In this article, we review the best storytelling classes and courses online.
What is Storytelling?
Storytelling is the social and cultural activity of sharing stories. It can be improvised or theatrical.
The important elements of storytelling are a plot, characters and narrative point of view.
Modern storytelling has evolved to represent political commentary, personal narrative, and many other forms. Storytelling is often used to address educational goals. Contemporary media has provided new ways for people to express and receive stories.
What is the difference between Storytelling and Public Speaking?
Public Speaking is generally a speech to live audience, while Storytelling is sharing of the story in an engaging and interesting way.
Sure, great public speakers are great storytellers as well. Yet is not always the case, especially in real-life situations like business presentations.
If you’re interested more in presenting and public speaking skills, have a look at our review of best Public Speaking Classes and Courses.
Whether you’re an art enthusiast, marketing professional, educator or public speaker, mastering storytelling will aid your career or personal life.
Learning to tell an impact story will improve your message delivery in business meetings or workplace. Luckily, there are many storytelling classes and courses available online.
But how do you choose the best ones?
We have collected the list of 10 best Storytelling Classes and Courses online. Here they are:
1. Storytelling and influencing: Communicate with impact
This storytelling course is from Macquarie University available on the Coursera education platform.
The ability to effectively speak and persuade others is a key leadership skill. Common models of communication and often fails to capture the complex need of a particular message.
This course will develop your skillset to communicate confidently in different situations.
The lessons will cover the basic theory of persuasive communication. You will get familiarised with the models of:
- Information processing.
- Motivational appeals.
- Message acceptance.
- The rules of effective human interactions.
Also learn about important storytelling principles like shaping the beginning, building the middle, and making the ending powerful.
What you’ll learn:
- How to simplify the components of persuasive communications.
- Apply a range of different strategies depending on the context of a message.
- How to develop skills to interpret audience feedback. Influence the way that they support your ideas.
You can take this course at your own pace, but 6 weeks is good suggested timeline, with 3-5 hours weekly study.
Duration: 15 hours (6 weeks, 3-5 hours per week)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: $69 (it’s Free for audit only – no grade materials)
Course: Register Here
2. Communication for Maximum Impact: Storytelling Classes
This course is from Northwestern University on the Coursera website. These storytelling classes will help leaders find their own stories through personal branding.
The course will cover leadership examples from great brands. Understanding famous brands will aid you to create your own personal brand.
Next, you will learn about the art of storytelling made simple. How to use storytelling as a powerful strategic communications tool. How to engage, motivate and inspire your critical audiences.
Visual mind mapping concepts will be introduced during the lessons. They will simplify the process of structuring your story.
You’ll learn how to approach crisis management for your company or brand from a storytelling perspective.
This course is 6 hours only and while Coursera will cost $49 per month, you can finish off this course during the 7-day trial.
Duration: 6hrs (2hrs per week)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: $49 per month for Coursera (7-day Free trial)
Course: Register Here
3. Storytelling in the Workplace by RIT
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private doctoral university in Rochester, New York. This course is provided via the edX online learning platform.
Most of the influential figures in the world are exceptional storytellers. Storytelling is important, that’s how people build communities and share ideas around the world.
In this course, you will learn about the structure of a narrative. How it will depend on the situation, medium, and audience.
You will learn the best practices for writing in all forms of media. Especially focusing on:
- Structure
- Point of view
- Tone
- Style
What you’ll learn:
- The elements of effective stories and how to use them in the workplace.
- How to tailor your messaging for the target audience.
- How to structure written messages. Mastertone, style, point of view.
- How various platforms convey messages and their differences.
The course is free, but getting the verified edX certificate will cost $49.
Duration: 3 weeks (4-6 hours per week)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: Free
Course: Register Here
4. The Complete Storytelling Course for Speaking & Presenting
This is the compilation of very detailed storytelling classes in one complete course. Complete Storytelling Course for Speaking is available on the Udemy e-learning website.
The course teaches the beginner, how to become a captivating speaker and presenter. You will master the techniques of expert storytelling.
Becoming good at storytelling is not difficult if you invest your time and thoroughly study and practice it.
The expert instructor provides all the steps needed to become comfortable and skilled at storytelling.
This comprehensive storytelling course is one of the longest on this list. The course will serve you well, providing you a reference for every aspect of storytelling.
During the study, each student is asked to post several videos of themselves delivering stories. This is the most helpful part of the storytelling course and will help you build confidence and practice.
What you’ll learn:
- How to become an excellent storyteller in your presentations.
- Confidence in your ability to captivate any audience.
- How to speak in a memorable manner.
- How to influence audiences.
Duration: 27.5hrs (3 articles,5 downloadable assets)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: $12.59
Course: Register Here
5. Storytelling for Social Change via edX
This course is from the University of Michigan. These storytelling classes develop your skills for using stories to deliver messages that matter. Learn how to affect audiences and shape attitudes for social change.
Lessons cover how building empathy and developing characters can offer new perspectives on the topic. Social change happens when listeners or viewers identify with messages delivered through a protagonist they identify with.
Artists and professional storytellers offer expertise about how to craft a story that develops empathy and delivers impact.
You will watch video interviews with storytelling experts and view performances. During the course, you will write your own story for social change. Learn how effective storytelling can be your tool for change.
What you’ll learn:
- How professionals use stories to provoke social change.
- How to introduce multi perspectives in the stories.
- How to communicate a message, engage the audience.
- How empathy and belief affect storytellers and audiences.
- How to use visual elements to enhance your storytelling.
The course is free, but getting the verified edX certificate will cost $49.
Duration: 5 weeks (1-3 hours per week)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: Free
Course: Register Here
6. Storytelling Classes for Business via Udemy
This course is available on the Udemy e-learning website. This workshop is a series of practical guidelines to teach you creating unforgettable stories.
Video lectures and workbook exercises help you master the process of crafting story after story. This process will benefit all your future storytelling efforts.
This is good course for beginners, to familiarise yourself with the essentials of storytelling. Other classes on the list are more detailed and business-oriented. Yet this course is an easy-going and short for people who look to learn only basics and invest minimal time.
What you’ll learn:
- The 6 Senses in your story scenes to trigger emotional responses.
- To master The 5 Beats of classic story structure.
- How to drive your narrative toward the selling point.
- Story brainstorming and workshopping process.
Duration: 2hrs (12 downloadable assets)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: $94.99
Course: Register Here
7. Transmedia Storytelling by UNSW on Coursera
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) is an Australian public research university located in Sydney.
Transmedia storytelling is the practice of designing and participating in a cohesive story experience across multiple delivery platforms. It is used for entertainment, advertising, and marketing, or social change.
If you’re interested in how professionals develop such complex narratives, this course is for you. This course provides a model for preparing and delivering transmedia storytelling.
Students will learn how to organize, write, practice and deliver stories via different modern mediums.
What you’ll learn:
- Shape your ideas into compelling and well-structured narratives and complex story worlds
- Identify, understand, and engage different audiences in your stories
- Create cohesive user experiences across different platforms
- Evaluate existing and emerging technologies to share your story with the world, and help your audience participate in the larger story world you create
This course is free, but getting a Coursera certificate (if you need one) will cost you $49.
Duration: 25hrs (6 weeks, 3-4 hours per week)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: Free
Course: Register Here
8. The Art of Storytelling by Pixar
These are great storytelling classes from Pixar, available on Khan Academy online learning platform. Pixar is an award-winning American computer animation studio.
This project explores how Pixar directors approach storytelling. You will hear the stories that inspired them and learn how to think about the process from start to end.
This is a free course for everyone interested in art and cinematic storytelling. It’s from one of the most influential animations studios of the last decades. The videos will help you with creative ideas and angles you can come up with for your story.
This is the content of the activities in this class:
- We are all storytellers: The art of storytelling
- Character: The art of storytelling
- Story structure: The art of storytelling
- Visual language: The art of storytelling
- Film grammar: The art of storytelling
- Pitching and feedback
Duration: 3 hours
Level: Beginner
Certification: No
Free / Paid: Free
Course: Register Here
Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech and much more.
This e-learning provider offers courses in advertising, business, design, video, music, technology, and copywriting.
There are several storytelling classes and videos on the platform. As usually on Skillshare, the videos are short. However, you can find instructive videos on written storytelling.
Skillshare has both free and paid classes. You first register for a free account and upgrade to premium should you decide to take the paid course.
Duration: 1hr+
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: Free & Paid
Course: Register Here
10. Storytelling for Marketing and Entrepreneurship
This storytelling training was created for marketers and entrepreneurs who look to improve their skills. Whether it’s a business meeting or sales pitch, convincing people and telling a unique story is a challenge.
This storytelling classes will teach you these skills. The course comes with actions attached to each learning step. Following these actions will give you the necessary practice during this training.
This course will aid marketers who look for new and innovative ideas of storytelling. Also entrepreneurs and business professionals that look to sharpen their presenting skills.
What you’ll learn:
- How to pitch your business story.
- Sell the benefits of your products and services.
- Leverage the power of networking.
- Understand the influence of emotions.
- Leverage the social Influence of your customers and supporters.
The course includes 2.5 hours of on-demand video and 1 downloadable asset.
Duration: 2.5hrs (50 videos+)
Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Free / Paid: $11.39
Course: Register Here
This was our list of top 10 Storytelling Classes and Courses. We hope you’ll find the one for you.
The classes, lessons, and training above will aid you to gain self-confidence. Mastering storytelling will benefit both, your personal and professional lives.
Also to find more great e-learning courses, check our review of best online learning platforms or other articles from the website menu.
Good luck!
Here’s The Next Step…
Which of the classes above are you going to try?
Or maybe you have a question.
Let us know by leaving a comment below.
