10 Top Online Crime Writing Courses – Free and Paid

2/17/2021

Online crime writing courses to learn how to write a crime novel. Find a crime fiction course, crime writing workshop or crime writing course online for writers.

Crime fiction is one of the best-selling genres, but how do you write crime fiction? What makes a good crime story? How do you go about writing a crime thriller?

If you’ve always wanted to a write crime story and want to improve your writing skills and techniques when building suspense and writing detective fiction, here are creative writing classes specifically for this hugely popular genre.

Check out these following 10 top online crime writing courses to find crime writing courses to become a crime writer.

1. David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing

An online crime writing course on mystery and thriller writing from David Baldacci, the New York Times bestselling author of Absolute Power, Split Second, and True Blue.

Here you will learn his techniques for "crafting authentic characters, developing research-based plots, and navigating the world of publishing".

If you want to learn how to write a crime novel from an established, successful and well-known published author, this course could be the ideal option for you.

The 18 video lessons cover many aspects including finding the idea; research methods and sources; constructing chapters; pacing, tension, and suspense; creating compelling characters; crafting dialogue; navigating the publishing business; and much more.

For all levels of writers, this online course on mystery and thriller writing teaches you all about writing clues, red herrings and plot twists, and creating suspense to ensure readers keep reading and turning the pages.

View course: David Baldacci Teaches Mystery and Thriller Writing – MasterClass

Related reading:

2. Creative Writing: An Introduction to Writing Crime Fiction – University of Cambridge, UK

The aim of this online writing course is “to provide students with an overview of crime fiction from the first detective story written by Edgar Allan Poe to recent acclaimed thrillers, to introduce students to central techniques of writing crime fiction, and to encourage students to make their own experiments with the form”.

Whether you’re interested in writing crime fiction, detective stories, psychological / spy thrillers, or mystery / suspense novels, this crime fiction course could be the one for you.

There are set course start dates and study is carried out over a duration of 7 weeks of study and feedback. Students will learn:

A basic understanding of the origins/tradition of both narrative storytelling and the classic detective tale.
Characterization in crime fiction
Narrative point-of-view in crime fiction
Dialogue in crime fiction
Openings and endings in crime fiction

A Certificate of Participation is awarded to students who provide constructive contribution to the weekly discussions and exercises/assignments during the course.

View course: Creative Writing: An Introduction to Writing Crime Fiction – University of Cambridge

3. Classic Detective Fiction Course FREE – FutureLearn

On this 3-week writing course, students will “delve deep into the evolution of the crime fiction genre from the early nineteenth century to the present day with a focus on detective novels”.

If you would like to develop your skills in analyzing and contextualizing crime fiction texts from the UK, US, Australia, and further afield, this course could benefit you.

The topics covered include:

Early history of detective fiction
Sub-genres of detective fiction
Plots and narrative structures
Classic detective fiction devices

This free online crime writing course can usually be started at any time and is self-paced. If there is a specific start date, it will be detailed at the website link below.

You have access to this crime fiction course for 5 weeks with no charge. There is a fee if you would like a certificate upon completion or if you would like to have access to the course materials for longer than 5 weeks.

So if you would like to learn more about crime fiction, check out this informative and engaging crime writing course online.

View course: Classic Detective Fiction Course FREE – FutureLearn

4. Crime and Thriller Writing – City, University of London

During the 10 weekly classes of this crime writing short course, you will “gain a solid foundation in what makes a successful crime or thriller story and how to go about planning, plotting and writing one”.

The learning outcomes of this online crime writing course include:

Explain what makes a crime or thriller story work.
Craft believable characters that are engaging.
Recognize plot twists and how to utilize them to the best effect.
How to apply effective description in your writing.
Tips on building tension and pace in your writing.
How to create settings that evoke a strong sense of place.

There are set start dates for this course, and the tutor is Caroline Green who is a best-selling and award-winning author of crime fiction and YA.

View course: Crime and Thriller Writing – City, University of London

5. Writing Crime – Professional Writing Academy

If you would like to learn the craft of writing crime, improve and enhance your writing skills, and master the specific aspects of writing a compelling, page-turning story, this intermediate crime writing course could be the ideal option for you.

Enroll on to this course if you want to “explore the conventions of the genre and learn how crime fiction writers use techniques to inject suspense into their writing and will work towards producing the first chapter of a novel.”

The tutor is author Andrew Wilson, a novelist, biographer and journalist, who will show the techniques required to make your writing suspenseful, give advice on researching the crime fiction genre, and help with exploring the senses to add substance to your settings.

There are set start dates for this course.

View course: Writing Crime Fiction – Professional Writing Academy

For a full list of Crime Writing courses at Professional Writing Academy, check out all their courses under the "Fiction" section.

6. Writing Crime Fiction – Curtis Brown Creative

If you’re looking for an online crime fiction courses taught by a bestselling crime author, this online writing course could tick all the boxes for you.

This course states “Draw your readers into a web of intrigue that will keep them guessing till the final page”.

The course tutor is Vaseem Khan, a Times bestseller, who is the author of two crime series set in India, the Baby Ganesh Agency series set in modern Mumbai, and the Malabar House historical crime novels set in 1950s Bombay.

On this 6-week course, you will be guided through:

The essentials of writing crime fiction, including mastering the building blocks of a writing a page-turning crime novel, creating memorable detectives with the potential to craft a series of books, setting up red herrings, how to plot your investigation to a satisfying conclusion, and more.
Learn how to construct the "perfect murder", establishing the crime scene with both clues and false leads, and how to utilize research in key areas such as forensics to ensure your story is believable.
This online crime writing courses will help you to "plot, plan, and write a crime worth solving. Each week you’ll grow in confidence as you work towards answering that all-important question: whodunnit?"

The courses comprises teaching videos, detailed notes, resources, student forum, and weekly writing tasks and feedback. By the end of this course, the aim is for students to have written at least 3000 words and constructed the plot for their story.

View course: Writing Crime Fiction – Curtis Brown Creative

7. How to Write Crime – Writers Online

Enroll on to this course if you’ve wondered “How do you write crime fiction?” and you’re not sure where to start. Writers Online offer this online crime writing course to get you started, teaching the basics and offer advice on selling your book.

The course modules cover:
1. The crime fiction market
2. The ingredients of crime
3. How crime fiction works
4. Structuring your novel
5. Anatomy of a (crime) scene
6. The first chapter
7. Selling your book
8. Rules for crime writers

You can start the 8 modules at any time, and you complete at your own pace from anywhere with feedback and guidance from a professional writer.

You can download the free sample of module one from the website link below.
There is a discounted price for Writing Magazine subscribers.

View course: How to Write Crime – Writers Online

8. Crime Writing Diploma – New Skills Academy

For anyone wanting to know how to write a crime novel, this course on crime writing comprises 10 interactive and wide-ranging modules covering all the aspects required to excel when writing in the crime fiction genre and making an impact with readers.

This crime writing diploma course is “ideal for those with an existing interest in the crime fiction genre, as either a reader or amateur writer, looking to master the detailed and specific skills that they need to begin a rewarding and successful writing career in this thrilling field”.

There are many areas covered, including:

An Overview of the Crime Writing Genre and Well-Known Crime Authors
How to Choose Your Book’s Setting, and How to Get Your Book Off to a Great Start
Creating Thrilling Characters for Your Crime Story
The Importance of Good Dialogue and How to Write it
Using Description and Stylistic Devices, to Enrich Your Writing
Creative Writing Practice and Generating Ideas in Crime Fiction
How to Get Your Crime Novel Published

This is a self-paced course that can be accessed at any time and you will received a recognized, certified diploma.

View course: Crime Writing Diploma – New Skills Academy

9. Crime Writing – Learndirect

Learn how to write a crime novel online with Learndirect, which is ideal for writers who have little or no experience in writing in the genre of crime fiction.

This writing course “begins with an introduction to criminology and suspense writing, walks you through the techniques of building characters, plot and dialogue. There is also a forensic dimension to it with a module on crime scenes and motives, and it ends with a practical perspective on the business of getting published”.

The modules include characters, plot and dialogue; motives and crime scenes; editing and polishing your work; and getting published.

A certificate of achievement is awarded upon completion of this online writing course.

View course: Crime Writing – Learndirect

10. Getting Away with Murder: How to Write Crime Fiction – City Lit

Check out this online crime writing course, which is six sessions over six weeks and has set start dates, where "you'll learn how to plot a murder most horrid and develop your writing to create maximum suspense".

During this online crime writing course you will cover:

The conventions of murder mystery and how to break them with style
Set ups and pay offs
Creating a compelling and believable villain
Crime scene settings
How to write red herrings and plot twists
Helping your sleuth to uncover the truth

By the end of this course you should be able to plot a murder mystery using a three act structure, create characters that will intrigue and delight readers, and select and effectively describe settings appropriate to the genre.

This course is aimed at intermediate writers. There is a mixture of workshopping, group work, writing exercise, pair work, excerpt analysis and formal instruction from the tutor.

View course: How to Write Crime Fiction – City Lit

Conclusion

Learning from a professional course will advance your writing further, so taking advantage of a free writing course will enhance your motivation and confidence as well as improving your writing style and storytelling ability.

Also, there are additional benefits such as connecting with other writers and discussing ideas or asking for feedback and advice.

While you keep writing, learning, and developing, you’ll soon see how much a difference practice and utilizing the information from a writing course can make.