How to create an online course (in 36 hours)

How long does it take to create an online course?

If you’re feeling called to package your gifts and wisdom in the form of an online course, you may be wondering how to do that and how long it will take. 

While there are many ways to create an online course, and obviously some will take much longer than others to bring to life, it’s possible to take an initial idea and have an early version of it launched and selling within a relatively short timeframe. 

As proof, I’d like to share the behind-the-scenes of my latest online coaching course, which will show you the step-by-step process of how I create my courses. 

This latest project not only came to life in record timing, the creation process was also a healthy, balanced and enjoyable whirl of productivity, creativity and flow. 

So I’m sharing the story of this creation so that you can see the exact timeline of how it all played out.

You may also notice how much of my work day requires very little work at all, as well as the kinds of actions that really make a difference to tapping into that in-the-zone, effortlessly productive energy.

This is the creative magic that can happen when you discover your muse, your dharma and your flow. 🙂

So here’s the story of my new online course/coaching package – how it blossomed from idea to launch to sale in a record-breaking 36-hour timeframe…

The Creative Timeline for my latest online course

{Prelude}

Sunday Evening:

Our story begins, (in true introvert fashion), with an early night, after a restful and restorative Sunday.

I listened to this Yoga Nidra audio as usual just before sleep.

• • • 

From idea to launch…

Monday:

5am: I woke up before dawn (a rare occurrence).

I had an overwhelming sense that I was ready to make a new decision: I decided it was time for things to change, it was time for some kind of shift.

Within a few minutes, I had the idea for a course that combined my studies of the creative process with my insights from spirituality and metaphysics.

A few moments later, I realised that my decades of studies into both creativity and spirituality led to one breathtakingly simple truth.

Even more excitingly, this truth appeared in my mind as a 4-part formula.

I crept into my office to grab my phone, then I climbed back into bed and speed-typed notes and ideas as they came through in a rush of inspiration and realisation.

I also drafted out the email I would write to my newsletter subscribers about what was emerging.

(I had a sense it was going to be something they’s want to know about!)

8am:

After my Mum-Taxi shift, I went for a walk in the autumn sunshine, where I received some more ideas for ways to create and share my new work-in-progress.

I even wrote during my breakfast  – I rarely write while eating, but the idea for a preview announcement email was coming through and demanding my attention.

(I’ve learned that it’s always easier to go with these inspired flows when they’re ready to roll, rather than try to recreate them at more convenient times.)

By the time I’d finished my breakfast, I’d drafted the email to my list and planned a fun way to do a teaser-type reveal.

9am:

After breakfast, I postponed my other projects (one of the many joys of a career by design), then I spent a happy hour or so creating new graphics for the programme. (I use Affinity Designer.)

I also drafted a temporary info page.  (This was made very easy using Divi templates for a past offering.)

During the morning, I also dipped into my usual Hello Flow practices, with one of my current favourites, the Grace app.

3.33pm

I sent out a preview email to my list, with a secret link to watch the creation of my project as I designed it live on my website.

(I’m currently playing with a new process of creating in public.)

Then I continued working on getting the Info Page ready for the release announcement.

6pm:

I finished my work for the day with an evening walk and a brief yoga session.

After dinner and my current Apple TV delight, I had another early night – which I felt was well deserved, after my early morning and productive day. 🙂

• • • 

Tuesday:

7am:

I woke up remembering a message from my dream: Reconnect to my purpose and Big Vision.

After another early morning walk, I drafted the announcement email to my list in the time it took to make and eat my toast and honey. (It usually takes me longer to write these but there was no stopping this flow!)

10am:

I took a break for a Wellness appointment in the next village, followed by more of my Hello Flow practices.

11am – 2pm:

I worked on the final version of my project’s Info Page, then edited the email to my list and scheduled it to go out at 2:22pm. (Because I love creative numerology. 🙂 )

I celebrated my mini-wins with a tea break in the autumn sunshine and an uplifting dose of my grace app.

3pm:

I made the final design tweaks to the Info Page.

Once that was ready, I took my new course idea to its next iteration by setting it up as a digital product that could receive payments and send automated welcome emails.

I also created a membership area and added Welcome materials. (My chosen course creation platform makes all of this very easy. 🙂 )

4pm:

Email queries regarding my new announcement began coming in!

So I took some time to reply to those before heading off for my Mum Taxi shift.

5pm:

After collecting my son from the train station, I went for another walk and while I was musing over a productive and enjoyable couple of days, the first Sale Notification alert popped up on my phone.

It was almost exactly 36 hours after the idea for the programme first arrived in my mind.

I headed home, delighted and in awe of the creative process, planning something special for tea to celebrate.

“Celebration is a party
thrown in the name of gratitude.”

 MELANIE ANN LAYER

A new online course is born!

So that’s how my latest creative process played out for me, and the result is my new programme The Creative Arts of Believing & Receiving.

This work is the culmination of many years analysing how creations come to life along with how life really works. (Such as the magic above!)

It’s designed to offer some soul-soothing comfort and insights if you’ve ever been baffled as to why things don’t turn out as they should.

This programme is still in its Beta phase as a private coaching offer, but I’m planning to have it available as a finished course very soon.

(If you can’t wait, there may still be Beta Tester places available here.)

So, I hope you enjoyed this whistle-stop tour into my creative process, and I hope it inspires you to get busy with your own creations and ideas.

Because magic happens when you do…

Wishing you a wonderful week of happy productivity and miracle breakthroughs,

And if you’d like to know more about the role of celebration in the creative process, I share that happy magic here. 

• • • 

“Notice when flow happens, and change your life to make it happen more often.”

~ Vishen Lakhiani