Creative Writing Certificate (Online)

Program Highlights

Pursue your passion for writing in a guided environment. The courses in this certificate have been designed to let you acquire and fine-tune the elements of your craft, expand your writing style and publish your work. You will receive motivation, structure and creative encouragement from experienced faculty as well as your online class mates. Understanding the business process of becoming a published author will help you work with agents, editors and publishers in today's popular media.

Is This You?

You will be practicing writing extensively and receive regular constructive feedback that will let you improve on your style, grammar, organization and vision. The core courses will hone your core skills, while the electives in this certificate will allow you to improve in your specific writing genres.

You can choose to take individual courses, if you do not wish to pursue a Creative Writing certificate.

Career Prospects

• Short Story Writing
• Online contributor
• Publishing
• Proofreading and editing
• Resume builder for teachers and Early Childhood Educators

Recommended skills and pre-requisites

Basic Windows computer and Internet skills (managing files and folders).

Courses in Creative Writing Certificate (Online)

Details and registration below

Creative Writing - Required

• Writing for Publication I (COMM071)
• Grammar for Writing Professionals (LANG028)
• Creative Writing - Beginners (COMM076)

Creative Writing - Electives (Choose 4)

• Essentials of Writing Fiction (COMM158)
• Understanding Literature (COMM077)
• Writing for Publication II (COMM074)
• Writing Short Stories (COMM070)
• Introduction to Children's Literature (COMM053)
• Romance Writing (COMM102)
• Poetry Writing (ARTS0411)
• Writing Grammatically (LANG035)

Creative Writing - Required

Writing for Publication I

COMM071

Examine the publishing process and available opportunities for writers as well as the key elements of major genres. You will follow the various steps of manuscript preparation, from query letter to polished final draft and on to professional submission.

Grammar for Writing Professionals

LANG028

Gain experience in the editing and proofreading process, recognizing and correcting errors in accordance with accepted Canadian standards. You will also study the importance of working as part of an editing team to help produce acceptable full length manuscripts. You should already possess competent English language skills including basic grammar (or Writing Grammatically - LANG 35).

Creative Writing - Beginners

COMM076

Beginner writers and those with previous writing experience will hone their skills, benefit from a series of exercises and get involved in creative writing and critical reading. Workshop your own exercises and stories and receive valuable critique from fellow participants and the instructor.

Creative Writing - Electives (Choose 4)

Essentials of Writing Fiction

COMM158

Discover the core elements needed for creative writing. Gain an understanding of the process of creative writing including theme, setting, plotting, characterization, and the use of dialogue, enabling you to successfully discover your writer's voice and build confidence in your writing abilities.

Understanding Literature

COMM077

Acquire the tools necessary to appreciate literature critically by reviewing literary history and examining different genres. You will explore themes and conventions associated with these genres and develop an understanding of literary analysis and various critical approaches. For creative-writing enthusiasts, this course will provide a framework in which to appreciate and evaluate their own writing.

Writing for Publication II

COMM074

Discover the publishing process with specific focus on the Canadian magazine trade. You will be encouraged to develop your ideas into acceptable compositions and to approach suitable publishers for your work.

Writing Short Stories

COMM070

Explore character development, narrative unity, and plot construction by analyzing selected short stories and participating in writing exercises. Work step-by-step to produce a story suitable for publication. The process of submission for publication as well as the various opportunities for publication are examined.

Introduction to Children's Literature

COMM053

Explore children's literature, its history and development, and its rich variety of forms and techniques. We will focuses on major authors in children's literature and on the important issues presented in those works that have captivated children and adult readers over time. (This subject may contain material that some may find offensive.)

Romance Writing

COMM102

Explore the art and craft of writing for the growing romance fiction market. Through lectures, examples, and lots of research, you will develop skills in creating engrossing plots and settings, and engaging characters, as well as keeping abreast the growing and changing market for romance oriented fiction.

Poetry Writing

ARTS0411

Develop skills necessary for the creation, development, and marketing of publishable poems.

Writing Grammatically

LANG035

Catch up on the rules of English grammar in a comprehensive, easy-to-follow manner. We will review sentence parts, explain sentence structuring in depth, and conduct a practical review of stylistic conventions in business writing.