84 Best Book Writing Classes in 2026

A ten-month in-person course at the Writers Studio's Bronte studio in Sydney, built to get a complete first draft of a novel or screenplay finished by people who work full time. Fee is $4,495 AUD including GST, or $965 registration plus nine monthly payments of $400. You meet one Saturday a month, 10am to 6pm, plus one full weekend intensive, with founders Roland and Kathleen teaching and further tutors supporting between sessions. The structure breaks the draft into weekly tasks rather than leaving you to pace it yourself.

Weekly writing workshops that facilitate creative exploration in various genres, including literary fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Participants can attend the first session at no cost as a guest. The workshops use the Amherst Writers & Artists method to encourage artistic growth.

In-person workshop in Boston, $415 ($400 for members), taught by Brittany Williams. Six Tuesdays, 15 September to 20 October 2026, 10:30am-1:30pm at GrubStreet’s Seaport centre. For writers with a novel idea but no draft yet - generative rather than critique-led, built to get the opening chapters onto the page. Renewed from the expired ‘Love Me Back: Getting Your Romance Novel Ready for the Market’ listing; GrubStreet is not running that romance course this term, so this is the closest current same-provider novel course. NOTE the topic changed from romance-specific to general novel craft.

In-person single session in Chicago, $65, taught by Cyn Vargas. Monday 24 September 2026, 6:30-8:30pm at StoryStudio’s Chicago studio. Two hours on how a story is put together - where it starts, how it moves, where the weight falls. Renewed from the expired ‘Form & Content: Experimenting with Prose Structures’ listing, which StoryStudio no longer runs; this is the closest current same-provider equivalent on structure. URL moved off the generic /classes page onto the class itself.

Free in-person class in Kansas City, Wednesday 30 September 2026, at Kansas City Public Library. Part of the library’s Writers for Readers season, taught each week during the school year by Master of Fine Arts candidates from UMKC’s creative writing and media arts programme - this term Vicente Martinez and Rachelle Gardner-Roe. Covers how a story is built: shape, sequence and where the weight falls. Free, RSVP required, no payment at any stage. Renewed from the expired ‘Beginning A Novel’ listing, which the library no longer runs.

In-person conference in Atlanta, 6-7 November 2026, at the Westin Atlanta Airport Hotel. The Atlanta Writers Club’s twice-yearly conference: manuscript and query critiques with literary agents and editors, pitch sessions, and craft workshops across two days. Run by a club founded in 1914 with around 1,600 members, so the agent roster is a genuine draw rather than a token panel. Booking is per-activity, so cost depends on how many critiques and pitches you add.

In-person series in Cincinnati, $110 ($85 for CAC members or students), at the Contemporary Arts Center. Four Saturday mornings, 3 to 24 October 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm, sold as a series rather than single sessions. Each series is taught by a rotating group of local and published writers and moves across poetry, nonfiction and prose rather than sticking to one form. Class size is capped for individual attention, and a notebook of guided prompts is included. Winter (Feb) and spring (Apr) 2027 series dates are already published.

In-person single session in Houston, $135, taught by Hank Roubicek, Ph.D. Wednesday 2 September 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm at the Women’s Institute of Houston. A two-hour orientation to memoir as a form rather than a writing course: what separates a memoir from an autobiography, how to choose the slice of life or theme worth building a book around, and where to start. Suits someone deciding whether they have a memoir in them.

A first draft is a rough block of marble: there's a work of art in there, but to find it you're going to need some specialist tools. Over twelve weeks with an experienced editor and leading literary agent, learn the skills to turn your rough draft into an accomplished novel that captures the reader's attention from the start and satisfies it at the end.

Novelist Marcel Theroux presents a starter kit for writers at the beginning of their writing lives. This course is intended to be an inspiring reunion with your creative impulse. It'll look at the universal struggle with the internal critic and figure out ways to wrong-foot it, and some elements of craft to equip attendees with enough technical know-how to go away and work joyfully on a first draft.

This course provides a personalized learning experience for aspiring authors, focusing on turning ideas into plots, creating memorable characters, and the art of show-not-tell in writing. It includes immediate access to 60 modules, a printable workbook and PDF course, and practical exercises with feedback. The course is designed to be engaging and interactive, ensuring students receive personalized guidance and support in their writing journey.

A 6-week course covering major forms of creative nonfiction including memoir, personal essay, feature articles, profiles, reviews, and travel writing. The course includes lectures and writing exercises without the pressure of workshopping student projects.