Writing & Publishing

Click any title below to view a complete course description including a syllabus, instructor biography, prerequisites, and requirements.

Beginning Writer's Workshop
Instructor: Ann Linquist

If you've dreamed of writing creatively, this course is a great place to start. Get a taste of the writing life, improve your writing skills, and discover new ways to stretch your creative muscles. This isn't school as you know it. It’s an in-depth writing experience filled with challenging hands-on exercises, expert advice, and plenty of direct support and encouragement.

Romance Writing Secrets
Instructor: Lori Wilde

Learn how to write and sell romance novels. Facilitated by a bestselling, multi-published romance author, this course will guide you on your road to writing your first romance and getting it published. Topics to be covered include: character chemistry, the power of emotions, the art of romance, and handling love scenes. Plus, you'll get the inside scoop on what it takes to get published in today’s romance market. This step-by-step course will put you well on the road to writing for love and money.

Writing for Children
Instructor: Carol Parenzan Smalley

Join a published children's author and discover how you can touch the hearts of children by creating books for them. In this highly interactive, hands-on course, you'll take pen to paper and begin work on your first fiction or nonfiction manuscript. In the process, you'll explore the changing world of children's literature and understand the various formats--from baby's first books to novels for young adults. You'll get insights from guest authors and editors to gain a better understanding of the needs of today's market. By researching the genre and recognizing niche players, you'll open doors of opportunity, many of which you may not have previously considered. By the time you finish this course, you'll have all the tools and resources you'll need to continue to grow as a writer for children.

Mystery Writing
Instructor: Steve Alcorn

From Dan Brown to Dennis Lehane, mysteries are hot items on today's bestseller lists. Using vivid examples from bestselling mystery novels, this course will teach you the techniques you need to become a successful author. Topics include three-act structure, the difference between plot and story, theme, premise, characters and viewpoint, plus much more. Develop your original story idea and then brainstorm with the instructor and your fellow students in each lesson's discussion area.

Write Fiction Like a Pro
Instructor: Steve Alcorn

Do you have an idea for a novel or short story burning in your mind, but can't seem to get it on paper? This is a common experience for anyone who tries to write fiction using creative intuition alone. What you need is a structure to guide you. In this course, you'll develop your own original story, beginning with your passion and theme. From these you’ll discover your characters, their flaws, and the inner struggles that will bring them to life. Then, you’ll structure your story, from start to finish. Once you have mastered the techniques taught in this course, you’ll be prepared to . . . write fiction like a pro.

Advanced Fiction Writing
Instructor: Steve Alcorn

Do you have a story idea or manuscript you'd like to prepare for publication? Or are you a published author who wants to polish your writing skills? In this course, you'll explore all the topics a writer needs to create a successful manuscript, including story structure, plot, character, dialogue, setting, suspense, conflict, action, viewpoint, tense, and even how to get published.

Grammar Refresher
Instructor: Ellen Feld

Revive your lost or forgotten knowledge of English grammar and gain confidence in your ability to produce grammatically correct writing. Whether you’re a student or professional, a published or beginning writer, this course will help you navigate and master the linguistic twists and turns inherent in English grammar. Grammar is fun if you know the rules. A patient instructor will support you throughout the course, and plenty of interactive exercises will give you ample opportunity to put into practice everything you learn.

Writeriffic: Creativity Training for Writers
Instructor: Eva Shaw

Do you have a novel, essay or legacy to share in writing? Have you thought of writing, but don't know how to stay motivated? Are you stumbling with writer's block? Wonder how to capture characters and plots to make them marketable? This class will ignite your creative energies in simple, fun and easy steps. In just six weeks, you'll be a liberated, imaginative and versatile writer ready to tackle or finish that book that is inside you. The class is G-rated in content and language. In the next few weeks, you'll quickly put to use the tools published writers utilize for novels, memoirs, short stories or articles. If you've ever dreamed of hearing your writer's voice and writing what's in your heart and head, this class will make it happen.

Writeriffic 2: Advanced Creativity Training for Writers
Instructor: Eva Shaw

Increase writing confidence, beat writer’s block, manage time, negotiate writing fees, write, and live your dreams. Learn advanced methods to create and write like the professionals--whether you’re launching a career or seeking personal satisfaction through writing. In Writeriffic 2, you’ll learn to be the writer you've always wanted to be and have fun, too.

Effective Business Writing
Instructor: Ann Linquist

Do you have a nagging suspicion that a small improvement in your writing skills might also improve your career prospects? Here’s how to fill in those gaps in your business writing skills so you can reach your full potential. You may be a clerical worker, an engineer, or an executive. If you communicate with others in writing, you need this course to help you identify and eliminate problem areas. By the end of this course, you'll know the secret to developing powerful written documents-including e-mail-that immediately draw readers in and motivate them to do what you want.

Writing for ESL
Instructor: Sabri Bebawi

Would you like to learn how to write more effectively? Many ESL learners have excellent training and skills in their native languages but find their academic or career progress slowed by the challenges of writing in English. This course will take you through each step of the writing process, showing you how to generate, focus, and develop your ideas. A thorough grammar review will also help you refine and perfect your writing. By the end of this course, you will be able to produce writing that is clear, logical, cohesive, and free of grammatical and punctuation errors.

The Craft of Magazine Writing
Instructor: Eva Shaw

Ever read a nonfiction magazine article and said, I can write better than that? With this fun, interactive class you can learn the ropes from a pro and turn your dream of becoming a freelancer into a bright future as a magazine writer. It's fun, it's easy, and a great source of extra income whether you’re retired, planning for the future or staying close to the kids. If you're a determined new writer, or if you haven't written for magazines in years, this class will jump start your career. You'll learn plenty of powerful brainstorming techniques designed to practically write every article for you.

Fundamentals of Technical Writing
Instructor: Janet Underwood

Learn the skills you need to succeed in the well-paying field of technical writing. You'll discover the secrets of successful technical writers, including technical writing conventions, interviewing skills, documentation management, publishing and formatting techniques, and how to get your first job as a technical writer.

The Keys to Effective Editing
Instructor: Jacquelyn Landis

Ask any published writer and you will hear that a good editor is not just helpful, but essential. If you aspire to be an editor, this course will teach you the fundamentals of top-notch editing for both fiction and nonfiction. If you’re already working as an editor, you’ll not only brush up on your skills, but will also learn about recent advances in your chosen profession. If you’re a writer, you will learn essential self-editing tools to give your manuscripts the professional look that publishers like to see.

Business and Marketing Writing
Instructor: Lisa Adams

This fun, introductory course will teach you to write or identify copy that achieves business and marketing goals. Improve your work, your knowledge, your company's image, and your chances of getting hired, promoted or applauded! Designed for writers, marketers and anyone interested in these exciting fields.

Write Your Life Story
Instructor: Eva Shaw

It’s your story. It’s time to write it so you can tell history, share your secrets and successes, and better understand yourself. Learn what it takes to write essays, a legacy letter (sometimes called an ethical will), a memoir, an autobiography or the story of a loved one’s life in simple, easy steps that will get you ready for whatever you want to tell. It’s fun, it’s exciting and it’s your truth. The step-by-step process begins with capturing ideas and ends by providing all the tools to tell the stories in your life.

Beginner's Guide to Getting Published
Instructor: LeeAnne Krusemark

Your success in the writing game will be determined by the amount of credibility publishers attach to you and your work. This course, taught by a published author, will help you gain that credibility. You'll discover powerful shortcuts most other writers still haven't learned after many years of trying to get published. This course will help you properly format manuscripts, write irresistible query letters, and submit your work to the publishers who want it. If you really want to be a writer, this step-by-step course will give you all the tools you need to get published--again and again and again.

Travel Writing
Instructor: Eva Shaw

Sell travel writing without leaving your home town? Absolutely. That’s a secret few travel writing professionals will tell you. In this class, it’s just one of the tools to launch a successful travel writing career. Whether you’re writing nonfiction or fiction and yearning to capture the landscape and feelings that are translated into novels or for the magazine writer who longs to write on travel, this class will help you translate what is seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelled, and felt (intuitively and physically) into publishable articles, books, and novels. You'll understand the writing styles and methods needed to sell material in today's competitive market (including the how-to's of technical aspects of lead paragraphs, descriptive passages and the uses of interviews, quotes, and facts). By the end of the course, you'll have the ability to write for the travel market. So pack your sense adventure, organize your determination, and put your keyboard in a comfortable position. If you have a desire to write and a yen to travel, you're a perfect candidate to become a travel writer. Let's get going. Topics include popular styles and types of travel writing that are the friendliest to new writers. Other topics of the workshop include how to write query letters, how to produce articles, essays and books, trends in types of articles and books, grammar and writing skills refreshers, and marketing information.

A Writer's Guide to Descriptive Settings
Instructor: Lori Wilde

It is said that the best writing comes when you write what you know. And what better place to begin than your own backyard? This practical course is filled with hands-on exercises that will help you create fascinating and truly unique works of fiction or nonfiction. You'll begin by learning how to improve your powers of observation and description. Then, you'll become skilled at gathering and organizing important facts about the people, places, foods, customs, and events in your community. Next, you'll find out how to incorporate the physical, historical, spiritual, and other characteristics of your present location into your writing to give it a realistic sense of place. By the time you finish this course, you'll be well-prepared to convert your everyday observations and experiences into believable characters, memorable settings, and vivid descriptions.

Pleasures of Poetry
Instructor: Melody Gough

If you want to write poetry, this course will help you create your best possible work, whether you’re looking to be published or simply wish to craft a beautiful poem as a gift for a friend. In this course, you will discover formal elements of craft, explore poetry topics, learn how to prepare a manuscript for publication, and receive guidance in a constructive and nurturing environment.

Research Methods for Writers
Instructor: Jacquelyn Landis

Attention all writers! Learn how to efficiently and effectively conduct research for any writing project: fiction, nonfiction, business . . . even term papers and dissertations. Research has progressed far beyond a visit to the library. Today, myriad sources provide almost anything a writer might need to know on any subject. Learn how to identify and access every information source imaginable.

Introduction to Journaling
Instructor: Cheryl Simpson

This insightful course will help you discover an exciting new way to express yourself and enhance your creativity. You'll learn to use powerful journaling techniques to develop a deeper and more spiritual understanding of yourself and explore your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and values. You'll also discover how to use journaling to ease the stress of unwanted change, improve your physical and emotional health, and achieve a greater level of professional success.

Publish It Yourself: How to Start and Operate Your Own Publishing Business
Instructor: Steve Payseur

Convert manuscripts into extra income by starting your own publishing company. Avoid common pitfalls that can slow the growth of your publishing enterprise. Learn how to format your works in a way that will save you hundreds of dollars. Find out everything you need to know to profit from your own publishing company: how to plan and design a cover, select paper, register your works, choose a printer, price your products, acquire barcodes, market your books, establish distribution channels, fulfill orders, and more.

Forensic Science for Writers
Instructor: Phillip Jones

Ready to add a new level of intrigue, characters, depth, zest, and marketability to your fiction? This course will provide you with a quick education in forensic science, revealing all the secrets you'll need to know in order to write about crimes and crime-solving with knowledge and confidence. You'll get to know the key players in a criminal investigation--the first responder, the lead investigator, and the crime scene experts--just the sort of people who make great characters. You'll explore how investigators analyze physical evidence, including blood, DNA, fingerprints, hair, documents, ammunition, and corpses. And you'll discover historical highlights and common misconceptions about forensic analysis that will help you avoid introducing errors that have sabotaged other films and novels.

Introduction to Internet Writing Markets
Instructor: Linda Aksomitis

Discover the thousands of lucrative publishing opportunities that await you on the Internet if you understand Internet marketing! Want to write e-zine articles that sell? Create a blog? Put online advertising to work making money for you? In this course, you'll learn how to do all of that. You'll find out about Internet writing markets, current marketing research, Internet trends, and the future of the Web. There's a niche for every writer on the Internet, and not only will this course help you find yours, but it will also help you learn to query and submit your writing electronically, understand electronic submission guidelines and online contracts, and much more. Get ready to publish whatever you want, whenever you want, and make good money in the process!

Resume Writing Workshop
Instructor: Stephanie Donaldson

Create an effective resume, or improve the one you already have. Transform your resume into a powerful tool that will get you interviews. This workshop will lead you through a self-assessment series so you will have extensive knowledge about the product you are marketing--YOU! Learn different resume formats, how to write an employment objective, and tricks to writing persuasive cover letters. Make the most of your work experience. Know what to reveal in a resume, and what to keep to yourself. This course also covers the use of on-line resumes and Internet Resume Secrets.

Becoming a Grant Writing Consultant
Instructor: Beverly Browning

Good grant writing consultants are always in demand. Learn how you can use a basic knowledge of grant or proposal writing to become an expert in the red-hot grant consulting field. This is one field where your creative writing skills can touch thousands of people and literally make a difference in their quality of life.

Breaking Into Sitcom Writing
Instructor: Mindy Glazer

Learn from a veteran TV comedy writer how to write professional sitcom scripts and how to break into show business. Master the art of creating a well-paced, action-packed story and telling it completely in jokes. Discover the secrets to writing dialogue that sounds real, fully serves the story, and makes an audience laugh. Avoid amateur mistakes, and get to know the business behind the business of television writing.

Write and Publish Your Nonfiction Book
Instructor: Lisa Adams

One of the great things about nonfiction book writing is that you're 10 times more likely to get published than you'd be if you wrote fiction. Whether you dream of becoming a full-time author, writing books to advance your career, or penning your memoir or family history, this fun and information-packed course will teach you how to plan, research, write, edit, and publish your masterpiece. First you'll learn how to choose a topic, appraise the competition, and immerse yourself in your subject by performing research and interviews. Then you'll get into the heart of writing and editing as we explore structure, style, and strategies for getting the work done. Finally, you'll delve into the publishing industry and learn how to write winning query letters and proposals for publishers and agents or pursue a variety of nontraditional publishing options.

Other Subject Areas:
Computers | Writing/Language | Business/Careers | Grants/Nonprofits | Personal | Professional