Do you want to become a better writer? Try an online course.
Just as there are many forms and styles of writing, there are also many courses on different aspects of language and writing: fiction for adults and children, writing for the internet, script making for films, academic writing plus more.
Find Courses on Class Central
Most courses distributed by the popular MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) providers are in English, which is the most widely used language on the internet. You can improve your writing by learning and practice. If you are not a native English speaker, you may like to try courses on grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation. The Class Central search engine lists more than 40 courses on ESL (English as a Second Language) and a list of well over 300 courses appears if you type English into the search box.
I have completed twelve online courses on various aspects of writing. These are not necessarily the best courses for you. They are just some that I have chosen either for my own interest or as potential recommendations. They are arranged in chronological order of when I took them.
12 Online Courses to Help You Become a Better Writer
Writing for the Web: This short four-week course produced by Open2Study explains differences between writing for online readers and writing for print. It discusses characteristics of effective writing and touches on search engine optimization. It was my first writing course, and as a native English speaker, I found it quick and easy. It gave me some ideas which I eventually used while setting up this website.
Start Writing Fiction: Created by The Open University and available through FutureLearn, this eight-week course focusses on developing characters and, to a lesser degree, plots. There are two or three opportunities to have your writing projects assessed by your peers. As you may expect from a globally-available writing course, the peer assessments can range in quality but it is also interesting to read work written by other students.
Explore Filmmaking: Another FutureLearn course, this six-week one was created by the National Film and Television School. As well as writing plot and theme, students learn about budget issues, where to film, lighting, editing, and creating a soundtrack.
Crafting an Effective Writer: Tools of the Trade (Fundamental English Writing): Mt. San Jacinto College partnered with Coursera for this course, which is no longer available. In five units, it covered basic grammar, punctuation and sentence structure for inexperienced writers.
English Composition I: Duke University produced this ten-week Coursera course. Unlike some others, this one is aimed at post-secondary students who already have a good grasp of English. Learn how to analyse written and visual texts, write effective arguments, cite sources accurately, and write effective prose.
Powerful Tools for Teaching and Learning: Digital Storytelling: The University of Houston System made this interesting five-week course available through Coursera. I completed it in 2015 when it was completely free. Sadly, these days, while the videos and resources are still available for free, if you want to submit any assignments for peer assessment and earn a certificate, you will need to pay for the course. As well as creating a storyboard and writing the script, you will learn about copyright issues and how to access free and paid music, images and sound effects. Although the course is primarily for teachers, anyone can do it. The hands-on aspect of creating my own short video using free WeVideo software made this a memorable experience.
Grammar and Punctuation: Coursera and the University of California, Irvine produced this four-week course. It is the first course in the Academic English: Writing Specialization and introduces students to basic grammar and punctuation including verb tenses, compound and complex sentences and using commas. Practice quizzes are available as part of the free content, but the three graded quizzes are behind the paywall.
Writing Applications: FutureLearn teams with The University of Sheffield to help job seekers write and proofread job applications. Although the emphasis is more on how to recognise and describe your strengths to potential employers, the importance and procedure of producing well-written, error-free resumes and cover letters are explained in this three-week course.
Introduction to Research for Essay Writing: Course four in the Academic English: Writing Specialization is again brought to you by Coursera and the University of California, Irvine. Although this four-week course emphasises how to find and record accurate and reliable material for a research paper, students also learn some academic writing techniques. Learn how to avoid plagiarism and create your bibliography in several correct styles.
Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest: The Commonwealth Education Trust released this five-week course through Coursera. I started with no particular interest in writing for children, but after completing the course, my brain was exploding with ideas. Find my comprehensive review here.
A Beginner’s Guide to Writing in English for University Study and An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study: Made by the University of Reading and distributed by FutureLearn, these two five-week courses have been available twice before and may be released again later this year. They are designed primarily for students who are not native English speakers but who need to write in academic-style English. The beginner’s course includes many clear explanations of aspects of written English as well as some exercises, free quizzes and downloadable guides to various topics, while the intermediate course discusses research, building a bibliography or reference list, and writing and arranging the paragraphs into a cohesive whole. The two courses are part of FutureLearn’s Writing in English for University Study Program, which also includes the opportunity to pay University of Reading tutorial staff to assess your own 600-word essay.
A Final Thought
The courses mentioned here are a small sample of the many available about English and writing. As always, if you start a course and find it doesn’t suit you, leave it and try another. Enroll for free or take advantage of limited-time money back guarantees offered by the major course providers.
By Pat Bowden, published April 3, 2018.
