From romance, to horror, fantasy, historical fiction and beyond, strengthen your technique and delight your audience with the help of premium genre courses.
Drill down through the specifics of creative writing technique, with a variety of live, interactive workshops held every month on Zoom.
Every course and workshop comes loaded with a wealth of exercises to complete. Practice what you've learned with assignments that will put your new skills to the test.



Forget restricting yourself to writing seminars just once or twice a year. The AutoCrit Academy brings you a massive, continually growing library of professional training. With your pass, you're free to enroll in any course or workshop that we offer live each month.
All content. No exceptions.
Whether it's a two-hour craft workshop or a six-week Masterclass, you'll be first line for everything (and the replays) for as long as your pass is active.
Receive over $1000 in professional writing know-how every month, without having to pay for a separate writing course ever again.
You could spend countless hours gathering free advice and piecing together YouTube videos. You might learn how to write a book... eventually.
Our instructors don't just teach the craft; they live and breathe their publishing careers. Every technique, every strategy, and every market insight you receive is currently working for a USA Today Bestselling Author.
Theory is great, but it isn't enough. We teach proven, real-world practice that we stake our own business on. Get a direct line to the knowledge that creates successful, professional authors today, including unique sessions from specialized guest teachers to covering everything from the newest trends in editing, marketing, and the business of being an author, all the way to topics such as culture, food, niche literature, gaming, and more.
Isn't it time you invested in knowledge that actually pays you back?
Whether you're drafting your debut romance novel, polishing a nonfiction memoir, or building a sustainable author career, our monthly workshops, courses, and masterclasses cover the exact skills you need to succeed.
Despite what your English teacher might have said, creativity isn't a disease that needs to be cured. At the AutoCrit Academy, we foster the next wave of maverick storytellers. The romantics. The world-builders. The mystifiers and the terrifiers. And those with heartfelt truths to tell.
It's where literary sophisticates and beautiful misfits gain access to topics, teachers, and techniques you won't find anywhere else.
With new, live-taught content flowing in every month, you can spend your year mastering skills relevant to your path instead of languishing beneath the confines of a generic curriculum.
In-depth, multi-session courses and workshops offered every month, specifically for major genres like Romance, Thrillers, Fantasy, and Horror.
Whether you need to master plotcraft for a Romantasy novel or to learn how to escalate your thriller with pacing and suspense, we have you covered.
Go beyond grammar and polish your narrative skills with a focus on universal craft elements like mastering point-of-view, writing impactful dialogue, creating deep character motivations, and structuring plots that keep readers turning pages from beginning to end.
The path to publication demands more than finished book. Our marketing courses and workshops teach you how to build your author platform, write blurb and ad copy that converts, master the ever-changing world of social media, and leverage proven sales funnels used by top-selling authors.
Your pass includes access to our Expert Series, bringing in subject matter specialists like former police detectives for crime writing, attorneys for legal thrillers, pathologists for medical fiction, and other opportunities you won't find anywhere else.
Stay ahead of the curve and learn what readers are buying now, and what they might be buying in the future. We track the fastest-growing subgenres, popular reader tropes, and emerging narrative styles. Learn how to successfully blend genres, capitalize on current reader expectations, and make your book stand out in a crowded market.
These intensive, multi-week programs are designed for serious writers ready for deep immersion. Led by USA Today bestselling authors, these classes break down complex genres and advanced topics like Dark Fiction, Romantasy, Dark Academia, and more.
Join guest expert Yetunde Oshodi-Fraudeau, visionary founder of Let’s Eat The World, for this immersive session where you’ll learn how specific dishes, ingredients, or meals can be used to connect a character to their cultural identity, past, or family heritage. Together, we will analyze the profound cultural symbolism of eating together.
Transform your draft into a polished novel in just 30 days! This course features professional support, live sessions, and hands-on exercises. Stay on track with check-ins and progress updates, while learning strategies to edit faster and more effectively than you thought possible.
Turn your love story into the beating heart of your novel. In this focused workshop, writer and storyteller Casey Jones shows you how to create romantic tension that feels honest, sharp, and impossible to look away from. You will learn how to keep your star-crossed lovers apart in ways that deepen character, heighten stakes, and keep readers hooked to the final page.
Dystopian stories let readers explore the worst possible futures from a safe distance. In this four-week course, USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell shows you how to design oppressive systems, collapsing worlds, and unforgettable characters who fight back. You will learn how to shape your ideas into a powerful story blueprint you can take straight into drafting.
Your book cover is your most critical marketing tool. It’s the one element that must perform perfectly in a split second. This two-hour, practical workshop strips away the guesswork and teaches authors why a cover sells and what fundamental elements are required to make it successful. Guest instructor J.A. Armitage is an author, graphic designer, and owner of Enchanted Quill Press. With over 20 years of cover design experience, she breaks down exactly what makes a “good” cover and how to avoid costly mistakes.
Join bestselling authors Bekah Brinkmeier and Kat Campbell for three weekly sessions that blend festive storytelling with irresistible emotional depth. Discover how to write cozy romances, tales of merry magic, or heartwarming holiday adventures readers will revisit year after year.
Some authors can land interviews on the biggest podcasts without struggling for attention. Others send pitch after pitch with no result. This Marketing How To series webinar shows you how to join the first group. Writer and consultant Brock Swinson reveals the same outreach strategies, pitch structures, and follow up sequences he used to book interviews with major guests like Anne Hathaway, Ethan Hawke, and Mel Brooks.
Folk horror is where old stories, rural settings, and buried traditions collide with the modern world. In this focused, two-part workshop, writer and storyteller Casey Jones shows you how to tap into that tension and turn it into unforgettable fear. You will learn how to build atmosphere, shape rituals and legends, and deliver moments that feel both inevitable and shocking.
Readers are hungry for stories that explore the world we are heading towards: rising seas, fractured societies, impossible weather, new technologies, and human resilience pushed past the breaking point. Join USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell in this exciting new workshop. Whether you’re writing a near-future thriller, a solarpunk hopepunk novel, or a bleak atmospheric dystopia, this workshop will help you sharpen your craft and strengthen your story’s impact.
Humor is often the hardest element for an author to execute, but its one of the best tools for developing character, breaking tension, and forging a deep bond with your reader. This live, interactive 2-part workshop is led by USA Today bestselling author Bekah Brinkmeier. You’ll discover the key techniques you need to add humor to your books with complete confidence and maximum impact.
Take the next step in your publishing journey with this interactive workshop led by USA Today bestselling author and pitch coach Katherine D. Graham. You’ll learn how to craft a standout query letter, research and target the right agents, and prepare a polished submission package. Gain expert insights, personalized guidance, and the confidence to send your queries with strategy and success.
Dark Academia is far more than an aesthetic. It’s an obsession. And it’s a growing niche that spans elite boarding schools, haunted battle colleges, university campuses, and wicked reform academies. Blending elements of mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, and romance, Dark Academia stories draw readers into the worlds of ambition, corruption and intellectual escapism. Take a six week journey into the heart of this niche and discover how to create worlds your readers can fall head first into!
Whether you’re planning to write epic high fantasy, action-packed tales of urban witchcraft, or a crushing grimdark saga, Fantasy Foundations contains the content and exercises that will push your imagination to its limits. Join USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell on this quest to write Fantasy novels that sell.
Learn the foundational strategies for successful book promotion. Build a rockstar author brand, master the essentials of email marketing, and use social media effectively to connect with readers and drive sales.
Ready to publish your book? Whether you’re a first-time author or looking to refine your self-publishing journey, this four-session course is your roadmap to success. You’ll learn the essentials from bestselling author, ghostwriter, and author coach Bekah Brinkmeier. Gain hands-on strategies, insider tips, and expert guidance to bring your book to life and share it with the world.
Join author and poet Cat Woodward in this new workshop. Poetry is a powerful tool for novelists. Think of the ancient songs in Lord of the Rings or the haunting verse in historical fiction. These elements instantly deepen the reader’s experience. This two-part workshop is your practical guide to incorporating original verse into your prose. We’ll cut through the complexity to show you exactly how to write it and where to integrate it into your story.
Foreshadowing is one of the most effective tools for pulling readers in, keeping them hooked, and delivering satisfying payoffs. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to plant clues, build anticipation, and craft stories that reward your readers for paying attention.
Learn the structured process for building a magic system that’s believable, consistent, and compels the plot. Master the rules, costs, and societal impact that bring fantastical worlds to life. Writer and storyteller Casey Jones will guide you through this two-part workshop and give you a step-by-step process for creating your own magic system and rules.
Are you struggling to write a blurb that really grabs readers’ attention? Our workshop is here to help! In this fun and interactive session, you’ll learn how to hook your reader, summarize your story, create emotional impact, and stand out in the market.
Learn to write high-heat, high-stakes romance in this four-week genre course. Master the art of building irresistible chemistry, choreograph effective and engaging sex scenes, analyze and execute popular spicy tropes, and use emotional tension to deliver satisfying payoffs every time!
BDSM has obvious allure, but media often gets it wrong (making experienced kinksters cringe). In this workshop, guest instructor Stella Harris will cover the basics of writing about kink & BDSM, from choosing terms and language to show character development from dungeon to the bedroom. You’ll get an overview of common kinks from impact to bondage and beyond, while discussion safety, consent, and negotiation.
Writing one book is a massive achievement; writing a connected, compelling series is a career builder. This intensive course, led by series expert and USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell, delivers the strategic planning and high-level structural skills need to maintain momentum and loyalty across multiple volumes.
The magical school or academy is a classic trope, but a great one is a character in itself, full of secrets, political rivalries, and plot-driving conflicts. This workshop, led by writer and storyteller Casey Jones, provides the detailed framework you need to build out your magical institution.
Author and speaker Kanika Bailey returns to lead authors through the planning and writing of an author newsletter. You’ll learn why your newsletter is one of your best sales assets, master content creation strategy, discover the perfect freebie, and learn advanced strategies top authors use to grow their readership.
Cozy fiction, whether mystery, fantasy, or romance, is a thriving niche built on specific rules of comfort and charm. This Masterclass goes beyond the basic definitions to teach you the high-level craft required to satisfy the most dedicated cozy readers. Master worldbuilding a charming community, creating relatable protagonists, and introducing low-stakes conflict.
This craft focused session, led by writer and speaker Kanika Bailey, teaches writers how to create compelling, high-impact first chapters that engage reader across genres. Attendees will analyze bestselling first pages, learn universal principals of strong openings, and participate in guided critiques of volunteer submissions.
Write the morally grey hero, high-stakes tension, and compelling power dynamics at play in Mafia Romance. This fun intensive workshop provides the framework to help you master the explicit tension and power dynamics required by this popular subgenre.
The best stories often live between genres. Horror isn’t just for horror novels, it’s a potent narrative tool. Learn to skillfully weave elements of dread, suspense, and psychological terror into your Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, or Romance. These elements can amplify stakes, deepen character tension, and create unputdownable reading experiences.
Sweet Romance (fade-to-black, closed door, clean & wholesome) is a highly beloved and profitable genre that demands masterful control over emotional conflict and character connection. Without relying on explicit scenes, how do you deliver that satisfying, swoon-worthy tension. This course teaches you how to highlight the emotional bond and intimacy, without sacrificing character chemistry!
Immerse yourself in the art of plotting a romantic novel. Discover how to create an engaging ‘Meet Cute’, introduce a compelling conflict, and design a believable ‘Winning Back’ scene. A robust plot is essential for your characters to truly resonate.
Intimacy Expert Stella Harris returns to lead this new workshop designed to help writers understand multi-partner dynamics. From polyamory to swinging, non-monogamous people have their own language. This session will help you better understand relationship structures, terminology, and real-world dynamics so you can better avoid harmful misconceptions or tropes.
Stop reporting on your characters and start breathing life into them. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to replace clinical observations with cinematic moments and stale exposition for dynamic dialogue and evocative action. We’re moving past “he was angry” and into the grit of how characters actually live on the page.
Villain POV is a powerful tool that can deepen tension and make readers question what they believe about your hero. Without careful control, it can turn into melodrama or backstory dumps that slow the story down. This workshop teaches you how to write villains as realistic heroes of their own story and craft dedicated villain POV scenes that balance motivation, backstory, and pacing with maximum impact.
Join USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell for this four-week worldbuilding intensive where you’ll learn to create vibrant settings, intricate societies, and compelling magic systems. We’ll master the foundations of geography and history, design rich cultures and landscapes and learn how to integrate your worldbuilding seamlessly.
Foreshadowing is one of the most effective tools for pulling readers in, keeping them hooked, and delivering satisfying payoffs. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to plant clues, build anticipation, and craft stories that reward your readers for paying attention.
Monster romance is a fast-growing subgenre that blends emotional intimacy with otherness, danger, and devotion, and it demands careful control of tone, consent expectations, and worldbuilding logic. Without a clear framework, the concept can feel random, or the romance arc can lose credibility. This workshop teaches you how to design irresistible non-human love interests, build a satisfying romance arc, and position your book so it reaches the readers who will obsess over it.
Unlock character-driven friction that pushes your story forward with storyteller Casey Jones. In this two-part workshop, you’ll learn how to use character dynamics to generate intrigue, escalate tension, and keep your story moving in exciting new directions.
Stop chasing algorithms and build an evergreen audience that buys everything you create. Join guest expert and coach Brooks Elms for this two-part workshop and learn his author content creation system, posting frameworks, and list-building tactics to turn Z into a valuable social media asset for your author career.
Does your dialogue drive the plot, or does it just take up space? Join us for an interactive 90-minute workshop focused on the rhythm of speech. We’ll cover how to make every line reveal character and motivation and turn bland scenes into emotional powerhouses!
Write the past with heart, depth, and unshakeable confidence. Whether you’re navigating the political paranoia of a Tudor court or the quiet, stifled whispers of a Victorian parlor, your story deserves to feel as vivid, urgent, and human as the present day. This Masterclass will take you on a deep dive through six of the most iconic eras of storytelling. We’ll cover the art of research, the psychology of the era, period-flavor dialogue and voice, and how to use the specific laws and customs of an era to create organic tension.
Mystery and thriller readers crave momentum, but pacing is a delicate balance of pressure and release. Without the right rhythm, hooks fall flat, the middle sags, and twists land too late to satisfy. This workshop teaches you how to control narrative speed, sharpen tension, and time your clues and reveals so your story feels relentless, deliberate, and impossible to put down.
Build your authority and cement your legacy with a nonfiction work. Whether you’re seeking to write a business authority book that positions you as a thought leader or recording your life story through your memoirs, we’ll provide you a step-by-step system that can take you from idea to published in only six weeks. This Masterclass is intensive and taught by WSJ Bestselling author and ghostwriter Brock Swinson. Spaces are limited.
Transform your draft into a polished novel in just 30 days! This course features professional support, live sessions, and hands-on exercises. Stay on track with check-ins and progress updates, while learning strategies to edit faster and more effectively than you thought possible.
Writing a single strong book is an achievement. Building a lasting series requires vision, structure, and narrative stamina. Without a solid framework, stories lose momentum and audiences drift away. This workshop teaches you how to strengthen your core concept, design stories that satisfy on their own, and create the connective tissue that transforms a good idea into a series readers will follow for years.
Backstory, dreams, and flashbacks can deepen character and heighten stakes—but when mishandled, they stall pacing and pull readers out of the present moment. Without careful integration, emotional history becomes an info-dump instead of narrative fuel. This workshop teaches you how to weave memory and trauma seamlessly into your story, so the past intensifies the present rather than interrupting it.
Young Adult fiction demands authenticity, emotional depth, and a strong narrative drive. How do you capture the voice, intensity, and perspective that make YA stories unforgettable across any genre? This four-session live course guides you step by step through crafting relatable teen protagonists, emotionally rich scenes, and tightly structured novels that resonate with young readers and keep them turning pages.
Blend history and magic without losing credibility. This two-part workshop gives you the research strategies, worldbuilding tools, and character techniques you need to write immersive, well-researched historical fantasy.
Game writing blends structure and spontaneity, demanding mastery over narrative design, player agency, and long-term adventure arcs. Unlike traditional fiction, your story evolves through collaboration at the table. This workshop teaches you how to design player-driven adventures that feel cohesive, cinematic, and unforgettable without sacrificing flexibility or momentum.
Master short-fiction plotcraft in this two-hour intensive led by USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell. Learn to structure powerful narratives, weave in character arcs, tighten tension, and deliver satisfying endings—all in half the words.
Tension drives your fiction. No matter your genre, from Cozy Mystery to Epic Fantasy, the ability to control anticipation and manage stakes is what transforms a good story in a great one. This intensive workshop delivers the secrets to building the pressure that readers can’t ignore.
Found Family Fantasy is one of the most emotionally resonant and enduring storytelling traditions in modern fantasy. Readers are not just looking for magic. They are looking for belonging. How do you build a cast that feels real, layered, and unforgettable without losing narrative focus? This workshop teaches you how to craft ensemble dynamics, emotional bonds, and group chemistry that anchor your story in heart and connection.
Step into our new mad monster lab to engineer a truly iconic antagonist with Gareth Jones. Go beyond the creature feature tropes to build a beast that is terrifying.
Atmospheric Paranormal Fiction is a craft-driven genre that depends on tension, spatial awareness, and emotional unease rather than jump scares or overused descriptors. If your setting feels flat or decorative, how do you make it pulse with quiet wrongness? This workshop teaches you how to manipulate sensory detail, awkward geography, and silence so your scenes feel immersive, unsettling, and unforgettable.
Low Heat Romance (slow burn, closed door, emotional-first) is a deeply beloved genre that relies on tension, restraint, and emotional connection rather than explicit scenes. How do you create that aching, page-turning chemistry without physical payoff? This course teaches you how to build longing, subtext, and emotional intimacy that keeps readers invested from the first glance to the final confession.
Paranormal and supernatural fiction are beloved, high-demand genres that require careful control of tone, worldbuilding logic, emotional stakes, and genre expectations. Without a clear framework, magic systems feel inconsistent and romantic or mystery arcs lose impact. This masterclass teaches you how to build immersive supernatural worlds, craft multidimensional characters, and balance otherworldly danger with emotional resonance so your story lands exactly where your readers want it.
Dystopian stories let readers explore the worst possible futures from a safe distance. In this four-week course, USA Today bestselling author Kat Campbell shows you how to design oppressive systems, collapsing worlds, and unforgettable characters who fight back. You will learn how to shape your ideas into a powerful story blueprint you can take straight into drafting.
Write gripping, dynamic fight scenes in two interactive sessions with seasoned storyteller Casey Jones. Learn techniques to elevate action, heighten emotional stakes, and craft powerful moments of conflict that readers won’t forget.
Join Jeremy Socha and Lyle Blackburn for this thrilling Expert Series session that blends folklore, mythology, and real-world cryptid encounters into practical tools for your writing. Learn how to embrace ambiguity, craft chilling settings, and capture the allure of the unexplained to make your stories unforgettable.
For more than 13 years, AutoCrit has been known for serving authors with best-in-class software and tools to make writing and editing smoother and faster. The AutoCrit Academy is our educational wing, where we host our premium online writing workshops and courses – all created and hosted by professional authors, industry experts, and experienced writing tutors. AutoCrit Academy courses and workshops have been enjoyed by thousands of writers across the world.
Our online writing courses can help writers from numerous genres and mediums dramatically improve their writing skills. Our resources give authors access to personalized feedback and industry-standard insights.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced author, our courses offer genre-specific and targeted lessons to strengthen storytelling, structure, and style.
With a user-friendly platform and community support, you’ll learn how to self-edit effectively, boost your confidence, and enhance your chances of publication – or prepare your manuscript for self-publication.
AutoCrit’s practical, hands-on approach helps you transform your drafts into polished, compelling stories.
Currently, all of our writing classes and workshops are online. This allows learners from all over the world, living in any time zone, to access the courses and make the most of our writing programs.
Our online writing classes are in-depth and hands-on, targeting specific genres and elements of writing. Think of them as your boot camp for precisely the area of your writing you want to improve.
New classes are added to the schedule frequently, so sign up on this page to get notified of upcoming events and watch for online enrollment to open.
For just one single payment, the AutoCrit Academy Pass grants you access to every live workshop and course run by AutoCrit within the timeframe your pass is valid.
This means any workshops and courses that are being held with a live time period, usually via Zoom.
You’ll also gain access to recordings of any courses and workshops for which you register using your pass throughout the year, so you can catch up for as long as your pass is active.
Access to historic recordings of courses or workshops held before your pass was purchased is not included.
Premium courses are four weeks of lessons, exercises and activities, all backed up with weekly live sessions with your tutor. Masterclasses are deeper dives into the subject matter spanning over six weeks.
Workshops are either two hour or two 90-minute live lessons with writing exercises and dedicated Q&A segments with the tutor.
The schedule changes from month to month, so it’s impossible to say exactly how many courses, workshops, or masterclasses will be present in any given month. That said, you are guaranteed to see value worth 5x the price of your pass at the very least.
No. The Academy Pass covers you for live access to courses and workshops only.
Recordings of any courses and workshops for which you register throughout the year will be available as long as your pass is active.
Absolutely! If you want to join every single session for every single workshop you are more than welcome.
Immediately. Depending on when you purchased it you may have to wait a few days for the first session, but you can also jump into any courses that are currently under way once your pass is activated.
Your Access Pass subscription renews every 30 days after purchasing unless cancelled. Once cancelled, all access ends, including any access to recorded sessions from past courses or workshops.
Yes. Any single course, workshop, or masterclass you purchase at the standard cover price entitles you to unlimited access to the recording(s) from that course.
No. The AutoCrit Academy Pass provides access only to the offerings from the AutoCrit Academy. It does not include Pro-level access to the AutoCrit software suite and associated member benefits like clubs or other exclusive live member events.
For AutoCrit Pro access, you can either join on a standard software subscription or grab Lifetime access right here during this Black Friday offer week!
Write better, right now. Enter your details to create your Free AutoCrit account.
By creating an account, you agree to AutoCrit's Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy