Be inspired to write and learn how to get published at the college where Andrea Levy, Malorie Blackman, Anna Burns, and other celebrated authors studied. Read our success stories to see what's possible got you as a writer.
Whether you're just starting out or ready to publish your first book, the benefits of our writing courses include expert tuition from a published author and feedback on your work as you develop your writing skills. There will also be opportunities to participate in group discussions and activities with fellow students.
Unheard Voices Scholarship
City Lit’s Malorie Blackman Scholarships for 'Unheard Voices' provide three annual awards to fund one year’s study within the Creative Writing department at City Lit. Learn more >
Watch the video: See what it's like be part a City Lit online creative writing course.
Courses available both in-person and online
We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.
Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to.
Follow in the footsteps of Dorothy Parker, George Orwell and Zadie Smith with this taster course on the personal essay, a continuously thriving genre of autobiographical writing.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Sometimes a poem is shaped by stripping words away. This fun day workshop explores the emerging form of black out poetry. Learn how to find hidden poems in texts such as newspaper articles, advertisements and letters.
This crash course aims to demystify the publishing process and help you formulate the first steps to writing your book, whether you’re an academic, a business expert or anyone else with specific professional expertise.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
Does your writing need a boost of inspiration? While it may seem counter-intuitive, setting creative constraints can be a way to free your imagination. Learn about the ideas of the French Oulipo movement and see what happens when you experiment with interesting – and challenging – limitations.
This one-day workshop teaches students how to write a query letter and synopsis of their completed manuscript, essential requirements of submitting to agents and publishers.
Whether you’re looking for a role at a newspaper or want to pitch freelance pieces, this one-day course will cover the basics of writing journalistically about politics.
Great poetry and prose begin when the writer puts the right words in the right places. Learn how and why the rules and conventions of language matter in this new course, which combines creative writing with a review of essential points of grammar.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
A one day course for anyone who has started a project and lost their way, run out of momentum or found themselves staring at a blank page and wondering where the fun of writing went.
Explore the emerging art form of micropoetry in this fun but informative day workshop. Compose your own poetry and learn how to make every word on the page count.