Writing Courses & Workshops Online & in London
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 for you as a writer.
Learn from published authors
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 >
See what it's like be part a City Lit online creative writing course.
- Keyboard harmony 5B
Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ricardo GosalboA practical workshop for classical pianists who are new to studying harmony, but with piano skills of grade 5 or higher. Taught on individual keyboards, this module focuses on the rudiments of harmonic analysis (keys, chords, chord progressions, etc.) and its relevance to approaching piano music. You will broaden your understanding of piano repertoire by studying the harmonic constructs that underpin them. It is recommended to complete this 3-module course in preparation for the Harmony & Piano Performance Workshop. Break week: 16 Feb 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Music theory: diploma topics 2Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Simon RigbyExplore the music theory topics equivalent in standard to the first year of an undergraduate degree. The topics in this module are selected from the Trinity Associate (AMusTCL) syllabus. Prepare for this exam, or just develop your knowledge. This term: Prescribed works. Mid-term break: 16 Feb 2026. - Fretted instruments ensembleCourse start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Martin WheatleyAn ensemble class for players of any fretted instrument: guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, bass guitar or any other! There will be individual parts for each player suited to their abilities; together we will play all sorts of music. This course is for experienced players, the ability to read one of the following will be necessary: chord symbols, tablature or musical notation. Challenging and fun - the music/repertoire will be tailored to your various abilities.
Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00 - The essential history of jazz in 20 cutsCourse start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Albi GravenerThrough a selection of 20 iconic albums, we will study the key figures, the innovators and the star soloists of 20th century jazz, as well as some important artists you might be less familiar with. Break week: 16 Feb 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Music theory: counterpoint 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Selena KayExplore the art of counterpoint, a musical technique in which two or more melodies are combined to create a highly engaging musical texture. Through analysis and practical exercises, you'll learn to write effective counterpoint in the tonal style, focusing on the Baroque period. Leads to part 3 next term. Scheduled break week: 17 Feb 2026. - Michael Tippett: an introduction to his musicCourse start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonMichael Tippett was a British composer like no other, with interests in everything from Purcell and Beethoven to rock music and American spirituals. Come and discover the life and works of this unusual, brilliant, witty and beautiful musician.
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Workplace communication with digital skills: English for the office and business (intermediate level 1-level 2) Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Are you working in an office and need to improve your communication skills? Would you like to become an administrator but feel your written English is holding you back? This course will help you become a confident, flexible and successful communicator in writing, in person, on the phone and online. You will work on using the right language for written documents and for when speaking to colleagues, managers, customers, in meetings and on the phone. You will focus on different levels of formal and informal communication and how to speak and write clearly and concisely, with appropriate tone e.g. in emails and letters on a PC. You will also work on how to lay out key documents using Word, spell well and punctuate correctly. You will also start to learn about the cloud and how to use key parts of Microsoft 365. By the end of this course, you will confident you can work successfully in an office environment.
Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. You can also click the Start Assessment button on this page.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - Listening to the 20th century 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward HendersonUsing Alex Ross’s The Rest is Noise as a guide this course investigates art music in the second half of the twentieth century. This module covers the music of the Cold War culture wars, American experimental music, Minimalism and the use of technology. Break week: 17th February 2026.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Accents: Standard English level 2Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jonathan MulquinThis intermediate course is focused on studying the sounds and rhythms of Standard English in connected speech. What are the rules when putting sounds together when speaking fluently? How do these sounds create the accent and its rhythm?
This course is not for speakers of other languages who should take English Pronunciation courses instead. Although it is a follow-on course, it is also a complete course in itself.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Symphonies in productionCourse start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pauline GreeneStudy symphonies coming up in the 2026–27 season, we will discuss their composition, context and style, and then hear a selection ofmusical examples. NB Break week: 30 May 2027.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Beethoven's ViennaCourse start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Katy HamiltonLudwig van Beethoven’s music has come to stand for the greatest and best-known aspects of the Western classical tradition. But who was he? And what exactly did he do? Come and discover more about this most famous Viennese composer.
Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Music theory: grade 6Course start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarha MooreDevelop your understanding of musical language by learning to write four-part harmony, harmonise and write diatonic melodies, modulate, and analyse scores (harmony, melodic decoration, phrase structure, performance instructions, stylistic implications). Break weeks: 18 Feb and 1, 8, 18 April. - Level 6 in BSLCourse start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Emma IliffeIdeal if you have achieved your level 3 or level 4 in BSL, depending on your BSL skills, and are ready to progress to Level 6. This course is suitable for you if you want to continue to develop your skills up to the appropriate standard at level 6 in BSL. This course will enable you to understand and use complex BSL in a range of work and social situations. By the end of the course you will need to achieve all 6 assessments to gain a qualification at level 6.Full fee £1,949.00 Senior fee £1,949.00 Concession £1,949.00 - Iconography and iconology: secrets of the old masters revealed Course start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Leslie PrimoEver wondered whether there’s a hidden meaning behind paintings? Discover why there are signs and symbols in paintings and how to find and interpret their meanings, in paintings from medieval to Baroque and beyond.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2) Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
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