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.
- Craft focus: grammar, syntax, and style for creative writers
Course start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online
Tutors: William BradyGreat poetry and prose begin when the writer puts the right words in the right places. Learn how and why the rules and conventions of language matter in this new course, which combines creative writing with a review of essential points of grammar.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £90.00 - Writing for magazines Course start date: Wed 7 May 2025 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Phyllis RichardsonGet inspired to write on this practical course for freelance journalists and bloggers. Learn to carry out research, interview people, pitch and publish stories, and build your presence on social media.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £75.00 - Tolkien on ScreenCourse start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
In his literary essay On Fairy Stories, J.R.R. Tolkien famously wrote that “in human art, fantasy is a thing best left to words”. Despite this claim, The Lord of the Rings is arguably one of the most profitable media franchises of the 21st century. It has inspired academy-award winning films and record-breaking TV series, and continues to generate material that resonates with new generations of fans to explore. This course will explore the history of adapting Tolkien to the cinema, considering not only what was altered or left behind in attempts to turn Tolkien’s vast mythology into the stuff of popular cinema, but what might also have been enhanced as a result.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00 - Discover North London through walksCourse start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Diane BursteinDiscover the history of North London via guided walks. Great views, green spaces , places of worship, almshouses, plaques to famous people ,some lesser known museums, lots of hidden history and a couple of famous football stadiums will all feature..
Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £175.00 - Art and design portfolio projects Course start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rod Judkins.Full fee £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Choral singing for pleasure Course start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Richard Hartley-WilsonWhether you’re a beginner or have some experience, this choral class will give you something to look forward to on a Monday. We sing many genres from musical theatre to pop plus more traditional pieces. This course is very popular, so booking early is essential. Break week 27th October 2025. - Choir at lunchtime Course start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Richard Hartley-WilsonCome and spend your lunchtime singing a range of music, in interesting choral arrangements. It's good for the mind, body and spirit. Sing music from across all genres, have fun and leave with a spring in your step. There's no better pick-me-up at lunchtime! Break week 27th Oct 2025. - Watercolour painting: mixed media techniques Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Watercolour has a rich tradition - this course will explore the more experimental ways of using this pleasurable medium and will present new possibilities for producing exciting new work with mixed media. Make inventive combinations of media to draw from your own found imagery, photographs and sketches.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - City Lit textiles: mixed media Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Renata MinoldoInvestigate mixed-media textiles through this project-based course which introduces a variety of materials, techniques and design processes. You will develop a creative portfolio of textile samples using sketchbook research and finally work towards a finished piece.Full fee £499.00 Senior fee £399.00 Concession £324.00 - Cultureplex Ciné-Club: The Films of David CronenbergCourse start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katie GossOver six weeks, this Ciné Club will dive into the singular, unsettling world of David Cronenberg - one of modern cinema’s most provocative and visionary directors.
We will explore Cronenberg’s evolution from early body horror classics to his later psychological thrillers, questioning what his work reveals about human nature and our ever-evolving relationship with the body, technology and culture.
Each session will feature a screening of a key film from his filmography, followed by an in-depth discussion examining its central themes, cinematic techniques, cultural and cinematic impact. From the merging of flesh and technoscientific apparatus, to the themes of obsession and transgression, we will see how Cronenberg’s cinema helps us explore the complexities and obscurities of modern life.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £155.00 - Storytelling: tell your personal storyCourse start date: Sun 18 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John EastmanTell your own personal story to others, and in so doing gain some perspective on how past events have shaped your life and how they will affect your future, while at the same time inspiring and informing others about life choices. The course will take place in a safe environment in the college.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Exploring the music of Richard StraussCourse start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Katy HamiltonFrom the heady waltzes of Der Rosenkavalier to the awe-inspiring opening of Also sprach Zarathrustra, come and delve into the life and works of the brilliant – and controversial – composer and conductor, Richard Strauss.
Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00 - Pottery evening Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Trish SpenceFor those with some previous ceramic experience wishing to work towards their own goals, or suitable for beginners who wish to learn hand-building and throwing processes, as well as surface decoration and glazing.Full fee £619.00 Senior fee £495.00 Concession £402.00 - London at Leisure: Three Great SquaresCourse start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Eleanor JacksonToo often we rush around without looking, this course takes time to examine 3 of London’s most famous Squares in depth. A gentle walk allows us to explore these London landmarks at our leisure.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £71.00 Concession £58.00 - Lunchtime lecture: Understanding AbstractionCourse start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayLearn the common reasons for abstraction in art, across time and culture. From the Byzantine icon to the Igbo figurine, from Young Sook Park to Mark Rothko, we’ll think about how abstraction is more common in the history of art than is typically thought. Explore ways into thinking about and experiencing abstract art.Full fee £14.00 Senior fee £11.00 Concession £9.00
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