8 Best Fantasy Writing Courses Online

Do you enjoy reading books by J. R. R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett, George R.R. Martin, J. K. Rowling, C. S. Lewis, Ursula K. Le Guin, Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, Salman Rushdie, or Gabriel Garcia Márquez? Have you ever wondered how to write your own fantasy novel? Do you know how to put your own spin on the well-known fantasy tropes – character, plot, world building – to avoid clichés and make the story unique?

 
If you want to know how to become a fantasy writer, you’re looking to learn how to write a fantasy fiction book, or you want advice on world building in fantasy literature, studying an online fantasy writing course could help you. This article covers online writing courses for fantasy, speculative fiction, and magic realism.
 
The following list details 8 best fantasy writing courses online. 
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1. Writing Fantasy Stories for Fiction Writers – City Lit

On this course you will “build fantastical worlds, fill them with compelling characters and learn how to structure innovative plotlines in this perfect introduction for those with a passion for fantasy”.

With an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot, this online fantasy story writing course has set dates and takes place live one day a week for 11 weeks.

This courses is taught through a mixture of individual, pair and group work as well as tutor instruction, in-class writing exercises and text analysis.

This course could help you to answer “How to write fiction in the fantasy genre?”

This learning outcomes of this course cover:

• What are the key tropes of the fantasy genre
• How these tropes can be applied in innovative ways
• Approaches to world-building in fantasy stories
• How to clearly define your world, including developing a central character, characterization, and using structure and language.

As this is a short online course, this may be beneficial if you would like to see whether fantasy fiction writing is the right genre for you.
 
If you’re looking for a fantasy writing course from a UK online learning provider, or help with world building in fantasy literature, this course could help you.

Note from course provider: 'This course is best suited for students who have completed one of our Ways Into Creative Writing courses or have some introductory writing experience elsewhere'
 
View course: Writing Fantasy Stories for Fiction Writers – City Lit

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Related reading:

• Find Top Online Creative Writing Courses​
• See Best Online Mystery Writing Courses
• Discover the Top Online Creative Writing Courses for Beginners
• Top Online Creative Writing Courses by Published Authors

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2. How to Write Magic Realism – MasterClass

This is an article with links to online writing courses from the hugely popular and extensive e-learning streaming platform MasterClass, which provides instant-access video lessons that are self-paced from successful bestselling authors.

The article gives free advice and tips which cover:

• What is magic realism
• The history of magic realism
• 4 elements of a good magic realism story
• 4 tips for writing magic realism
• How to become a better writer with video lessons from literary masters

The course links include Neil Gaiman Teaches the Art of Storytelling, David Mamet Teaches Dramatic Writing, and Salman Rushdie Teaches Storytelling and Writing.

View article and lessons: How to Write Magic Realism – MasterClass
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3. Fantasy Writing Diploma Training Course – Reed.co.uk

Check out this short online writing course to master the craft of writing fantasy to kick-start writing your book or to complete your fantasy fiction novel. You will discover how to create characters, develop the backstory, plan the perfect plot, and much more.

Reed.co.uk is a UK online distance learning provider offering many professional courses, qualifications, jobs, and career advice across a variety of sectors and topics.

This fantasy writing course UK will take about 6-8 hours to complete, the multiple-choice final assessment is included in the cost, and the course overview states “If you have always been eager to write your own fantasy novel, maybe you already have a brilliant plot in mind, but are not sure where to start or how to go about it, then our Fantasy Writing Course may be just what you are looking for”.

The lessons on this fantasy writing course include:

• An introduction to fantasy writing
• What you need to write fantasy content
• How to use other writers’ strengths and weaknesses in your own writing
• How to choose your target audience
• The pros and cons of writing in the first person and third person
• Building great characters
• How to plan your plot and structure your story
• Using a backstory in different ways
• Writing dialogue that flows
• Whether to use illustrations to help tell your story, and how to work successfully with illustrators
• Preparing your manuscript for publication, how to deal with publishers, and tips on self-publishing

There are 13 modules and lifetime access to the course material/media, online support is provided throughout the duration of the course, and an end of course certificate is provided.

View course: Fantasy Writing Diploma Training Course – Reed.co.uk

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4. Fantasy Story Writing Course – Oplex Careers

This online fantasy fiction writing course covers the skills required to write in this genre, perfecting the plot, dialogue to help the flow of your story, exercises to improve writing, how to deal with publishers and selling your story, and a final assessment of your work.

“The Level 3 Award Fantasy Story Writing Course has been independently accredited and certified by The CPD Certification Service”.

The course comprises:

• 13 course modules
• Full tutor support
• Exam fees included

The recommended time it takes to complete the course is 80 hours, and students have 24/7 access for 12 months, with the option to extend if required.

View course: Fantasy Story Writing Course – Oplex Careers

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5. Fantasy Writing Diploma Course – Centre of Excellence

From the Centre of Excellence you can choose to study on this certified, accredited Fantasy Writing Diploma Course, where you will be given prompts, writing advice, tips on editing your work, as well as guidance on pace, tone, and POV.

This is a comprehensive course which also covers when and where to send your manuscript to be published together with building your writing community.
 
The Fantasy Writing Diploma Course “starts by defining the genre, subgenres and tropes that make a fantasy story what it is – and look at what it is not. You’ll find your niche, understand how to use and subvert tropes, and figure out what makes your story tick”.

The learning outcomes on this fantasy fiction writing course include:

• Becoming familiar with the genre, some of the forms it commonly takes, and how tropes are used when writing this style of story
• How to construct a fantasy world and create believable characters
• How to plan and plot your story as well as structuring the scenes
• Be able to put all your work together to create, edit, and polish a cohesive story
• Have a better understanding of how to get your work published

There are 10 modules to complete, there is lifetime access to the course materials/media, and study group access.

View course: Fantasy Writing Diploma Course – Centre of Excellence

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6. Writing the Fantasy Novel Online Course – ed2go

From e-learning provider ed2go you will discover how to write in the fantasy fiction genre, how to create enthralling characters, and how to populate your world with unique, engaging, and fascinating beings.

“This course is perfect whether you have an idea for a book or even if you don't know where to start. With the tools you'll gain in this course, you'll be ready to tackle your first fantasy novel”.

The course takes about 6 weeks and comprises 24 course hours. You can opt to take the instructor-led version of the course which has set start dates that begin each month, or the self-paced version which doesn’t have a tutor but you can fit the study around your other commitments.

The learning outcomes of this fantasy writing course include:

• How to devise your theme, structure your book, and commit to a writing schedule
• Learn techniques to seamlessly incorporate a theme throughout your story
• Discover the difference between revising and editing, and how to effectively carry out both
• Receive advice on marketing and selling your book, including tips on how to promote your book using social media

 
If you would like to undertake a short course to set you on your fantasy writing path, capitalize on the growing market of this genre, and learn the tips to successfully write and publish your novel, this online writing course could be the ideal option for you.
 
View course: Writing the Fantasy Novel Online Course – ed2go

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7. Online Magic Realism Fiction Workshop – Writing Workshops

This 4-week online class is taught by Jenny Bhatt, author of The Golden Amulet, Ratno Dholi: The Best Stories of Dhumketu, and Each of Us Killers.

This is a “writing-intensive workshop. Each week, students will read excerpts and practice writing magical realism through a variety of exercises. Students will also share one magical realism short story or the first chapter of a novel for class feedback”.

If you want to discover the history of magic realism, the key elements that set this genre apart, and learn about some of the main authors in this literary movement, this course could benefit you.

The workshops don’t have set meeting times and students study at their own pace, which allows for participants from all over the world to enroll. All course materials, ongoing discussions, lectures, writing prompts, and reading assignments are available via the “Wet Ink Classroom”. Work is posted and feedback received online.

Check out the set start dates for this course at the website link below.

View course: Online Magic Realism Fiction Workshop – Writing Workshops

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8. Fantasy Story Writing – Reed.co.uk

This is another short course from Reed.co.uk which takes just 2 hours and is self-paced. The emphasis here is more on crafting a short story: “If you are interested in writing short stories, but not sure where to start, then taking this Creative Writing - Fantasy Story Writing course will equip you with the ideas of winning the heart of your reader by engaging short stories”.

A free e-certificate is awarded upon completion, there is unlimited access to the course media for 12 months, you can study at your own pace to fit around your schedule, there is online support via email or live chat, and there are multiple-choice assessments.

The course modules on this fantasy fiction writing course are:

• An introduction to short story writing
• Having self-belief and goal setting
• Study the basics: genre, subject matter, scope, finding ideas
• The 7-Step Story Generator: characters, story and setting, the 5-point story structure, style and tone, POV and tense, plotting and the twist, and building a short story template
• An introduction to Scrivener
• Writing, drafting, and polishing your story
• Submitting your work, dealing with rejection, rights and payment, and publishing via Amazon Kindle

 
This instant-access course can be started at any time, so if a short course on writing fantasy fiction, especially short stories in this genre, is of interest, this option could be a great starting point for you.

View course: Fantasy Story Writing – Reed.co.uk

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Conclusion

There are many benefits to taking an online fantasy writing course that can enable you to begin a career as a fantasy fiction writer and become a published author.

A writing course could well be worth the time and effort required if it helps improve your writing skills and focus your efforts to write your short story or novel, develop your creative thinking, analyze different writing styles, and apply the knowledge you will learn to complete a cohesive, engaging and page-turning story.
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Whether you need to boost your creativity, need help to start your writing career, or motivation to complete writing your final draft, an online writing course can offer valuable tips, advice, and guidance to help you achieve your writing goals.

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