Home study writing courses allow you to pick up the skills needed to write at your own pace.
Although it's easy to believe that writing is a skill you either have or don't have, many courses can teach you to write fiction and nonfiction to a high standard. Distance learning courses teach the skills required to become a writer over the Internet, and there are many courses online to choose from. Learning about the different online writing courses can give you a good idea about which one you may wish to enroll in.
Gotham Writers' Workshop
Gotham Writers' Workshop is based in New York City and offers many interactive online writing classes. The classes are presented by professional writers and have been chosen as the best writing classes available on the web by Forbes Magazine. The courses aim to teach aspiring writers come up with ideas, create believable characters and beat writer's block. The courses include fiction writing, food writing, article writing, poetry writing, playwriting, scriptwriting and travel writing. The courses take place over six to 10 weeks and can be accessed 24 hours a day.
Writers on the Net
Writers on the Net offers a selection of 10- and eight-week writing courses online. The courses are taught by professional writers, who develop the courses personally and who offer students feedback on the work they produce. The courses generally offer one assignment each week, and there are lessons sent by email that support the assignments. Writers on the Net offers courses on many areas of writing, including short story writing, poetry, writing for new media and food writing. Courses start throughout the year and require only an Internet connection.
Stanford Continuing Studies
Stanford has an Online Writer's Studio, which offers a variety of 10-week distance learning writing courses. Adults of all writing levels can enroll in a course, and the courses can be completed at any time. The courses have been developed by successful writers, and the instructors offer feedback on assignments completed by students. Students are given weekly lessons during the first half of their course, including specific reading lists, discussion points and writing assignments. As the courses develop, the assignments get longer and are reviewed by peers as well as instructors. The course requires around eight hours per week.
Oxford Open Learning Writing School
Oxford Open Learning Writing School offers many different writing courses, all taught by professional writers. The comprehensive creative writing course covers several types of writing, including novels, playwriting and writing for television, and is one of the UK's most successful home study writing courses. The Writing School also offers specific courses in business writing, writing for children, writing romance and memoir writing. You are also backed by their money-back guarantee, which states that if you take the comprehensive creative writing course you will get a refund if you haven't earned the course fees back by writing in the time it takes you to complete it.
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