Writing Pad
Writing Pad is a Los Angeles-based creative writing school founded in 2005 that offers live online and in-person writing classes and TV writing certificate programs, taught by 150+ working professional writers to aspiring writers seeking to break into entertainment and publishing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Writing Pad does
Writing Pad is a Los Angeles-based creative writing education company founded in 2005 by writers Jeff Bernstein and Marilyn Friedman. It delivers live online and in-person writing classes across multiple genres — including TV drama and comedy writing, personal essays for major publications, short story and humor writing, and copywriting — taught by 150+ instructors who are currently working writers on top television shows (SEVERANCE, BRIDGERTON, THE HANDMAID'S TALE, THE PERFECT COUPLE, INSECURE) and contributors to major outlets (The New Yorker, The Paris Review, McSweeney's, The NY Times). Class sizes are capped at 11 students, positioning the offering as a small-cohort mentorship alternative to traditional MFA programs.
The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model with two primary revenue streams. First, individual class sales priced from $99 for short clinics to $1,165 for 10-week courses, with subscription-style weekly payment plans ($76-$156/week) to lower the entry barrier. Second, structured TV Writing Certificate Programs (Drama and Comedy tracks), which bundle multiple courses with script consultations, networking events, and a $200 registration fee, producing estimated total student spend of $3,665-$5,205 per certificate. Delivery is via live video conferencing for online students and three physical classroom locations in Los Angeles (Westwood and Arts District) and San Francisco for in-person attendees. The company also sells gift cards and runs speaker events.
The company's growth motion is community-led and content-driven: it markets aggressively on quantified alumni outcomes (1,208 publications, 492 TV staff writing positions, 197 fellowships won over 20 years), uses email capture with a $20 first-class incentive, and relies on Yelp five-star reviews for social proof. Writing Pad remains privately held with no disclosed external funding, 11-50 employees, and no public revenue figures.
Writing Pad firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Writing Pad
- Legal name
- Writing Pad
- Website
- https://writingpad.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Writing Pad is a Los Angeles-based creative writing school founded in 2005 that offers live online and in-person writing classes and TV writing certificate programs, taught by 150+ working professional writers to aspiring writers seeking to break into entertainment and publishing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Writing Pad industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Writing Education
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (611610)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro industry
- Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel)
Keywords
Where Writing Pad is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Writing Pad business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Class Sales: Students purchase individual writing classes ranging from $99 to $1,165 depending on class duration and type. Classes are offered in 5-week, 7-week, 8-week, and 10-week formats with subscription payment options available.
- Certificate Programs: TV Writing Certificate Program with $200 registration fee plus individual class purchases. Certificate program students receive discounts ($75 off long classes, $35 off short classes) and access to exclusive networking events and script consultations.
- Gift Cards: The company offers gift cards as an additional revenue stream for class purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Short classes (1-5 weeks): $99-$550 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Long classes (7-10 weeks): $845-$1,165 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Certificate Program: $200 registration + class fees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Referral incentive: $20 off first class |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Writing Pad product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Writing Pad operates an online and in-person creative writing school offering live classes in TV writing, personal essays, short stories, humor writing, and copywriting, taught by working professional writers from major TV shows and publications. The school sells individual classes (5-10 weeks, $99-$1,165) and structured TV Drama and TV Comedy certificate programs that bundle multiple courses with networking events and script consultations. Class sizes are capped at 11 students, and delivery occurs via live video conferencing online or in physical classrooms in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Product overview
Writing Pad is an online creative writing education platform offering live writing classes taught by working professional writers from major TV shows and publications. The company provides two certificate programs (TV Drama and TV Comedy) that function as structured learning tracks with multiple sequential courses including TV 1/2/3, specialized structure and pitching classes, and script consultations. The core product portfolio includes TV writing courses (pilot workshops, draft writing, advanced rewriting), personal essay classes focused on NY Times publication, short story and humor writing workshops, and copywriting courses. Classes are delivered online in 5-10 week formats with small class sizes (maximum 11 students) and feature instructors who are actively working in the entertainment and publishing industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TV Drama Certificate Program A structured certificate program for writers targeting TV drama careers, taught by working showrunners and TV writers from shows including The Handmaid's Tale, SEVERANCE, and THE PERFECT COUPLE. Includes TV Drama 1, 2, and 3, pitching classes, script consults, and networking events for aspiring TV drama writers seeking staffing or fellowship outcomes.
- TV Comedy Certificate Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 492 TV Show Staff Writing Positions obtained by alumni
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Writing Pad
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Writing Pad technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Writing Pad partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Writing Pad competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MasterClass: Premium online learning platform featuring celebrity-taught courses including writing classes from authors and screenwriters. Competes for the same customer wallet with broader production values and lower per-course engagement, but lacks Writing Pad's live small-class feedback model and personalized instructor interaction.
- Skillshare: Mass-market online learning platform with thousands of creative writing courses including TV writing, screenwriting, and personal essay. Competes for aspiring writers at a significantly lower price point than Writing Pad's premium certificate programs, though with substantially less instructor engagement and credentialing.
Direct peers
- The Writing Barn: Austin-based independent writing workshop offering retreats, classes, and mentorship programs for aspiring authors. Comparable in scale and workshop-format delivery to Writing Pad, though Writing Barn emphasizes multi-day retreats and genre fiction (including children's/YA) where Writing Pad specializes in TV writing and essay.
- Lighthouse Writers Workshop: Denver-based independent creative writing center offering workshops in fiction, memoir, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Similar nonprofit-adjacent model to Writing Pad with small workshop sizes and emphasis on craft development for serious aspiring writers, though lacking Writing Pad's TV writing specialization.
- Gotham Writers Workshop: One of the largest online creative writing schools in the US, offering live online classes in fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, and TV writing. Direct competitor to Writing Pad with overlapping format (live online, small classes), similar pricing model, and similar audience of aspiring professional writers seeking publication or industry entry.
- Catapult (formerly Catapult / Counterpoint): Independent creative writing school offering online workshops and certificate-style programs in fiction, memoir, and essay. Targets the same aspiring-to-professional writer segment with similar workshop-style live instruction, positioning itself as a non-MFA alternative and overlapping with Writing Pad's short story and personal essay offerings.
- UCLA Extension Writers' Program: University-affiliated creative writing program offering courses in fiction, screenwriting, TV writing, and personal essay in Los Angeles. Directly competes with Writing Pad for the same LA-based aspiring writers, though typically with academic instructors rather than active working professionals, and at higher price points closer to MFA-level tuition.
- Second City Training Centre: Chicago-based comedy and improv training institution with strong ties to TV writing rooms, offering sketch writing and TV writing courses taught by working professionals. Comparable to Writing Pad's TV Comedy Certificate Program in targeting writers seeking to break into TV comedy staffing, with similar working-professional instructor credentials.
Regional players
- Hugo House: Seattle-based literary center offering classes, workshops, and readings in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry with established working-writer instructors. Comparable operating model to Writing Pad (community-anchored creative writing school with multi-genre programming), though serving the Pacific Northwest market rather than LA/entertainment industry.
Emerging players
- CreativeLive: Online learning platform offering creative and professional development courses including writing, taught by working professionals. Adjacent business model to Writing Pad's online delivery, though CreativeLive emphasizes pre-recorded video courses over live interactive workshops, positioning it as a lower-touch alternative.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Writing Pad social profiles
Digital presenceWriting Pad financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Writing Pad leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Writing Pad funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Writing Pad M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Writing Pad
What does Writing Pad do?
Writing Pad operates an online and in-person creative writing school offering live classes in TV writing, personal essays, short stories, humor writing, and copywriting, taught by working professional writers from major TV shows and publications. The school sells individual classes (5-10 weeks, $99-$1,165) and structured TV Drama and TV Comedy certificate programs that bundle multiple courses with networking events and script consultations. Class sizes are capped at 11 students, and delivery occurs via live video conferencing online or in physical classrooms in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Is Writing Pad a public or private company?
Writing Pad is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Writing Pad founded?
Writing Pad was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Writing Pad based?
Writing Pad is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Writing Pad make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Class Sales are the primary driver. The others are certificate Programs and gift Cards.
Who are Writing Pad's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MasterClass and Skillshare. Direct peers are The Writing Barn, Lighthouse Writers Workshop, Gotham Writers Workshop, Catapult (formerly Catapult / Counterpoint), UCLA Extension Writers' Program and Second City Training Centre. Hugo House is listed as a regional player. CreativeLive is listed as an emerging player.
Does Writing Pad have an API?
No public API is recorded for Writing Pad.
What industry is Writing Pad in?
Writing Pad's product category is Creative Writing Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAA, Fiction Writing Workshops (Short Story, Novel). Its NAICS code is 611610 and its SIC code is 8200.