Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
On this advanced course, you'll have the opportunity to develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and students' work will be discussed and critiqued in detail. By the end of the course you should ideally be producing poetry of publishable quality.
What will we cover?
- Redrafting and rethinking your own poetry, broadening your range and maturing your poetic voice. - Aspects of technique which you are grappling with in your work or want to explore further. - Exploring some approaches in contemporary poetry.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Edit and revise your work. - Read your poems aloud, and submit them for publication if you want. - See your own work in the context of contemporary poetry. - Respond to and assess poetry with sensitivity. You should also have: - Developed your skills as a poet. - Written some poems of publishable quality.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a course for more experienced writers of poetry who have been writing poems for a year or more. City Lit offers introductory 'Ways into poetry' and intermediate 'Developing your poetry' courses for less experienced writers.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Tutor led discussion, critical feedback from the class on your own poems, tutor feedback and discussions of theory and structure. You will be expected to have an established writing practice and be able to bring samples of your poems to the group for critique.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Paper and pen/pencil. You will need to make copies of your work to share with the class; these will be returned to you as soon as the reading is over.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
City Lit offer a range of poetry courses at a range of levels. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect poetry course for you.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Ellen Cranitch is a prize-winning poet. Her first collection The Immortalist was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Award for Best First Collection. Her second collection Crystal was published by Bloodaxe in 2024 and chosen as Observer Poetry Book of the Month. Stephen Fry described Crystal as “Utterly mesmerising, this is what poetry at its best and truest can do” and Pulitzer prize-winning author Hisham Matar called the collection “ tender and profound, honest and brave.” Ellen has worked as Lecturer in Creative Writing at the universities of St Andrews, Hull and Bath Spa and contributed features and reviews to Poetry London and Poetry Review.
Sarah WardleSee moreSee less
Sarah Wardle won Poetry Review’s new poet of the year award in 1999 and her first collection, Fields Away (Bloodaxe Books, 2003), was shortlisted for the Forward best first collection prize. Her second book, SCORE! (Bloodaxe Books, 2005), included some of the poems she broadcast while poet-in-residence for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Her most recent Bloodaxe collections are Beyond (2014) and Spiritlands (2019). She has been a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Royal Holloway, University of London, and works as a creative writing tutor for Morley College, Westminster Kingsway College and the Workers’ Educational Association.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/advanced-poetry-workshop253845Advanced poetry workshophttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/advanced_poetry_workshop-1080.jpg259259GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Writing/Poetry/Poetry/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Courses/Writing/Courses/Writing/Poetry22851590201813581136021228513581136021653Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.54.82539690Advanced poetry workshop259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/advanced_poetry_workshop-1080_4.jpgInStockEveningTueKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-21T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedApr 2026WritingHW054259259Advanced poetry workshop259130259Ellen Cranitchadvanced-poetry-workshop/hw054-2526Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.0000-Available|2026-04-21 00:00:00On this advanced course, you'll have the opportunity to develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and students' work will be discussed and critiqued in detail. By the end of the course you should ideally be producing poetry of publishable quality.Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.- Redrafting and rethinking your own poetry, broadening your range and maturing your poetic voice.<br/>- Aspects of technique which you are grappling with in your work or want to explore further.<br/>- Exploring some approaches in contemporary poetry.- Edit and revise your work.<br/>- Read your poems aloud, and submit them for publication if you want.<br/>- See your own work in the context of contemporary poetry.<br/>- Respond to and assess poetry with sensitivity.<br/>You should also have:<br/>- Developed your skills as a poet.<br/>- Written some poems of publishable quality.This is a course for more experienced writers of poetry who have been writing poems for a year or more. City Lit offers introductory 'Ways into poetry' and intermediate 'Developing your poetry' courses for less experienced writers.Tutor led discussion, critical feedback from the class on your own poems, tutor feedback and discussions of theory and structure. You will be expected to have an established writing practice and be able to bring samples of your poems to the group for critique. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.Paper and pen/pencil. You will need to make copies of your work to share with the class; these will be returned to <br/> you as soon as the reading is over.City Lit offer a range of poetry courses at a range of levels. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect poetry course for you.<br/><br/>All students are invited to join us at <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/citylitwriting">Twitter</a>.PoetryPoetryvirtual2539735Advanced poetry workshop259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/advanced_poetry_workshop-1080_5.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-24T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedApr 2026WritingHW062259259Advanced poetry workshop259130259Sarah Wardleadvanced-poetry-workshop/hw062-2526Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.0000-Available|2026-04-24 00:00:00On this advanced course, you'll have the opportunity to develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and students' work will be discussed and critiqued in detail. By the end of the course you should ideally be producing poetry of publishable quality.Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.- Redrafting and rethinking your own poetry, broadening your range and maturing your poetic voice.<br/>- Aspects of technique which you are grappling with in your work or want to explore further.<br/>- Exploring some approaches in contemporary poetry.- Edit and revise your work.<br/>- Read your poems aloud, and submit them for publication if you want.<br/>- See your own work in the context of contemporary poetry.<br/>- Respond to and assess poetry with sensitivity.<br/>You should also have:<br/>- Developed your skills as a poet.<br/>- Written some poems of publishable quality.This is a course for more experienced writers of poetry who have been writing poems for a year or more. City Lit offers introductory 'Ways into poetry' and intermediate 'Developing your poetry' courses for less experienced writers.Tutor led discussion, critical feedback from the class on your own poems, tutor feedback and discussions of theory and structure. You will be expected to have an established writing practice and be able to bring samples of your poems to the group for critique. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.Paper and pen/pencil.City Lit offer a range of poetry courses at a range of levels. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect poetry course for you.<br/><br/>All students are invited to join us at <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/citylitwriting">Twitter</a>.PoetryPoetryvirtual259259130HW054,HW062NONETue,Fri21/04/26 - 30/06/2619:40 - 21:4019:4021:4011 sessions (over 11 weeks)1111 weeks or longerEvening,DaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetEllen Cranitch,Sarah WardleAdvancedAvailable courses2026-04-21T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-24T00:00:00+00:00Apr 2026Writing259259Advanced poetry workshopadvanced-poetry-workshop/hw054-2526,advanced-poetry-workshop/hw062-2526Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.0000-Available|2026-04-21 00:00:00On this advanced course, you'll have the opportunity to develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and students' work will be discussed and critiqued in detail. By the end of the course you should ideally be producing poetry of publishable quality.Develop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.- Redrafting and rethinking your own poetry, broadening your range and maturing your poetic voice.<br/>- Aspects of technique which you are grappling with in your work or want to explore further.<br/>- Exploring some approaches in contemporary poetry.- Edit and revise your work.<br/>- Read your poems aloud, and submit them for publication if you want.<br/>- See your own work in the context of contemporary poetry.<br/>- Respond to and assess poetry with sensitivity.<br/>You should also have:<br/>- Developed your skills as a poet.<br/>- Written some poems of publishable quality.This is a course for more experienced writers of poetry who have been writing poems for a year or more. City Lit offers introductory 'Ways into poetry' and intermediate 'Developing your poetry' courses for less experienced writers.Tutor led discussion, critical feedback from the class on your own poems, tutor feedback and discussions of theory and structure. You will be expected to have an established writing practice and be able to bring samples of your poems to the group for critique. <br />
<br />
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href=" https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.Paper and pen/pencil. You will need to make copies of your work to share with the class; these will be returned to <br/> you as soon as the reading is over.,Paper and pen/pencil.City Lit offer a range of poetry courses at a range of levels. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect poetry course for you.<br/><br/>All students are invited to join us at <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/latelines">Late Lines</a>, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/betweenthelines">Between the Lines</a>, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citylitcreativewriting">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.twitter.com/citylitwriting">Twitter</a>.PoetryPoetryconfigurable
