How to spark your creative writing

What is the course about?

This short course is an opportunity to explore your own creativity through a range of innovative and enjoyable writing exercises. You will learn techniques to help you spark new ideas for stories, inject fresh life into your writing, and overcome writers block.

This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.

What will we cover?

- Techniques for sparking and developing story ideas.
- Writing exercises designed to release your creativity to the max.
- Ways of overcoming writer’s block.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Find – or rediscover – the joy in creative writing.
- Understand and apply a range of techniques and styles to spark fresh ideas and inject new life into scenes and characters.
- Understand and utilise tools to help you overcome writer’s block.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is suitable for students of all levels. You will need a good grasp of written and spoken English.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

- Tutor-led discussion and feedback
- Pairs and group work
- Lots of independent writing


All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

There are no additional costs. Please bring writing materials.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

You may wish to join one of the Ways into Creative Writing courses on offer every term at City Lit, or join another taster course on a particular topic - for example, Screenwriting or Writing for Children.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.