9: Sonnets and Haikus
  • Assessment: Lesson 9: Poetic Forms

Lesson 10: Short Story

34 Points
The short story is fiction in its most compressed form, and is often the place where the fiction writer begins. Additional lesson topics: Rules and Tools
  • Lesson 10 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 10: Narrative Practice
  • Assessment: Lesson 10: Short Story

Lesson 11: The Long Haul: Writing a Novel

34 Points
A short story is generally about a single event. A character is faced with a single situation, a single goal to achieve. When the character succeeds or fails at achieving this goal, the story ends.
  • Lesson 11 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 11: Creating Characters
  • Assessment: Lesson 11: The Long Haul: Writing a Novel

Lesson 12: Upstage, Downstage: Writing Drama

33 Points
Have you ever gone to a play, or watched a movie, and gone home with the urge to write your own? Why not give a play or a screenplay a try?
  • Lesson 12 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 12: Dialog Creation
  • Assessment: Lesson 12: Upstage, Downstage: Writing Drama

Lesson 13 : Conclusion

196 Points
Creative writing is about making a leap into the unknown. It is about banishing your doubts and fears about your own talent and creativity, and plunging ahead.
  • Lesson 13 Video
  • Lesson discussions: Your Opinion Matters: Course Rating; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
  • Complete: Assignment 13: Revising
  • Complete: The Final Creative Writing Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 13 : Conclusion
  • Assessment: The Final Exam
590
Total Course Points
 

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Summarize the steps to take before attempting to write.
  • Demonstrate writing from inspiration.
  • Demonstrate writing without inspiration.
  • Demonstrate writing through imitation.
  • Demonstrate writing in your own voice.
  • Summarize the processes involved in generating poetic forms.
  • Demonstrate writing a short story.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
 

Additional Course Information

Online CEU Certificate
  • Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
  • Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
  • Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
  • View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
  • Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media
Document Your CEUs on Your Resume
 
Course Title: Creative Writing Workshop
Course Number: 9770551
Lessons Rating: 4.45 / 5 Stars (5,153 votes)
Languages: English - United States, Canada and other English speaking countries
Availability: Available across all 50 U.S. states, this course includes key regions such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and Georgia. The course is also open in major English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK, and Ireland.
Last Updated: May 2024
Course Type: Self-Paced, Online Class
CEU Value: 1.4 IACET CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
CE Accreditation: Universal Class, Inc. has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
Grading Policy: Earn a final grade of 70% or higher to receive an online/downloadable CEU Certification documenting CEUs earned.
Assessment Method: Lesson assignments and review exams
Instructor: Dana Kristan
Syllabus: View Syllabus
Course Fee: $120.00 U.S. dollars

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Student Testimonials

  • "The course was very useful because in having to submit assignments, I had to sit down and write. It also reminded me that the first draft is exactly that and the important thing is to get it down, warts and all, and then I have some clay to work with. Thank you." -- Hester C.
  • "I loved the course. I learned much about the writing process as well as much about myself. Thank you!" -- Arlene R.
  • "She was prompt in sending my classroom work. She was attentive and complimented me on my good work when I did well." -- Svetlana D.
  • "I have completed other courses but enjoyed and learnt more. It was easy format and content was great. Process was excellent. Fast marking from teacher. Flexible to do anytime. The instructor was encouraging. Recommended to others." -- Liz S.
  • "The course was extremely well structured and well explained. My instructor was extremely nice, readily available and able to explain any corrections. I would like to have her again." -- Grace O.
  • "I loved doing the class. I loved getting emails with results and feedback from my instructor." -- Catherine W.
  • "This was a fun experience that helped me learn more about my writing." -- Emilie H.
  • "I loved it! And the instructor was really nice and marked my stuff pretty quickly. I appreciate it!" -- Sarah M.
  • "Everything was great." -- Melissa D.
  • "Excellent course and excellent teacher." -- Lori B.
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