Writing Courses & Workshops
At City Lit, we offer a supportive and inspiring environment where you can enhance your writing and gain confidence. Our courses are designed to help you find your voice, sharpen your writing skills, and take your work to the next level. Whether you're writing short stories, poetry, or working on a novel, you'll receive expert guidance and feedback from experienced tutors.
Learn from Published Authors
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.
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.
- Autobiography into fiction: getting started
Course start date: Sat 23 May 2026 (and 4 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nick BarlayLearn how to turn real-life experiences into gripping fiction in this fun short course for fiction writing beginners and experienced writers. Develop your writing skills and explore techniques for transforming personal stories into strong narratives.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Craft focus: how to edit your novel Course start date: Sat 23 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah LeipcigerOnce your story is on the page, the editing process begins. Where do you start and what skills do you need? This course guides learners through the editing of a story or manuscript, exploring approaches to making line edits, improving narrative structure and more.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £65.00 - How to write romantasy Course start date: Sat 23 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tori BovalinoLearn the fundamentals of writing in the romantasy genre, drawing from romance and fantasy fiction to craft spectacular, spicy worlds.
Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Writing a short film Course start date: Sun 24 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sharmila ChauhanWould you like to write a script for a short film? This short course offers an insight into the fundamentals of screenwriting through tutor input, writing exercises, group work and discussion.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - How to get an agent Course start date: Sat 5 Dec 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Neil ArkseyThis intensive workshop offers students insider, need-to-know information on securing a literary agent.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00 - Ways into creative writing: intensive Course start date: Tue 26 May 2026 (and 9 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tasha KavanaghNot sure whether creative writing is for you? Give it a try on one of these fun and supportive short courses covering the basics of fiction and poetry. Increase your confidence and produce work through guided exercises and discussion.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Creative writing: getting started Course start date: Sat 4 Jul 2026 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Deborah MartinGive creative writing a try on this fun and supportive short course. Ideal if you want to express yourself but need help in getting started. Guided exercises will encourage you to experiment and unlock your imagination.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Writing blackout poetryCourse start date: Sat 30 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah WestcottSometimes 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.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Writing a memoir (continuation) Course start date: Wed 3 Jun 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julie GartonSome moments in our lives are so powerful they beg to be shared with the world. This continuation course guides students in developing a memoir project that will resonate and inspire.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Ways into creative writing: a gentle pace Course start date: Wed 3 Jun 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Henry MartinAre you brand new to creative writing? Do you want to build your confidence in a supportive environment alongside other beginners? This gentle short course guides students taking their first steps on the path to becoming a creative writer.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Advanced creative non-fiction workshop Course start date: Wed 3 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julie GartonThis advanced workshop is designed for students who have already completed introductory and intermediate creative non-fiction courses and would like to focus on workshopping their writing.
Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £85.00 - Writing creative non-fiction: intensive Course start date: Tue 21 Jul 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Erica BuistThis shorter version of our introductory creative non-fiction course explores the core elements of creative non-fiction across genres such as travel writing, the personal essay and life writing.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Biography writing Course start date: Thu 4 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew KenrickWhat makes a great biography? Learn to experiment with your own life writing as you uncover the techniques and methods of this exciting genre with a professional biographer.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Ways into poetry: a gentle pace Course start date: Mon 26 Oct 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew WealeAre you brand new to writing poetry? Do you want to build your confidence in a supportive environment alongside other beginners in the craft? This gentle short-course guides students taking their first steps on the path to becoming a poet.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00 - Writing about art Course start date: Sat 6 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Thomas McMullanLearn how to write journalistically about visual art, from exhibition reviews to features, in this intensive one-day course.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
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