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A 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.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
This intermediate course is designed for passionate writers and readers who want to explore the art of writing short stories. You will gain confidence in your ability to produce short fiction through a combination of practical exercises, examination of technical issues including plot and character, and constructive criticism from your tutor and fellow students.
Students say:"Great exercises, wonderful atmosphere, and a supportive group of very interesting writers"; "I really enjoyed learning about the various forms of short stories, and how they differ from other types of writing"; "Supportive atmosphere and useful feedback from the teacher"; "Good mix of different genres and prompts to try out."
What will we cover?
- Generating ideas that will form the basis of sharp, compelling short stories
- Reading modern fiction with a critical eye to gain further understanding of the form
- Examining a wide range of key skills and writing techniques including plot, character, dialogue, structure and point-of-view
- Giving and receiving constructive criticism, and incorporating feedback from readers as you revise and improve your work.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Plan, draft and revise short stories with greater confidence
- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity
- Identify and develop good writing habits
- Continue to learn independently by reading modern short stories with increased critical awareness.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an intermediate course for students who have some experience of writing fiction (for instance through attending an introductory 'Ways into creative writing' course) and wish to focus on short stories. You should be an enthusiastic reader and have a good grasp of written and spoken English.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
This is a practical class and the emphasis is on students' stories, produced at home and in the classroom. There will be exercises, homework, group discussion, and sharing of ideas - always in a supportive atmosphere. You will learn to give and receive constructive criticism so that students can begin to learn from each other. Contemporary short stories will be analysed and the group will discuss what they reveal about the art of 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?
No additional costs. Please bring writing materials.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may wish to continue your short story journey by enrolling on Reading for writers: the short story or Write a short story in a weekend. Interested in long form fiction? Try Starting your novel. If you feel ready to submit your work for rigorous constructive feedback, you are also welcome to progress to Advanced fiction writing workshop.
Our Craft Focus series is also available to writers who wish to focus on an isolated element of fiction writing craft. We offer short intensive courses in developing character, plot, setting, point of view, and more. See our website or contact the department for advice on how you can develop a programme of fiction writing study.
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.
Vicky has been teaching creative writing at City Lit since 2018. She has also taught for the Open University, London South Bank University and the University of Greenwich, and she reads for the manuscript assessment agency The Literary Consultancy. Her short fiction has appeared in new writing anthologies published by Picador, Granta, Duckworths, Serpents’ Tail and Bloomsbury. Her nonfiction essay 'Into the Valley' was mentioned in Best American Essays, 2013. Her short story collection 'Live Show, Drink Included' was published by Holland Park Press in 2018 and is long-listed for the £10,000 Edge Hill Prize. One of the stories is in Best British Short Stories, 2019.
Alex PickettSee moreSee less
Alex Pickett is the author of a novel, The Restaurant Inspector, and his debut short story collection is forthcoming in 2024. His stories have appeared in numerous journals including The Southern Review, Passages North, and Southeast Review and have twice been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He has held editorial positions at the American literary journals Subtropics and Cream City Review, and has written and produced comedic short films and music videos that have screened at festivals across North America. He earned his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Florida. He is currently working on a new novel. His website: https://www.rapickett.com/
Wendy BrandmarkSee moreSee less
Wendy Brandmark publishes fiction widely in British and North American journals, and has won the Bridport Prize. Her short story collection, He Runs the Moon, was longlisted for the Edgehill Short Story Prize. Her novels include The Stray American, which was shortlisted for the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize, and The Angry Gods, which explored racism in 1950s America. She has reviewed fiction for the TLS, The Literary Review and The Independent. She has taught creative writing for over twenty years and is a tutor on the Oxford University MSt in Creative Writing.
Alice AshSee moreSee less
Alice Ash is the author of the short story collection Paradise Block (Serpent’s Tail, 2021). She teaches at Goldsmiths University and has performed and spoken on panels across the UK, including at the Brighton Fringe Festival and the Burley Fisher Day 2021. Paradise Block won The Edge Hill Readers Prize 2021, and a story was longlisted for the Galley Beggar Short Story Prize in 2019. Other writing has been featured in Granta, Refinery29, 3:AM, Hotel, Extra Teeth Magazine, the TLS, and Mslexia, amongst many others. Interests include motherhood, women’s horror writing, domesticity, magical realism, and metamorphosis. Alice’s second book, a novel, will be published by Serpent’s Tail in 2023. She lives in Brighton.
Thomas McMullanSee moreSee less
Thomas McMullan lives and works in London. He is the author of Groundwater (Bloomsbury, 2025) and The Last Good Man (Bloomsbury, 2020), which won the 2021 Betty Trask Prize. His short fiction has been published in Ploughshares, The Dublin Review, Granta, 3:AM Magazine, Lighthouse and Best British Short Stories, and his journalism has appeared in The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, frieze, ArtReview and BBC News. His practice also encompasses scripts, both for stage and film, and narrative design for video games. For the latter, he was the lead writer on Rollerdrome (Roll7, 2022), which won the 2023 BAFTA for Best British Game.
Annabel BanksSee moreSee less
Annabel's is a writer of poetry and prose. Her short story collection, Exercises in Control, was published by Influx Press in 2020 and was longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. Other work can be found in literary journals and anthologies including Granta, The Manchester Review, Shearsman, The Stockholm Review, Under the Radar and 3:AM. Her writing has received multiple nominations for the Pushcart Prize, with further nominations for the Queen's Ferry Press Best Short Fictions, Blazevox's Bettering American Poetry, Best News Poets [US] and the Derringer Awards, and was longlisted for the Royal Academy/Pindrop Short Story Award. Recently, Annabel was commissioned by the BBC and the University of Cambridge to create original works, while her story 'Not the End of the World' received a special mention in the Galley Beggar Short Fiction Prize. You can read more about her work at annabelbanks.com.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/short-story-writing135942Short story writinghttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024.jpg259259GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Writing/Novels and short stories/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Writing Short Stories/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Fiction Writing/Courses/vm/Writing Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Writing/Learn to write short fiction at City Lit/Courses/Writing/Courses/Writing/Novels and short stories/Courses/Top rated courses22851588202720482018133791358113599166212285117712051653201813581A 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. <div data-content-type="html" data-appearance="default" data-element="main">This intermediate course is designed for passionate writers and readers who want to explore the art of writing short stories. You will gain confidence in your ability to produce short fiction through a combination of practical exercises, examination of technical issues including plot and character, and constructive criticism from your tutor and fellow students. <br />
<br />
<b>Students say:</b> <i>"Great exercises, wonderful atmosphere, and a supportive group of very interesting writers"; "I really enjoyed learning about the various forms of short stories, and how they differ from other types of writing"; "Supportive atmosphere and useful feedback from the teacher"; "Good mix of different genres and prompts to try out."</i>. <br />
<br />
This is a live online course. You will need:<br />
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.<br />
- 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.<br />
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.<br />
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.</div>234.91187809Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_13.jpgInStockEveningWedOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2025-09-24T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceSep 2025WritingHW024259259Short story writing259130259Vicky Grutshort-story-writing/hw024-2526A 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.0000-Available|2025-09-24 00:00:00virtual1187821Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_18.jpgInStockEveningWedKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-01-21T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJan 2026WritingHW025259259Short story writing259130259Thomas McMullanshort-story-writing/hw025-2526A 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.0000-Available|2026-01-21 00:00:00virtual1187833Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_15.jpgInStockDaytimeWedKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2025-10-01T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceOct 2025WritingHW030259259Short story writing259130259Wendy Brandmarkshort-story-writing/hw030-2526A 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.0000-Available|2025-10-01 00:00:00virtual1187845Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_17.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-01-16T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceJan 2026WritingHW031259259Short story writing259130259Wendy Brandmarkshort-story-writing/hw031-2526A hands-on introduction to the art of writing short stories. 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You will receive technical advice, creative exercises to generate ideas, and feedback to develop your writing skills.0000-Available|2026-01-13 00:00:00virtual2541820Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_90.jpgInStockEveningWedKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW026259259Short story writing259130259Annabel Banksshort-story-writing/hw026-2526A 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.0000-Available|2026-04-22 00:00:00virtual2541835Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_89.jpgInStockEveningTueOnlineAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-21T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW294259259Short story writing259130259Vicky Grutshort-story-writing/hw294-2526A 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.0000-Available|2026-04-21 00:00:00virtual2548993Short story writing259259https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/s/h/short-story-writing-hw294-1024_91.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-04-24T00:00:00+00:00Some experienceApr 2026WritingHW032259259Short story writing259130259Vicky Grutshort-story-writing/hw032-2526A 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.0000-Available|2026-04-24 00:00:00virtual259259130HW024,HW025,HW030,HW031,HW181,HW608,HW026,HW294,HW032NONEWed,Fri,Tue24/09/25 - 03/12/2519:00 - 21:0019:0021:0011 sessions (over 11 weeks)1111 weeks or longerWeekdayOnlineOnline,Keeley StreetVicky Grut,Thomas McMullan,Wendy Brandmark,Alex Pickett,Alice Ash,Annabel BanksSome experienceAvailable courses2025-09-24T00:00:00+00:00,2026-01-21T00:00:00+00:00,2025-10-01T00:00:00+00:00,2026-01-16T00:00:00+00:00,2025-09-26T00:00:00+00:00,2026-01-13T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-22T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-21T00:00:00+00:00,2026-04-24T00:00:00+00:00Evening,DaytimeSep 2025,Jan 2026,Oct 2025,Apr 2026Writing259259Short story writingshort-story-writing/hw024-2526,short-story-writing/hw025-2526,short-story-writing/hw030-2526,short-story-writing/hw031-2526,short-story-writing/hw181-2526,short-story-writing/hw608-2526,short-story-writing/hw026-2526,short-story-writing/hw294-2526,short-story-writing/hw032-2526A 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.0000-Available|2025-09-24 00:00:00configurable
15881205Novels and short storieshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/history-culture-and-writing/writing/novels-and-short-stories1/2/285/1177/1205/1588/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Writing/Novels and short stories