In January 2024, I started my first online course in creative writing. It was the first of a six-course quota to get my Professional Certificate in Creative Writing from Western University. I have long been interested in writing but never felt the motivation to practise. In typical fashion, I enrolled in the course to force myself to put the work in.
By the end of the year, I completed three out of six courses and really liked them. Each course had regular classes online over Zoom. Typically, the instructor introduced the week’s focus and left time at the end for students to ask questions. Sometime during the class there was a 5-10 minute breakout room where groups of 3-5 students discussed a topic in the agenda. Outside of this regular class time, there was an online forum for everyone to post their assignments and receive feedback from the class. The instructor would also give private feedback. This was the exciting part for me. I eagerly read comments about my work and replied if there were any questions.
The first course was Creativity for Writers taught by instructor and publisher Mike O’Connor. The purpose of this course was to “examine numerous techniques and methods that unleash the imagination and will get you writing fresh and exciting work.” Stepping my toes into the unfamiliar waters of intentional creative writing was a thrill! In one assignment I wrote about a nightmare I had when I was eight years old. Imagine running away from a mob of angry people trying to kill you when you find out a killer digimon also wants to kill you!
The second course was Jest for Laughs taught by instructor and author Mark Kearney. As the name indicates, it was a course in humour writing that covered different styles such as parody, satire, anecdotes, and more. Of course, I have always wanted to be funny so this was the perfect time to practice my writing. In truth, I realized a few years ago that I am, in fact, 1% as funny as I think I am. Maybe with practice I could increase it to 2%. In my final assignment, I created a list of Top 17 Things to do When You’re Bored as an ode to Steve Martin’s The Disgruntled Lexicographer.
The final course of the year was Writing Mysteries and Thrillers by instructor and author Drew Murray. The focus of this course was to analyze, understand, and practice writing mysteries and thrillers. I found these classes valuable because I could ask questions about the art of writing and get feedback directly from a published thriller author. In the final assignment, I had to write a short mystery/thriller story that needed to meet a few constraints. For example, one constraint was that “a person is found murdered in a locked room.” I wrote my story about the death of a small business president titled, The Book Collector.
In 2025, I want to take three more creative writing courses and complete my certificate. I have already enrolled in my fourth course, Tools for Success in Writing. I am excited to get back into the flow of writing!
Akshay Rao 