Top 6 Most-Opted Non-fiction Writing Courses in 2024

Interested in learning non-fiction writing but confused about which course to take? Then you are at the right place. In this article, you’ll not only get information about top non-fiction writing courses but also their types and what to consider or look for while choosing a course. And o2f course, the list of top non-fiction writing courses is also available for you in the post.

What is Non-fiction Writing?

Non-fiction writing is any piece of writing that provides or tries to provide accurate information about a real-world event. Biographies, memoirs, all kinds of journalism and academic writing, letters and emails, etc are examples of non-fiction writing. In contrast to fiction, which is mostly occupied by fictitious characters and events, nonfiction is largely populated by imaginary characters and events, albeit it is grounded in the truth which is occasionally uncertain. 

Non-Fictional literary are those that are based on genuine events. Fiction can be found in short stories, poetry, and theatrical scripts for film, television, and live performance, in addition to novels. Nonfiction, in a nutshell, is something else. Although many nonfiction gives strongly opinionated comments on those historical events—think of authors like George Will, Paul Krugman, Frank Rich, and others—the material of nonfiction is based on true events. 

Types of the Non-fiction Genre

Nonfiction writing is a broad term that encompasses various types of writing such as newspaper editorials, op-eds, and expository and argumentative pieces of writing in academics or journalism. Nonfiction writing also includes historical, technical, and scientific writing in both online and offline formats.

Including information in any of these works that the author knows to be false is usually considered dishonest. Other works, such as self-expression journals, letters, magazine articles, and other imaginative expressions, can properly be classified as fiction or nonfiction.

Though most of these works are either one or the other, a combination of the two is also feasible. Nonfictional components may appear in some fiction. For the aim of smoothing out a narrative, some nonfiction may incorporate parts of unconfirmed conjecture, deduction, or imagination, but the inclusion of explicit falsehoods would invalidate it as a work of nonfiction.

The terms “literary nonfiction” and “literary nonfiction” are sometimes used in the publishing and bookselling industries to distinguish publications with a more literary or intellectual bent from the majority of nonfiction. Other examples of nonfiction writing are travel guides and travelogues in which people talk about their genuine travel experiences, and offers some suggestion, tips, and instructions for readers. 

Journalism is a large nonfiction subgenre that spans a variety of mediums. Journalism covers genuine stories that are usually, but not always, relevant to a modern audience. Books can also be used as a type of journalism. The memoir and biography subgenre of nonfiction is concerned with a person’s life narrative.

Autobiographies and memoirs are self-written by the person who is the topic of the book. While autobiographies and memoirs must be written by someone alive at the time of publication, biographies can feature both living and dead people.

Philosophic insights of all philosopher also fall in this category, self-help, and instruction is another example of nonfiction writing and so guide, and how-to manuals.

Here is a guide to Creative Writing for Beginners

What to Look for While Choosing a Non-fiction Writing Courses?

So this is the most important part of learning any new skill, that you choose the right place to learn it from. So here’s a little assistance for you. As you must know learning in this digital era is different from what it used to be. It is no longer necessary to be enrolled in a college program to take a writing course.

There are a plethora of courses available in a range of settings and forms. So, how do you know which courses to take if you just have a limited amount of time and can’t take every course that comes your way? Besides, that would be a terrible idea.

Here Are a Few Things You Should Consider While Enrolling in the Course:

Content of the Course:

The most obvious one. The first step in selecting a course is to determine what skill or type of project you want to learn about. This may appear straightforward, but it necessitates a realistic assessment of your current writing style and a fundamental awareness of the many writing tasks available. It is important to know whether the course content serves your desired knowledge or not.

Description of Course:
As mentioned above nonfiction writing is a broad term. Non-fiction writing courses can include copywriting, business writing, and poetry to legal writing. So it is extremely important to look at the description of the shortlisted course, as it gives you a clear idea about the skills you learn from enrolling in the particular course. Description of the course is also important in comparing two courses to learn about their pro and cons of them.

Location of the Course:

Both classroom and online courses have their pros and cons. An offline or classroom course gives you direct contact with the instructor, allowing you to ask questions and receive a rapid response. A live environment frequently provides a small enough class size for discussion and peer critique. The convenience of live writing classes is one disadvantage. You must attend the class during its scheduled time, which may or may not coincide with your schedule. 

Whereas, One benefit of online courses is their accessibility. You can take the course if you have access to a computer or mobile device that meets the system requirements, regardless of whether you reside near the teacher or the venue. Isolation, which fosters anonymity and prevents accountability, is a possible downside. You may not feel connected to your instructor or classmates, and as a result, you may fall behind on assignments or be unable to obtain answers to your queries. Consider a live class if you prefer camaraderie in a group setting and schedule is not an issue.

Online education is a wonderful alternative for you if you work effectively / independently. Online courses are also a wonderful alternative if you need to take your classes after work, before work, or on weekends.

Format of the Course:

Examine the course to see if it is in a passive or interactive format. There is a significant distinction. In a lecture, e-book, video, or series of useful web pages, a passive format simply delivers knowledge on writing that you can read or listen to. It’s a wonderful alternative if you want to learn about a specific type of project, but it’s not always the best solution if you’re trying to master a new talent that requires practice.

An interactive approach, too, gives knowledge about writing before guiding you through exercises to put that learning into practice. You first learn about the skill or project, then you learn how to apply it.

Keeping the above point in mind it would become easy for one to choose non-fiction writing courses or any course, as the same principle applies to them as well. An important point to remember here is that there is no wrong or right way of style or format, of course, it just has to do with a person’s choice and requirements.

Also, check out the top-rated Online Creative Writing Courses

Non-fiction Writing Courses

So here is the list of institutes offering world-class non-fiction writing courses. This list of course includes a variety of nonfiction writing like content writing, business writing, book writing, etc.

1. IIM SKILLS

One of the most popular skill-learning portals is IIM SKILLS. It offers professional courses in digital marketing, technical writing, GST certification, business accounting, and content writing, among other in-demand skills. The Content Writing Course at IIM SKILLS is an online program. It includes four weeks of live online classes and a three-month internship guarantee.

They also help you get a job or work as a freelancer. You’ll receive two certificates upon completion of the course: one from IIM SKILLS and the other from HubSpot (USA).

The Following Are Some of the Highlights of IIM SKILLS Content Writing Master Class:

• This online content writing course is taught by a top-tier instructor.
• Because they only take a small number of students in each batch, all of their sessions are interactive, and each student receives individual attention.
• Students and working professionals will benefit from this program because the class schedule is very flexible and convenient. Because this is an online content writing course, it is incredibly time-efficient for everyone participating, making it simple to fit in with studies and full-time employment.
• The cost of the online content writing course is low.
• Because all classes are recorded and students can watch sessions multiple times, the candidate will be able to make up for missed classes.
• This online content writing course includes manuals, e-books, video recordings, and blogs as well as other online resources.

IIM SKILLS CONTENT WRITING COURSE MODULES & CONTENT

2. Reedsy

Reedsy’s training is another good place for non-fiction writing courses that teach mainly about the art of writing a non-fiction book. The coach goes through and teaches which common writing mistakes to avoid, which questions to think about before you get started, and finally, how to stay motivated throughout the writing journey,” in this 10-day free nonfiction writing course from Reedsy”, which is delivered via email. This is an instant access course; the 10 lessons are delivered daily to your mailbox and require only 5 minutes each.

The Following Are Some of the Learning Outcomes From These Non-fiction Writing Courses:

• Knowing your book’s vision, purpose, and positioning
• For starting also you’ll get some writing tips.
• Adding to your writing by reading Amazon reviews of related books
• How to avoid writer’s block by various means.
• Apps and suggestions to help you stay productive and meet your word count targets
• The significance of grabbing your readers’ attention

3. University of London 

Narrative non-fiction writing online training is 10 weeks long online course. The online non-fiction writing courses have scheduled the start dates. In this course, the student will get a strong foundation in the craft of narrative nonfiction writing and editing. The purpose of this course is to motivate and inspire students to write.

If you want to write engaging, clear prose, improve your use of vivid metaphoric language, and structure both long and small works for any occasion, this writing course is for you.

This brief course, taught by award-winning author Peter Forbes, will help you improve your creativity, critical thinking, and editing skills. You’ll have the chance to improve your writing skills and get the expert’s feedback on up to five tasks from a published writer and editor. You will also better understand the publishing industry, as well as tips on how to prepare a book proposal. 

4. The Crafty Writer

Although nonfiction is not as thrilling as creative writing or being a novelist, there are numerous methods to begin a writing career because of the numerous market prospects available when working in the nonfiction category. The 8-session free online non-fiction writing courses are self-paced and accessible at any time.

The Below-listed Topics Are Covered in the Modules:

• An examination of the nonfiction market, its prospects, and how to get started.
• How to use a narrative writing style and creative writing approaches to engage readers. 
• wikis, blogging, and copyrighting are all examples of writing for the internet, and you’ll learn that too.
• What is the best way to write an autobiography?
• How to break into the freelance writing market as a newbie.
• How to arrange a feature, how to document research, how to structure thoughts in the article, etc. 
• How to Write a Publisher and Editor Proposal
• Copyright, defamation, and libel are all factors to consider, while publishing you’ll get words on that too.

If you’re looking for free online creative nonfiction classes to study or if you’d like to learn more about nonfiction but aren’t sure which area to emphasize, this free writing course is a fantastic place to start. You’ll also get guidance on how to make money from your writing.

Also Read: Content Writing Courses in India

5. Writers.com 

Writers.com offers non-fiction writing courses by the name of next-level creative nonfiction. In this 10-week online course with the author, editor, and educator Wendy Call, you’ll “learn how to raise your creative nonfiction storytelling techniques—from structure to style” and “find how to enhance your creative nonfiction storytelling—from structure to style.”

Memoirs, essays, travel writing, and literary journalism will be studied by students. This online non-fiction writing course could help you whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced writer. The course covers eight fundamental characteristics of successful creative nonfiction for 10 weeks. On Monday mornings, a written “lecture” discusses the week’s craft element in-depth, provides brief literary readings, writing prompts, a short task, and suggests a reference for future research.

6. Gotham Writers

Gotham writer’s creative non-fiction is another course you can check out if you are interested in learning creative non-fiction writing. You’ll get 6-weeks of classes via zoom meeting or recorded classes where you will be introduced to 6 different types of creative non-fiction, namely memoir, essay, article, review, and travel writing. 

You will not only learn about various forms of nonfiction writing but also receive a suggestion on how to create them. In these non-fiction writing courses candidates will also get assignments and tasks, on which they also get the feedback to improve and learn better. 

Conclusion:

Nonfiction is a type of writing that tells a story based on true occurrences. Nonfiction writing includes biographies, history books, and travel guides. Nonfiction is a vast writing genre that includes all novels that aren’t based on a fictitious story. Nonfiction writing can be based on history and biography, be educational, provide commentary and humor, or examine philosophical issues.

Nonfiction is defined as a book that is not based on a made-up story. Whether you’re an author looking for the right category for your work or a reader interested in learning more about fact-based literature, understanding the different styles of nonfiction writing might help. Learning nonfiction writing is a heck lot of work, and taking a nonfiction writing course is a good idea, if you are stuck, confused, or just looking to improve your skills.

Frequently Asked Questions- FAQs

Q1. What is the first step for writing nonfiction?

Nonfiction, as the name suggests not fictional or imaginary, it is based on truths. So that is the first thing to keep in mind while writing nonfiction text. Its writing style can vary from explanatory to descriptive.

Q2. How to start writing a nonfiction book?

There is no one common starting point to starting a nonfiction book, but making oneself familiar with the topic from extensive reading and research, is one of the good starting points.

Q3. What to do before enrolling in any course?

Before enrolling in any course it is a good idea to research it and also pay attention to reviews and if possible try to connect with a past student of the course to get a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the course.