6 Best Online Creative Writing Courses For Canadians in 2024

Best Online Creative Writing Courses For Canadians featured image
Written by Fiona Thompson

Creative writers are one of the in-demand jobs anywhere in the world. If you are considering switching careers or looking for classes to develop and enhance your writing skills, here are some of your top online creative writing courses.

Course Name Students Enroled Reviews
Udemy – Complete Creative Writing All Genres 5,000+ 2,300+
Coursera – Creative Writing Specialization 4,800+ 2,000+
University of Calgary Continuing Education – Creative Writing Certificate 3,000+ 2,000+
University of British Columbia Continuing Education – Writing For Video Games 2,500+ 1,000+
Queen’s University – Creative Writing I 4,000+ 1,200+
University of Guelph – Creative Writing Certificate 3,200+ 1,800+
Udemy – The Foundations of Fiction (Writing Mastery) 2,000+ 1,900+

Udemy – Complete Creative Writing All Genres

The screenshot from the course of Udemy - Complete Creative Writing All Genres

The goal of this engaging and valuable creative writing course is to inspire you to write original works in the four genres of writing:

  • Fiction,
  • Poetry,
  • Drama, and
  • Creative non-fiction.

In this creative writing course, you will discover, develop, and share your own writer’s voice. You will learn writing techniques, literary devices, and specialized skills to level up your writing career.

The course also includes writing assignments designed to target the skills you need as a creative writer.

You will also learn more about publishing opportunities, podcasts, and creating a professional creative writing portfolio.

This Udemy course includes the following:

  • 43 Instructional videos
  • 37 online quizzes covering essential concepts
  • Every lesson contains graphics, notes, assignment sheets, and outside resources.
  • Over 12 hours of video lessons
  • 145 downloadable resources
  • Full lifetime access
  • Mobile and TV access
  • Certificate of completion

Udemy’s “Complete Creative Writing – All Genres” course is designed for anyone with a creative streak and a nagging desire to write. It provides the necessary skills and guidance to unleash their writing potential across various genres.

Find the course details right here.

Coursera – Creative Writing Specialization

the screenshot from the course of Coursera - Creative Writing Specialization

Coursera’s Creative Writing Specialization offers a comprehensive exploration of the three major genres in creative writing: short story, narrative essay, and memoir. Through this specialization course, you will develop mastery of the techniques employed by skilled writers to craft compelling stories written in a fresh and descriptive style.

A key aspect of this specialization is the opportunity to engage in peer evaluation and constructive analysis of fellow writers’ work. Learners can refine their writing skills and gain valuable insights from a supportive community of writers.

This course is meant to accommodate a wide range of skill levels and objectives, whether you’re an aspiring short story writer or a seasoned novelist looking for a new perspective on your work.

The culmination of the Creative Writing Specialization is the Capstone project, where you will have the chance to draft, rewrite, and complete a substantial original story in your genre of choice. This final project allows learners to apply the knowledge and techniques acquired throughout the specialization and showcase their storytelling abilities. Explore the course by clicking here.

University of Calgary Continuing Education – Creative Writing Certificate

the screenshot from the course University of Calgary Continuing Education - Creative Writing Certificate

You can master the theory behind your writing through this flexible, online writing program. You will also receive instructor and peer comments on your work. All instructors are published authors, several of whom have won regional, national, and worldwide honors.

This program is suitable for individuals who are:

  • Create fiction, creative non-fiction, or poetry, or aspire to do so,
  • Interested in creative writing as a way to shift from or supplement business or journalistic writing,
  • Desire to learn from published authors, and
  • Take advantage of interactive and friendly online learning.

The Creative Writing Certificate program lasts 200 hours. The time it takes to complete this program differs depending on the student.

If you take one course per semester (four courses per year), you should be able to finish the program in 12 to 18 months. You will complete the program faster if you take multiple classes per term. Discover the course at this link.

University of British Columbia Continuing Education – Writing For Video Games

the screenshot from the course University of British Columbia Continuing Education - Writing For Video Games

This course will introduce you to the frontier of video game writing. You will be introduced to the tools and techniques of writing for video games in this six-course Professional Certificate Program.

You will also learn what interactive storytelling is, the history of video games, and the types of games created since the medium’s inception.

This certificate program will help you excel in the industry. You will learn everything from story and character development to worldbuilding and interactive narrative.

Furthermore, this program is hosted on Harvard and MIT’s innovative edX learning platform, designed by successful, working game writers and UBC teachers.

In this online course, you will learn the following:

  • The key distinctions between traditional storytelling and game writing
  • The role of the writer and narrative designer in the game development process
  • How to create a character and write scenes for the narrative and the game’s production.
  • How to collaborate with artists, programmers, and level designers to create interactive narratives
  • How to create an application portfolio and perform well on industry-standard writing exams

The course is flexible as the lessons are self-paced. You can finish it within approximately five weeks. Explore the course by clicking here.

University of Guelph – Creative Writing Certificate

the screenshot from course University of Guelph - Creative Writing Certificate

University of Guelph’s Creative Writing Certificate program provides various writing courses in multiple genres that allow you to focus your learning on creative writing techniques. The program will teach you how to come up with new ideas, begin taking that spark of inspiration to the page, develop your writing skills, and explore your creativity.

The Creative Writing Certificate program includes six courses:

  • two required courses,
  • three electives, and
  • a final capstone project.

Peer workshopping, reading, and story revision are among the course activities. All program instructors have published writers with extensive experience.

You will learn the following through the program:

  • Explore the components of creative writing and put them into practice with in-class writing exercises and creating a writing portfolio.
  • Writing with your peers and receiving feedback from your instructor allows you to give and receive effective feedback.
  • Create a portfolio of your writing samples and a writing practice.

By enrolling in this course, you will have the chance to discover a variety of genres, strengthen your writing, and develop the tools needed to master a significant writing project. Get started with the course by following this link.

Udemy – The Foundations of Fiction (Writing Mastery)

the screensot from the course of Udemy - The Foundations of Fiction (Writing Mastery)

If you are into fiction writing, this entertaining and interactive course is ideal for you. This program will provide you with the knowledge, confidence, and motivation you need to become a fiction writing master.

This course provides a flexible curriculum that lets you study at your own pace and skill level.

After finishing this course, you will learn and achieve the following:

  • Produce dynamic, realistic characters that jump off the page.
  • Write enthralling dialogue that will bring your scenes to life.
  • Create vivid, memorable settings that will shape your story’s world.
  • Write intricate, enthralling prose that will entice readers from the first word.
  • Create masterful, engrossing plots that captivate readers and keep them turning pages.

The course includes the following materials:

  • Six hours of on-demand video
  • Four articles
  • 31 downloadable resources
  • Full lifetime access
  • Access on mobile and TV
  • Certificate of completion

This course is for anyone who wants to write fiction, looking for ideas, or improve their skills in writing.

Dive into the course by heading over here.

Conclusion

Writing is a skill worth learning as it can open a wide range of opportunities for you.

Our top course pick is Udemy’s Complete Creative Writing Course for All Genres. This course is worth its price as it tackles writing in different genres. Our second pick is Coursera’s Creative Writing Specialization which will give you your money’s value.

If you want to explore writing, enhance your writing skills, or jumpstart a new career as a writer, consider taking the listed courses above. All of these programs will surely help you in your aspirations. 

About the author

Fiona Thompson

Fiona Thompson is an education consultant who has dedicated her efforts to assisting international students in coming to study in Canada. However, during her work, she realized that many Canadians were unaware of the affordable online options available for studying within their own country. With her extensive research and experience in the education sector, Fiona decided to create CanadaCourses.ca, a website aimed at helping Canadians find the best online course options available across various industries.

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