If there’s one area in which I’ve been remiss, it’s in brushing up on grammar and usage. School was a very long time ago and my writing has gotten a bit…informal. I put off continuing education for some time thinking I’d go back to school once my son was in school, but other obligations prevented this. The good news is that I can still take some terrific free courses without having to leave my house.
Learning has never been easier. These writing courses can be done on your own time, at your convenience.
31 Free Online Writing Courses
- The Writer’s Helper: There are several free writing courses available at The Writer’s Helper including Writing Verse for Children, Writing for the Web, and Make Your Price Sell.
- Writer 2 Writer: Writer2Writer’s e-Courses include: Writing for Profit: Break into Magazines, Outside the Square Fiction Workshop, Ebook Marketing Secrets, Short Story Writing and Copywriting Courses.
- Creative Writing 101 - A Suite101 writing course featuring 8 lessons.
- Writing What You Know: From Open Learn, this course features five reading and writing activities geared towards sharpening the senses and triggering the memory.
- Start Writing Fiction – Another course from Open University.
- What is Good Writing – An Open University course featuring a discussion of good writing and essay writing tips.
- Writing and Reading the Essay: This writing course is part of M.I.T’s open courseware program. The course was introduced in 2005 but is still relevant and helpful today.
- The American Novel Since 1945 – From Open Yale, Yale University’s open courseware series, this series of lessons discusses many classics via audio, video and course materials.
- Conquering the Comma – Part of Purdue University’s open courseware project. (I’ll definitely be giving this one a gander.)
- Basic Grammar Skills - A free writing seminar from Suite 101.
- Cleaning Up Your Copy – Helps us to tighten up our sentences and write clean every time, from News University.
- Proofreading Your Writing – Also from Purdue, this course teaches us how to spot errors in our writing.
- Introduction to Writing Academic Prose – From Utah State University.
- Covering Breaking News – From News University, good for those thinking about a career in journalism.
- Advanced Writing Seminar - From M.I.T., this explores the different types of writing.
- Foundations of Language and Communications - From Western Governors University, this course uses 8 modules to explore efficient reading and writing.
- Targeting New Audiences: Finding Your Niche – This course from News University explores niche writing.
- Technical Writing: An Introduction to Technical Writing from WikiUniversity.
- The Writer’s Workbench – 50 Tools You Can Use – Another course from News University, this one gives you all the resources you need to be a success.
- Language and It’s Structure: Part 1 Phonology and Part 2: Syntax from M.I.T.’s Open Courseware project.
- Online English Courses – A list of free writing courses from 1-Language.com.
- Business Development Courses from Kutztown Small Business Development Center – Includes courses about marketing, branding, and customer service.
- Technology for Brand New Writers – From Utah Stat University – The course is from 2005 though, so I’m sure things have changed.
- HTML Basics – Every web writer should at least know the basics.
- English Grammar in Context – From Open University.
- Form and Uses of Language – From Open University
- The Syntax of Natural Language - From the University of Pennsylvania.
- Finding Information in Modern Languages – From Open University.
- Writing Challenges: From Warwick University.
- Text as Property/Property as Text – From Connexions, discusses plagiarism and all that good stuff.
- English Grammar and Mechanics – From Free-Ed.net
Some posts you might have missed:
- A, B, C’s of Good Customer Service
- 60 Tips for Getting Started in Your Freelance Writing Career
- 45 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs
- 40 Freelance Markets Paying $100 or More
- 50 Places That Hire Freelance Writers
- 43 Helpful and Terrific Blogs for Writers
- 65 New and Useful Posts for Brand New Freelance Writers
- 5 Forms of Passive Income for Freelance Writers
- 5 Ways to Step Away from the Freelance Jobs Boards and Create Your Own Opportunties
Awesome list! Thanks Deb. I’ll be bookmarking this one.
Thanks Kathleen.
What a great list! I’m going to let my subscribers know. I’m sure all kinds of writers can find something valuable to take from this collection.
Thank you so much, Courtney.
Hello dear friends and thank you very much for the useful writing tips. As you see my writing skills are so weak. I would like to improve it and I would like to get contact with native speakers. Could you help me please?
best wishes,
John
Thanks so much for this list, Deb. This is fantastic!
You’re very welcome, Clair. Hope you find something useful in the bunch.
I badly need to do a course. My spelling bits and my grammar too.
You and me both!
Amazing list, Deb! I knew about some of the resources here, such as News University and M.I.T.’s Open Courseware, but it’s always great to find more. Thank you!
I am already into the writing industry but I need more information on freelance writing.And now I am also looking forward to publish my first book.
These are some good writing courses. Thanks I’ll mention it on my blog as well.
Jobs Working Online´s last [type] ..Real work at home jobs no scams
What would you suggest would be the first step in starting towards freelance writing? I keep thinking I should get some sort of degree or something, but looking at your list, I may not have to do that. Where should I begin?
Robbin´s last [type] ..The Past Year
Hey Deb,
I am a professional writer, Do you have any opportunity for me !
Well this is really a nice Blog and expecting further response from your end.
Thanks.
I want to start a freelancing carrier and i though about going to study literature at University to improve my grammar. You blog has given me a lot of ideas, i can still go study and write part time. Once i have my degree, i will already have enough experience to get a high paying writing jobs.
You blog help a lot and i think most people who want to start writing can learn a lot from your blog. Writers now know you don’t have to study journalism to be a good writer.
Thanks a lot Deb