online essay writing courses

• The Open University
• Accessibility hub
• Guest user / Sign out
• Study with The Open University

My OpenLearn Profile

Personalise your OpenLearn profile, save your favourite content and get recognition for your learning

Essay and report writing skills

Course description

Course content, course reviews.

Writing reports and assignments can be a daunting prospect. Learn how to interpret questions and how to plan, structure and write your assignment or report. This free course, Essay and report writing skills, is designed to help you develop the skills you need to write effectively for academic purposes.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• understand what writing an assignment involves
• identify strengths and weaknesses
• understand the functions of essays and reports
• demonstrate writing skills.

First Published: 10/08/2012

Updated: 26/04/2019

Rate and Review

Rate this course, review this course.

Log into OpenLearn to leave reviews and join in the conversation.

Create an account to get more

Track your progress.

Review and track your learning through your OpenLearn Profile.

Statement of Participation

On completion of a course you will earn a Statement of Participation.

Access all course activities

Take course quizzes and access all learning.

Review the course

When you have finished a course leave a review and tell others what you think.

For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.

About this free course

Become an ou student, download this course, share this free course.

11 free online writing courses for getting real good at words

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.

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.

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

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Summer Quarter

• Student Login Username Password Remember my password --> Submit Forgotten Username/Password New Student Account Setup Existing Student Account Setup ? Close This form is for current or former Stanford Continuing Studies students who do NOT already have a student login. Click here if you already have a student login account and have forgotten your username or password.

• Join Email List Sign up

CREATIVE WRITING

What’s your story? Whether you’re just beginning to write or putting the finishing touches on your first novel, our on-campus and online writing courses offer expert instruction, individual attention, and supportive feedback at all levels, in all genres of creative writing. Please visit The Writer's Spotlight page to learn more about our online Writing Certificates.

• Writing & Journalism

Select the area you are interested in below to view related courses.

Corporate Education

Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.

Donate to UCLA Extension

Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.

Innovation Programs

Student Scholarships

Coding Boot Camp

Lifelong Learning

• Accounting & Taxation
• Architecture & Interior Design
• Business & Management
• Design & Arts
• Digital Technology
• Engineering
• Entertainment
• Environmental Studies & Public Policy
• Finance & Investments
• Health Care & Counseling
• Humanities & Social Sciences
• Landscape Architecture & Horticulture
• Legal Programs
• Osher (OLLI)
• Real Estate
• Sciences & Math
• Specializations
• Online Courses
• Transfer Credit Courses
• Conferences & Boot Camps
• Custom Programs & Corporate Education
• Instruction Methods
• Environmental Studies
• Accounting Fundamentals
• Business and Management of Entertainment
• College Counseling
• Data Science
• Digital Marketing
• Feature Film Writing
• Human Resources Management
• Marketing with Concentration in Digital Marketing
• Personal Financial Planning
• Project Management
• Sustainability
• User Experience
• Payment Options
• How to Purchase Parking
• Enrollment Conditions
• Concurrent and Cross-Enrollment Programs
• Bruin ID Cards
• UCLA Recreation
• Course Drops, Transfers, and Withdrawals
• Accessibility & Disability Services
• Textbooks & Libraries
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Military & Veterans Benefits
• Tuition Discounts
• Tax Advantages
• Grading Scale
• Credit Options
• Course Numbers
• Transcripts and Enrollment Confirmation
• Receiving Your Academic Credentials
• Instructors & Staff
• Parking & Lodging
• Keynote Speaker
• Career Resources
• Alumni Benefits
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Career Services
• Featured Jobs
• Browse Certificate Programs
• Certificate vs. Master’s Degrees
• Dates and Fees
• How to Apply
• Academic Requirements
• OPT, CPT, and Internships
• Upon Completing Your Certificate
• Hummel Scholarship
• Program Details
• Online International Programs
• International Student Services Office
• New Student Orientation
• Maintaining Your F-1 Visa
• Health Insurance
• Academic Advising
• Frequently Asked Questions
• UCLA Campus Amenities & Activities
• Daily Needs
• Public Transportation
• Request a Proposal
• Board of Advisors
• Instructors
• Join Our Team
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Accreditation
• Student Home
• Canvas Log In
• Student Log In
• Instructor Log In

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content and to store your content preferences. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy .

Writing for ESL

Learn to write in English more effectively so you can achieve your goals and dreams. This course will teach you how to write clearly, logically, and cohesively in any academic or work setting.

Requirements

Many ESL learners have excellent educations, training, and skills in their native countries. However, their dreams of success elude them in English-speaking countries because they cannot write effectively in their new language. This course will show you what English readers expect and how your writing can achieve your goals.

You will learn about the entire writing process and its five stages: prewriting, outlining, writing, revising, and editing. You will learn to generate and focus your ideas. You will discover how to write clearly focused topic sentences and thesis statements, which will guide you in writing logical, unified paragraphs and essays. You will also learn to refine and perfect your work, making it free of grammatical and punctuation errors.

You will gain important critical thinking skills and learn some techniques for writing concisely. When you finish this course, you will be able to write clearly, logically, and cohesively, and you will be able to apply what you have learned in any academic or work setting.

Lesson 1 - An Overview of Writing

Lesson 2 - the creative process, lesson 3 - effective essays, lesson 4 - three types of essays, lesson 5 - compare and contrast essays, lesson 6 - cause and effect essays, lesson 7 - argumentation essays, lesson 8 - correcting your wording, lesson 9 - take care with verbs, lesson 10 - other parts of speech, lesson 11 - common writing problems, lesson 12 - punctuation and wrap-up.

Prerequisites:

A basic understanding of English grammar.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or later.
• Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader .
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Dr. Sabri Bebawi

Dr. Sabri Bebawi has been a college instructor for 20 years. His educational background includes law, journalism, and English education, with a Ph.D. in education and instructional technology. Dr. Bebawi has worked as a journalist in Europe and in the United States, writing on a wide range of topics.

Related Courses

Need more information about an AoPS Academy course?

Ask AoPS Academy!

Writing Camp 8-10: Academic Essay Toolkit

Summer language arts.

Our Academic Essay Toolkit course, designed for students entering grade 8, 9, or 10, offers an intensive study of the how and why of academic writing. Students learn how to plan, draft, and revise an academic essay, and also why such essays matter. Featuring the popular college writing textbook, They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing , the course approaches the essay as part of a larger conversation being held among scholars. The tools students gain in this course will help them enter that conversation and maintain it through their academic careers.

Course Text:

• They Say / I Say by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst

Note: To ensure students have the best experience, it is recommended that they do not read the text before class starts.

This two-week course meets Monday through Friday for three hours each day.

Space is very limited for our summer programs. Please do not wait until the last minute to enroll. If there are more than two weeks before the course starts, a $200 deposit will be due when enrolling, with the balance due two weeks before the course begins.

Summer enrollment for each class closes one week after the class starts. -->

Virtual Campus Schedule

Fremont, CA Campus Schedule

Irvine, CA Campus Schedule

Mountain View, CA Campus Schedule

Pleasanton, CA Campus Schedule

San Diego, CA Campus Schedule

Santa Clara, CA Campus Schedule

Lexington, MA Campus Schedule

Gaithersburg, MD Campus Schedule

Morrisville, NC Campus Schedule

Princeton, NJ Campus Schedule

Millburn, NJ Campus Schedule

Frisco, TX Campus Schedule

Vienna, VA Campus Schedule

Bellevue, WA Campus Schedule

Redmond, WA Campus Schedule

Virtual Campus

Massachusetts, north carolina.

Our family regularly talks about AoPS. We try to think about how our life would be different without you all. What if my daughter hadn't learned to love math? What if she never experienced being pushed to her limits? Overcoming failure? She wouldn't be who she is. And she is AWESOME! A very proud mom here. We are so fortunate that we found AoPS Academy. I credit AoPS for much of her confidence.

AoPS Academy parent to 16-year-old engineering major at UW and future cancer researcher

Instructor To Be Announced

We have not yet announced an instructor for this class, but we are working on it! It can take time to match all of our classes to our instructors' daily schedules. However, all AoPS instructors are exceptional educators, and each section of this course will cover the same basic material. Students can confidently enroll in this class and expect that one of our outstanding instructors will be assigned soon.

Ask AoPS Academy

I have a question about:

Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy .

Join our July Sale! 👏 25% off all digital certs & diplomas Ends in  : : :

Do you represent a business or organization that would like to train and upskill their employees?

If yes, check out Alison’s Free LMS here!

header.all_certificate_courses

Personal development, sales & marketing, engineering & construction, teaching & academics.

Become an Alison Affiliate in one click, and start earning money by sharing any page on the Alison website.

• Change Language
• All Courses
• Essay writing

Free Online Essay Writing Courses

These free online essay writing courses will teach you useful tips and methods on how to construct and write an exceptional essay. An essay is a short piece of writing representing a side of an argument or ones experiences and stories. You will learn the different types of essays and their different parts as well as how to persuade your readers using selected research evidence.... …Read More These free online essay writing courses will teach you useful tips and methods on how to construct and write an exceptional essay. An essay is a short piece of writing representing a side of an argument or one’s experiences and stories. You will learn the different types of essays and their different parts as well as how to persuade your readers using selected research evidence. Read Less

• 0 Free Courses
• 0 Certificates & Diplomas Earned

Browse Related Subjects

Benefits of an alison certificate, certify your skills, stand out from the crowd, advance in your career.

Explore Courses By Category

Explore in-demand careers, explore subjects, over 40 million learners have used alison to empower themselves.

Not sure where to begin? What is your main goal on Alison?

What is your main goal on alison.

• 4,500+ free courses
• 40 million+ learners
• 8 million+ graduates
• 195 countries

Explore Course Categories

Join our community of 40 million+ learners, upskill with CPD UK accredited courses, explore career development tools and psychometrics - all for free.

• Reset password form here

BloomTech’s Downfall: A Long Time Coming

Coursera’s 2023 Annual Report: Big 5 Domination, Layoffs, Lawsuit, and Patents

Coursera sees headcount decrease and faces lawsuit in 2023, invests in proprietary content while relying on Big 5 partners.

• 7 Best Latin Courses for Beginners in 2024
• 7 Best Elm Courses for 2024
• 9 Best ChatGPT & Prompt Engineering Courses for 2024
• [2024] 1300+ Free SWAYAM + NPTEL Courses
• 6 Best Crystal Programming Courses for 2024

600 Free Google Certifications

Most common

• graphic design

Popular subjects

Management & Leadership

Microsoft Excel

Popular courses

Max MSP Programming Course: Structuring Interactive Software for Digital Arts

Cryptography I

Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics

Organize and share your learning with Class Central Lists.

View our Lists Showcase

Essay Writing Courses

Explore a wide range of free and certified Essay writing online courses. Find the best Essay writing training programs and enhance your skills today!

• Humanities Courses
• Conference Talks Courses
• Business Courses
• Programming Courses
• Art & Design Courses
• Test Prep Courses
• With certificate (524)
• Free course (483)
• With free certificate (12)
• University course only (175)
• Beginner (438)
• Intermediate (75)
• Advanced (5)
• < 30 mins (128)
• 30 - 60 mins (187)
• 1 - 2 hours (181)
• 2 - 5 hours (190)
• 5 - 10 hours (85)
• 10+ hours (181)
• Humanities (456)
• Conference Talks (191)
• Business (74)
• Programming (55)
• Art & Design (48)
• Test Prep (38)
• Personal Development (29)
• English (1025)
• Chinese (2)
• German (12)
• Portuguese (1)
• Spanish (17)
• Turkish (2)

Technical Report Writing for Engineers

Get an introduction to technical report writing. Find out how to communicate your ideas through well-written engineering reports.

• FutureLearn
• 6 weeks, 3 hours a week
• Free Online Course (Audit)

How to Succeed at: Writing Applications

This free three week course will help you produce a perfect CV, application and online profile when applying for a job or course.

• 3 weeks, 3 hours a week

Getting Started with Essay Writing

By introducing you to three types of academic essays, this course will especially help prepare you for work in college classes, but anyone who wants to improve his or her writing skills can benefit from this course.

Understanding IELTS: Writing

Find out what you need to know about the IELTS Writing test and learn techniques and strategies to improve your test performance.

• Paid Course

Introduction to Research for Essay Writing

This is the last course in the Academic Writing specialization before the capstone project. By the end of this course, you will be able to complete all the steps in planning a research paper.

• 19 hours 43 minutes

论文写作初阶（Academic Writing and Research）

本课面向有志于学术研究和具有论文写作需求的高年级本科生和研究生同学，适合人文社会科学、特别是法学专业的学生学习，也欢迎理工科学生选修。教学内容主要集中于学术研究的基本方法与一般理念，既包括学术论文的提问、选题、谋篇、布局和实际写作，也包括学术资源特别是综合性与专业性数据库的检索和使用。

The PTE 85+ Academic Essay Writing Course

Master PTE Academic Essay Writing in a 3-4 hour course. Learn strategies, time management, and scoring rubrics with teacher-led examples. Ideal for non-EU health professionals and international students.

• Free Online Course

Mandarin Chinese in Motion: Essay-Writing Skills

Improve your knowledge of Mandarin Chinese grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures to write confident and convincing essays.

• 4 weeks, 2 hours a week

Essay Writing Course

Master essay writing with this comprehensive guide, covering everything from planning to referencing. Offered in a 1-2 hour format, perfect for quick learning.

• 1 hour 30 minutes

Essay Writing

How to Use Clustering To Organize Ideas | Essay Writing. How to Search Academic Databases | Research Skills. The Tone of Academic Writing. The Causes of Writer's Block. The Nature of Writing. Why You Shouldn't Write a Five Paragraph Essay. Organic Essay…

SSC CHSL Descriptive Essay Writing

Improve your essay writing skills with StudyIQ IAS's program. Learn to craft powerful sub-headings, conclusions, and counter-arguments in 4-5 hours.

• 4 hours 30 minutes

A+ Essays: A Structured Approach to Successful Essay Writing

Learn the tips and tools of successful writers from a college professor with twenty years of experience grading essays.

• 5 hours 52 minutes

Cambridge English C1 (CAE) Essential Essay Writing Guide

Master high-level essay writing skills for the Cambridge English C1 exam in just 3 hours. Learn key vocabulary, grammar, essay structure, and marking criteria. Includes quizzes and feedback.

• 2 hours 50 minutes

Ultimate Academic Writing: AI Research tools + Essay Writing

Your Essential Academic Writing course with Research examples, practical Essay Writing tips and AI research tools!

• 1 hour 42 minutes

Essay Writing: Help & Tutorial

Boost your essay writing skills with this 11-hour course, featuring engaging video lessons, text tutorials, and self-assessment quizzes covering essay structure, types, revision, and citation.

• 10 hours 48 minutes

Never Stop Learning.

Get personalized course recommendations, track subjects and courses with reminders, and more.

CalArts offers a variety of unique programs at the undergraduate and graduate level within its six world-renowned Schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music and Theater.

Undergraduate core courses are the foundation of BFA studies at CalArts, providing a strong general education and opportunities to deepen every student's artistic practice.

• Interdisciplinary
• International Engagement Opportunities
• Open Learning
• Coursera for Campus
• Academic Calendar
• Course Catalog
• Academic Requirements
• Archived Catalogs

Explore is your first stop if you are considering applying to CalArts. Here you can find information about your program(s) of interest, events the Institute is hosting or attending, a virtual campus map, and much more. Your journey to CalArts starts here.

• Application Process
• Application Deadlines
• International Applicants
• Transfer Applicants
• Academic Transcripts
• Letters of Recommendation
• Critical Studies

Center for Integrated Media

• Campus Tours and Information Sessions
• Open Houses
• Accepted Students
• Submit Enrollment Deposit
• Admissions FAQ
• Meet Our Counselors
• Tuition and Fees
• Cost of Attendance
• Net Price Calculator
• Estimated Multi-Year Tuition Schedule
• Health Insurance
• For BFA Students
• For Graduate Students
• Outside Private Scholarships
• International Students
• Federal Work Study
• Student Employment
• Policies & Eligibility
• Self-Service Proxy
• Financial Literacy Resources
• Understanding Your Award
• How to Pay Tuition
• Payment and Refund Deadlines
• Payment Options
• Access Tuition Statement
• Residence Life
• Dining Options
• Student Union
• Campus Maps
• Santa Clarita Tip Sheet
• Health and Wellness
• Disability Services
• Academic Support
• International Student Support
• Sexual Respect
• Office Of Community Rights And Responsibilities
• Basic Needs Center
• Career Fair
• Internship Program
• Bridges to Industry Program
• Campus Safety
• Covid Updates
• Board of Trustees
• Mission and Values
• Strategic Framework
• Equity and Diversity (IDEA)
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Facts and Figures
• Accreditation
• Consumer Information
• The Herb Alpert Award in the Arts
• Land Acknowledgment
• Institutional Effectiveness
• Giving Opportunities
• Planned Giving
• Impact Stories
• How to Give
• Industry Partnerships
• Advancement Staff
• Annual Report
• Scholarship Impact
• Alumni Council
• Alumni Events
• Benefits and Discounts
• Stay Connected
• Get Involved
• Professional Development Resources
• Parents & Families
• CalArts News
• Event Publicity
• Social Media
• Publications
• Events Calendar

CalArts is located in Santa Clarita, Calif., 30 miles north of Los Angeles. Explore the local area and community.

Offering innovative continuing education arts courses designed to meet the needs of both emerging artists and lifelong learners.

• Request Info

Creative Writing

• Program Faculty
• Writing Now Reading Series
• Next Words Reading Series

2-Year Program

The CalArts MFA Creative Writing is unique in the field for the way it combines a dedication to experimental practice and a resolutely non-genre tracking curriculum . These commitments are intertwined: unlike in many MFA programs our students are free to pursue their imaginative and experimental impulses into whatever genre their work takes them—including into hybrid genre forms of their own. This is all in keeping to CalArts’s foundational commitment to experiment and interdisciplinarity. Students who come to our program regularly engage in substantial projects in multiple genres across their coursework and beyond. In other words, each student designs their own path through our curriculum, engaging with what questions of genre and practice inform their work as it develops. All this gives special import to the work each student does with their mentor during their time in our program. Students meet with their mentors multiple times each semester to discuss their plan of study, their creative work, and larger questions related to a life in writing and to connections between writing, other art forms, and intellectual endeavors. Our commitment to the mentor relationship is foundational  to the pedagogy of CalArts.

While our program is non-tracking we do offer four optional emphases that help guide our students through our curriculum and the course offerings of other schools and programs in the Institute. We call these emphases our Concentrations . These non-required Concentrations are Image + Text , Writing and Performativity , Writing and its Publics and Documentary Strategies . Image + Text traces the relationship of the written word and the visual image, including the cinematic, the static image, and the materiality of language. Writing and Performativity offers students an array of courses focused on the creative and critical practices of performative writing. Writing and Its Publics deals with the public face of writing, be it publishing, community-based work, or writing for various art audiences, while Documentary Strategies takes on a wide array of artistic engagements with documentation, witnessing, and archives of all kinds. Students whose work and interests closely engage one of these four areas can formalize that engagement by declaring an official Concentration, which may be advantageous in their professional lives after the MFA.

In the Creative Writing Program, our core courses attend closely to questions of form and aesthetics, as well as to the historical and critical contexts of literary work. Most classes combine workshopping of student-generated work with discussion of assigned texts. While not all classes are offered every year, over the two-year program all students will take a wide selection, honing their individual visions and practices while experimenting with new forms and subjects. Writing students also benefit from being able to take courses for elective credit in the MA Program in Aesthetics and Politics, as well as other MFA/upper-level BFA courses throughout the Institute.

Full Curriculum

Detailed curriculum and academic requirements can be found in the online course catalog.

View Curriculum Requirements

Ready to Begin?

Request Information

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

In addition to CalArts' rich and diverse community and naturally collaborative atmosphere, the Institute provides several programs of study that can be pursued concurrently with a student's chosen metier.

The Center for Integrated Media concentration is designed specifically for MFA students whose creative use of technology—in particular digital media—goes beyond their primary areas of study.

Home • Programs • Creative Writing • MFA

School of Critical Studies

661-253-7803  phone 661-255-0177 fax Room E123J

More From Forbes

A writing room: the new marketplace of writer classes, retreats, and collectives.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

A Writing Room is one of the fast-growing writer collectives. The four co-founders (left to right): ... [+] Reese Zecchin, Director of Production; Jacob Nordby, Director of Writer Development; A. Ashe, Creative Director; Claire Giovino, Community Director.

The past decade has brought an explosion in the number of books published each year in the United States (an estimated three to four million annually). In turn, this explosion is bringing a growing and evolving marketplace of writer classes, retreats and collectives. It is a marketplace creating new jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities—both for mainstream tech, marketing and managerial workers, as well as for writer/artist denizens of America’s bohemia.

The Drivers of Growth in Book Publishing

The number of book sales in the United States remains healthy, though it has leveled off in the past four years. In 2020, 756.82 million book unit sales were made in the US alone. This number climbed to 837.66 million in 2021, before falling slightly to 787.65 million units in 2022 and 767.36 million units in 2023.

What has changed dramatically has been the number of books published. Steve Piersanti of Berrett-Koehler Publishers estimates that three million books were published in the US, up 10 times from the number only 16 years ago . Other estimates put the number of published books annually at closer to four million .

The main driver of this growth in books published has been self-publishing. According to Bowker , which provides tools for self-publishing, an estimated 2.3 million books were self-published in 2021. Up through the 1990s (now the distant past in publishing), writers of all types of books, fiction and nonfiction, were dependent on convincing publishing houses to publish their work. As the technology for self-publishing and print on demand grew in the early 2000s, writers could publish on their own, and a very large number of Americans began to do so.

Fueling growth also is the level of affluence and discretionary income that an increasing segment of American society is reaching. For centuries, theorists across the political spectrum have envisioned a society, freed from basic economic needs, pursuing creative activities, with writing as a primary activity. In The German Ideology , Karl Marx could write about the economy of abundance in which individuals pursue writing as one of a series of daily activities—hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, write criticism in the evening. John Maynard Keynes in a 1930 essay, “ Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren” , envisions a time a hundred years forward (2030) in which writing is no longer the province of the upper classes. Contemporary theorists on the future of work, such as John Tamny, similarly see a blooming of creative and artistic activities by the average citizen.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, a writing room, and the emerging marketplace of writer training.

A marketplace of writing coaches, classes and retreats expanded throughout the late twentieth century and first years of the twentieth century. Published authors and even recently-minted graduates of MFA programs hung out shingles for individual coaching and small classes. Colleges expanded their writing programs and certifications, and writer retreats multiplied. Co-working and literary event spaces were established in major cities ( The Writers Room in New York, The Writers Grotto in San Francisco). But the marketplace continued to bump up against geographic and logistical limitations.

Then, along the came the internet, and its evolution.

Today, hundreds of businesses throughout the country offer assistance to aspiring writers. Many continue to offer some in-person assistance through coaching, classes or retreats. But as in other fields, the internet has allowed for a nationwide (worldwide) reach that these businesses are taking advantage of to scale. The major pre-internet writer assistance companies, such as The Writers Studio , added online courses and instruction, and the early internet-based companies from the 1990s, such as Writers.com (a pioneer in the internet field), steadily expanded their offerings. New enterprises are springing up on a regular basis, including the writer collectives.

A Writing Room is one of the fastest growing of the writer collectives, and its suite of services illustrate the how the field is evolving.

A Writing Room has its roots in the writing classes that novelist Anne Lamott had been teaching for some years, and her interest by the early 2020s in creating a larger on-going community of writers. Lamott connected with a team of four entrepreneurs who had experience with previous start-ups and expertise in online tools. In early 2023 they set out to develop A Writing Room.

Novelist Anne Lamott, one of the partners in A Writing Room.

A Writing Room launched in June 2023, and followed a few months later with an inaugural writers retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Though hastily arranged, the retreat attracted more than 400 in person attendees and over 1600 attendees online. In the first half of 2024, the company set up a membership structure of monthly and annual memberships. Within months, over 550 writers had joined.

The products that members can access are aimed in part at teaching the craft of writing. In a recent author discussion (with close to 400 participants joining online) Lamott discussed the craft of writing with novelist Donna Levin . Both started publishing in the 1980s. They noted how much publishing and the role of the writer have changed, but emphasized the fundamentals that have remained over their forty years, related to craft and the responsibility of the writer: the daily commitment, the careful development of plot and characters, the numerous rewrites (as many as you think you need, and one more).

A Writing Room offers a series of on-demand courses, online discussions with authors and publishing professionals, and daily writing prompts, built around writing as craft. It further offers instruction on the paths to and options for publication, building a following of readers.

At its center, A Writing Room is about being part of a community of writers, giving and receiving regular feedback from other members, as well as feedback from writing mentors and coaches. In an interview earlier this year, Lamott explained:

The great myth about writing is that it's an entirely solitary activity. This really isn't true. Every book I've ever written has been with a lot of help from my community. I wouldn't be the writer I am today — and wouldn't even want to write — without people to share the process and finished work. Writing is a process, but it doesn't have to (and really shouldn't be) done in total isolation.

The writing process can feel overwhelming. It often does for me. Believe me, a trusted writing friend is a secret to life.

Other emerging writing collectives also emphasize community and cooperation. Levin underscored this point in the recent online discussion: “Writing can be such an isolated activity, and to some extent needs to be. You want to seek out a community that can give you the support you need and also the honest feedback.”

How the New Marketplace Is Evolving And Jobs Created

The founders of A Writing Room know that the marketplace for writer assistance is fast changing, and they need to be quick to adapt to increased competition. Already, several developments are driving change in the field:

· The entrance of major online education companies (i.e. Masters Class , Coursera, Udemy ).

· Faculty recruitment of writers with built-in audiences of sizable twitter and other social media followings.

· Partnerships with the major publishers and agencies, who hold out the promise of publication to participants of the classes, retreats and collectives.

· Specializations by race and ethnicity, gender, geography and genre.

· Market segmentation, and attention to higher income consumers.

A number of these developments reflect the changes in the broader publishing world and are likely to continue. Overall, the marketplace itself will be expanding, as publishing technology advances, along with discretionary income.

The jobs being generated by this new marketplace are a mix of tech, administrative, and writing coach positions. At A Writing Room, recent hires include a community liaison, video editor, customer support, and a “beta reader” providing feedback to writers on their drafts. The hiring process is sweeping up into jobs not only workers who have been in the regular economy, but also residents of America’s bohemia: writers and artists who previously were outside of (and often scornful of) the market system. What can be better than that.

In his 2023 book, The Novel, Who Needs It , Joseph Epstein, former editor of American Scholar , offers a paean to fiction as above all other intellectual endeavors that seek to understand human behavior. But what he says of fiction is true of other writing (memoir, history, even forms of self-help) that arouses the mind.

Yes, there are way too many books published each year, and yes only a very small percentage of writers will earn any significant income from their writing. But who knows what individual book will succeed commercially or critically, or add to our shared knowledge or wisdom. And really, why not encourage the craft of writing. How much does America benefit from most of the paper-pushing, meetings and e-mails that now pass for work in our economy of affluence.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.