Tell your story with the WEA

Whether you are just starting out as a budding writer, or already have lots of experience expressing yourself through writing, our creative writing courses will provide you with a platform to develop your talent. All our creative writing courses look at different audiences and genres such as scriptwriting, non-fiction and poetry. 

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You can choose to tap into your storytelling abilities alongside other creative writers in a fun and supportive environment, telling your story through your very own writing style. You’ll have the opportunity to explore what it is that you want to write about as well as time to investigate how to find your own voice and the style that you want to write in. 

Our poetry courses immerse you in the works of famous poets and literary greats, exploring the techniques they use and their famous pieces of work. All this acts as the perfect inspiration for when you craft your own style. This learning style means you build the core foundations to progress further, becoming a better writer in the process. 

A creative writing class near you 

Whether you prefer online creative classes or learning face to face in a venue, we have something for everyone to choose from. Our learning experience is one of the things that sets us apart, with many of our learners going on to achieve incredible things.  

The support you’ll receive on your creative writing course 

You'll get support from your tutor whichever option you choose, as well as the opportunity to build a network of peers who have a passion for creative writing just like you.  

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Creative Writing for Wellbeing

Do you enjoy using words and writing to express yourself? Would you like to be more in touch with your ideas and feelings? Or would you like to learn more about using journaling and writing to support your wellbeing? Then come and join a friendly group on this weekly online course. No previous experience is necessary – all learners will gain confidence and increase their wellbeing through developing skills in creative writing

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 15/10/2024 -
Tue 19/11/2024
Times:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Frances Owen
Course code:
Q00018500
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Creative Writing: Shapes of Story: Tell it Slant

Dive into the different forms you can tell a story. We’ll look at braided stories, hermit crabs, list stories, epistolary and fragmentary forms across fiction and creative non fiction. Learn the techniques and appreciate the effects different shapes of a story can enhance your writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 16/10/2024 -
Wed 20/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00017745
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

Creative Writing: Life Writing

This course is for all interested in writing from experience and shaping this into a readable narrative. It provides a continuation of WEA Memoir Writing courses for core returners and explores using lived experience to get to the roots of one’s past for self-knowledge and wellbeing, for sharing with others in the safe space of the online seminars and for writing up as a product to send to agents and publishers. You need to be interested enough in your own unique story to stay with it, develop it and pass on its wisdom, suspense and twists to others.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 22/10/2024 -
Tue 17/12/2024
Times:
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Sarah Wardle
Course code:
Q00019461
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £66.60

Creative Writing: Scriptwriting for Film, TV & Radio

Ever wondered just where to start with a script for film, T.V and/or radio - each have their own format and require a differing approach . We take a friendly and accessible step by step guide through the requirements of writing for the big screen, the small screen and the ear. Writing for each of these mediums differs from that of a stage play, we may’ve heard the phrase ‘show don’t tell’ but how do we put that into practice and how does a writing creating compelling radio drama using only sound . We’ll discover there’s far more to these forms of script writing than just people talking.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 05/11/2024 -
Tue 03/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00019069
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Creative Writing: How to write successful Butterfly Moments - writing memoir moments

Learn how to capture memorable moments in your writing with our Creative Writing: How to Write Successful Butterfly Moments - Writing Memoir Moments course. Focus on techniques for writing impactful and engaging memoirs. Ideal for aspiring writers and memoir enthusiasts.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 05/11/2024 -
Tue 10/12/2024
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Vanwy Arif
Course code:
Q00018538
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Creative Writing: Writing Food

This 10-hour course will stimulate your imagination and palette for writing food stories from fiction, life writing and reportage. You will read published stories to provide inspiration and story craft techniques to embellish your own writing. You will share your writing in pairs to give confidence and courage to write more.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 04/12/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00019290
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Creative Writing: Taster: Creating Well-Rounded Characters

What’s at the heart of any story? A well-rounded character! Discover ways to make your characters so engaging that the reader can’t put the story down. From expressing a range of emotions, contradictory behaviours, hidden desires, flaws and more. Learn how to create a character we care about, one the reader can root for. A multidimensional character is more lifelike and engaging for your reader. This workshop and course is intended for those who have some experience of writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 06/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00019613
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Creative Writing: Scriptwriting for Film, TV & Radio

Show don’t tell – so often easier said than done – Just how does an idea turn into a script? How much info do I include in a script? Is it really more than just dialogue? In some ways writing a script requires a very different approach from the writer. We gain knowledge and understanding of the differing requirements of writing for the screen, both what works for TV and what approach is more cinematic, as well as writing for the radio. Radio, so often described as the ‘intimate’ medium, plays in a listener’s head offering scope for greater imagination and powerful emotional effect. We will also explore the creative process, just what is the correct format for each of these mediums, where to start, how to develop an idea into a script, allowing it to grow scene by scene (what even is ‘a scene’). The course will also cover writing/developing a TV series, comedy, writing for ‘soaps’ and feature some more general skills on developing story structure and character development of interest to any budding writer. With a mix of group and individual tasks, discussion, analysis of clips as examples, it is hoped that all will dabble and develop some writing whilst on the course. What makes a good script and what is a bad script? This is an informative and fun course, with some key first hand information, not to be missed.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 05/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Stephen Joseph Theatre (Scarborough)
Westborough
Scarborough
YO11 1JW
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00018219
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

Creative Writing: Journaling for Writers: Taster Workshop

This course will introduce the learner to accessible and generative journaling exercises to explore their writer’s mindset and process and help them plan and think more deeply through expressive writing about their work in progress. Journaling can help with developing a positive mindset: to keep motivated after rejection; It can also help develop confidence as you free-write and keep up momentum rather than ponder and choose the right word. Journaling can also be used for planning and going deeper into your thoughts and ideas about your current piece of writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 07/11/2024 -
Thu 07/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00019612
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Creative Writing: Developing Characters

Practice techniques for creating short stories, true or untrue. We'll apply the principles of short fiction to our writing, with the focus this term on developing character. There will be writing exercises, discussions, an optional weekly homework task and feedback. Guidance on feedback techniques will be provided. The course content has flexibility, and will be adapted to suit the needs of the group. Suitable for improvers.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 08/11/2024 -
Fri 13/12/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00009210
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £44.40