Write Like a Human: 5 FREE Courses to Level Up Your Creative Writing

Fiction, poetry, essays, and scripts for stage, screen, and radio, world-class online courses you can start right now, completely free

Okay, writer, grab your coffee, open a fresh doc, and get comfy, because today I’m handing you something that sounds a little too good to be true.

Five creative writing courses. Taught by working authors, playwrights, and poets. And every single one of them is… completely FREE. Yes, you heard me right and I’m not kidding.

All you need is what you already have: the itch to write and a bit of curiosity.

These come from The Open University’s OpenLearn, the same people who’ve been quietly making genuinely good education free for 20 years, and they cover nearly every corner of the craft. Fiction. Poetry. Essays. Writing for stage, print, TV, and radio.

Whether you’re staring down the first blank page of your first story or polishing a draft you’ve rewritten nine times, there’s something here with your name on it.

So here’s the plan. I’ve pulled the five good ones, told you exactly what each covers, and dropped a direct link so you can jump straight in. Bookmark this post, pick one, and actually start today, your future writer self will thank you.

Let’s get into it:

Creative writing

An invaluable insight into a wide range of techniques and practices surrounding Creative Writing. Writers as diverse as Alan Ayckbourn, Ian McMillan and Tanika Gupta talk openly about their approaches and attitudes to all aspects of writing from original concept to final drafts and productions. Writing for stage, print, television and radio is discussed in engaging and articulate detail.

Writing what you know

Do you want to improve your descriptive writing? This free course, Writing what you know, will help you to develop your perception of the world about you and enable you to see the familiar things in everyday life in a new light. You will also learn how authors use their own personal histories to form the basis of their work.

Start writing essays

Many students are frightened of writing essays, but it’s a craft that can be learnt. This album will help you to build confidence in all areas of essay writing. A student discusses with two tutors her writing methods and how she adapts her techniques for exams and assignments. With tips shared from Professor Richard Dawkins, TV personality Matthew Kelly, former MP Brian Walden, Baroness Helena Kennedy, journalist John Pilgner and radio presenters John Humphrys and Peter White.

Start writing fiction

Have you always wanted to write, but never quite had the courage to start? This free course, Start writing fiction, will give you an insight into how authors create their characters and settings. You will also be able to look at the different genres for fiction.

Writing poetry

Poetry is a delicate and intricate art form, practised by many people but rarely mastered. In this album, poets Jackie Kay, Paul Muldoon, W.N. Herbert and Jean Breeze talk about their respective approaches and attitudes to poetry. They explore many aspects of their craft, from the initial spark of inspiration and rewriting to more technical matters such as rhyme, using real speech and narrative poetry.

Loved these? Here’s your natural next step

My Substack for Beginners class, the one that walks you from “I have no idea what I’m doing” all the way to publishing, growing, and actually landing paid subscribers, is FREE for all paid annual subscribers of the Online Writing Club.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what a few of my people have said:

• “Kristina is the queen of Substack. I can’t say she made me, but she was the catalyst that got me started.” — Nadja

• “I found Kristina on YouTube with her beginner tutorials and knew she could teach me Substack. Now I’ve gained 15 paid subscribers in 6 weeks.” — Gail

• “I never thought becoming a Substack bestseller would feel so good. But it feels f*cking unreal. Thanks, Kristina, for everything you do for beginners, the small guys, and the dads.” — Bob

Ready to join them?

Upgrade to paid at substackforbeginners.com and the class is yours, along with everything else behind the paywall on the onlinewritingclub.com.

👉🏻Are there any other FREE writing courses on the internet you can recommend? Let us know!