Do you write fiction? Do you want to improve your craft? Fall is a great season for taking a writing workshop! Quality content is not usually cheap, but investing in the right classes can not only provide you with valuable insight and personal direction, it can also potentially lead to meaningful connections with peers and professionals within the industry that can last well beyond the duration of the class. Any investment in self improvement is usually a good one, but with so many platforms available online, it can be difficult to know what will be worth your time and money. Here are my top three recommendations:

LitReactor
One of my favorite sites to recommend to writers! Since 2011, they have published consistently excellent content, from articles on the craft to interesting interviews and publishing news. Additionally, they are a great platform for online workshops and community and offer classes from established authors and industry professionals such as John Skipp, Kathe Koja, Richard Thomas, Francesca Lia Block, and Nick Mamatas.

Broadkill Writers Resort
Founded by writer/publisher and fellow bizarro fiction pioneer, John Edward Lawson, the Broadkill Writers Resort is both an online community and physical place. The website offers online community and education along with periodic workshops through their sister site AllAccessCon. Check out the Writing Fitness part of their site where they offer on online writing group, a “healthy productivity library” and personal coaching. And if you are looking for a place to escape to and focus on your creative projects, you can rent their beach house on the Delaware Bay.

Speculative Fiction Academy
This is a new site that I just learned about that a lot of cool people are involved with and so I’m very excited about it. According to their about page, the Speculative Fiction Academy provides an environment where people interested in creating in the genre space can flourish. Students will be able to learn about the things that interest them – faeries and vampires, warlocks and shapeshifters, and everything in between. They will learn worldbuilding, character development, pacing, and tone as well as marketing concepts, branding techniques, publishing practices, and audio considerations.

“SFA is the school I wish I could have attended myself. If you are a genre writer, a non fiction writer, a podcaster, a screenwriter, someone who wants to learn their way around the dark, the fantastic, or the unknown, SFA is perfect for you. If you are seasoned in one genre and want to learn something new, SFA is the place to be. Check us out!” – Lisa Macon Wood, President

So there you are, my top three recommendations for online writing workshops. I hope you check them out and let me know how it goes! And if you have any experiences with workshops that you would like to share, please leave me a comment. I’d love to hear about it!