Margaret Atwood MasterClass Review (2025) Worth for Writers?

Last Updated on February, 2025

To all aspiring writers and those who just need that extra bit of motivation to start making their passion a reality, this MasterClass is just right for you.

I have always wanted to know what goes on in these well-known writers’ minds and the challenges they had to overcome to get to where they are now.

This is an exceptional opportunity for writers and literature enthusiasts to learn from one of the greatest writers of our time. As an author of numerous best-selling novels, Margaret Atwood’s reputation in the literary world preceded her.

She has also been awarded some of the most prestigious literary awards, including the Booker Prize, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the Governor General’s Award. 

Atwood is a writer who is fit to mentor aspiring writers out in the world, as she has achieved both commercial success and a reputation as one of the best.

I can drone on and on about how this MasterClass has every tidbit of advice and guidance that a writer needs, but this is not just for them. This MasterClass is also great for those of you who are literary enthusiasts.

Her insights into storytelling and themes and her examination of the creative process and the challenges that writers face make it a well-rounded MasterClass driven by Atwood’s experience. 

Margaret Atwood is an engaging and charismatic speaker, and her quick jokes and reminders of past experiences make her an entertaining and memorable MasterClass. Here’s a quick summary of the Margaret Atwood MasterClass review.

 Overall: 4.9/5.0
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4.7
Effectiveness
5.0
Brand Reputation
4.9
Price
Features
  • A downloadable workbook with summaries
  • Practical writing exercises
  • Access to a community
  • Flexibility to learn at your own pace
  • Enrollment includes access to all MasterClass courses
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Brand Information
  • MasterClass was founded in 2015 by David Rogier and Aaron Rasmussen
  • Offers interactive assignments and access to a community of learners
  • Based in San Francisco, California
  • MasterClass offers over 100 courses
  • All-access subscription costs $180 per year
Product Benefits
  • Expert Guidance: Learn from one of the greatest writers.
  • Comprehensive Content: Covers various aspects of writing.
  • Suitable for All Levels: Beneficial for beginners and pros.
  • Unique Approach: Emphasizes originality over formulaic writing.
  • Engaging Instructor: Margaret Atwood’s charisma and humor.

Margaret Atwood Masterclass Review: Quick Summary

MasterClass Overview:

  • Margaret Atwood shares her expertise in novel writing and storytelling.
  • She discusses her creative process.
  • Offers tools to help aspiring writers improve their skills.

Relevance to Aspiring Writers:

  • Particularly valuable for fellow writers seeking inspiration.

Topics Covered:

  • Insights into character development.
  • Discussion of plot, structure, and narrative point of view and voice.

Suitability for All Levels:

  • Atwood’s advice is beneficial for writers of all levels, from beginners to professionals.

Unique Approach:

  • Unlike rigid fields, Atwood’s approach encourages finding one’s voice and style.
  • Emphasis on originality and authenticity instead of formulaic writing.

Comprehensive Learning:

  • Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass offers a comprehensive exploration of various aspects of writing.

Total Course Length and Runtime:

  • 23 video lessons, 3 hours and 43 minutes long.

About Margaret Atwood

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Margaret Atwood is one of the greatest writers of our time. She is a prolific writer whose literary works have captured the interest of many worldwide, and her books are examples talked about in many literary classes. 

Margaret Atwood was born on the 18th of November, 1939, in Ottawa, Canada. She began writing at an early stage and published her first book of poetry, “Double Persephone,” at 23.

Atwood’s writing spans a range of genres, including science fiction, historical fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Atwood’s works often explore themes of identity, gender, politics, and environment.

One of her most famous works, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” published in 1985, is a dystopian novel exploring women’s subjugation in a totalitarian society. This book is revisited many times in this MasterClass to explain different tones and aspects of writing.

Throughout her writing career, she made a name for herself by winning numerous awards and accolades for her writing. The Booker Prize, Arthur C. Clarke Award, Franz Kafka Prize, and Governor General’s Award, among many others.

She has also been shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature one too many times. Her latest award was in 2019 when she won the Booker Prize again for her novel “The Testaments,” which is a sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

Margaret Atwood has also been an influential figure in the literary community. She has served as the president of the Writer’s Union of Canada and the vice president of PEN International.

Her experiences as an early writer make her a vessel of inspiration to the new writers who are still finding their path. This MasterClass allows aspiring writers and literary enthusiasts to learn from one of the most celebrated and influential writers of our time.

Through her lessons, students can gain insight into Margaret Atwood’s creative writing process, learn techniques for developing compelling characters, and explore many themes that have shaped her writing through the years.

Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing MasterClass Overview

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Margaret Atwood Creative Writing MasterClass is an immersive learning experience for new and novice writers who want to learn from a master storyteller. This course is structured to cover important aspects of storytelling and writing in a limited time frame.

This MasterClass consists of 23 video lessons, each lasting only 10-15 mins long. 

Atwood’s course is designed to provide the right tools for aspiring writers to find their voice, develop their craft, and create compelling stories.

This course also covers every aspect of writing, from developing characters to perfecting the plot, mastering the art of dialogue, and perfecting one’s writing.

Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass is a combination of tips and guidance to bettering oneself and also provides practical writing exercises to allow the students to put their new-found knowledge into practice.

Furthermore, Atwood shares her writing tips, strategies, and techniques that have made her a successful author.

Another key aspect of Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass is that she takes the viewers through a journey, from developing the initial idea to revising the final draft. Overall, this MasterClass is unlike any other creative writing courses you may have enrolled in.

This is one of the most comprehensive, engaging, and inspiring online courses for anyone who wants to learn how to write better and tell compelling stories.

What Will You Learn From Margaret Atwood MasterClass?

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Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing MasterClass offers a comprehensive guide to writing and storytelling.

You will learn how to get started as a writer, finetune your plot and structure, create memorable characters, create immersive worlds, use different structures to convey meaning, and much more.

Some of the key areas covered by Margaret Atwood in her MasterClass are mentioned below;

Getting Started as a Writer

This lesson right at the beginning is one of the hardest hurdles every beginner writer faces. None of us know the right way to become a writer because it differs from writer to writer. The struggle to take the first step is REAL.

Atwood offers practical advice on getting started as a writer, including finding inspiration, developing a writing routine, and even dealing with the biggest controversy – the myth of ‘writer’s block.’ 

Margaret Atwood elaborates on the importance of setting aside time to write and developing regular writing routines to cultivate discipline and creativity.

She further discusses various techniques that one can use to overcome writer’s block, such as changing your environment, taking breaks, and free writing. 

Story, Plot, and Structure

I believe this to be the backbone of every great story. You can have a great set of characters and fail if your story and plot are below par. Atwood offers insight into creating compelling stories and convoluted plots that leave an impression on the readers.

Margaret Atwood teaches how the story is the central idea that drives the plot and how the plot is the sequence of events that take the story from the beginning to the end.

Furthermore, Atwood provides insights into creating compelling narratives and using different structures to convey meaning. 

Atwood also discusses different narrative structures, such as linear, circular, and episodic. She then explains how to choose the most suitable one for your story. 

Characters and Dialogue

The next lesson covered in Margaret Atwood MasterClass would be character development and dialogues. This also plays a crucial part in either making or breaking your story.

Atwood covers the importance of using dialogues to reveal character traits, advance the plot, and create tension and conflict.

She emphasizes the importance of creating believable and nuanced characters that readers can connect emotionally. Atwood also shares tips on writing dialogues that sound natural and authentic rather than rigid and unnatural. 

Descriptive Writing and Sensory Imagery

It’s like that quote from an author I once read, “Show me the glittering of the moon reflected on a shard of glass rather than telling me that it was a full moon.”

Margaret Atwood talks about the importance of descriptive writing and sensory imagery prose style and texture.

Atwood offers tips on how to use language to create vivid and immersive worlds that readers can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

She explains how the writer can use sensory imagery to convey mood, emotion, and atmosphere.

Furthermore, she advises how to use descriptive creative writing to create believable settings and characters that live on. 

Time and Pacing in Fiction

When you engage in creative writing, the flow of time and the pacing of your story go out of control at times when you get stuck within a scene. Atwood discusses the importance of time and pacing in fiction.

She offers tips and pointers on how to use time and pacing to create tension, suspense, and emotion.

Furthermore, she discusses the art of foreshadowing that we enjoy, along with flashbacks and cliffhangers – some techniques that can be used to create a sense of urgency and keep the reader engaged.

The Door to Your Book: Beginning, Middle, and Ending

Usually, a writer needs a strong beginning to keep the readers interested and hooked on the story and then keep their attention until the end.

This is no easy task; the middle usually becomes lackluster when you have no idea how to keep the momentum going.

Atwood shares tips on how to keep your readers hooked and engaged and then deliver a satisfying payoff.

She emphasizes the importance of creating a compelling opening that grabs the reader’s attention, developing a solid middle that builds tension and conflict, and delivering a satisfying ending that resolves the story’s conflicts and leaves the reader with closure.

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Genre and Speculative Fiction

Margaret Atwood discusses the different genres of fiction, specifically, speculative fiction. She then shares insights into using genre conventions to create compelling and original stories.

Atwood explains the art of blending genres, subverting expectations, and creating your own unique voice and style. Her works are taken as examples to explain further the role of science fiction and speculative fiction in exploring social and political issues and themes.

Research and Historical Accuracy

A huge part of creating a compelling world lies in research and is highly significant if you are writing historical fiction. Readers love it when the writer is committed to worldbuilding and fleshs it out to give justice to their story.

She shares insights on how to find reliable sources when researching and using them to create believable and accurate worlds. In an age where information is easily accessible, she points out that we may find false or no information on things we are researching.

Atwood emphasizes the importance of researching to create a sense of authenticity and credibility in maintaining historical accuracy. She then highlights balancing research and creativity and how to avoid overwhelming the story with too many historical details.

The Writer’s Path

Although each writer’s path may differ from another, Margaret Atwood shares insights into how to develop a writing practice, find inspiration, and overcome challenges and obstacles that are quite common to all. 

Having a framework in one’s creative writing journey is bound to be more helpful than going blind into unknown territory. Yeah, it is just like that.

What is Margaret Atwood’s Creative Writing Masterclass Like?

To be honest with you, I loved most of the content she spoke about over the course. She was an expert in giving the right advice and keeping a light humor to keep the lecture flowing.

Margaret Atwood MasterClass is an excellent resource for writers of all levels looking to improve their craft.

Her teaching style is open and engaging (even if it’s recorded videos), making the lessons feel more like a conversation with a friend than a traditional classroom lecture. 

They also provide a downloadable workbook that is a great resource that has additional exercises and prompts that students can use to practice their creative writing.

The workbook also includes recommended reading lists and interviews with other writers, which can be used to further one’s learning.

It doesn’t matter which genre you plan to write or lean towards, and it’s equally educational. Writers of all genres can apply the practical advice and tips she shared.

This MasterClass on creative writing by Margaret Atwood is all that you might expect and more depending on your passion for improving your craft.

A community section of the course is an added feature of this MasterClass. This allows the student to connect with other writers and receive feedback on their work.

Atwood’s expertise and experience shine through each lesson, making this course a must-have for aspiring writers. 

How Much Does the Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass Cost?

details of margaret atwoods creative writing masterclass

Margaret Atwood MasterClass costs $180 for one year, which is not cheap. 

However, as you might’ve guessed already, it’s subscription-based, and you’ll be paying $180 for a year of access to not only Margaret Atwood MasterClass but all the other classes on MasterClass. 

If you don’t know already, MasterClass has classes that’ll also help you teach cooking, acting, magic, and so much more.

All in all, there are over 180 classes in different categories. It’s not only these writing classes. That said, there are three subscription plans, each offering different benefits. $180 is the individual plan; it offers access to one device.

Duo plan is the next option. It comes in at $240 annually and provides access to two devices simultaneously; with that, you can also watch the classes offline. 

Family Plan is the most expensive out of the three at $276. It offers everything the Duo plan has but allows to watch the classes on 6 devices.

That’s what you need to know about the pricing of the Margaret Atwood Creative Writing Course.

BEST WRITING MASTERCLASS
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Margaret Atwood MasterClass
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Margaret Atwood MasterClass Course Refund Policy

MasterClass offers your money back 30 days after subscription. But remember, it should be within the first 30 days, after that, you can only cancel the subscription. 

What Did I Think of Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass?

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Getting me started on how much I liked and learned from this MasterClass is like asking someone to describe the moment they got that dream internship. Unlike them, it usually is hard for us writers to learn from an expert so easily.

Margaret Atwood inspired and motivated me to get my writing mojo back on with her witty demeanor and how she guided me through the course. Atwood is a gifted teacher; her passion and enthusiasm for writing are infectious.

She speaks directly to the camera in each lesson, sharing insights and advice on various topics related to writing and storytelling. This made me feel like I was in a classroom with Margaret Atwood as my teacher instead of watching it at home on my laptop.

This keeps your attention towards the subject taught from wavering. The majority of the students who watched the course appreciated Atwood’s warmth and engaging personality and her ability to break down complex concepts into easily digestible pieces.

Writing has no steadfast rules but basic guidance on how to fit them into oneself. I also loved how the course was suitable for writers interested in all sorts of genres like speculative fiction, dystopian fiction, or sci-fi.

It is also catered towards writers in various stages of their writing journeys, be it beginners or experienced writers.I remember when I was clueless about how to begin my journey as a writer; then, I faced the challenge of writer’s block (some writers say that this is a myth).

Whatever challenge a writer faces – Remember that you are not the only one. Atwood offers advice on finding inspiration, developing a writing routine, dealing with writer’s block, crafting dialogue, and creating compelling characters.

The course is well organized, with each lesson building on the previous one and providing a solid foundation for writers to learn and improve. Atwood offers a wealth of practical advice, drawing on her experience as a successful author.

Her insights on the publishing industry and the business side of writing are valuable for writers planning to make a career out of writing.

Every aspiring writer would understand the benefits and Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass worth. Margaret’s advice on becoming a good fiction writer was a gem for writers like me.

Margaret Atwood MasterClass: Customer Testimonials

Margaret’s class is one of the best-reviewed of all the courses in MasterClass. Many students have praised the course for its structure and Margaret’s teaching skills.

All in all, I found the class as attention-grabbing as it was useful. Atwood is so talented a storyteller that, most of the time, I felt more like I was sitting rapt in a lecture hall than pacing on a treadmill, staring at my phone.

I’ve been saying the same for the whole review.

This is what almost all students say about the course. This is one of the things that make this MasterClass so special.

This sums up everything.

Inspiring and interesting, especially if you’re a fan of her work, but nothing earth shattering or extremely practical. Some parts were slow, but others were awesome. Some of the masterclasses are the type I wanna sit and take notes cuz they overflow with info. Her’s was more something I liked to watch while I was cooking, if that makes sense. Basically, I actually really loved it

Other MasterClass Courses for Writing

MaterClass consists of many writing courses. Below are all of them:

  • James Patterson: Writing.
  • David Mamet: Dramatic Writing.
  • Neil Gaiman: The Art of Storytelling
  • R. L. Stine: Learn Creative Writing.
  • Salman Rushdie: Storytelling and Writing.
  • Billy Collins: Reading and Writing Poetry.
  • Walter Mosley: Fiction and Storytelling.
  • David Baldacci: Mystery and Thriller Writing.
  • Dan Brown: Teaches Thriller Writing.
  • Joyce Carol Oates: The Art of the Short Story.
  • Judy Blume: Writing.
  • David Sedaris: Storytelling and Humor.
  • Malcolm Gladwell: Writing.

Checkout more Courses by reading our MasterClass honest review.

Margaret Atwood Masterclass Pros and Cons

This MasterClass is tailored to provide the best dose of advice and tips to all writers. Just as all the other courses available out there, Margaret Atwood MasterClass too has its own share of pros and cons.

Pros

Expert Guidance: Learn from one of the greatest writers.
Comprehensive Content: Covers various aspects of writing.
Suitable for All Levels: Beneficial for beginners and pros.
Unique Approach: Emphasizes originality over formulaic writing.
Engaging Instructor: Margaret Atwood’s charisma and humor.
Practical Exercises: Workbook and writing prompts provided.
Community Interaction: Connect with other writers for feedback.

Cons

Costly Subscription: $180 for one year.
Unsuitable for writers seeking: a more structured course with assignments and deadlines.
No direct interaction with the teacher or: any feedback.

Other MasterClass reviews:

Conclusion

In conclusion, Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass is a top-notch course that provides a wealth of knowledge and insights into the craft of writing to aspiring writers. Atwood’s expertise and experience are unparalleled, making her an ideal instructor for writers of all levels.

This course covers a plethora of areas that are key to making writing stand out. Some topics covered are; writing fiction, the writing process, creating compelling characters, crafting dialogue, researching, and more advanced topics like genre and writing speculative fiction. 

The video lessons are well produced, making them enjoyable and easier to follow without getting bored. Plus, the workbook and community of writers are some added perks of this masterclass.

Although this course is not as structured and rigid to appeal to people looking for assignments and deadlines to keep them in check, this is great for self-motivated writers looking to learn at their own pace. 

Overall, this MasterClass is a worthy investment for any aspiring writer, and I can assure you, as a fellow writer, that the benefits outweigh any regrets that you can think of (Although regrets are highly unlikely. to occur). 

FAQs

Yes, Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass is worth it for aspiring writers who wish to become successful fiction writers.

Margaret Atwood is known to use a gothic writing style.

BEST Writing masterclass
Margaret Atwood MasterClass
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Effectiveness
Brand Reputation
Price

4.7

5.0

4.9

Overall Score

4.9

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Pros
Expert Guidance
Unique Approach
Practical Exercises
Community Interaction
Suitable for All Levels
Engaging Instructor
Get the BEST PRICE valid until the end of February
Cons
Costly Subscription: $180 for one year
Unsuitable for writers seeking: a more structured course with assignments and deadlines.

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Carlos Eduardo
Hey there, I’m Carlos Eduardo, the Founder and Author of Scorebeyond. Delving deep into 20+ years of education transformation through innovative e-learning, I’ve poured my expertise into this platform. My enduring legacy continues to drive the path towards a future empowered by knowledge!

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