Online Class: Creative Writing Workshop

Uncover the enchantment of creative writing where words craft images and emotions, transporting readers into the depths of imagination. Embrace the beauty and complexity of different writing forms, from poetry to screenwriting, while enhancing your skills through immersive techniques and creative prompts.

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$120.00 (with CEU Certificate)
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  • 13
    Lessons
  • 29
    Exams &
    Assignments
  • 95
    Students
    have taken this course
  • 14
    Hours
    average time
  • 1.4
    CEUs
 
 
 

Course Description

Awaken the Wordsmith Within: Dive Deep into the World of Creative Writing

Have you ever been captivated by the enchanting rhythm of a poem or lost yourself in a world depicted in a novel? Ever felt the chills from a particularly compelling scene in a movie and wondered if you could pen something just as impactful? Or maybe, you've stumbled upon a piece of writing and thought, "Surely, I could craft something far superior!" Perhaps, it's the mere allure of words, their texture and resonance, that fascinates you?

If you find yourself nodding to any of these reflections, you're at the right place.

Writing is an art. Just as a painter employs strokes of color to depict emotions and stories, a writer weaves tales and creates universes using words as their medium. The canvas might be different, but the intent is the same: to evoke emotion, to transport the reader or viewer to another realm, to communicate profound thoughts and stories.

While a visual artwork is laid out for the observer to perceive and interpret, written work casts a unique spell. Through mere combinations of 26 letters, punctuations, and spaces, a writer has the power to construct vivid images, emotions, and entire realities in the reader's imagination.

The Multifaceted World of Writing:

Creative writing is an expansive field with myriad forms:

  • Fiction: Dive deep into worlds of your making, crafting characters and plots that captivate.

  • Poetry: Paint with words, letting rhythm and meter evoke profound emotions.

  • Drama and Screenwriting: Visualize performances, imagining dialogues and scenes that will come alive on stage or screen.

Each form presents its own beauty and challenges. You might find your heart resonating with one or be intrigued to experiment with multiple. And within these broad categories lie numerous genres and styles, each awaiting your unique touch.

Course Highlights:

Throughout this immersive journey, we will:

  • Explore Common Techniques: Delve into foundational principles that underpin all forms of creative writing.

  • Dive into Specifics: Understand the nuances, challenges, and rewards of each writing form.

  • Engage in Hands-on Exercises: Stimulate your creativity with prompts and activities designed to hone your skills and ignite your imagination.

Whether you're an absolute beginner or someone looking to refine your craft, this course will equip you with the tools, insights, and inspiration to unleash the writer within. So, if you're ready to embark on an enchanting voyage, to breathe life into characters, to paint with words, and to sculpt stories that linger, this course beckons. Let's together explore the art and magic of creative writing.

  • Completely Online
  • Self-Paced
  • 6 Months to Complete
  • 24/7 Availability
  • Start Anytime
  • PC & Mac Compatible
  • Android & iOS Friendly
  • Accredited CEUs
Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider
 
 

Course Lessons

Average Lesson Rating:
4.5 / 5 Stars (Average Rating)
"Extraordinarily Helpful"
(5,161 votes)

Lesson 1. The Tools of Creativity: Choosing Your Medium and Voice

Experimenting with various writing techniques expands your creative repertoire, much like a painter exploring different strokes. By venturing beyond your usual style and drawing from personal experiences, you add authenticity to your narratives and enrich your ability to convey complex ideas. 34 Total Points
  • Lesson 1 Video
  • Lesson discussions: Reasons for Taking this Course
  • Complete: Assignment 1: Starting Small
  • Assessment: Lesson 1: Small Steps
  • Assessment: Lesson 1 Review Exam

Lesson 2. Embracing the Writing Journey

Cultivating creativity requires understanding fear's role and fostering an environment of acceptance and freedom. With the aid of routine, community, and experimentation, aspiring writers can navigate and overcome creative blocks. 12 Total Points
  • Lesson 2 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 2: Getting Out of Your Own Way
  • Assessment: Lesson 2 Review Exam

Lesson 3. Creativity through Journaling and Observational Wonders

Through the practice of honing a writer's ear, storytellers learn to decode the subtleties of human interaction and emotion, enriching narrative authenticity. Observing life's nuances forms a bridge to deeper empathy and nuanced character portrayal. 36 Total Points
  • Lesson 3 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 3: Freewriting
  • Assessment: Lesson 3: Diving In
  • Assessment: Lesson 3 Review Exam

Lesson 4. Sensory Storytelling: Engaging Readers Beyond Words

A writer’s vocabulary functions like an artist's palette, offering precision and richness to their narrative, which is honed through continual expansion aided by dictionaries. Strategic word choice, rather than complexity, ensures that every sentence resonates deeply and evokes sensory experiences for the reader. 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 4 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 4: Gear
  • Assessment: Lesson 4 Review Exam

Lesson 5. Mastering Metaphors: Transporting Readers Through Imagery

The principle of 'show, don't tell' elevates storytelling by crafting immersive narratives, allowing readers to live the story through vivid imagery and sensory detail. This method transforms simple accounts into rich, participatory experiences, bridging the gap between reader and character. 46 Total Points
  • Lesson 5 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 5: Show Don't Tell
  • Assessment: Lesson 5: Words on a Page
  • Assessment: Lesson 5 Review Exam

Lesson 6. Harnessing the Wisdom of the Greats: A Guide to Creative Writing

Emulating styles from admired authors challenges aspiring writers to explore structural and thematic elements, leading to innovation and voice development. Seeking feedback and participating in writing communities enhances this process, providing varied perspectives and constructive critique. 24 Total Points
  • Lesson 6 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 6 : On the Shoulders of Giants: Learning by Imitation
  • Assessment: Lesson 6 Review Exam

Lesson 7. Tapping into Childhood Memories for Creative Inspiration

Vulnerability in writing fosters genuine connections, transforming personal struggle into shared experience for readers. With authenticity, your narratives resonate deeply, inviting readers to engage openly with honesty and sincerity, akin to trusted friends. 18 Total Points
  • Lesson 7 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 7: Finding your Voice
  • Assessment: Lesson 7 Review Exam

Lesson 8. Similes and Metaphors: Crafting Emotion and Imagery

Figurative language in poetry creates powerful images and emotions through similes, metaphors, and personification, likening disparate elements to reveal hidden resonances. Poetic devices, such as hyperbole, enrich expression, crafting distinct, evocative experiences that resonate emotionally with readers. 47 Total Points
  • Lesson 8 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 8: Using Metaphors
  • Assessment: Lesson 8: Poetic Devices
  • Assessment: Lesson 8 Review Exam

Lesson 9. From Sonnet to Haiku: A Journey Through Timeless Poetic Forms

Haikus distill fleeting moments of nature into a minimalist 5-7-5 format, evoking sensory depth and surprise via kigo and kireji. Concisely capturing themes like cherry blossoms or dawn's silence, they focus more on the spirit of the experience than rigid syllabic adherence. 10 Total Points
  • Lesson 9 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 9: Poetic Forms

Lesson 10. Settings Matter: Painting Worlds with Words

Settings create vivid worlds for characters to inhabit, enhancing the narrative through sensory details that ground the reader's experience. They can be physical, such as a bustling city, or emotional, capturing internal struggles—each contributing to the story's thematic depth. 9 Total Points
  • Lesson 10 Video
  • Assessment: Lesson 10: Short Story

Lesson 11. Unveiling the Layers of a Novel: Comprehensive Guide

The creative process of novel writing spans from idea generation and research to character development and meticulous editing, forming a polished, engrossing narrative. Writers must remain resilient during creative lulls, finding motivation from community support and celebrating milestones to maintain inspiration. 34 Total Points
  • Lesson 11 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 11: Creating Characters
  • Assessment: Lesson 11: The Long Haul: Writing a Novel

Lesson 12. Words in Action: Collaborative Storytelling through Drama

Playwriting and screenwriting open unique narrative avenues, connecting audiences through the rich traditions of theater and the modern allure of film. These distinct yet complementary art forms challenge creators to master conflict, character, and dialogue to craft stories that resonate deeply. 33 Total Points
  • Lesson 12 Video
  • Complete: Assignment 12: Dialog Creation
  • Assessment: Lesson 12: Upstage, Downstage: Writing Drama

Lesson 13. Creative Writing: Embracing the Journey Over the Destination

Stepping back post-drafting allows for fresh perspectives, akin to Stephen King’s rest period approach, which fosters objective critique upon revisiting. This detachment is crucial, nurturing genuine reflection and the ultimate refinement of story potential. 171 Total Points
  • Lesson 13 Video
  • Lesson discussions: Your Opinion Matters: Course Rating; Program Evaluation Follow-up Survey (End of Course); Course Comments
  • Complete: The Final Creative Writing Assignment
  • Assessment: Lesson 13: Conclusion
  • Assessment: The Final Exam
484
Total Course Points
 

Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  • Summarize the steps to take before attempting to write.
  • Demonstrate writing from inspiration.
  • Demonstrate writing without inspiration.
  • Demonstrate writing through imitation.
  • Demonstrate writing in your own voice.
  • Summarize the processes involved in generating poetic forms.
  • Demonstrate writing a short story.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
 

Additional Course Information

Online CEU Certificate
  • Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
  • Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
  • Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
  • View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
  • Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media
Document Your CEUs on Your Resume
 
Course Title: Creative Writing Workshop
Course Number: 9770551
Lessons Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars (5,161 votes)
Languages: English - United States, Canada and other English speaking countries
Availability: Accessible from any state in the U.S., this course covers key areas such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, and Georgia. The course is also offered in English-speaking nations like Australia, Canada, the UK, and South Africa.
Last Updated: May 2024
Course Type: Self-Paced, Online Class
CEU Value: 1.4 IACET CEUs (Continuing Education Units)
CE Accreditation: Universal Class, Inc. has been accredited as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
Grading Policy: Earn a final grade of 70% or higher to receive an online/downloadable CEU Certification documenting CEUs earned.
Assessment Method: Lesson assignments and review exams
Instructor: Dana Kristan
Syllabus: View Syllabus
Course Fee: $120.00 U.S. dollars

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Student Testimonials

  • "The course was very useful because in having to submit assignments, I had to sit down and write. It also reminded me that the first draft is exactly that and the important thing is to get it down, warts and all, and then I have some clay to work with. Thank you." -- Hester C.
  • "I loved the course. I learned much about the writing process as well as much about myself. Thank you!" -- Arlene R.
  • "She was prompt in sending my classroom work. She was attentive and complimented me on my good work when I did well." -- Svetlana D.
  • "I have completed other courses but enjoyed and learnt more. It was easy format and content was great. Process was excellent. Fast marking from teacher. Flexible to do anytime. The instructor was encouraging. Recommended to others." -- Liz S.
  • "The course was extremely well structured and well explained. My instructor was extremely nice, readily available and able to explain any corrections. I would like to have her again." -- Grace O.
  • "I loved doing the class. I loved getting emails with results and feedback from my instructor." -- Catherine W.
  • "This was a fun experience that helped me learn more about my writing." -- Emilie H.
  • "I loved it! And the instructor was really nice and marked my stuff pretty quickly. I appreciate it!" -- Sarah M.
  • "Everything was great." -- Melissa D.
  • "Excellent course and excellent teacher." -- Lori B.
View More Testimonials...
 

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