25 Best Writing & Literature Courses Online
We compared 25 Writing & Literature courses currently listed on Coursera, Udemy and edX, priced from $34.99 to $299.00. 12 come from a named university or institution, including Michigan State University, Johns Hopkins University and University of California, Santa Cruz. They are ordered by our CourseAsk score, which is built from how thoroughly each course describes what it teaches, whether it comes from a named institution, and how it compares on price — not from star ratings, which our course data does not include.
- Courses compared
- 25
- Price range
- $34.99 – $299.00
- Providers
- Coursera, Udemy, edX
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 25 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, edX, matched to "Writing & Literature" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $34.99 to $299.00, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Transmedia Writing
Offered by Michigan State University
Do you have a desire to write a novel, write a screenplay, design a video game? In this project-centered course you will develop your own, original, intellectual property (IP) into a transmedia project containing written...
$49.00listed price -
2
Teaching Reluctant Writers
Offered by Johns Hopkins University
All educators will encounter students who struggle with writing. This course first focuses on the reasons student writers may be reluctant and then provides learners with a variety of strategies and practices to help rel...
$49.00listed price -
3
Capstone: Create your own professional journalistic portfolio
Offered by Michigan State University
This is it! It is time for YOU to be the journalist, and practice and display the skills you have learned through this Specialization journey. You will create your own professional journalistic portfolio, culminating in...
$79.00listed price -
4
The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry
Offered by University of California, Santa Cruz
The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry is an adaptation of an on-campus course that has been co-taught by Murray Baumgarten, Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature (Literature Department)...
$49.00listed price -
5
Teaching Writing
Offered by Johns Hopkins University
This specialization will provide learners with proven methods to improve the writing of students of all ages, in all situations, including K through University classrooms as well as homeschooling, tutoring, in business a...
$49.00listed price -
6
Enhance your Writing with Noun Clauses
Offered by University of California, Irvine
This course is designed to hold your hand step-by-step through the most basic concepts of noun clauses all the way to the end goal of writing a paragraph with varied noun clauses. With each individual lesson, you’ll watc...
$49.00listed price -
7
Writing Skills for University Success
Offered by University of California, Irvine
Writing is a vital skill in university classes, whether you’re majoring in history or business management, economics or engineering. In this course, you’ll learn how to write effectively in different academic formats, es...
$49.00listed price -
8
Comic Books, Geek Culture, and the Fandom Imaginary
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
"Comic Books, Geek Culture, and the Fandom Imaginary" explores some of the conventional framings of “fandom” (from comic book obsessives to cosplayers) and the cultural histories that sustain it. It also explores the dar...
$49.00listed price -
9
Manga Drawing Basic Course / Story Writing & Storyboarding
Offered by Japan Animation & Manga College
* There are no feedback from the pros in this course.In this course, the members challenge themselves to create original manga based on the Japanese folklore, "Momotaro".We had Kei Natsumi-sensei, a manga artist, draw a...
$34.99listed price -
10
Words Spun Out of Images: Visual and Literary Culture in Nineteenth Century Japan
Offered by The University of Tokyo
This course explores how Japanese painters, poets, novelists, and photographers of the nineteenth century collaborated to depict 'real life,' a practice distinct from their European contemporaries. Learners will gain a c...
$49.00listed price -
11
William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: An Actor's Perspective
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
Have you ever wanted to read Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet? This course will provide a guided reading of the script and expose you to the perspectives of actors who've performed in the play. It primarily consists of int...
$49.00listed price -
12
Writing Practice
Offered by Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani
Welcome to the Writing Practices course. This course aims to prepare you for performing writing tasks in academic contexts. In this course you will be introduced to basic academic writing skills. You will learn how the p...
$49.00listed price -
13
Creative Writing: The Craft of Character
Offered by Wesleyan University
At the center of a good story are the characters in it. In this course aspiring writers will discover how to build and bring to life complex, vivid and unforgettable characters. We will study the choices a writer makes t...
$79.00listed price -
14
Storying the Self for Leadership and Creativity
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
If you're moving into a leadership position, interested in thinking deeply about identity, or exploring the role of creativity in your life, this specialization is for you! Stories are powerful catalysts for social chang...
$49.00listed price -
15
Building your Screenplay
Offered by University of Cambridge
Learn to strengthen you skills as a screenwriter, while diversifying your knowledge and understanding of the demands of global film and TV production. Find out how to become a powerful visual story-teller; understand how...
$299.00listed price -
16
Become a Journalist: Report the News!
Offered by Michigan State University
This Specialization will develop and enhance your understanding of the global field of journalism. You'll learn best practices and ethical standards for newsgathering processes and compiling a news report through hands-o...
$49.00listed price -
17
Stand Up!; Comedy Writing and Performance Poetry
Offered by University of Cambridge
Prepare to perform your comic writing and/or poetry to a live audience, as well as develop transferable writing skills and communication expertise that will be relevant in any profession. This course will broaden your un...
$299.00listed price -
18
Finding your voice as a playwright
Offered by University of Cambridge
Learn to deepen your creative practice as a playwright, as well as develop professionally transferable writing skills and communication expertise. This course will broaden your understanding of how to start a career succ...
$299.00listed price -
19
Introduction to Technical Writing
Offered by Board Infinity
Technical Writing seamlessly blends the art of communication with the nuances of technology. Tailored for a diverse audience, including writers, communicators, engineers, and IT professionals, this course serves as a bea...
$49.00listed price -
20
Become A Bestseller On Amazon As An Independent Author
Offered by Alex Genadinik
Earn passive income while growing a personal brand or positioning yourself as a top-tier professional for the rest of your career by becoming an Amazon and Kindle bestselling author using 100% proven book marketing strat...
$49.00listed price -
21
How To Get A Book Deal From A Publisher To Be Sold In Stores
Offered by Alex Genadinik
Learn how to get your book published and sold in bookstores. This course will teach you how to work with a literary agent to get a book deal from a publisher who will get your book into stores. BENEFITS OF HAVING A BOOK ...
$49.00listed price -
22
Project: Writing a Research Paper
Offered by University of California, Irvine
Welcome to the capstone project for the Academic English: Writing Specialization! This project lets you apply everything you’ve learned and gives you the practice you need for college classes by having you write a resear...
$69.00listed price -
23
The American Renaissance and Mark Twain
Offered by Dartmouth College
This course explores Mark Twain's literary rivalry with Harriet Beecher Stowe and discusses why Huckleberry Finn’s story is labeled as a "tall tale". The module also defines "realism" and "naturalism" in terms of Twain's...
$49.00listed price -
24
Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order
Offered by University of Michigan
This course focuses on enhancing your writing skills, teaching you how to choose your words carefully to engage and persuade your audience. You'll explore creative uses of syntax, master storytelling techniques, and disc...
$49.00listed price -
25
Writing successfully for the Stage
Offered by University of Cambridge
Learn to structure your dramatic writing to a professional standard, as well as develop professionally transferable communication skills. This course will broaden your understanding of how to write engaging and interesti...
$299.00listed price
Best Writing & Literature Courses Online compared
| # | Course | Provider | Offered by | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transmedia Writing | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 2 | Teaching Reluctant Writers | Coursera | Johns Hopkins University | $49.00 | View → |
| 3 | Capstone: Create your own professional journalistic portfolio | Coursera | Michigan State University | $79.00 | View → |
| 4 | The Holocaust: The Destruction of European Jewry | Coursera | University of California, Santa Cruz | $49.00 | View → |
| 5 | Teaching Writing | Coursera | Johns Hopkins University | $49.00 | View → |
| 6 | Enhance your Writing with Noun Clauses | Coursera | University of California, Irvine | $49.00 | View → |
| 7 | Writing Skills for University Success | Coursera | University of California, Irvine | $49.00 | View → |
| 8 | Comic Books, Geek Culture, and the Fandom Imaginary | Coursera | University of Colorado Boulder | $49.00 | View → |
| 9 | Manga Drawing Basic Course / Story Writing & Storyboarding | Udemy | Japan Animation & Manga College | $34.99 | View → |
| 10 | Words Spun Out of Images: Visual and Literary Culture in Nineteenth Ce... | Coursera | The University of Tokyo | $49.00 | View → |
| 11 | William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet: An Actor's Perspective | Coursera | University of Colorado Boulder | $49.00 | View → |
| 12 | Writing Practice | Coursera | Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani | $49.00 | View → |
| 13 | Creative Writing: The Craft of Character | Coursera | Wesleyan University | $79.00 | View → |
| 14 | Storying the Self for Leadership and Creativity | Coursera | University of Colorado Boulder | $49.00 | View → |
| 15 | Building your Screenplay | edX | University of Cambridge | $299.00 | View → |
| 16 | Become a Journalist: Report the News! | Coursera | Michigan State University | $49.00 | View → |
| 17 | Stand Up!; Comedy Writing and Performance Poetry | edX | University of Cambridge | $299.00 | View → |
| 18 | Finding your voice as a playwright | edX | University of Cambridge | $299.00 | View → |
| 19 | Introduction to Technical Writing | Coursera | Board Infinity | $49.00 | View → |
| 20 | Become A Bestseller On Amazon As An Independent Author | Coursera | Alex Genadinik | $49.00 | View → |
| 21 | How To Get A Book Deal From A Publisher To Be Sold In Stores | Coursera | Alex Genadinik | $49.00 | View → |
| 22 | Project: Writing a Research Paper | Coursera | University of California, Irvine | $69.00 | View → |
| 23 | The American Renaissance and Mark Twain | Coursera | Dartmouth College | $49.00 | View → |
| 24 | Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order | Coursera | University of Michigan | $49.00 | View → |
| 25 | Writing successfully for the Stage | edX | University of Cambridge | $299.00 | View → |
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 25 priced courses on this page run from $34.99 to $299.00, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $264.01. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, Udemy and edX. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 12 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including Michigan State University, Johns Hopkins University and University of California, Santa Cruz — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.