History, Culture & Writing
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to writing creative non-fiction and American history and politics.
Study online from the comfort of home, with interactive classes that allow you to participate in discussions with fellow adult students. We offer daytime, evening and weekend courses, both short and long. For more information, please see our guide to online learning.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place online now.
- Ways into creative writing: intensiveCourse start date: Tue 3 Aug 2021
Location on this date: Online
Are you brand new to creative writing? Do you want to build your confidence in a supportive online environment alongside other beginners? This faster-pace short-course guides students taking their first steps on the path to becoming a creative writer.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £36.00 - Ways into poetry: an introduction
Course start date: Tue 3 Aug 2021 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Online
Are you just starting to write poetry? This inspiring short course offers an opportunity to experiment with language and a variety of poetic devices. Discover the key elements of a poem in a friendly and interactive class.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £40.00 - The 60 minute writerCourse start date: Thu 13 May 2021 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Fit creative writing into your busy day: a relaxed, informal rolling programme for writers of all levels of experience who enjoy being thrown new ideas and experimenting with poetry and prose.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £40.00 - Writing and rewriting fairytalesCourse start date: Sat 24 Jul 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Once upon a time there was a City Lit workshop led by a romance author who loved fairytales. Her quest: to inspire writers to pen stories of love, fear, forests, revenge, dragons, witches, kings, queens, frogs and magic.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £28.00 - Autobiography into fiction: a tasterCourse start date: Sat 24 Jul 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Learn how to turn real-life experiences into gripping fiction in this fun short course for fiction writing beginners and those interested in writing fiction from life. Develop your writing skills and explore techniques for transforming personal stories into written narratives, realistic or fantastical. Please note: this course has a 2-hr break from 12:30-14:30.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £28.00 - Micropoetry: small poems, big ideasCourse start date: Fri 23 Jul 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
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.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £28.00 - Craft focus: scenes in fictionCourse start date: Sat 24 Jul 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Lights, camera, action! Scenes in fiction are essentially no different to those in film. They both make us watch as action unfolds, as a story is moved closer to its conclusion. In this short course you'll learn about this essential unit of fiction craft and develop scenes that will grab readers' attention.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £28.00 - The Poetry of W.B. YeatsCourse start date: Sun 8 Aug 2021
Location on this date: Online
Over 150 years since the birth of William Butler Yeats, his poetry continues to have an enduring place in the landscape of world literature, inspiring writers, musicians and artists alike. This course explores four of his finest poems written at different stages in his life. We will examine how he sought inspiration from Irish mythology, politics, nature, his personal relationships and art to develop ideas about beauty and creativity.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £42.00
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