One of the leading writing programs, the Gotham Writers' Workshop offers programs in creative writing that are designed to strengthen a writer's skills. Gotham's classes are highly interactive and involve more than just reading an assignment and posting your response. Students learn the basics of writing such as plot, pacing, characterization, point of view and dialogue. Gotham's online classes are small, with less than twenty students in each class.
The Online Writers' Studio offered through Stanford's Continuing Studies division provides budding writers, or those with more experience, the opportunity to study and improve their craft from the comfort of their own homes. Stanford offers both general courses and certificate courses. Many courses are credit-granting courses. Topics range from classes about genres to editing.
Open University is an online university based in the UK that offers some free courses for students in an online format. The writing course "Writing What You Know" is designed to teach participants about incorporating details into their stories, details that are based on the writer's personal experiences or knowledge. The "Writing What You Know" course is divided into five printed (online) modules that the writer works through at her own pace. It has activities and then prompts for discussion. There is no completion certificate; finishing the course is just for personal enrichment.
Writers' Village University is an organization that offers around 300 courses to their members. One year membership is $99 and a three year membership is $175. This organization's goal is to provide a place where budding writers can learn about their craft and can network with other writers. Courses range from writing for children to screenwriting and editing novels. Writers' Village courses can be taken with other writers or participants can work at their own pace.