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.
- Studying Film: A TasterCourse start date: Sun 7 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jon WisbeyThis taster of forthcoming film courses at City Lit in 2026 offers you the chance to think about which ones to take while also providing an opportunity to explore some of the key areas in film studies more generally.
Learn how to evaluate and discuss films while enjoying a working example of a City Lit film studies class.
We will view clips from a wide variety of films, exploring themes and technique in British, European and modern American cinema. There will be a chance to review term two film courses at City Lit (January - July 2026).Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Study day: Rembrandt and 17th century printmaking
Course start date: Sun 7 Dec 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Caroline RaeRembrandt, one of the most famous painters of the Dutch Republic, was also an innovative printmaker. He produced a large oeuvre of printed works, which in their expressive effect and astounding use of light can be considered artworks which rival his paintings. This course will offer a deep dive into Rembrandt’s practice and the seventeenth century Netherlands to explore how he experimented with the medium. Rembrandt as a collector of prints will also be discussed.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Picture book writing: a taster Course start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Andrew WealeFind out more about writing a picture book text in this practical and interactive, short taster session. - Write a short story in a week Course start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jonathan BarnesTurn your great idea into a short story on this fun practical course. Through a series of inspiring exercises, you'll be introduced to some key fiction writing techniques and encouraged to draft a short story from beginning to end. Suitable for beginners who are comfortable learning at a fast pace.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £65.00 - Ballet Christmas intensive: Nutcracker Course start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Dilek TaptikIn perfect sync with the season and an all-time Christmas favourite ballet we offer this fun 3-day intensive exploring the repertoire of the ‘Nutcracker’. You will explore some of the Nutcracker characters and dance sequences and have an opportuity to perform all learned material on the final day. To beneift from this course you should have attended regular ballet classes for at least 6 to 12 months.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £69.00 - Great works: Bach's Christmas OratorioCourse start date: Mon 8 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenDiscover Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Learn about the forms of this work and the history behind the first performances.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Make a willow basket in two evenings Course start date: Mon 14 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John PageMake a small bread or fruit basket over two evening sessions. Suitable for beginners as an introduction to traditional willow basketry techniques, or for those with some experience wanting to refresh their skills.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - In Scrooge's Footsteps: A Christmas Carol & Dickens WalkCourse start date: Tue 9 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Eleanor JacksonJoin us for a festive walk in the footsteps of Scrooge, looking at the locations and impact of Dickens’s most famous work. We will also examine how Dickens’s story has influenced our ideas of Christmas.
Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Italian film nightCourse start date: Wed 10 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francesco BucciolWith proceeds going to the City Lit Student Bursary, the Italian Film Night is a chance to round out the term with a fun movie night in the college. The film will be presented by Francesco Bucciol, head of the Classics department and our Italian GCSE and A Level tutor. Francesco will also lead a discussion after the film.
For this term's Italian film night, we will be showing and discussing excerpts from a classic (perhaps THE classic) Italian film, La Dolce Vita.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Lunchtime lecture: William Blake, a life of innocence and experienceCourse start date: Wed 10 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayExplore the art of William Blake from a political perspective, looking at his social and cultural context as a working-class artist working in a rapidly changing world.
Full fee £14.00 Senior fee £11.00 Concession £9.00 - Adoring the Christ Child in art: images of the very generous Magi Course start date: Thu 11 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Emma Rose BarberThe images of the Adoration of the Magi will be taken from medieval illuminated manuscripts, as well as panel paintings done for churches and chapels and fresco cycles. Artists covered include Italian artists such as Duccio, Giotto, Botticelli, Fra Filippo Lippi, Fra Angelico, Gentile da Fabriano, and northern Renaissance artists including Gossaert and Breughel.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Dutch intermediate: x mas specialCourse start date: Thu 11 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francine van den BergCome to this one off in person near beginners and elementary Dutch x mas special in the heart of London.
Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £25.00 - Great artists: David Munrow Course start date: Thu 11 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Edward BreenExplore the life and works of David Munrow, one of the key performers of early music in the 1960s and 1970s.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Women in Ancient GreeceCourse start date: Fri 12 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: William SterlingIn this course we shall examine women in myth, women in religion and the everyday life of women. It will conclude with a visit to the British Museum.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Music history bookclub: The Great PassionCourse start date: Fri 12 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Edward BreenThe music history book club meets towards the end of each term to discuss novels and biographies with musical themes and references relevant to the music history programme.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00
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