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.
- Writing comedy for TV in the online age
Course start date: Sat 8 Aug 2026Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Alan NixonDo you want to find out more about writing comedy? Explore some fundamental aspects of humorous scriptwriting for television, beginning with sketches, and looking at sitcoms from initial idea through to finished script.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Picture book writing: getting started Course start date: Sat 8 Aug 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Andrew WealeWould you like to write a picture book text for young children? This taster course is designed for children's writers and for illustrators wishing to write their own stories; a starter course to develop both your ideas and your technique.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Playwriting: a taster Course start date: Tue 8 Sep 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Nicole AcquahGive playwriting a try in this fun and supportive one-off taster session. Ideal if you want to unlock your imagination and express yourself, but need a bit of encouragement to get started.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Poetry: a taster Course start date: Sat 12 Sep 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
This short, fun workshop is the perfect starting point for students who are writing for the first time or new to poetry. Join us for thought-provoking writing exercises and poetry theory for beginners.
Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Screenwriting: a taster Course start date: Sat 12 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Alan NixonGive screenwriting a try in this fun and supportive one-off taster session. Ideal if you want to unlock your imagination and express yourself, but need a bit of encouragement to get started.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Ways into screenwriting Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nico MensingaLearn to write for the screen on this practical, introductory 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 £269.00 Senior fee £269.00 Concession £175.00 - Developing your novel Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah LeipcigerHave you started work on your novel? This course is suitable for experienced creative writers who want to make progress with a novel draft. Learn more about the art of novel writing and move your project forward in a supportive workshop environment.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £181.00 - Craft focus: grammar, syntax, and style for creative writers Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 2 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 course, which combines creative writing with opportunities to learn/revise essential points of grammar and useful literary concepts. Suitable for beginning writers looking to build confidence, and those with more experience who would like to practise these essential skills.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £149.00 - Ways into playwriting Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Explore the fundamental techniques of writing for the stage in this introductory course. Get to grips with dialogue, character, story and structure, and start work on your own play.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £269.00 Concession £175.00 - Starting your novel Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sophie McKenzieGot a great idea for a novel? Jump start your project in this supportive course that covers craft basics such as character and plot. Ideal for writers of fiction with some experience who have an idea for a novel.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £269.00 Concession £175.00 - Ways into creative writing Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 11 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Claire CollisonWant to have a go at creative writing in a supportive environment? Join one of these introductory courses. Guided exercises will give you the tools to explore language creatively and find your own writing voice.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £269.00 Concession £175.00 - Advanced creative non-fiction: turning experience into art Course start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alice RobbWeave the rich strands of your personal experience into an intricate story that will entertain and educate readers. Ideal if you've attended 'Writing creative non-fiction' or already have a specific project planned out.
Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £181.00 - How to write crime and thriller fictionCourse start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Learn how to master pace and tension in this course on writing crime and thriller fiction, from detective-led noir to espionage action.
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00 - Writing fiction Course start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Bob SchultzDevelop your creative writing skills on this practical intermediate course. You'll explore the fundamentals of fiction-writing craft, such as character and structure, and unlock your imagination to produce compelling prose. Suitable for those with some creative writing experience.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £181.00 - Writing for magazines, newspapers and online media Course start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Susan GrossmanGet 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 £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £116.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add me to waiting list