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About This Course

Enjoy these Benefits and Learn How to Express Your Feelings, Ideas, and Experiences to Enhance Your Creative Writing Skills!

  • Understand what is creative writing from an academic’s perspective
  • Learn how the creative writing process works
  • Learn how to effectively create characters to captivate your readers
  • Everything you need to know to create your world
  • How to draw inspiration for your creative writing
  • Effective pacing to capture your reader’s attention
  • Dialogue creation and the different types
  • How to improve productivity while enhancing your creativity
  • Learn the importance of research to create a more compelling story

Study Creative Writing Online Course and Enhance Your Creativity with this Online Writing Course

Our online creative writing class helps you express your feelings, ideas, and experiences in various ways through the written word. The writing course helps you hone your writing talents, experiment with new tactics in a variety of genres, and produce fascinating fictional stories or nonfiction writing. 

Writers have a wealth of alternatives in this digital era, and the business of publication has altered drastically in recent years. Because the digital era has made the globe a much smaller place, any fiction and nonfiction writer with a good grasp of the English language may now publish in a wide range of English-speaking nations.

This online class does not only emphasize publication but also the abilities required to elevate your writing to a new standard of skills. The storytelling is delightful, and you may satisfy your need to create by creating imaginary narratives and vibrant settings full of colour and brightness. Understanding how to create a riveting short story and generating substantial characters will help you get into your creative side.

If you choose to pursue publication, be aware that learning the art and applying it to your writing will be a long but rewarding process. Recognize this as a development time as you refine and improve the talents which provide you with a creative outlet and maybe lead to you being a published writer. Whereas the emphasis is on enjoying life, the challenges are designed to expand your creativity and writing abilities, assuring that you progress consistently.

What is the best online creative writing course?

The best creative writing online course you can study is one that helps you improve your ability to take your ideas and transcribe them into a structured story.  This course can help you achieve that and more.

How do you learn creative writing?

Creative writing is best learned by building an understanding of traditional writing methods including story structure, character writing and more.  By developing this knowledge and then using it to get out and write your own short stories you can massively improve the quality of your work.

Who would benefit from this creative writing online course?

Have you always dreamed of being able to write your first novel? Perhaps you enjoy writing for young readers creating childrens books, or you love creative nonfiction writing or essay writing? It doesn’t matter what level of writing you enjoy, this creative writing specialization course will help you learn the basics of creative writing the craft, so you can get started.

It will help you to understand the mind-set of professional writers, to enable you to test out your skills in new and interesting areas of creativity; and it will help you to escalate your own expertise with the written word taking your writing to the next level.

If you follow this course throughout and participate in all of the writing projects, you will find that your learning curve rises rapidly.

Certificate Program Fast Facts:

  1. Learn the fundamentals of creative writing

  2. Written and developed by leading creative writers

  3. Unlimited, lifetime access to online course

  4. Study at your own pace with no rigid class timetables, 24/7 from any computer or smart device

If you have any questions or concerns, view our frequently asked questions or get in touch with our team to discuss class costs and financial aid, or course details.

Creative Writing Online Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction

You will probably get 50 different answers if you ask 50 people to define creative writing. There must be a beginning point, therefore let us go through what creative writing entails.

Defining Creative Writing

Academic, standard, technical, and professional writing are all styles of creative writing that go beyond the basics. It helps the author convey their particular thoughts and ideas via their imagination and creativity.

Memoirs and Personal Essays

A memoir is a story told from the author's point of view, and it usually focuses on a significant aspect of their life. Even though memoirs are based on actual events, they are frequently seen as creative writing.

Speeches

When composing speeches, the author uses words to describe his or her thoughts. The goal is to string together beautiful sentences that culminate in a great speech.

Poetry

Poetry is written so that it generates a comprehensive creative experience in the reader's mind. The words are deliberately chosen and placed to elicit a particular response in terms of rhythm, tone, and meaning.

Songs

A song is a poetry or other words placed to music that is generally short to facilitate performance and listen.

Fiction

Fiction is a genre of literature that focuses on telling a story. It incorporates the author's creations of character and narrative. Fiction is the creation of non-factual written compositions, as opposed to nonfiction. Short tales, novels, and plays all fall under fiction.

Plays

Plays are literary works explicitly composed for the stage. A play, which includes stage directions and dialogue, enacts events via performance.

Movie and TV scripts

It is a written work turned into a script or screenplay for a TV program or film. It is also known as a teleplay if written for television.

Studying Creative Writing

Online seminars, residencies, college and university programs, and creative writing classes are available to those interested in learning more about creative writing. To be successful in this area, you do not need a formal degree.

Module 2: Plotting and Outlining

We will go through creating a creative writing project outline in this section. For many people, creating an outline is essential to gain a sense of the work that will be done. However, other people, known as "pantsers," choose not to use them at all. Both choices will be considered.

Developing an Outline

"Plotters" are writers who create an outline before beginning a project. Creating an outline may be exceedingly time-consuming in many circumstances. It aids the writer in visualizing the overall picture and how the assignment should be completed.

Pantsing

The term "pantsing" refers to the practice of writing on the fly. Writers that use this method do not plan out their stories and storylines ahead of time. Many prefer to write while allowing their creative thoughts to flow.

Plot Beat

A plot beat (also known as a tale beat) is the smallest unit of a story. Plot beats are scenes in a tale where a character's mood or interaction with another character is crucial. Because of its cause-and-effect nature, this might be an incident that alters anything in the plot.

Plot-Driven Narratives

The majority of plot-driven tales focus on the events that propel the story ahead. Characters are generally placed in circumstances where they must overcome, dodge, or flee the situation in some way during these occurrences.

Character-Driven Narratives

Character development and connections between characters are the emphases of character-driven storytelling. Instead of focusing on the repercussions of choice, this method focused on the path of that choice and how a character came to make that choice.

Module 3: Character Development

We will talk about character building and putting together a captivating cast in Module 3. Character development is commonly utilized in two distinct but connected settings when it comes to literature. To begin with, it is the process through which an author develops a character into a fully realized person who interacts with other characters and the surroundings. Throughout the novel, the character's journey of transformation is the second factor to consider.

Character Motivations

Identifying what particular characters desire and are driven by is a vital phase during the planning, outlining, drafting, or revising stages. At the very least, you should be aware of the protagonist's love interests and any other significant characters' goals and aspirations.

 Building Dynamic Character Arcs

The "arc" of a character changes throughout the tale. Within the storyline and environment, character arcs must make sense. The story should follow the character's aims. There must be a compelling rationale that fits within the story's constraints if it is not. The arc of a protagonist usually incorporates something they accomplish within the novel. They face opposition, but they conquer it. Characters are given everything or have the story "happen" appear lifeless and reactive rather than proactive.

Backstory and Personal Histories

The history of a character occurs before the narrative begins. Character backstories can assist identify reasons and provide insight into a character's future ambitions. The complete narrative, however, does not always appear on the page.

Points of View

Which point of view a writer chooses is mostly a matter of personal preference. Specific genres, age groups, and styles are more suited to one POV than another. The majority of novels on the market are written in the first person or a third-person variant. This is due to the subtle nature of the second-person narrative, which may be challenging to carry effectively. When deciding what point of view to utilize, writers should look at publication trends. Even if it is not the most popular POV, it sometimes seems perfect for the novel.

Naming Characters

The way characters are named is based on the genre and the reader's intended age group. You should choose names that fit the genre and are appropriate for the character. Some genres are more tolerant of mistakes than others. It is a fantasy trope, for example, to have complicated names alongside ones that are deemed conventional. Consider J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien, J. R.

Module 4: World-Building

Regardless of genre, world-building is crucial in creative writing. When they think about world-building, most people see a big fantasy or science fiction world filled with magic, swords, foreign nations, and other elements.

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction set on another planet needs considerably more world-building than fiction set on our planet. Everything must be considered, from magic systems to weaponry technology to ecosystems and star maps.

Speculative fiction set on another planet needs considerably more world-building than fiction set on our planet. Everything must be considered, from magic systems to weaponry technology to ecosystems and star maps. However, what about speculative fiction that adds fanciful elements or alters reality slightly? While world-building is necessary for modern literature, there comes the point where the writer cannot change anything unless they are constructing a parallel reality.

Avoiding "Info Dumps"

It is usual for the writer to include every tiny detail they come up with after putting in all the effort to create a new universe with the weather, alien animals, and different calendars. This is not an option. Unfortunately, the novel will only feature a small portion of world-building.

Showing vs Telling

The majority of writing instructions will encourage you to "show rather than tell," but they do not mention that there are times when explaining is preferable. Writers should try for a natural equilibrium between the two.

Module 5: Inspiration

We will discuss the inspiration and pick what to include in your creative writing projects in this course section.

Inspiration from Real Life

For their writing exercises, most authors hunt for inspiration. They engage in various activities, including listening to music and viewing movies and TV shows. Others acquire ideas from YouTube videos or Pinterest browsing. Others go outside or use writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing.

Incorporating Historical Elements

Some authors prefer telling stories about historical events, people, or occurrences. When writing about a particular era and including forthcoming events, it is critical to perform research to guarantee the facts are correct.

Module 6: Pacing

The pacing method during the writing process will be discussed in this subject. From the reader's perspective, the story's pace is referred to as pacing. In layman's words, the reader's perception of how swiftly or sluggish the tale progresses. Then we will discuss the author's many problems during the writing process. These difficulties can arise at any point during the creative writing process, including the beginning, middle, and finish. Authors must overcome these obstacles to generate quality work.

Defining Pacing

The speed of the narrative from the reader's perspective and how the plot unfolds through time is referred to as pacing. Pacing is affected by the scene's duration, how quickly it plays out, and how much information is delivered to the viewer. When building up the plot and outlining crucial components, most authors take their time. When the reader's attention is drawn to the speech or action, it speeds up, creating a sense of suspense.

Beginnings

It might be challenging to come up with new ideas that are worth your time, and it can leave you feeling bewildered and worried. Being overly concentrated on one concept can sometimes sap your creativity.

Middle

Because it lacks the exhilaration of the beginning and the thrill of the conclusion, the middle of a tale might drag. Between the two parts, this is often the calmer bridge.

Ending

By the time they finish a project, some authors are exhausted. Writing necessitates some form of financial support, and a lack of cash may be pretty frustrating for authors, especially when it comes to having their work published.

Types of Endings in Fiction

  • Resolved endings

  • Unresolved endings

  • Expanded endings

  • Unexpected ending

Project Length

When you begin writing, bear in mind the duration of your creative work to ensure that you are pacing effectively.

Module 7: Dialogue

The course's seventh module will focus on dialogue and how to write realistic interactions that advance your story's storyline. Dialogue also provides white space to the page, providing a respite from dense informational paragraphs for the reader. It goes more quickly than exposition, resulting in a sense of urgency.

Creating Realistic Dialogue

The dialogue must be authentic in order to create credible characters. Speaking the dialogue aloud is one of the finest techniques to produce genuine dialogue. While reciting your dialogue aloud might be a little awkward if you do not live alone, it can help you achieve a more natural flow in the story's exchanges.

Diversifying Dialogue

Accents are acceptable, but it is preferable not to type out words phonetically, as this might make it difficult for readers to grasp what is being stated. Instead of being confined to the actual substance of the discussion, communication may also be enriched by dialogue tags and descriptions of how things are conveyed.

Avoiding Info Dumps in Dialogue

Many authors strive to avoid data dumps by using conversation to convey all of the information they wish to convey to the reader. This does not exclude it from being an information dump.

Developing Characters Through Dialogue

Character development may be enhanced by how characters talk and their actions when speaking. The way a character speaks reveals a lot about who they are. This is related to broadening the conversation. Diverse characters may have different speech patterns, or a single character may speak in one style in one context and another in another.

Different Types of Dialogue

Without relying exclusively on exposition ("telling"), dialogue can assist introduce significant individuals or crucial topics. It also allows the author to demonstrate the voices of distinct characters. Remember that dialogue should not be used as a shortcut if you do not know how to add a particular piece into exposition. To recap, we will go through some of the most common conversation styles in creative writing and storytelling.

Module 8: Productivity and Creativity

The focus of this section of the course will be on productivity. As a writer, being busy as much as possible and finding fresh ways to stimulate your creativity are two of the most crucial things, you can do. It might be tough to stay productive when writing, especially if you have other tasks to attend to during the day. You will have a higher chance of overcoming any possible writer's block if you take the time to discover how to enhance productivity while also bringing more creativity to your life.

How to Increase Productivity

You will need to discover what writing style works best to boost your writing productivity. You might wish to set out a few hours each day for freewriting, or you might need to take several breaks between short bursts of writing. There are limitless alternatives, and the ideal strategy for you is the one that helps you get the most done. One of the disadvantages of adopting writing methods or books is that they are sometimes very inflexible.

There is no set standard for how to create.

Because fatigue can reduce the overall quality of your work, if you are fatigued from writing late at night, try working early in the morning or mid-day instead. You should also pick a place where you feel at ease and concentrate on your work. Consider going to the library or taking your laptop to the park if you have too many distractions at home.

Protecting Your Creativity

As a writer, it is critical to keep focused on your work, but taking breaks from your computer is also critical. This does not imply that you must entirely forget about your tale during this period.

Stay on Schedule

Dedication and solid work habits are required for good writing. While it is crucial to write when inspiration strikes, you will have writer's block if you write when you feel creative.

Freewriting

Freewriting is a method of writing in which you write for a certain length of time without halting and without care for spelling or grammatical errors. You do not have to worry about your article's content placement.

Point of View

When you have trouble writing, consider looking at your tale from a different angle. Consider how a different character could describe a scenario if they were present at the time. You may find out what you need to improve a scenario and go ahead from there by briefly altering the perspective of your narration.

Story Maps

If your tale has come to a grinding standstill, a more planned and ordered approach will help you get it flowing again. Now is the time to outline your novel if you have not before.

Character Profiles

Take some time to construct character descriptions or profiles if your novel is character-driven and you have not entirely developed those characters. Make up each of their backstories, explain their hobbies, what irritates them, and what they do for a living.

Visual Processes

If words are not working for you right now, consider switching to a more visual approach. Make a mood board, a graphic, or a mind map to accompany your tale.

Distractions

Distractions abound on the internet. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to get caught up in it when writing. Suppose you lack the resolve to refrain from updating social media or checking your email throughout the day, use a site blocker software to prevent you from visiting attractive websites. This is very useful for social networking.

Module 9: Research

Research is required in professional or academic settings, but all types of writing. Many individuals are unaware of research and sincerity in creative writing. Even if you are writing a fiction story with little resemblance to reality, some elements may require precision and depth.

General Research

Every writer has its research methods, and each genre has its own set of research needs. However, no matter what sort of material you are acquiring, there are three stages of creative writing research that you should follow.

Focused Research

You will need to do targeted research after you have decided on a topic to determine the particular subject of your article. It would help if you studied books or news archives depending on the issue for a full investigation.

Double Checking

After you have begun writing your novel, you might need some help creating authentic scenes and filling in the details that will help your story feel more realistic. Consider what clothes or technologies your characters will wear.

Verifying Facts

Even if your story is fictitious, fact-checking is an essential element of the writing process. The reader will notice when the facts don't match up or the tale makes sense. You do not want this to happen frequently since it will undermine your audience's trust in you. You can employ a professional fact-checker or do it yourself to avoid unusual or embarrassing mistakes in your tale.

Creative Nonfiction

Your facts must be correct while writing creative nonfiction. To obtain information, you will want to use neutral and credible sources.

Consistency

Many fiction authors mistake thinking that fact-checking is not as crucial since they create fiction. Even if you are writing about a fantastical universe with people that could never exist in reality, there will always be "facts" in these stories that the reader must understand.

Spelling

If you interviewed someone for nonfiction work to gather more information for your book, you need to send them a follow-up email before publication to ensure their name and all other details are correct.

Setting

Your story's setting is a strong hook that interests readers and makes them want to learn more. You will pick the period and the setting while choosing the setting.

Sensitivity Readers and Lived Experiences

When authors write outside of their own personal experiences, they engage a sensitive reader to read and evaluate their work. These readers may have personal expertise with a particular incident, ailment, or life experience that may aid the author in creating realistic characters.

Module 10: Traditional Publishing

The first step in getting your work in front of readers is to write the book. Publishing a book traditionally takes a long time. Each phase entails a time of waiting and rejection. Despite some common themes, no writer's path is the same.

The Traditional Publishing Process

Instead of self-publishing or utilizing a print-on-demand service, authors sell their work to a publishing firm under traditional publishing.

Finding an Agent

Finding an agency is the first significant step a writer must take in the industry. After you have polished and updated your book, you will need to put together a query package and study which agents may be a good fit for your project.

Submitting to Publishers

Larger publishing houses do not accept unsolicited submissions unless accompanied by an agency. Writers without agents can submit to smaller publishing houses in the same way they would query an agency. The query packages resemble the submission packages.

Acquiring Editors

Within publishing firms, editors buy works to polish them for release. To prepare a book for publication, writers usually work with a combination of their agency and editor. Editors, like agents, have wish lists. They are experts in those fields and will only purchase books they believe they can adequately represent.

Short Fiction

Other sorts of creative writing may be sold similarly. Short fiction is often submitted with a brief cover letter outlining your writing background and previous publication history.

Module 11: Self-Publishing

Self-publishing novels have become more popular as more trustworthy, and user-friendly platforms have become accessible. This is especially true of digital publishing platforms, which provide many writers with a low-cost road to publication.

The Publishing Process

If you decide that self-publishing is the best option for your book, there are a few steps you will need to take to get your work out there. You have probably already done this, but you should first develop a unique book concept and investigate it to see whether it is suitable for a full-length book.

Pros of Self-Publishing

When opting to self-publish a book, indie authors confront several hurdles. Self-publishing has benefits and drawbacks, and all writers should educate themselves on the process before getting started.

Creative Control

There will be individuals who have ideas on your content, your book's title, and even the cover of your book if you publish traditionally through a publishing firm. Before they publish your work, you must listen to their ideas and make adjustments as they think suitable.

Higher Royalties

Compared to self-published writers, royalty rates are far lower with traditional publishing. Depending on the platform you pick, you can collect up to 70% royalty rates if you self-publish.

Reduced Wait Time

If you use the traditional publishing route, it might take over a year for your book to be available to your readers after you finish it. You may get your book posted to a digital marketplace in a couple of hours if you self-publish.

Making a Name

Self-publishing is how many of today's successful authors got their start. It might be tough to gain the attention you want from the publishing business if you are a first-time writer.

Cons of Self-Publishing

While the advantages above appear worthwhile, they come at a price. Self-publishing has some disadvantages.

Visibility

Traditional publishing has some advantages, one of which is access to a larger audience. Being published by a large publishing firm has a certain level of reputation, which may help your book gain critical acclaim and become a top seller.

Cost

Traditional publishing entails the publisher covering all of your book's design, editing, and marketing expenditures. You must pay for such expenditures out of your own money if you want to self-publish.

Lack of a Support System

Traditional publishers have a complete team and plenty of resources to assist with developing and selling your book, which is the fundamental difference between them and self-publishing. Access to proofreaders, publicists, and high-quality editing services are examples of this.

Print Distribution

Traditional publishing firms generate money by printing books and selling them to large bookshops. On the other hand, self-published writers do not have access to these outlets since they have agreements with large publishing firms.

Self-Publishing Platforms

There are various high-quality self-publishing platforms available now from reputable firms. For your consideration, here are a few of our preferred platforms.

Kindle Direct Publishing

The Kindle Direct Publishing program, or KDP, allows authors to publish and sell their ebooks. Users may buy the books on Amazon and read them on Kindle devices or any other device running the Kindle app.

CreateSpace

Amazon owns CreateSpace, a print-on-demand publishing platform. This allows independent authors to print their books and sell them to consumers who prefer paper books over digital ones.

Barnes & Noble Press

Barnes & Noble's self-publishing program accounts for 3% of total ebook sales. Print-on-demand services are provided by it.

iBooks

Apple's self-publishing platform, iBooks, is the second-largest reseller of ebooks. iBooks sells ebooks in over forty countries, enabling writers to access a wider audience.

Smashwords

Smashwords is an ebook aggregator that sells self-published books on Kobo, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble. They have many formatting restrictions, but it is a breeze if you figure out how to convert your work right.

Module 12: Business and Marketing

This section of the training will focus on writing business and marketing. Indie authors increasingly rely heavily on social media to publicize and sell their books. While this may appear overwhelming, a little goes a long way in long-term involvement. To expand your following, find your readers and like-minded people.

Social Media

Any author who uses social media to promote their work makes a wise decision. Millions of people use these popular platforms every day, providing you with a vast audience of prospective readers who could be interested in your book, novella, or another creative endeavour.

Promoting Your Work

Consider what would pique your interest as a reader while advertising your book or another creative endeavour.

Avoid Direct Messages

One of the most excellent methods to cultivate a loyal following is to get to know your readers on social media and communicate with them. If you connect and contact your readers regularly, they will be more likely to read your book or short stories.

Create a Blog or Website

Using a blog or website to promote your work is an excellent method to provide your audience with additional information about you and your books. You may write blog entries with helpful hints for other authors or set up a website with character bios and descriptions.

Responding to Reviews

You may have gotten some positive feedback on your work, but you should be cautious when responding to it. It is great to thank the reader and express gratitude for their support, but you should not engage in protracted debates in public comments.

Standing Out

You may do a few things to distinguish your work from the others. Take a minute to consider what makes your work distinctive if you are creating a book or project similar to others that have been published in the past.

Publicists

Whether you are self-publishing or dealing with a traditional publishing house, hiring a literary publicist is a wise move. Traditional publishers will give marketing assistance, but this will often not be enough to provide you with the exposure you want.

Recognition & Accreditation

Upon successful completion of this online writing class and achieving a passing score for the assessment, you will be issued an international continuing education credit (CEU) certificate.

This creative writing courses online certificate is applicable worldwide, which demonstrates your commitment to learning new skills. You can share the certificate with your friends, relatives, co-workers, and potential employers. Also, include it in your resume/CV, professional social media profiles and job applications.


Further Education

Ready to further your education? CFS provides an array of certificate program courses to help you achieve your career goals. From content marketing and digital marketing to data science and financial planning; there are interior design courses and health care, even web developer courses. You’ll find everything you ever wanted to learn with CFS. 
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Units of Study

Module 1: Introduction

  • Defining Creative Writing
  • Memoirs and Personal Essays
  • Speeches
  • Poetry
  • Songs
  • Fiction
  • Plays
  • Movie and TV scripts
  • Studying Creative Writing

Module 2: Plotting and Outlining

  • Developing an Outline
  • Pantsing
  • Plot Beat
  • Plot-Driven Narratives
  • Character-Driven Narratives

Module 3: Character Development

  • Character Motivations
  •  Building Dynamic Character Arcs
  • Backstory and Personal Histories
  • Points of View
  • Naming Characters

Module 4: World-Building

  • Speculative Fiction
  • Avoiding "Info Dumps"
  • Showing vs Telling

Module 5: Inspiration

  • Inspiration from Real Life
  • Incorporating Historical Elements

Module 6: Pacing

  • Defining Pacing
  • Beginnings
  • Middle
  • Ending
  • Types of Endings in Fiction
  • Project Length

Module 7: Dialogue

  • Creating Realistic Dialogue
  • Diversifying Dialogue
  • Avoiding Info Dumps in Dialogue
  • Developing Characters Through Dialogue
  • Different Types of Dialogue

Module 8: Productivity and Creativity

  • How to Increase Productivity
  • There is no set standard for how to create.
  • Protecting Your Creativity
  • Stay on Schedule
  • Freewriting
  • Point of View
  • Story Maps
  • Character Profiles
  • Visual Processes
  • Distractions

Module 9: Research

  • General Research
  • Focused Research
  • Double Checking
  • Verifying Facts
  • Creative Nonfiction
  • Consistency
  • Spelling
  • Setting
  • Sensitivity Readers and Lived Experiences

Module 10: Traditional Publishing

  • The Traditional Publishing Process
  • Finding an Agent
  • Submitting to Publishers
  • Acquiring Editors
  • Short Fiction

Module 11: Self-Publishing

  • The Publishing Process
  • Pros of Self-Publishing
  • Creative Control
  • Higher Royalties
  • Reduced Wait Time
  • Making a Name
  • Cons of Self-Publishing
  • Visibility
  • Cost
  • Lack of a Support System
  • Print Distribution
  • Self-Publishing Platforms
  • Kindle Direct Publishing
  • CreateSpace
  • Barnes & Noble Press
  • iBooks
  • Smashwords

Module 12: Business and Marketing

  • Social Media
  • Promoting Your Work
  • Avoid Direct Messages
  • Create a Blog or Website
  • Responding to Reviews
  • Standing Out
  • Publicists
  • Advanced Reader Copies
  • Early Reviewer Platforms
Requirements

Entry requirements

Students must have basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Minimum education

Open entry. Previous schooling and academic achievements are not required for entry into this course.

Computer requirements

Students will need access to a computer and the internet.

Minimum specifications for the computer are:

Windows:

Microsoft Windows XP, or laterModern and up to date Browser (Internet Explorer 8 or later, Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

MAC/iOS

OSX/iOS 6 or laterModern and up to date Browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

All systems

Internet bandwidth of 1Mb or fasterFlash player or a browser with HTML5 video capabilities(Currently Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

Students will also need access the following applications:

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Requirements

Entry requirements:

Students must have basic literacy and numeracy skills.


Minimum education:

Open entry. Previous schooling and academic achievements are not required for entry into this course.


Device requirements:

Students will need access to a computer/any device and the internet.

FAQS

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The Personal Success Training Program
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course or bundle purchase this month. This is a limited time offer!

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anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter
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study this course, this course is open to anyone who would like to take
this course.

6.  What if English is not my first language?

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our training, you can take your time studying the material and make use
of tools such as google translate and Grammarly.

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Of course, you will need to be able to self-manage your time and be organized, but with our help, you’ll soon find yourself settling into a comfortable rhythm of study.

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Creative Writing Online Certificate Course

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Our Online Creative Writing class helps you express your feelings, ideas, and experiences in various ways through the written word. 

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Course Summary

  • Delivery: Online
  • Access: Unlimited Lifetime
  • Time: Study at your own pace
  • Duration:20 Hours
  • Assessments: Yes
  • Qualification: Certificate
About This Course

Enjoy these Benefits and Learn How to Express Your Feelings, Ideas, and Experiences to Enhance Your Creative Writing Skills!

  • Understand what is creative writing from an academic’s perspective
  • Learn how the creative writing process works
  • Learn how to effectively create characters to captivate your readers
  • Everything you need to know to create your world
  • How to draw inspiration for your creative writing
  • Effective pacing to capture your reader’s attention
  • Dialogue creation and the different types
  • How to improve productivity while enhancing your creativity
  • Learn the importance of research to create a more compelling story

Study Creative Writing Online Course and Enhance Your Creativity with this Online Writing Course

Our online creative writing class helps you express your feelings, ideas, and experiences in various ways through the written word. The writing course helps you hone your writing talents, experiment with new tactics in a variety of genres, and produce fascinating fictional stories or nonfiction writing. 

Writers have a wealth of alternatives in this digital era, and the business of publication has altered drastically in recent years. Because the digital era has made the globe a much smaller place, any fiction and nonfiction writer with a good grasp of the English language may now publish in a wide range of English-speaking nations.

This online class does not only emphasize publication but also the abilities required to elevate your writing to a new standard of skills. The storytelling is delightful, and you may satisfy your need to create by creating imaginary narratives and vibrant settings full of colour and brightness. Understanding how to create a riveting short story and generating substantial characters will help you get into your creative side.

If you choose to pursue publication, be aware that learning the art and applying it to your writing will be a long but rewarding process. Recognize this as a development time as you refine and improve the talents which provide you with a creative outlet and maybe lead to you being a published writer. Whereas the emphasis is on enjoying life, the challenges are designed to expand your creativity and writing abilities, assuring that you progress consistently.

What is the best online creative writing course?

The best creative writing online course you can study is one that helps you improve your ability to take your ideas and transcribe them into a structured story.  This course can help you achieve that and more.

How do you learn creative writing?

Creative writing is best learned by building an understanding of traditional writing methods including story structure, character writing and more.  By developing this knowledge and then using it to get out and write your own short stories you can massively improve the quality of your work.

Who would benefit from this creative writing online course?

Have you always dreamed of being able to write your first novel? Perhaps you enjoy writing for young readers creating childrens books, or you love creative nonfiction writing or essay writing? It doesn’t matter what level of writing you enjoy, this creative writing specialization course will help you learn the basics of creative writing the craft, so you can get started.

It will help you to understand the mind-set of professional writers, to enable you to test out your skills in new and interesting areas of creativity; and it will help you to escalate your own expertise with the written word taking your writing to the next level.

If you follow this course throughout and participate in all of the writing projects, you will find that your learning curve rises rapidly.

Certificate Program Fast Facts:

  1. Learn the fundamentals of creative writing

  2. Written and developed by leading creative writers

  3. Unlimited, lifetime access to online course

  4. Study at your own pace with no rigid class timetables, 24/7 from any computer or smart device

If you have any questions or concerns, view our frequently asked questions or get in touch with our team to discuss class costs and financial aid, or course details.

Creative Writing Online Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction

You will probably get 50 different answers if you ask 50 people to define creative writing. There must be a beginning point, therefore let us go through what creative writing entails.

Defining Creative Writing

Academic, standard, technical, and professional writing are all styles of creative writing that go beyond the basics. It helps the author convey their particular thoughts and ideas via their imagination and creativity.

Memoirs and Personal Essays

A memoir is a story told from the author's point of view, and it usually focuses on a significant aspect of their life. Even though memoirs are based on actual events, they are frequently seen as creative writing.

Speeches

When composing speeches, the author uses words to describe his or her thoughts. The goal is to string together beautiful sentences that culminate in a great speech.

Poetry

Poetry is written so that it generates a comprehensive creative experience in the reader's mind. The words are deliberately chosen and placed to elicit a particular response in terms of rhythm, tone, and meaning.

Songs

A song is a poetry or other words placed to music that is generally short to facilitate performance and listen.

Fiction

Fiction is a genre of literature that focuses on telling a story. It incorporates the author's creations of character and narrative. Fiction is the creation of non-factual written compositions, as opposed to nonfiction. Short tales, novels, and plays all fall under fiction.

Plays

Plays are literary works explicitly composed for the stage. A play, which includes stage directions and dialogue, enacts events via performance.

Movie and TV scripts

It is a written work turned into a script or screenplay for a TV program or film. It is also known as a teleplay if written for television.

Studying Creative Writing

Online seminars, residencies, college and university programs, and creative writing classes are available to those interested in learning more about creative writing. To be successful in this area, you do not need a formal degree.

Module 2: Plotting and Outlining

We will go through creating a creative writing project outline in this section. For many people, creating an outline is essential to gain a sense of the work that will be done. However, other people, known as "pantsers," choose not to use them at all. Both choices will be considered.

Developing an Outline

"Plotters" are writers who create an outline before beginning a project. Creating an outline may be exceedingly time-consuming in many circumstances. It aids the writer in visualizing the overall picture and how the assignment should be completed.

Pantsing

The term "pantsing" refers to the practice of writing on the fly. Writers that use this method do not plan out their stories and storylines ahead of time. Many prefer to write while allowing their creative thoughts to flow.

Plot Beat

A plot beat (also known as a tale beat) is the smallest unit of a story. Plot beats are scenes in a tale where a character's mood or interaction with another character is crucial. Because of its cause-and-effect nature, this might be an incident that alters anything in the plot.

Plot-Driven Narratives

The majority of plot-driven tales focus on the events that propel the story ahead. Characters are generally placed in circumstances where they must overcome, dodge, or flee the situation in some way during these occurrences.

Character-Driven Narratives

Character development and connections between characters are the emphases of character-driven storytelling. Instead of focusing on the repercussions of choice, this method focused on the path of that choice and how a character came to make that choice.

Module 3: Character Development

We will talk about character building and putting together a captivating cast in Module 3. Character development is commonly utilized in two distinct but connected settings when it comes to literature. To begin with, it is the process through which an author develops a character into a fully realized person who interacts with other characters and the surroundings. Throughout the novel, the character's journey of transformation is the second factor to consider.

Character Motivations

Identifying what particular characters desire and are driven by is a vital phase during the planning, outlining, drafting, or revising stages. At the very least, you should be aware of the protagonist's love interests and any other significant characters' goals and aspirations.

 Building Dynamic Character Arcs

The "arc" of a character changes throughout the tale. Within the storyline and environment, character arcs must make sense. The story should follow the character's aims. There must be a compelling rationale that fits within the story's constraints if it is not. The arc of a protagonist usually incorporates something they accomplish within the novel. They face opposition, but they conquer it. Characters are given everything or have the story "happen" appear lifeless and reactive rather than proactive.

Backstory and Personal Histories

The history of a character occurs before the narrative begins. Character backstories can assist identify reasons and provide insight into a character's future ambitions. The complete narrative, however, does not always appear on the page.

Points of View

Which point of view a writer chooses is mostly a matter of personal preference. Specific genres, age groups, and styles are more suited to one POV than another. The majority of novels on the market are written in the first person or a third-person variant. This is due to the subtle nature of the second-person narrative, which may be challenging to carry effectively. When deciding what point of view to utilize, writers should look at publication trends. Even if it is not the most popular POV, it sometimes seems perfect for the novel.

Naming Characters

The way characters are named is based on the genre and the reader's intended age group. You should choose names that fit the genre and are appropriate for the character. Some genres are more tolerant of mistakes than others. It is a fantasy trope, for example, to have complicated names alongside ones that are deemed conventional. Consider J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Tolkien, J. R.

Module 4: World-Building

Regardless of genre, world-building is crucial in creative writing. When they think about world-building, most people see a big fantasy or science fiction world filled with magic, swords, foreign nations, and other elements.

Speculative Fiction

Speculative fiction set on another planet needs considerably more world-building than fiction set on our planet. Everything must be considered, from magic systems to weaponry technology to ecosystems and star maps.

Speculative fiction set on another planet needs considerably more world-building than fiction set on our planet. Everything must be considered, from magic systems to weaponry technology to ecosystems and star maps. However, what about speculative fiction that adds fanciful elements or alters reality slightly? While world-building is necessary for modern literature, there comes the point where the writer cannot change anything unless they are constructing a parallel reality.

Avoiding "Info Dumps"

It is usual for the writer to include every tiny detail they come up with after putting in all the effort to create a new universe with the weather, alien animals, and different calendars. This is not an option. Unfortunately, the novel will only feature a small portion of world-building.

Showing vs Telling

The majority of writing instructions will encourage you to "show rather than tell," but they do not mention that there are times when explaining is preferable. Writers should try for a natural equilibrium between the two.

Module 5: Inspiration

We will discuss the inspiration and pick what to include in your creative writing projects in this course section.

Inspiration from Real Life

For their writing exercises, most authors hunt for inspiration. They engage in various activities, including listening to music and viewing movies and TV shows. Others acquire ideas from YouTube videos or Pinterest browsing. Others go outside or use writing prompts to get their creative juices flowing.

Incorporating Historical Elements

Some authors prefer telling stories about historical events, people, or occurrences. When writing about a particular era and including forthcoming events, it is critical to perform research to guarantee the facts are correct.

Module 6: Pacing

The pacing method during the writing process will be discussed in this subject. From the reader's perspective, the story's pace is referred to as pacing. In layman's words, the reader's perception of how swiftly or sluggish the tale progresses. Then we will discuss the author's many problems during the writing process. These difficulties can arise at any point during the creative writing process, including the beginning, middle, and finish. Authors must overcome these obstacles to generate quality work.

Defining Pacing

The speed of the narrative from the reader's perspective and how the plot unfolds through time is referred to as pacing. Pacing is affected by the scene's duration, how quickly it plays out, and how much information is delivered to the viewer. When building up the plot and outlining crucial components, most authors take their time. When the reader's attention is drawn to the speech or action, it speeds up, creating a sense of suspense.

Beginnings

It might be challenging to come up with new ideas that are worth your time, and it can leave you feeling bewildered and worried. Being overly concentrated on one concept can sometimes sap your creativity.

Middle

Because it lacks the exhilaration of the beginning and the thrill of the conclusion, the middle of a tale might drag. Between the two parts, this is often the calmer bridge.

Ending

By the time they finish a project, some authors are exhausted. Writing necessitates some form of financial support, and a lack of cash may be pretty frustrating for authors, especially when it comes to having their work published.

Types of Endings in Fiction

  • Resolved endings

  • Unresolved endings

  • Expanded endings

  • Unexpected ending

Project Length

When you begin writing, bear in mind the duration of your creative work to ensure that you are pacing effectively.

Module 7: Dialogue

The course's seventh module will focus on dialogue and how to write realistic interactions that advance your story's storyline. Dialogue also provides white space to the page, providing a respite from dense informational paragraphs for the reader. It goes more quickly than exposition, resulting in a sense of urgency.

Creating Realistic Dialogue

The dialogue must be authentic in order to create credible characters. Speaking the dialogue aloud is one of the finest techniques to produce genuine dialogue. While reciting your dialogue aloud might be a little awkward if you do not live alone, it can help you achieve a more natural flow in the story's exchanges.

Diversifying Dialogue

Accents are acceptable, but it is preferable not to type out words phonetically, as this might make it difficult for readers to grasp what is being stated. Instead of being confined to the actual substance of the discussion, communication may also be enriched by dialogue tags and descriptions of how things are conveyed.

Avoiding Info Dumps in Dialogue

Many authors strive to avoid data dumps by using conversation to convey all of the information they wish to convey to the reader. This does not exclude it from being an information dump.

Developing Characters Through Dialogue

Character development may be enhanced by how characters talk and their actions when speaking. The way a character speaks reveals a lot about who they are. This is related to broadening the conversation. Diverse characters may have different speech patterns, or a single character may speak in one style in one context and another in another.

Different Types of Dialogue

Without relying exclusively on exposition ("telling"), dialogue can assist introduce significant individuals or crucial topics. It also allows the author to demonstrate the voices of distinct characters. Remember that dialogue should not be used as a shortcut if you do not know how to add a particular piece into exposition. To recap, we will go through some of the most common conversation styles in creative writing and storytelling.

Module 8: Productivity and Creativity

The focus of this section of the course will be on productivity. As a writer, being busy as much as possible and finding fresh ways to stimulate your creativity are two of the most crucial things, you can do. It might be tough to stay productive when writing, especially if you have other tasks to attend to during the day. You will have a higher chance of overcoming any possible writer's block if you take the time to discover how to enhance productivity while also bringing more creativity to your life.

How to Increase Productivity

You will need to discover what writing style works best to boost your writing productivity. You might wish to set out a few hours each day for freewriting, or you might need to take several breaks between short bursts of writing. There are limitless alternatives, and the ideal strategy for you is the one that helps you get the most done. One of the disadvantages of adopting writing methods or books is that they are sometimes very inflexible.

There is no set standard for how to create.

Because fatigue can reduce the overall quality of your work, if you are fatigued from writing late at night, try working early in the morning or mid-day instead. You should also pick a place where you feel at ease and concentrate on your work. Consider going to the library or taking your laptop to the park if you have too many distractions at home.

Protecting Your Creativity

As a writer, it is critical to keep focused on your work, but taking breaks from your computer is also critical. This does not imply that you must entirely forget about your tale during this period.

Stay on Schedule

Dedication and solid work habits are required for good writing. While it is crucial to write when inspiration strikes, you will have writer's block if you write when you feel creative.

Freewriting

Freewriting is a method of writing in which you write for a certain length of time without halting and without care for spelling or grammatical errors. You do not have to worry about your article's content placement.

Point of View

When you have trouble writing, consider looking at your tale from a different angle. Consider how a different character could describe a scenario if they were present at the time. You may find out what you need to improve a scenario and go ahead from there by briefly altering the perspective of your narration.

Story Maps

If your tale has come to a grinding standstill, a more planned and ordered approach will help you get it flowing again. Now is the time to outline your novel if you have not before.

Character Profiles

Take some time to construct character descriptions or profiles if your novel is character-driven and you have not entirely developed those characters. Make up each of their backstories, explain their hobbies, what irritates them, and what they do for a living.

Visual Processes

If words are not working for you right now, consider switching to a more visual approach. Make a mood board, a graphic, or a mind map to accompany your tale.

Distractions

Distractions abound on the internet. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to get caught up in it when writing. Suppose you lack the resolve to refrain from updating social media or checking your email throughout the day, use a site blocker software to prevent you from visiting attractive websites. This is very useful for social networking.

Module 9: Research

Research is required in professional or academic settings, but all types of writing. Many individuals are unaware of research and sincerity in creative writing. Even if you are writing a fiction story with little resemblance to reality, some elements may require precision and depth.

General Research

Every writer has its research methods, and each genre has its own set of research needs. However, no matter what sort of material you are acquiring, there are three stages of creative writing research that you should follow.

Focused Research

You will need to do targeted research after you have decided on a topic to determine the particular subject of your article. It would help if you studied books or news archives depending on the issue for a full investigation.

Double Checking

After you have begun writing your novel, you might need some help creating authentic scenes and filling in the details that will help your story feel more realistic. Consider what clothes or technologies your characters will wear.

Verifying Facts

Even if your story is fictitious, fact-checking is an essential element of the writing process. The reader will notice when the facts don't match up or the tale makes sense. You do not want this to happen frequently since it will undermine your audience's trust in you. You can employ a professional fact-checker or do it yourself to avoid unusual or embarrassing mistakes in your tale.

Creative Nonfiction

Your facts must be correct while writing creative nonfiction. To obtain information, you will want to use neutral and credible sources.

Consistency

Many fiction authors mistake thinking that fact-checking is not as crucial since they create fiction. Even if you are writing about a fantastical universe with people that could never exist in reality, there will always be "facts" in these stories that the reader must understand.

Spelling

If you interviewed someone for nonfiction work to gather more information for your book, you need to send them a follow-up email before publication to ensure their name and all other details are correct.

Setting

Your story's setting is a strong hook that interests readers and makes them want to learn more. You will pick the period and the setting while choosing the setting.

Sensitivity Readers and Lived Experiences

When authors write outside of their own personal experiences, they engage a sensitive reader to read and evaluate their work. These readers may have personal expertise with a particular incident, ailment, or life experience that may aid the author in creating realistic characters.

Module 10: Traditional Publishing

The first step in getting your work in front of readers is to write the book. Publishing a book traditionally takes a long time. Each phase entails a time of waiting and rejection. Despite some common themes, no writer's path is the same.

The Traditional Publishing Process

Instead of self-publishing or utilizing a print-on-demand service, authors sell their work to a publishing firm under traditional publishing.

Finding an Agent

Finding an agency is the first significant step a writer must take in the industry. After you have polished and updated your book, you will need to put together a query package and study which agents may be a good fit for your project.

Submitting to Publishers

Larger publishing houses do not accept unsolicited submissions unless accompanied by an agency. Writers without agents can submit to smaller publishing houses in the same way they would query an agency. The query packages resemble the submission packages.

Acquiring Editors

Within publishing firms, editors buy works to polish them for release. To prepare a book for publication, writers usually work with a combination of their agency and editor. Editors, like agents, have wish lists. They are experts in those fields and will only purchase books they believe they can adequately represent.

Short Fiction

Other sorts of creative writing may be sold similarly. Short fiction is often submitted with a brief cover letter outlining your writing background and previous publication history.

Module 11: Self-Publishing

Self-publishing novels have become more popular as more trustworthy, and user-friendly platforms have become accessible. This is especially true of digital publishing platforms, which provide many writers with a low-cost road to publication.

The Publishing Process

If you decide that self-publishing is the best option for your book, there are a few steps you will need to take to get your work out there. You have probably already done this, but you should first develop a unique book concept and investigate it to see whether it is suitable for a full-length book.

Pros of Self-Publishing

When opting to self-publish a book, indie authors confront several hurdles. Self-publishing has benefits and drawbacks, and all writers should educate themselves on the process before getting started.

Creative Control

There will be individuals who have ideas on your content, your book's title, and even the cover of your book if you publish traditionally through a publishing firm. Before they publish your work, you must listen to their ideas and make adjustments as they think suitable.

Higher Royalties

Compared to self-published writers, royalty rates are far lower with traditional publishing. Depending on the platform you pick, you can collect up to 70% royalty rates if you self-publish.

Reduced Wait Time

If you use the traditional publishing route, it might take over a year for your book to be available to your readers after you finish it. You may get your book posted to a digital marketplace in a couple of hours if you self-publish.

Making a Name

Self-publishing is how many of today's successful authors got their start. It might be tough to gain the attention you want from the publishing business if you are a first-time writer.

Cons of Self-Publishing

While the advantages above appear worthwhile, they come at a price. Self-publishing has some disadvantages.

Visibility

Traditional publishing has some advantages, one of which is access to a larger audience. Being published by a large publishing firm has a certain level of reputation, which may help your book gain critical acclaim and become a top seller.

Cost

Traditional publishing entails the publisher covering all of your book's design, editing, and marketing expenditures. You must pay for such expenditures out of your own money if you want to self-publish.

Lack of a Support System

Traditional publishers have a complete team and plenty of resources to assist with developing and selling your book, which is the fundamental difference between them and self-publishing. Access to proofreaders, publicists, and high-quality editing services are examples of this.

Print Distribution

Traditional publishing firms generate money by printing books and selling them to large bookshops. On the other hand, self-published writers do not have access to these outlets since they have agreements with large publishing firms.

Self-Publishing Platforms

There are various high-quality self-publishing platforms available now from reputable firms. For your consideration, here are a few of our preferred platforms.

Kindle Direct Publishing

The Kindle Direct Publishing program, or KDP, allows authors to publish and sell their ebooks. Users may buy the books on Amazon and read them on Kindle devices or any other device running the Kindle app.

CreateSpace

Amazon owns CreateSpace, a print-on-demand publishing platform. This allows independent authors to print their books and sell them to consumers who prefer paper books over digital ones.

Barnes & Noble Press

Barnes & Noble's self-publishing program accounts for 3% of total ebook sales. Print-on-demand services are provided by it.

iBooks

Apple's self-publishing platform, iBooks, is the second-largest reseller of ebooks. iBooks sells ebooks in over forty countries, enabling writers to access a wider audience.

Smashwords

Smashwords is an ebook aggregator that sells self-published books on Kobo, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble. They have many formatting restrictions, but it is a breeze if you figure out how to convert your work right.

Module 12: Business and Marketing

This section of the training will focus on writing business and marketing. Indie authors increasingly rely heavily on social media to publicize and sell their books. While this may appear overwhelming, a little goes a long way in long-term involvement. To expand your following, find your readers and like-minded people.

Social Media

Any author who uses social media to promote their work makes a wise decision. Millions of people use these popular platforms every day, providing you with a vast audience of prospective readers who could be interested in your book, novella, or another creative endeavour.

Promoting Your Work

Consider what would pique your interest as a reader while advertising your book or another creative endeavour.

Avoid Direct Messages

One of the most excellent methods to cultivate a loyal following is to get to know your readers on social media and communicate with them. If you connect and contact your readers regularly, they will be more likely to read your book or short stories.

Create a Blog or Website

Using a blog or website to promote your work is an excellent method to provide your audience with additional information about you and your books. You may write blog entries with helpful hints for other authors or set up a website with character bios and descriptions.

Responding to Reviews

You may have gotten some positive feedback on your work, but you should be cautious when responding to it. It is great to thank the reader and express gratitude for their support, but you should not engage in protracted debates in public comments.

Standing Out

You may do a few things to distinguish your work from the others. Take a minute to consider what makes your work distinctive if you are creating a book or project similar to others that have been published in the past.

Publicists

Whether you are self-publishing or dealing with a traditional publishing house, hiring a literary publicist is a wise move. Traditional publishers will give marketing assistance, but this will often not be enough to provide you with the exposure you want.

Recognition & Accreditation

Upon successful completion of this online writing class and achieving a passing score for the assessment, you will be issued an international continuing education credit (CEU) certificate.

This creative writing courses online certificate is applicable worldwide, which demonstrates your commitment to learning new skills. You can share the certificate with your friends, relatives, co-workers, and potential employers. Also, include it in your resume/CV, professional social media profiles and job applications.


Further Education

Ready to further your education? CFS provides an array of certificate program courses to help you achieve your career goals. From content marketing and digital marketing to data science and financial planning; there are interior design courses and health care, even web developer courses. You’ll find everything you ever wanted to learn with CFS. 
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Units of Study

Module 1: Introduction

  • Defining Creative Writing
  • Memoirs and Personal Essays
  • Speeches
  • Poetry
  • Songs
  • Fiction
  • Plays
  • Movie and TV scripts
  • Studying Creative Writing

Module 2: Plotting and Outlining

  • Developing an Outline
  • Pantsing
  • Plot Beat
  • Plot-Driven Narratives
  • Character-Driven Narratives

Module 3: Character Development

  • Character Motivations
  •  Building Dynamic Character Arcs
  • Backstory and Personal Histories
  • Points of View
  • Naming Characters

Module 4: World-Building

  • Speculative Fiction
  • Avoiding "Info Dumps"
  • Showing vs Telling

Module 5: Inspiration

  • Inspiration from Real Life
  • Incorporating Historical Elements

Module 6: Pacing

  • Defining Pacing
  • Beginnings
  • Middle
  • Ending
  • Types of Endings in Fiction
  • Project Length

Module 7: Dialogue

  • Creating Realistic Dialogue
  • Diversifying Dialogue
  • Avoiding Info Dumps in Dialogue
  • Developing Characters Through Dialogue
  • Different Types of Dialogue

Module 8: Productivity and Creativity

  • How to Increase Productivity
  • There is no set standard for how to create.
  • Protecting Your Creativity
  • Stay on Schedule
  • Freewriting
  • Point of View
  • Story Maps
  • Character Profiles
  • Visual Processes
  • Distractions

Module 9: Research

  • General Research
  • Focused Research
  • Double Checking
  • Verifying Facts
  • Creative Nonfiction
  • Consistency
  • Spelling
  • Setting
  • Sensitivity Readers and Lived Experiences

Module 10: Traditional Publishing

  • The Traditional Publishing Process
  • Finding an Agent
  • Submitting to Publishers
  • Acquiring Editors
  • Short Fiction

Module 11: Self-Publishing

  • The Publishing Process
  • Pros of Self-Publishing
  • Creative Control
  • Higher Royalties
  • Reduced Wait Time
  • Making a Name
  • Cons of Self-Publishing
  • Visibility
  • Cost
  • Lack of a Support System
  • Print Distribution
  • Self-Publishing Platforms
  • Kindle Direct Publishing
  • CreateSpace
  • Barnes & Noble Press
  • iBooks
  • Smashwords

Module 12: Business and Marketing

  • Social Media
  • Promoting Your Work
  • Avoid Direct Messages
  • Create a Blog or Website
  • Responding to Reviews
  • Standing Out
  • Publicists
  • Advanced Reader Copies
  • Early Reviewer Platforms
Requirements

Entry requirements

Students must have basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Minimum education

Open entry. Previous schooling and academic achievements are not required for entry into this course.

Computer requirements

Students will need access to a computer and the internet.

Minimum specifications for the computer are:

Windows:

Microsoft Windows XP, or laterModern and up to date Browser (Internet Explorer 8 or later, Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

MAC/iOS

OSX/iOS 6 or laterModern and up to date Browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

All systems

Internet bandwidth of 1Mb or fasterFlash player or a browser with HTML5 video capabilities(Currently Internet Explorer 9, Firefox, Chrome, Safari)

Students will also need access the following applications:

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Requirements

Entry requirements:

Students must have basic literacy and numeracy skills.


Minimum education:

Open entry. Previous schooling and academic achievements are not required for entry into this course.


Device requirements:

Students will need access to a computer/any device and the internet.

FAQS

1.  Who are Courses For Success?

Courses For Success is a course platform that started in 2008
with 5 courses, since then we have grown to over 10,000 online courses.

Our courses span across the following categories:

•Animal    

•Beauty    

•Business    

•Health & Fitness     

•Finance

•Lifestyle    

•IT & Software    

•Personal Development

•Teaching & Academics

2.  Is there a refund/cancellation policy?

Yes, we have a 7-day money-back refund guarantee. Just send us an email to info@coursesforsuccess.com with the subject Courses For Success Refund so we can accommodate your request.

3.  What is the FREE Personal Success Training Program?

The Personal Success Training Program
was developed by Courses For Success to help our customers achieve
success. Currently, we are offering this program for FREE with every
course or bundle purchase this month. This is a limited time offer!

4.  Are there any requirements to study this course?

No,
anyone who has an interest in learning more about this subject matter
is encouraged to take our course. There are no entry requirements to
take this course.

5.  Do I require to have finished high school to complete this course?

No,
you do not require a High School Diploma or to have finished school to
study this course, this course is open to anyone who would like to take
this course.

6.  What if English is not my first language?

This
course is provided in English, however, due to the digital nature of
our training, you can take your time studying the material and make use
of tools such as google translate and Grammarly.

7.  Is this course online or conducted in person?

All our courses are accessible online on any device. You may complete them at your own pace and at your own time.

8.  How do I receive my course?

After
you have completed the payment, you will receive a confirmation email
and tax receipt. You will also receive an email containing your course
login details (username and password), as well as instructions on how to
access and log in to your course via the internet with any device,
please check your junk/spam folder in the event that you do not receive
the email.

9.  When does this course start?

Providing
you have internet access you can start this course whenever you like,
just go to the login page and insert your username and password and you
can access the online material.

10.  What is online learning like?

Online learning is easy, if not easier than a traditional academic situation.
By studying an online course, the usual boundaries caused by location and time constraints are eliminated, meaning you are free to study where and when you want at your own pace.

Of course, you will need to be able to self-manage your time and be organized, but with our help, you’ll soon find yourself settling into a comfortable rhythm of study.

11.  What computer skills do I need for my course?

You
don't need to be a computer expert to succeed with our online training,
but you should be comfortable typing, using the internet and be capable
of using common software (such as Microsoft word).

12.  How long will you have access to the online course?

The majority of our courses have unlimited lifetime access, meaning you can access this course whenever you want.

Please also check the course summary, as a small selection of courses have limited access.

13.  How long will my course take?

Course duration, is listed under Course Summary

14.  Do I need to buy textbooks?

All the required material for your course is included in the online system, you do not need to buy anything else.

15.  Is the course interactive?

Yes, all our courses are interactive.

16.  Is there an assessment or exam?

Yes,
you will be required to complete a multiple-choice test online at the
end of your course, you can do this test as many times as you require.

17.  What type of certificate will I receive?

You
will receive a Certificate of Completion that is applicable worldwide,
which demonstrates your commitment to learning new skills. You can share
the certificate with your friends, relatives, co-workers and employers.
Also, include it in your resume/CV, professional social media profiles
and job applications.

Wendy Sue Hunt - 5 STAR REVIEW
"If you are considering taking any “Courses for Success”, I would highly recommend it. I have always been a firm believer it’s important to always sharpen your skills. You are never too old to learn more. I found the courses very helpful, interesting and easy to understand.
The term “Courses for Success” helped me in my current position to succeed. After completing the courses, I gave my manager the completion certificates. Recently I received a promotion too."

Valencia Marie Aviles - 5 STAR REVIEW
"I
had a very good experience with my course. It has helped me to get
multiple jobs and prepared me for almost everything I would need to
know. The course was very informative and easy to understand and broken
up perfectly to be done in a short amount of time while still learning a
good amount! I would recommend Courses for Success to anyone trying to
get abs certifications for job advancements, it is well worth it!"

ELENA GRIFFIN - 5 STAR REVIEW
"I have absolutely enjoyed the materials from Courses for Success. The materials are easy to understand which makes learning enjoyable. Courses for Success have great topics of interest which make you come back for
more.
Thank you Courses for Success for being part of my learning journey and making education affordable!"

Our
completion certificates are very valuable and will help you progress in
your work environment and show employers how committed you are to learn
new skills, you might even get a promotion.

18.  Will this course be credited by universities?

No, it is not equivalent to a college or university credit.

19.  Am I guaranteed to get a job with this certificate?

This course will give you the skills you need to help you obtain employment, but it’s up to you if you get the job or not.

20.  How will this course assist me with my career?

Studying
and completing this course will show employers that you have the
knowledge in this field, additionally you will gain more confidence in
this area of expertise.

21.  How long is the certificate valid for?

The Certificates are valid for life and do not need renewing. 

22.  Can I take more than one course at a time?

Courses
are studied online at your own pace and you are free to study as many
or as few courses as you wish, we also offer online course bundles that
allow you to save on additional courses so that you may get all the
topics related to your training goals in one go.

23.  What are the Payment Methods available? Is there a payment plan?

We accept payments via PayPal, Credit Card and Bank Transfer.

Payment Plans: We have partnered with Partial.ly, to offer our own in house payment plan. Everyone is Pre-Approved, providing the initial deposit is paid in full.

To pay via bank transfer contact us info@coursesforsuccess.com

24.  Can I purchase for multiple people?

Yes, you can do this by purchasing individually via website or send us a request via email at info@coursesforsuccess.com

25.  Can I request for an invoice before purchase?

Yes, you can request for an invoice via email at info@coursesforsuccess.com

26.  Purchase for a gift?

Yes, you can purchase this course as a gift, simply send an email to info@coursesforsuccess.com, with the course details and we can accommodate this.

27.  Can I create my own course bundle?

Yes,
you can customize your own bundle. Please send us the complete list
with the exact course link of the courses you'd like to bundle up via
email info@coursesforsuccess.com and we will create them for you. *Each course access, time of completion and certification varies depending on the course type.

28.  How will I contact Courses For Success if I have any questions?

You can contact our support team, at any time through live chat on our website, or email at info@coursesforsuccess.com, or by calling one of our phone numbers depending on which country you are in.  

Free Personal Success Training Course

The Personal Success Training Program Helps You Stay Focused To Achieve Your Goals!

This month, we are providing it for Free with all Course Purchases, as a special offer!

Benefits:

• How to layout a Success Plan.

• Get where you want to be in life.

• How to unclutter your mind to succeed.

• Achieve your dreams using your imagination.

• How to have faith in yourself.

Features:

• Life time access

• Complement your individual course purchase.

• Click here Personal Success Training Program to see thousands of positive reviews,

Hurry - offer - ends this month!

Course Bundles

Looking for specific training for yourself or employees. Choose from our Course Bundles below or build you own Bundle, by adding more courses to your cart. Choose different courses or the same course for multiple staff members and receive volume discounts at checkout.

Course Bundles