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.
- Welsh 3 upper: module 1Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clare WhiteheadJoin this lively course to consolidate and develop your upper-intermediate Welsh.
Suitable if you have actively studied Welsh for 4 years or equivalent experience.
Please note that this course has a mid-term break.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Piano: workshop 5
Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lucia Sanchez de HaroIf you play piano at around grade 5 standard, join one of these workshops to develop your playing by studying a wide range of piano repertoire, with focus on technique, practice and performance skills.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £195.00 - Piano: workshop 6 Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Yekaterina LebedevaIf you play piano at around grade 6 standard, join one of these workshops to develop your playing by studying a wide range of piano repertoire, with focus on technique, textural awareness, practice and performance skills.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £195.00 - The Rise and Fall of Empires Part 2: 1940-1991Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison ApplebyBoth victorious and defeated powers saw their empires dwindle as a consequences of the Second World War. This course looks at the fall of these empires in the period 1940-1991 and also at how the Cold War led to new spheres of influence and opportunities for domination, and the factors that gave rise to these.Full fee £309.00 Senior fee £247.00 Concession £201.00 - City Lit basketry course: advanced Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lisa Atkin, Christiane Gunzi, John Page, Katie PriceFor learners experienced in a wide range of basketry techniques, this is a new course to build develop your skills. You will be introduced to some new techniques and emphasis will be placed on self directed study and developing a personal portfolio of work. This course is suitable for those experienced in a wide range of basketry techniques and who have completed the City Lit basketry course or have equivalent skills.Full fee £1,749.00 Senior fee £1,399.00 Concession £1,224.00 - The emergence of Europe 300-1000Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingExplore reasons for the fall of Rome and the emergence of the ‘barbarian’ kingdoms of western Europe. Was it really ‘the Dark Ages’? Were the Vikings simply long-haired tourists who occasionally beat up the natives?Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Processing black and white photographic film Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Catriona GrayShoot a roll of black and white film and develop it in traditional chemicals, learning 2 ways to view the images on your film (analogue and digital)
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Advanced playwriting workshop Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Brian MullinDive deeper into the key elements of writing for the theatre, gain fresh critical insight into your own writing, and produce a new draft of your work. This workshop is for experienced playwrights with ongoing projects.Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £349.00 Concession £175.00 - Contemporary art in London Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Chantal CondronExplore and discuss contemporary art on show in London. Each week we’ll visit 1-2 commercial galleries or a public gallery and examine specific exhibitions of contemporary art across a range of media including painting, works on paper, photography, new media and sculpture.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Philosophy and literature: Identity, Truth and the Poetic WordCourse start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Barrie SelwynLiterature provides a very effective springboard into the understanding of the developing notions of selfhood and human nature in the history of ideas and philosophy sharpens our understanding of literature within the broader context of this history.Full fee £309.00 Senior fee £247.00 Concession £201.00 - City Lit reading group 1Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate WilkinsonShare thoughts and ideas about what you are reading, with books chosen by the group. Please come to the first session on Friday 29 September with suggestions (contemporary fiction in paperback) and having read 'Story of the Forest' by Linda Grant. Meetings take place on 19/9, 24/10, 28/11, 30/1, 27/2, 27/3, 1/5, 29/5, 26/6.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Art in Britain 1950-2000 - 'This is Tomorrow' (Part 1) Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Chantal CondronDiscover the work of selected British artists whose innovative practice shaped the development of modern art in Britain from the 1950s to the 1970s. Explore how and why the ideas and themes behind their work continue to be relevant to today’s audiences. - Welsh advanced Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Wyn GriffithsSuitable if you have completed Welsh advanced in Term 2. Cwrs Cymraeg, yn Gymraeg, i ddysgwyr profiadol. Cewch gyfle i ddatblygu'ch sgiliau cyfathrebol; i drafod materion cyfoes; i gael cyflwyniad i'r iaith lenyddol; i roi sglein ar eich Cymraeg ac i wneud ffrindiau newydd. Hyn oll mewn awyrgylch gyfeillgar a chroesawgar. Bydd o fantais cael llyfr gramadeg a geiriadur. Bydaf yn cyfeirio o dro i dro at Cymraeg Da gan y Lolfa (086243503X). No class on 29 May.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Chess for pre-intermediates: develop your game Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David RowsonThis course is for people who are familiar with the basics of chess and are beginning to develop their understanding of the game, but who need help and practice navigating its rich complexity. It is suitable for those who already have the skills listed in section 4 below, but who may not have done a chess course before. It is also an ideal follow-on course for those who have completed City Lit’s Chess for Improvers courses, but who feel they need more practice before moving on to our intermediate level courses. - Award in education and training for lipreading teachersCourse start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Lorraine BragginsInterested in teaching lipreading to adults? This introductory course leads to the City and Guilds Level 3 national teaching qualification. Combined with our GT106, you can become a qualified lipreading teacher.
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