Online courses for writing skills are expanding in numbers. Previously just available in workshops and universities, they are now spread all over the Internet.
Internet Writing Programs and Courses
The formats of these online courses vary, but they rarely require residency on campus. But almost all of them will use email, chat rooms, discussion forums and even video to communicate.
The goal of these Internet programs is to develop critical and analytical thinking and how to use these when writing. Among the courses that are studied online are professional and creative writing.
A Typical Web Course on Writing
These courses generally work like a writing workshop. The more advanced four year courses will require fulfilling credits. Unlike other courses, the emphasis is on students and instructors exchanging ideas. Writing exercises and doing critical reading are part and parcel of these courses.
Most web writing programs make it a point to expose the participants to diverse writing styles and genres. This is definitely the case when you enroll in a workshop that focuses on fiction writing. Other workshops might center on the actual writing format. This is true for professional writing, technical writing and writing content for websites.
Available Courses on the Subject
Other writing programs focus on magazine writing and writing for different media. The aim is to help the student get ready for professional work in publishing, the academia or both. Due to its nature, most of the work can be done online. All the student needs are a computer, Internet access and a word processing program. There are a few courses that require students to go to campuses.
This allows them to meet and engage their peers and instructors. This may be required when studying poetry writing online. But many courses are relying on webcasts and video conferencing instead.
Other Information
In fiction and creative writing, the emphasis is on increasing knowledge about literature. Writing programs that stress creativity often include subjects like non-fiction, poetry, screenwriting, fiction and many others.
With fiction writing workshops, students are often given the choice to focus on a specific genre. Those who graduate are usually required to make a thesis which will be published.
Online courses for writing are becoming very diverse. Many now focus on studying the form of novels and short stories. Other courses lay the stress on developing skills needed for writing professional speeches, scientific articles, general interest subjects or writing for a newspaper.
