What is creative writing?

Creative writing involves the creation of original and imaginative texts. These texts tend to convey ideas through structured narratives. Creative writing takes on many forms, including novels, novellas, short stories, play scripts, and poems. The works can be fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of true events with fantasy elements.

Why is it important to learn about creative writing?

Studying creative writing will help you enhance your general linguistic skills and hone your unique writing voice. You'll learn new ways to express yourself clearly and creatively in various written forms. Those enhanced communication skills can be a powerful asset in the business world as well as your personal life. Creative writing courses can also introduce you to famous works of literature. You'll learn how successful writers make stylistic decisions and develop engaging plots.

What career opportunities can arise from learning creative writing?

Many creative writing students aspire to be novelists, but creative writing skills can prepare you for various careers, including copywriting, screenwriting, and songwriting. Aim to combine your writing skills with knowledge of other subjects. For example, understanding music theory will help aspiring songwriters. Knowledge of marketing techniques can help a copywriter develop persuasive ads. Screenwriters will benefit from film theory and acting classes. Creative writing can also prepare you for a position as a social media manager, communications director, or public relations specialist.

How can online courses help me learn creative writing?

Online creative writing courses will help you brush up on the basics of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and you'll discover effective ways to structure a narrative and pace the story. Some lessons will focus on developing characters and settings. A comprehensive course covers different forms of writing, including personal essays and poetry, giving you the tools to express yourself in various ways. These online courses give you convenient access to lessons, so you can proceed at your own pace.

Browse
Creative Writing

Creative Writing Courses

Creative Writing
Wesleyan University
Specialization
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 4942 reviews
230k students
Beginner
Write Your First Novel
Michigan State University
Course
Rated 4.2 out of five stars. 153 reviews
73k students
Beginner
Good with Words: Writing and Editing
University of Michigan
Specialization
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 1384 reviews
67k students
Beginner
Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself
Wesleyan University
Specialization
Rated 4.4 out of five stars. 321 reviews
31k students
Beginner
English Composition I
Duke University
Course
Rated 4.6 out of five stars. 826 reviews
330k students
Beginner
Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot
Wesleyan University
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 4017 reviews
200k students
Mixed
Transmedia Storytelling: Narrative worlds, emerging technologies, and global audiences
UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 636 reviews
78k students
Mixed
Be Your Best Creative Self
University of Colorado Boulder
Course
Rated 4.8 out of five stars. 35 reviews
8.2k students
Beginner
Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop
California Institute of the Arts
Course
Rated 4.8 out of five stars. 1380 reviews
95k students
Beginner
English for Journalism
University of Pennsylvania
Course
Rated 4.8 out of five stars. 2190 reviews
180k students
Mixed
Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest
Commonwealth Education Trust
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 1150 reviews
88k students
Mixed
Script Writing: Write a Pilot Episode for a TV or Web Series (Project-Centered Course)
Michigan State University
Course
Rated 4.5 out of five stars. 640 reviews
83k students
Mixed
Create a Storyboard using Canva
Coursera Project Network
NEW
Guided Project
Rated 4.6 out of five stars. 52 reviews
3.1k students
Intermediate
Content Strategy for Professionals
Northwestern University
Specialization
Rated 4.6 out of five stars. 759 reviews
41k students
Beginner
Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order
University of Michigan
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 1128 reviews
61k students
Beginner
Grammar and Punctuation
University of California, Irvine
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 17539 reviews
620k students
Mixed
Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction
University of Virginia
Course
Rated 4.6 out of five stars. 482 reviews
93k students
Beginner
Writing a Personal Essay
Wesleyan University
Course
Rated 4.5 out of five stars. 68 reviews
8k students
Mixed
Applying to U.S. Universities
University of Pennsylvania
Course
Rated 4.8 out of five stars. 478 reviews
90k students
Beginner
Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description
Wesleyan University
Course
Rated 4.7 out of five stars. 1205 reviews
50k students
Mixed

Searches related to creative writing

creative writing: the craft of plot

creative writing: the craft of character

creative writing: the craft of style

creative writing: the craft of setting and description

free creative writing

create a writing rubric with microsoft word

create a writing rubric with google docs

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular creative writing courses

Creative Writing: Wesleyan University
Write Your First Novel: Michigan State University
Good with Words: Writing and Editing: University of Michigan
Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself: Wesleyan University
English Composition I: Duke University
Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot: Wesleyan University
Transmedia Storytelling: Narrative worlds, emerging technologies, and global audiences: UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
Be Your Best Creative Self: University of Colorado Boulder
Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop: California Institute of the Arts
English for Journalism: University of Pennsylvania

Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

Analytics (37)

Presentation (33)

Modeling (29)

Business Analytics (27)

Business Communication (16)

Decision-making (16)

Leadership (15)

Frequently Asked Questions about Creative Writing

Studying creative writing will help you enhance your general linguistic skills and hone your unique writing voice. You'll learn new ways to express yourself clearly and creatively in various written forms. Those enhanced communication skills can be a powerful asset in the business world as well as your personal life.
Creative writing courses can also introduce you to famous works of literature. You'll learn how successful writers make stylistic decisions and develop engaging plots.‎
Many creative writing students aspire to be novelists, but creative writing skills can prepare you for various careers, including copywriting, screenwriting, and songwriting. Aim to combine your writing skills with knowledge of other subjects. For example, understanding music theory will help aspiring songwriters. Knowledge of marketing techniques can help a copywriter develop persuasive ads. Screenwriters will benefit from film theory and acting classes. Creative writing can also prepare you for a position as a social media manager, communications director, or public relations specialist.‎
Online creative writing courses will help you brush up on the basics of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, and you'll discover effective ways to structure a narrative and pace the story. Some lessons will focus on developing characters and settings. A comprehensive course covers different forms of writing, including personal essays and poetry, giving you the tools to express yourself in various ways. These online courses give you convenient access to lessons, so you can proceed at your own pace.‎

This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

What Coursera Has to Offer

Learning program	Description
Guided Project	Learn a job-relevant skill that you can use today in under 2 hours through an interactive experience guided by a subject matter expert. Access everything you need right in your browser and complete your project confidently with step-by-step instructions.
Course	Learn Business Essentials with online Business Essentials courses. Take courses from the world's best instructors and universities. Courses include recorded auto-graded and peer-reviewed assignments, video lectures, and community discussion forums. When you complete a course, you’ll be eligible to receive a shareable electronic Course Certificate for a small fee.
Specialization	Learn Business Essentials with online Business Essentials Specializations. Enroll in a Specialization to master a specific career skill. You’ll complete a series of rigorous courses, tackle hands-on projects, and earn a Specialization Certificate to share with your professional network and potential employers.
Professional Certificate	Whether you’re looking to start a new career or change your current one, Professional Certificates on Coursera help you become job ready. Learn at your own pace from top companies and universities, apply your new skills to hands-on projects that showcase your expertise to potential employers, and earn a career credential to kickstart your new career.
MasterTrack® Certificate	With MasterTrack® Certificates, portions of Master’s programs have been split into online modules, so you can earn a high quality university-issued career credential at a breakthrough price in a flexible, interactive format. Benefit from a deeply engaging learning experience with real-world projects and live, expert instruction. If you are accepted to the full Master's program, your MasterTrack coursework counts towards your degree.
Degree	Transform your resume with an online degree from a top university for a breakthrough price. Our modular degree learning experience gives you the ability to study online anytime and earn credit as you complete your course assignments. You'll receive the same credential as students who attend class on campus. Coursera degrees cost much less than comparable on-campus programs.

Creative Writing Courses

Showing 246 total results for "creative writing"