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12+ Best Nonfiction Online Writing Courses – Free and Paid

2/28/2021

 
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Check out these nonfiction online writing courses, free and paid, to start writing creative nonfiction. Find the best online writing courses for new writers or advanced classes from the following online creative nonfiction writing courses.

​What is creative nonfiction?


​The creative nonfiction genre covers writing about factual events, including memoirs, personal essays, travel writing, and literary journalism (also called narrative journalism), such as magazine articles, newspaper copy, and internet content, which uses engaging storytelling writing techniques.

Grammarly Writing Support

​If you’re looking for the best online nonfiction writing course, non fiction writing courses UK, online creative nonfiction writing courses in the US and the rest of the world to learn online either through a self-paced course or real-time classes and workshops this article aims to help.

So if you would learn more about writing nonfiction and enroll on to a creative non-fiction writing course, the list below details 12+ best nonfiction online writing courses, free and paid. 
​
​

1. The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Nonfiction (FREE) – Reedsy ​

On this 10-day free nonfiction writing course from Reedsy in the UK, which is provided by email, "publishing coach Azul Terronez goes through which common writing mistakes to avoid, which questions to ask yourself before you get started, and finally, how to stay motivated throughout the writing process".

This is an instant access course, the 10 lessons are sent to your inbox each day, and just take 5 minutes a day.

The learning outcomes of this nonfiction writing course include:
  • Knowing the vision, purpose, and positioning of your book
  • Writing hacks to get you started
  • Using Amazon reviews of similar books to enrich your own writing
  • How to organize your book to avoid writer's block
  • Apps and tips to help maintain productivity and reach your word count goals
  • The importance of hooking your readers
 
If you’re looking for nonfiction writing courses UK, check out this instant access short course for top tips and advice to write nonfiction.

View course: The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Nonfiction (FREE) – Reedsy

Related reading:
  • Check Out All Online Creative Writing Courses
  • Find Best Online Creative Writing Courses for Beginners
  • See Top Online Creative Writing Courses by Published Authors
  • See all Articles on FREE Creative Writing Courses

2. Creative Nonfiction Master Class – The Writing Salon​

This nonfiction writing class is aimed at experienced nonfiction writers who want to improve their writing skills through a workshop setting, and who would like to learn through the reading and discussion of other writers’ work.

A 9-week online course via Zoom where students will be able to "submit up to 10 pages (2,500 words, double-spaced) 3 times for intensive workshop, receiving written feedback in the form of line edits and macro-comments from instructor and classmates, as well as discussion of their piece in class".

The purpose of this creative nonfiction master class is for students to:
  • Polish and perfect their craft
  • Build analytical skills of their own and others’ work
  • Gain a writing community with connections that often continue once the course has finished
  • Leave with an improved sense of what they can achieve with their writing

Open to all types of nonfiction, including personal essay, memoir, reported nonfiction, and experimental forms like lyric and college essay, there are a set number of places, so book early to disappoint if this course is of interest to you.

View course: Creative Nonfiction Master Class – The Writing Salon
 
More nonfiction writing courses from The Writing Salon include:
  • Write from Real Life: Personal Essays & Memoirs
  • Breathing Life into Your Nonfiction Characters

3. Narrative Nonfiction Writing Course Online – City, University of London​

With set start dates, this 10 week online nonfiction writing course offers "a solid foundation in how to write and edit narrative nonfiction. The aim of this course is to encourage and inspire students in their writing".
 
This writing course can help if you would like to craft engaging, clear prose, to develop your use of vivid metaphoric language, and to structure both long and short works for any occasion effectively.

Tutored by award-winning author Peter Forbes, this short course will help you to develop your creativity, critical thinking, and editing skills. There will be the opportunity to further enhance your writing techniques and receive professional feedback on up to 5 assignments from a published writer and editor. Additionally, you will receive an insight into the publishing industry, including advice on how to write a book proposal.

If you’re looking for nonfiction writing courses UK, this could be the ideal option for you.
Check out the next course dates at the website link below.

View course: Narrative Nonfiction Writing Course Online – City, University of London

4. Creative Nonfiction – City Lit​

"Explore practical and imaginative approaches to creative non fiction, including travel writing, life writing and the essay. Analyse published work, produce your own pieces, and benefit from detailed feedback."
 
This online writing course provides information on writing in various niches within the creative nonfiction genre, and explores creative and innovative ways to approach this style of writing. Learning is carried out through weekly assignments and in-class exercises, and covers analyzing successful writers within this field, looking at travel writing, historical writing, plus more.

There is a lot of interaction, including analyzing short works in group discussion, individual short writing exercises, and formal instruction from the tutor combined with group discussion.

There are set start dates for this course. See the next enrollment details at the website link below.

View course: Creative NonFiction - City Lit
 
See more online nonfiction writing courses at City Lit

5. Nonfiction Writing Course (FREE) – The Crafty Writer​

Nonfiction is often considered not as exciting as creative writing or being a novelist, for example, but there are many ways to start a writing career due to the plethora of market opportunities when writing in the nonfiction genre.
​

This is a free online nonfiction writing course which is self-paced, accessible at any time, and comprises 8 sessions.

The modules cover:
  • A look at the nonfiction market, the opportunities, and how to get started
  • How to engage readers by using a narrative style of writing and using creative writing techniques
  • Writing for the internet: e-zines, wikis, blogging, and copyrighting
  • How to write an autobiography
  • How to break into the market of freelance travel writing
  • Documenting research, choosing an angle, and how to structure a feature article
  • How to write a proposal for publishers and editors
  • Financial and tax considerations, copyright, defamation and libel
 
If you’d like find online creative nonfiction courses free to study or if you’d like to understand more about nonfiction but you’re not sure which area you’d like to focus on, this free writing course is a great starting point to help you, as well as receiving advice on the various outlets to earn from your writing.
 
View course: Nonfiction Writing Course (FREE) – The Crafty Writer

6. Creative Nonfiction – Writers Online​

This online nonfiction writing course states: "Creative non-fiction is written using a range of literary techniques and devices that give it an artistic dimension beyond a mere recounting of facts and information. It is written with flair, to entertain as well as inform".

All the tutors are published writers who will help you to progress your writing with advice and one-to-one feedback.

The learning outcomes of this creative nonfiction course are:
  • Discover the skills and knowledge to start writing creative non-fiction, including an understanding of key titles, your audience, and how to approach your writing
  • Advice on structuring and planning your book, and also finding your voice
  • Effective descriptive techniques and how to develop characters
  • How to safely integrate real people and factual events in your text
  • Guidance on identifying a market for your book, and how to approach publishers and agents

You can enroll on to this course at any time, and you will have up to 2 years to complete the course.
 
View course: Creative Nonfiction – Writers Online

7. Creative Nonfiction 101 – Gotham Writers​

A 6-week class via Zoom or online (not real-time) where you will "gain an introduction to 6 major forms of creative nonfiction— memoir, personal essay, feature articles, profiles, reviews, and travel writing".

You’ll discover what these different forms are and receive guidance on how to create them. It’s an introduction to the nonfiction genre, and students receive feedback on the assignments and exercises submitted.

If you’d like to enroll on to one of the best online writing courses for new writers, the lessons cover:
  • An introduction to creative nonfiction
  • Characters in nonfiction
  • Being subjective
  • Sense of place
  • Personal narratives
  • The life of writer

There are many courses run throughout the year, so check the website link below for the next available start dates.


View course: Creative Nonfiction 101 – Gotham Writers
 
More Zoom and online nonfiction writing courses from Gotham Writers:
  • Nonfiction book proposal – Under the guidance of an established agent, editor, or nonfiction author you will learn everything about nonfiction book proposals, including how to write your book’s catalogue copy – a brief description of your book’s content.
  • Publishing short nonfiction – This online course focuses on how to get your magazine or newspaper article, website content, and essays published, and start a writing career from writing short nonfiction pieces.

8. Next-Level Creative Nonfiction – Writers.com​

All forms of creative nonfiction are covered in this course where you will "discover how to elevate your creative nonfiction storytelling techniques—from structure to style—in this 10-week online course with author, editor, and educator Wendy Call".

Students will study memoir, essays, travel writing, and literary journalism. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or intermediate to advanced, this online nonfiction writing course could benefit you.

The lessons cover:
  • What can I write about?
  • How can I discover what I need to know?
  • What makes a good (true) story?
  • First-person narrator
  • Character development
  • Developing your draft
  • How can I make (good) scene?
  • Self-editing techniques
  • Finalizing your draft
  • How do I find my true writer’s voice?

There are either assignments or forum discussions after each lesson.

If you’re looking for in-depth, comprehensive, and interactive classes, this 10-week nonfiction writing course could benefit you.
 
View course: Next-Level Creative Nonfiction – Writers.com

9. Writing Nonfiction 101: Fundamentals – Writer’s Digest University​

If you’re interested in pursuing writing any style of nonfiction, you want to learn compelling, entertaining, and engaging nonfiction techniques, or if you feel you could benefit from the insights and guidance of a published author, this online writing course from Writer’s Digest University could help you.

The learning outcomes of this nonfiction writing course include:
  • Applying details in your work
  • The basics of interviewing and how to conduct research
  • Tips to write in a clear and concise manner
  • The essential elements of writing nonfiction, including point of view, setting, and plot
  • Guidance on how to revise and polish your nonfiction writing

The course tutor is bestselling and prize-winning author Mark Spencer, who has written many novels, short stories, articles, and he is a professor of English and Creative Writing.

There aren’t “live” classes, but students work through the lecture material and receive feedback on written assignments from the course instructor.

View course: Writing Nonfiction 101: Fundamentals – Writer’s Digest University
 
More creative nonfiction courses from Writers Digest University:
  • Writing Nonfiction for Children
  • Writing the Nonfiction Book Proposal

10. Creative Nonfiction Boot Camp – Creative Nonfiction Foundation​

Students can enroll on the 5- or 10-week course to kick-start their creative nonfiction writing. Students are given deadlines, writing exercises, and weekly feedback.
 
If you’re looking for a course to give you the motivation to create new material, daily writing prompts to get those words flowing, and feedback from peers, this online nonfiction writing course could be the ideal option for you.
 
The weekly sessions cover:
  • Week 1: Generating ideas 
  • Week 2: Your writing life
  • Week 3: Overcoming writer’s block 
  • Week 4: Stretching your limits
  • Week 5: Review, re-mix, revise
  • Week 6: Macro-editing
  • Week 7: Micro-editing
  • Week 8: Applying feedback
  • Week 9: When is it finished?
  • Week 10: The publication process
 
The Creative Nonfiction Foundation “pursues educational and publishing initiatives in the genre of literary nonfiction. Its objectives are to provide high-quality nonfiction prose (memoir, literary journalism, personal essay)…and to broaden the genre's impact in the literary arena by providing an array of educational services and publishing activities”.
 
View course: Creative Nonfiction Boot Camp – Creative Nonfiction Foundation

11. Writing Non-Fiction: The Essential Guide – Udemy

Discover how to write and sell non-fiction for profit with this short online course that comprises 2 hours on-demand video, 9 articles and 25 downloadable resources.

"Fancy earning a second income as a freelance writer?" If you're looking for a course to show how to write topical non-fiction articles and fillers which you can then sell to magazine editors and other markets, this writing course may help you.

As detailed on Udemy's website: "During the lessons you'll learn how to find ideas for your articles, and use your knowledge and experience to tap into a wide variety of magazine markets. The course guides you through the process of planning, researching and writing an article, and explains the importance of editing and proofreading. It teaches you exactly how to submit your work to an editor, and includes examples of how to lay out your typescript, create a cover sheet and write a query letter - in fact, everything you need to start your career as a freelance writer!"

The learning outcomes include: 
  • Understand the essential elements of writing non-fiction articles
  • Know how to find topics to write about
  • Identify writing markets to which you can sell your work
  • Plan, research and write articles that will suit those markets
  • Confidently submit your work to an editor

So if your aim is to learn the essential elements of writing non-fiction and ways to identify writing opportunities and markets in which you can sell your work, this course could be a great choice for you.
 
View course: Writing Non-Fiction: The Essential Guide – Udemy

12. Nonfiction Writing Course – The Writers Bureau

There is personal tuition on this online beginner course for writing nonfiction, which “teaches you everything you need to know to get published”, from The Writers Bureau, a home study college in the UK that has been providing distance learning creative writing courses for over 30 years.
 
The course covers:
  • A first-class course on Non-Fiction Writing from professional writers.
  • Caring, constructive help from expert tutors - all published writers.
  • Help and advice when you need it from our experienced Student Advisory Team.
  • A flexible study programme to suit you with two years in which to complete your course.
  • Ten tutor-marked writing assignments.
  • Assignments where you will be writing material that can be submitted for publication.
  • Specialist advice on how to sell your writing.
  • Online access to your course as soon as you enrol.
  • 15 days to inspect your course and to make sure it's the right training for you.  
  • You can enroll at any time, so click on the website link below to request details and find out more about this course.
 
View course: Nonfiction Writing course – The Writers Bureau


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