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.
- Advanced playwriting
Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online
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 course is designed for experienced playwrights who have work in-progress.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Developing your screenwriting Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Billy CookContinue your screenwriting journey in this practical intermediate course. Writing exercises, presentations and screenings will teach you key skills, and you’ll begin to produce work and an outline for a full-length project.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Performance poetry Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Toby CampionWrite poetry and perform it, finding your own style and delivery under the guidance of a spoken word artist. Explore the differences between performance and other forms of poetry.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Advanced playwriting workshopCourse start date: Fri 19 Sep 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 £359.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £180.00 - The 60 minute writer Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025 (and 10 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Farhana KhaliqueFit creative writing into your busy day: a relaxed, informal rolling programme for writers of all levels of experience who enjoy being thrown new ideas and experimenting with poetry and prose.Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £70.00 - Developing your playwriting Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Dawn KingContinue to explore the key elements of dramatic writing, and benefit from supportive and detailed feedback on your own work. New students with prior playwriting experience are welcome to join.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Developing your poetry Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christina DunhillFor those familiar with the basics of poetic form, this intermediate course explores craft and content through reading exercises, writing exercises and constructive feedback. Ideal if you have already attended 'Ways into poetry'.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Writing for children Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Neil ArkseyAlways wanted to write a children's book? This practical course will develop your ability to write for different age groups and genres of contemporary children's fiction.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Advanced crime fiction workshopCourse start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Anna RichardsHone your understanding of the crime genre and push your fiction in new directions, on this advanced course for crime writers. This course is for experienced writers who are developing ongoing projects.
Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Masterclass: poetry (a one-term intensive workshop) Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CranitchThis intensive poetry masterclass is open by selective application to a maximum of ten students. You will receive inspiring tutor instruction and rigorous constructive feedback on your poems as you prepare them for publication and performance.Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £399.00 Concession £399.00 - Masterclass: fiction (a one-term intensive workshop) Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jonathan BarnesThis intensive fiction workshop is open by selective application to a maximum of ten fiction writers working at the advanced and professional levels. You will receive rigorous constructive feedback on your novel or short story as you develop it with a view to publication, and participate in detailed tutor-led discussions on advanced elements of fictional craft.Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £399.00 Concession £399.00 - Poetry workshop: intensive Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Julie IrigarayWant to have your poems critiqued in a supportive environment? This intensive poetry workshop focuses on offering feedback to poets who have already written a selection of poems and are looking to push their writing further.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00 - Advanced poetry workshop Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CranitchDevelop your poetry, taking it in new directions and maturing your poetic voice. Various approaches and techniques will be explored, and new poetry can be workshopped. For experienced poets only.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Writing fantasy stories Course start date: Wed 24 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Victoria M. AdamsBuild fantastical worlds, fill them with compelling characters and learn how to structure innovative plotlines in this perfect introduction for those with a passion for fantasy.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00 - Short story writing Course start date: Wed 24 Sep 2025 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vicky GrutA hands-on introduction to the art of writing short stories. You will receive technical advice, creative exercises to generate ideas, and feedback to develop your writing skills.Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £130.00
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