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 >
- Shinrin-yoku: nature therapyCourse start date: Fri 6 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Hilary LyonsConnect with nature for health and wellbeing. This scientifically backed Japanese tradition of forest bathing has been shown to improve physical and mental health. A slow, guided, mindful walk near trees reduces stress levels and boosts your immune system. We will meet in Richmond Park. We will NOT meet at the City Lit.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Creative writing: getting startedCourse start date: Sat 7 Jun 2025 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Deborah MartinGive creative writing a try on this fun and supportive online 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. Please note: this course includes a 1-hr break.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Nature Connection in the City: Nurturing Mental Well-Being with Urban Green SpacesCourse start date: Sat 7 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Christopher CollierAmidst the bustle of urban life, finding moments of solace and nature connection can be a challenge. Yet research has shown that proximity to green spaces and cultivating connections with nature can significantly enhance mental well-being and overall quality of life. This session will explore the transformative power of nature in urban environments through a mix of informative content and participatory techniques.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Japanese beginners: holiday kitCourse start date: Sat 7 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Chikako NakagawaMake the most of your visit to Japan with this short, intensive course. This Holiday Kit will provide you with all the language you need to communicate in the most common holiday situations and to have a friendly chat with the locals!Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £69.00 - Create your first poetry collectionCourse start date: Sat 7 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
You've written and workshopped your poetry, and now you're ready to create your first collection. But where do you begin with that process? This workshop offers instruction and advice on putting together your first poetry collection.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - French 4/5: Les stars du cinéma français: Claude LelouchCourse start date: Sat 7 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Julie RicciClaude Lelouch a eu une longue et riche carrière cinématographique, et la simple mention de son nom fait venir à l’esprit de celui ou celle qui l’entend une image ou une réplique de film de telle ou telle génération. De nombreux grands acteurs sont passés devant sa caméra et avoir l’opportunité de jouer dans un de ses films est toujours un honneur. D’Un Homme et Une Femme à Les plus belles années d’une vie en passant par Itinéraire d’un enfant gâté et Les Misérables, Claude Lelouch est sans aucun doute un monstre sacré du cinéma français faiseur de monstres sacrés du cinéma français.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £29.00 Concession £29.00 - Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00
- Ikigai: the Japanese secret to a long and happy lifeCourse start date: Sun 8 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Kean Street Wellbeing Centre
Tutors: Hilary LyonsThe people of Japan believe that everyone has an Ikigai or a reason for being. Finding it can lead to a happier, more fulfilled life. Learn how to live in the moment and pursue your purpose and passion.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - The Wyldes of Hampstead: Exploring Hampstead’s Northern SlopesCourse start date: Sun 8 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneFinchley Central contains three conservation areas. Starting at the oldest part of the former village of Finchley Church End , this walk stops to admire traces of the old village, Edwardian and Victorian architecture before moving on to the delightful Finchley Garden village and College Farm, the last remaining farm in Finchley.
Meeting points: Start by the bike rack Station Road Exit of Finchley Central tube station, end Henley's Corner on the junction of Regent's Park Road by La Deliverance statue.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Crime and punishment in Old LondonCourse start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Diane BursteinTake a guided walk through the old City and its borders taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, tales of cutpurses and con men, the rise of prisons and the ghastly punishments that were meted out to wrongdoers. We go on a journey to Newgate Gaol, the Bridewell Prison and the places of execution including the notorious Tyburn Tree to hear tales of brutality, escapes and the bloodthirsty crowds who watched executions. Our tour includes London’s atmospheric legal quarter taking in the Old Bailey, The Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court to discover how London’s legal system developed .
Meet outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the Statue of Queen Anne.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Clocks, countdowns, chronology: how do we experience time?Course start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Anita KasabovaDo we perceive time or the passage of events? Einstein famously considered time – or the distinction between past, present, and future – as an illusion. We examine subjective time or how we experience time, discussing the roles of memory, emotion, and narrative.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - A sense of place: Constable’s HampsteadCourse start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneExplore Georgian and Regency Hampstead walking in the footsteps of John Constable and seeing places he painted and quotes about his thoughts and feelings on Hampstead and his art. - Spanish 5: creative writing in SpanishCourse start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Matias Godoy RonderosEn este curso interactivo, tendrás la oportunidad de usar el español para escribir microcuentos, y de tener como guía a un profesor que también es autor y traductor publicado. A lo largo de las 5 sesiones, aprenderás como desarrollar una historia corta usando alugnas técnicas empleadas por los escritores para producir una historia interesante y atractiva.
Este curso es para hispanohablantes y estudiantes que han estudiado español a nivel avanzado (si has estudiado español al menos durante 6 años).
This course will be delivered in Spanish.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00 - London's smaller art collectionsCourse start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowExplore 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. - The beauty of the medieval manuscriptCourse start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Emma Rose BarberIt is generally accepted that medieval illuminated manuscripts are very beautiful things. Something to do with all that gold-leaf maybe. While we cannot hold them in class, close-up digital reproduction will allow us to see if they really are as beautiful as we are told. Indeed, are none of them ugly? Join this course to find out.
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