Become a Better Fiction Writer With These Online Courses

I don’t know everything about fiction writing, but here’s a bet I’d place real money on: In order to publish a masterpiece that changes millions of lives (or 10), you need to write the book first. 

The quality of your writing is going to be some algorithmic combination of the number of hours you put into writing and editing, your enthusiasm for the material, any formal and informal training you’ve completed (including the total number of books you’ve read thus far in your lifetime), and your ability to take your mind into that special place we call creative flow. 

In this blog post, I’m going to share some recommendations for training. But first, let’s break it down into two types of training: craft and practice. 

Craft training for fiction writers involves learning topics like plot structure, character development, or world-building, as well as editing techniques. Storytelling comes pre-installed in the human psyche, but learning technique can help you tell a story to reach a wide audience more effectively. 

Writing practice training is about your writing routine and mindset. Many of the takeaways for your writing practice will also apply to writing non-fiction or even other types of creative work, but I find fiction writing to take us to a very conceptual place that we don’t go to with other types of work. It’s like a rare Olympic sport that needs a unique warm-up and cool-down workout.  

Many writers experiment, get frustrated, and take long breaks from writing, and eventually cobble together a good routine. But you can get there a lot faster by learning from an expert in a course. 

Below, you’ll find highly-rated self-directed courses for both fiction craft and writing practice that will help you produce better writing—and faster. 

Learn Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writing with Brandon Sanderson

Adjunct faculty at BYU and #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson offers a series of writing craft videos on his YouTube channel—totally free. These were recorded and released in 2020. Even if you are not writing sci-fi, you’ll learn a lot about plot and character, which has applications to all narratives, and especially stories that are optioned for film. 

Start with the first video here. 

Free!

Learn Literary Fiction Writing with The University of Iowa

If you’ve ever researched MFA programs for writing (or perhaps you’ve graduated from one!), then you’re familiar with the most respected program in the US: The Iowa Writers’ Workshop. If you want to skip the steep acceptance rate, then you’ll love this totally free offering from the university. 

Called MOOC-packs, these are sets of online craft lectures featuring award-winning authors talking about their writing principles and practices. 

I was introduced to these lectures through a writing critique group, and we integrated them into our group by watching the videos on a schedule and discussing them at our weekly Zoom meetings. They are a great reference on their own, too. 

There are a handful focused on fiction; a good starting point is the one called How Writers Write Fiction 1. 

Free!

Learn How to Publish Your Book with Jane Friedman

A lot of people are like, let’s not put the cart in front of the horse, you have to write the book before you need to worry about publishing it, but … here’s the thing: Writing is a lengthy and solitary process and it can be difficult to stay motivated when you don’t know if anyone will ever read what you’re pouring your heart into. 

That’s why I recommend this course by Jane Friedman, a highly-respected publishing expert who breaks down the insider world of publishing for newcomers. Yes, traditional publishing can seem intimidating, with lots of gatekeepers, but once you understand the process, it’s like you’ve got your treasure map. You know the way. Then, when you sit down to write, you can hold onto that glint of light at the end of the tunnel. 

Get the course on The Great Courses, or check out Jane’s book, The Business of Being a Writer.

She also hosts online workshops on fiction, memoir, and beyond on her website. 

Costs vary

Demystify Book Writing with Amie McNee

Writing a book is a huge accomplishment, it’s something many people dream of doing, but because of this, it can also be built up in our minds to seem insurmountable. We procrastinate because we don’t know where to start, can’t pick an idea, aren’t sure which writing software to use, and so on. 

If you’re sick of your own bullsh*t and want to just do the thing, writing coach Amie McNee’s course is going to clear away all the uncertainty. She’s published several books of her own and built up a massive social media following by encouraging others to make art, and I have no doubt this course will open the mental doors for a lot of people. 

Sign up for Write Your F*cking Book here. 

$149

Learn to Write From Your Soul with Dani Fankhauser

Something funny happened when I sat down to write my first novel. On days the story went in unintended directions, the writing was much better. I began to suspect I wasn’t the one creating the story, but rather—channeling it. Upon further research, I’ve come to the conclusion that all writing is actually channeled. 

This is what I mean when I say “write from your soul.” I believe story ideas come to us because our subconscious is trying to surface something that wants to be healed, inside us, and if we choose to publish, also for everyone who reads. Think of a book that changed your life. This is how it was written. 

I combined my expertise in intuition development and writing practices to create my course, Time To Write, which teaches you spiritual practices to write better fiction in less time. To get a taste, check out my free worksheet, The Productive Writer’s Ritual.

Sign up for Time To Write here. 

$299

Design a Writing Routine for Your Personality with Becca Syme

We are all different, so conventional writing advice won’t work for everyone. That’s the theory behind longtime author coach and StrengthsFinder expert Becca Syme (also herself a multi-genre author). 

The course involves taking multiple personality tests and learning how to apply the results to both your writing practice and writing craft. Writing from an outline might work for 90% of your writing friends, but wouldn’t it be great to know upfront that it won’t work for you before trying to force yourself to do it for months on end? This course is not only validating, but the information is presented compassionately, and provides a foundation for being confident in your own writing style. 

Sign up for Write Better-Faster here. 

$399; includes 1 coaching session

Find Effortless Creative Flow with Madelyn Kent 

A unique take on creative writing from former NYU faculty member Madelyn Kent, Sense Writing teaches movement and neurosensory practices to access creative flow. While other writing courses focus on the external, like plot or grammar, this is an inside out approach. The theory is that when we regulate our nervous system, we gain access to our own natural craft. 

As a yoga and meditation teacher, I am a big fan of this approach, though I haven’t yet had the opportunity to take the class. It’s offered a few times a year, as a live and online 12-week program. 

Sign up for Sense Writing here.

$797