You really can make money with your writing. Whether you want to create your own business, add to your income, supplement your retirement, or boost what you're earning as a writer, you'll find the how-to's here. You'll learn secrets, methods, and tips to help you generate income with your writing. This class includes all the practical information that so rarely gets taught in writing classes.

In most courses and social groups it's taboo to discuss money, but not here. This course embraces it! Making money is the focus of the lessons. You'll explore a dozen genres that can help you establish a sometime, part-time, or full-time career as a writer. Along the way, you'll learn methods to work faster, suffer less rejection, and bring home more bacon. Fulfilling (and lucrative) writing work is waiting for you!

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

Self-Paced classes start anytime.

For more information or to register please click the link.

Ever wondered if it would be better to start a WordPress blog or a Twitter microblog? Whether it's legal to publish fanfiction or not? How you can make some extra money if you also take photos or make videos? This course will answer all your questions about publishing on the Internet.

The Internet provides unlimited opportunities if you're a writer, whether you just have a few hours a week to blog or want a full-time publishing career or just plan to promote your books or business on the web. There is no single way to become successful writing for the web, so this course shows you the hundreds of different choices you have, and helps you set your own goals. In fact, by the end of the course, you'll have your very own publishing plan, from the steps to take in developing your writer's platform or brand, to the markets that will help you accomplish your goals.

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

Self-Paced classes start anytime.

For more information or to register please click the link.

If you have ever wanted to try journaling, this course will provide answers to your every question. You will discover the different types of journaling and many journaling techniques, exercises, tools and resources. You will explore a seven-step process that will ease you into writing a journal. You will get detailed instructions on developing, decorating, and customizing your journal, and you will learn exciting new ways to express yourself and develop your creativity.

You will discover how you can use your journal to explore your thoughts, feelings, and values, and you will learn how to use your journal to support your emotional well-being. You will also understand how journaling can ease the stress of unwanted change throughout the course of your life. You'll even discover how journaling can help you choose the best career for you or advance in your current career.

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

Self-Paced classes start anytime.

For more information or to register please click the link.

There's never been a better time to start a career as a screenwriter. With technological breakthroughs bringing the cost of making and distributing movies down to almost nothing, there is an ever-increasing demand for great scripts—and for people who can write them. Whether you want to write micro-budget indie films or Hollywood blockbusters, this course will teach you everything you need to know to write a script that sells.

You will learn the fundamentals of stories—why audiences need them, what they expect from them, and what kinds of stories work time after time. You'll discover how to create characters audiences connect with and how to write dialogue that will bring them to life. You will get hands-on experience through a series of short writing assignments that will have you working like a pro from the very beginning of the course. In addition, you'll get an inside look into the business of selling your script and building your career as a writer. When you finish the course, you'll be ready to start writing your own script!

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

Self-Paced classes start anytime.

For more information or to register please click the link.

If you can use a word processor, have a book written (or have an idea for one), and want to see your name in print, you just might have what it takes to succeed in self-publishing.

This course introduces you to everything you need to know to do a professional job of turning your manuscript into a book that will help you make money on the Internet, whether you want to self-publish a novel, a nonfiction book, or a picture book. You will learn how to format your e-book and get it ready to sell through bookstores like Amazon and Apple. By the end of the course, you could have your e-book published in over 100 countries worldwide and available to libraries and book clubs.

This course and its follow-up Introduction to Writing Markets, take you step-by-step through publishing your own e-books and building your writer's platform or brand, to be successful selling them. Take the first step to publishing success, and sign up today.

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

For more information or to register please click the link.

Attention all writers! Learn how to efficiently and effectively conduct research for any writing project: fiction, nonfiction, business . . . even term papers and dissertations. Research has progressed far beyond a visit to the library. Today, myriad sources provide almost anything a writer might need to know on any subject. Learn how to identify and access every information source imaginable.

Research: The Foundation of Writing

In this introductory lesson, you'll learn why good research skills are necessary for effective writing. You'll unleash your creativity with the exciting "Mind Mapping" tool to identify your subject—in both a general and specific way—to help refine your research before you even begin. You'll also learn the importance of understanding jargon and technical terms specific to your subject, which will leave you much better prepared to begin your project.

Making a Plan

You probably already know that much time can be wasted if research is conducted in a disorganized manner. In this lesson, you'll learn how to organize a plan for your research and how to keep organized once your research is underway. You'll identify the first steps of research, including choosing between academic and anecdotal research, primary and secondary sources, and which resources will be the most productive for you in the early stages of research.

The Library: A Virtual Field Trip

The library is still the most all-inclusive resource for research, but many people aren't aware of the treasure trove of information residing within its walls. This lesson will take you on a virtual field trip through the many library sections and departments, introducing and reviewing the materials available, including periodicals, microfilm records, Lexis-Nexis, rare books, reverse directories, government reports, maps, old telephone books, and many others. You'll discover resources that you never knew existed.

The Personal Interview

One of the most productive resources for researches is the personal interview, but it can be intimidating. In this lesson, you'll learn how to find experts and how to prepare for an interview. You'll learn the keys to formulating questions designed to get the very best from your subject. By the time you finish this lesson, you'll feel confident and competent to approach your interview subjects with ease.

Getting the Most out of Reports and Studies

Perusing reports can seem about as much fun as a root canal, but it's worth it when you find nuggets of information essential to your research. This lesson will introduce you to numerous valuable reports, including census reports, public company reports and a multitude of government reports. You'll learn how to separate the wheat from the chaff, winnowing out the pertinent information, and how to assess a report not only for its content but also for the reliability of its source. As a bonus, you'll be given some guidelines for turning statistics into prose.

History: Fact or Fiction?

In this lesson, you'll learn how to incorporate history into your writing, whether it's fiction or nonfiction. You'll discover what you've probably suspected all along: the truth of history is often shaped by the perspective of the historian. This lesson will teach you how to evaluate different perspectives, how to spot "rewritten history," and how to zero in on fact versus mythology.

Public Records: A Treasure Trove of Information

This lesson will introduce you to the numerous public records that are waiting to reveal information about persons, places, and things. Real estate records, birth, marriage and death records, civil and criminal trial records, bankruptcy filings, construction records, and political campaign information are but a few of the many records available to the public. By the end of the lesson, you'll know what's out there and how to get to it.

The Internet: A Researcher's Best Friend

Conducting research on the Internet can be a valuable time-saver. It can also allow researchers to fall into the trap of believing everything they read. This lesson will discuss Internet reliability: what you can trust and what you should distrust. You'll also learn skills for effectively using search engines for your research, for both general and specific topics. You'll find many useful research links and learn about issues such as when you should and should not pay for your information. The Internet has as many pitfalls as benefits, and this lesson will show you how to avoid the pitfalls.

Creating Your Own Information

Some researchers can't resist the lure of using information that has never before existed. This lesson discusses the value of collecting your own data by way of surveys, studies, interviews, polls, and questionnaires. You'll learn how to effectively create these instruments of data-gathering, and you'll learn the difference between valid statistical sampling versus informal, nonscientific results, and when the use of each is appropriate.

Guerrilla Research

Have you ever had difficulty finding cooperative sources of information? This lesson will reveal the secrets of Guerilla Research; i.e., how to get answers when the questions are being evaded. You'll learn techniques for gaining the confidence of reluctant interview subjects, as well as methods for digging and snooping. In other words, you'll learn how to get what you want when the direct approach isn't working.

Attribution: Giving Credit When Credit Is Due

Once your research has been compiled, much of it will be quoted or paraphrased within your manuscript. This lesson will discuss the importance of proper attribution as well as the technical methods for crediting your sources. You'll learn how to painlessly create a bibliography, and you will also learn how to decide between citations, footnotes, and endnotes for your work. You can easily avoid copyright violations by gaining a basic understanding of copyright law, along with the fundamentals of fair use and permissions. Writers know how important it is to protect themselves, and in this lesson you'll learn how.

Pulling It All Together

Your research is complete, your facts are gathered; now what? In this final lesson, you'll learn what to do with all the research materials you have accumulated. You'll learn how to identify what is valuable and what should be discarded. You'll gain insight on both the writing and the editing process, and as a bonus, you'll learn how to avoid some of the most common word-usage mistakes. This lesson will give you the final skills you need to produce a well-researched, polished manuscript.

This is a self-paced class.  For more information or to register please click the link.

Romance is the #1 selling genre in mass-market fiction with readers clamoring for more! To pen a novel romance readers' love, you'll need to understand how to meet and exceed their expectations. Whether you're a new or experienced writer, this course will help you broaden your skills and understand exactly what makes a romance reader finish a book with that "Ahh" of satisfaction. You will start by learning about the genre of romance and exploring why you fell in love with your favorite romance novels. You will explore how to craft three-dimensional characters your readers will love and how to weave a plot so your story grabs the reader's interest from page one. You will gain valuable techniques—your "romance writer's toolbox"—to apply to your own manuscript.

You will also spend a couple lessons looking at and practicing elements important for any writer to master: setting, pacing, point of view, dialogue, research, mood, and tone. You will take on fun assignments that will help you hone your craft. By the time you finish, you'll be able to pick up a book and figure out what makes it a best seller, or why it's been called a classic, or why it appealed to you as a reader. Even better, you'll have mastered tools and techniques so you can add those same elements to your own writing.

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

For more information or to register please click the link.

Think you need multiple classes to understand beginner French? Discover how easy learning simple words and phrases for leisure and business can be. The Beginning Conversational French course makes pronunciation simple, with phonetic spellings for every word and phrase you need to learn French. This online course even includes audio so that you can hear and practice the language with little more than a click of your mouse! You will also learn cultural tips in each lesson that will make you more comfortable in a foreign setting. The skills you obtain will not only allow you to carry on a French conversation with ease but become prepared to speak French in a wide variety of settings and situations.

Upon successful course completion, you will know useful basic French that you can confidently use when traveling. You will also understand important tips to help you blend in with and relate to foreign cultures. You will be amazed at how easy it is to speak a new language!

Instructor-Led dates are as follows May 17, Jun 14, July 12 and Aug 16.

Self-Paced classes start anytime.

For more information or to register please click the link.