Explore the vast array of top-rated creative writing courses on different genres and topics, available online and open to the public (no application). 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• What is a creative writing course?
• 18 creative writing courses 
• How to choose the right course for you
• FAQ 

What is a creative writing course?

A creative writing course is an educational program that helps creative writers master their craft and complete writing projects. As a creative writer, you'll find many valuable courses that cover all facets of writing, from getting started and learning specific techniques, to getting published and promoting your work. 

However, not all courses for writers are creative writing courses.

In a true creative writing course, you'll find a heavy emphasis on craft, the specific techniques involved in creative writing, such as developing fictional characters, structuring a plot, or refining your style. Most creative...

Explore your earning potential as a writer, break the myth of the underpaid writer, and discover what you can do to earn more doing what you love.  

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

CONTENTS:

• Job outlook for writers in 2024
• Writer salary averages based on job title
• Writer salary averages based on experience 
• Top paying US cities for writers
• Top paying companies for writers 
• Key learnings from salary data
• How to earn more as a writer

Job outlook for writers in 2024

When starting or advancing your career in professional writing, knowing your earning potential is an important step in charting your path. While the old stereotype of the "penniless writer" persists, the reality is far more promising—there are plenty of lucrative and fulfilling opportunities for turning your writing passion into a career.

My advice: Don't be swayed by hearsay or well-meaning advice suggesting that writing doesn’t pay. Instead, rely on solid,...

Get your start in professional writing or advance your writing career with this 2025 quick guide!

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

Contents:

• What is professional writing?

• What are the genres of professional writing?

• What is a professional writer?

• What sets professional writers apart? 

• Writing professionally: what to know in 2025

What is professional writing? 

Professional writing refers to any type of writing that you compose in the professional world to earn a living. As we'll explore in more depth below, professional writing encompasses a broad range of content for academic, business, and creative purposes. 

To be effective, a piece of professional writing should do the following: 

• Meet the needs of a specific audience. 
• Exhibit clarity and credibility. 
• Inspire action, effect change, or enable specific outcomes. 

What are the genres of professional writing? 

Professional writing comes in many forms. In...

Discover the transformative power of creative writing prompts for every stage of your writing journey. 

By Julie Tyler Ruiz

What is a writing prompt? 

A writing prompt is an exercise or set of instructions that a writer uses to gain a fresh perspective, develop writing skills, burst through writer's block, or complete a specific writing-related task. You can use creative writing prompts at any stage of your writing journey to bring originality, inspiration, and confidence to your work.

For example:

• Let's say you're just starting out as a writer, and while you already have an idea for a novel, you don't know where to begin the writing process. You ask a generative AI tool like ChatGPT to prompt you with some ideas to get you over that initial hurdle. It gives you some options like, "Reflect on why writing a novel is important to you" and "What do you want readers to get out of reading your novel?" You start jotting ideas down on them both and actually experience...