The best way to write is just to sit down and write, whether at the computer or with pen and paper. Sometimes that is easier said than done when so many other tasks beckon us, like cooking dinner or cleaning the house. It does help to have some sort of instruction to inspire the emergence of your creativity.
Many of you that wish to take writing courses may not be able to afford them right now, but there are still options available to help in your quest to improve your creative writing skills. Learning more is great, but you don’t want to feel like your time, which cannot be replaced, has been wasted when you finish reading an article or taking a course. Always investigate a course before deciding to devote your priceless time and effort.
Free articles on writing or free writing courses are available on a myriad of websites. Some good can be gleaned from all of them, depending on what you need to learn. Very few of them offer feedback. When feedback is offered, it normally comes from others taking the same course or from volunteer mentors.
Australian author Cheryl Wright runs the website writer2writer.com. The following free courses are offered on her site.
1) Writing for Profit: Break into Magazines
2) Outside the Square Fiction Workshop
3) Ebook Marketing Secrets Course
4) Short Story Writing Workshop
5) 5 Part Copywriting Course
The writer2writer website also has many free articles on just about any type of writing. Cheryl Wright is a successful author, so these courses are well worth taking.
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy (www.writesf.com) is a free course offered by science fiction writer Jeffrey A. Carver, who is the author of several published short stories and novels. The free science fiction/ fantasy works available for download and read have all been written by him. A list of suggested works to read is also available. Reading others’ works is important for a writer. If you don’t have time to read, you probably don’t have the time or inclination to write.
Writers Village University (www.writers village.com) offers a free 7 week creative writing course, F2K. It is sponsored by WVU and staffed by volunteer mentors. There is also a free character building workshop available. If you join WVU ($69 a year + an initial $30 registration fee) there are over 250 writing courses, all free to members. You can also buy a 30 day trial membership for $29.99, then it is $14.00 a month.
The Crafty Writer’s Creative Writing Course (creative-writing-course.thecraftywriter.com) is given by Fiona Veitch Smith. She is a freelance journalist, editor, author, screenwriter and writing teacher. The course consists of 8 sections: releasing your creativity, how to write a short story, writing from a point of view, writing characters, writing dialogue, how to write poems and markets, competitions and opportunities You can work through the course as quickly or as slowly as you wish. Any questions you have can be posted in the comments box.
Australian author Rob Parnell (easywaytowrite.com) offers a free fiction writing course. His site also has a lot of free articles, and sometimes he will offer one of the instructional writing books written by him for free. Easy Way to Write is a great site that covers every popular genre of writing.
If you refer a friend to receive Rob Parnell's newsletter, you receive free the 4 part course “The Nuts and Bolts of Writing”. I have this course and it is a good one, well worth taking.
Suite 101 offers many free courses on writing at http://www.suite101.com/suiteu/ . The courses include Creative Writing 101, Creative Writing Workshop, Inspirational Writing, Magazine Writing, Writing Mysteries and Writing Novels.
I have taken many of the free courses offered. There is something to be learned from each of them, but none of the free courses match what I have learned from enrolling in "How to Think Sideways". So, my highest recommendation for a writing course is still HTTS, taught by Holly Lisle. There you receive insightful teaching, answers to any questions you ask, interaction with other students, plus a possibility to earn back part or all of your tuition (which can be paid over 6 or 12 months).
If you are interested, you may check out HTTS by clicking on the link below.
