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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Film & Media: How to Develop and Write a Short Film Screenplay

This course will introduce you to the skills needed to write a short-film screenplay. Across five sessions you consider how to engage with the consturction and development of character, explore narrative structure in relation to genre, and consider the relationship between dialogue and action. By the end of the course you will be supported to complete your own first draft short-film screenplay of ten to fifteen pages. This course is intended for learners who have perhaps had a long-standing interest in screenwriting but who have perhaps not yet had the opportunity to work on a project within a structure of teaching and feedback.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 12/01/2024 -
Fri 23/02/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Tutor:
James Clarke
Course code:
Q00011486
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Creative Writing: Structure & Point-of-View 

Practice techniques for creating short stories, true or untrue in fortnightly sessions. We'll apply the principles of short fiction to our writing, with the focus this term on thinking about how point-of-view impacts on structure. 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. This course uses the same content as the Thursday evening course, Structure & Point-of-View, and the Friday morning course, Creative Writing: Structure & Point-of-View, therefore you need only enrol on to one of them

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 18/01/2024 -
Thu 28/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00012330
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £55.50

Creative Writing: Structure & Point-of-View 

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 thinking about how point-of-view impacts on structure. 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. This course uses the same content as the Friday morning course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, and the Thursday morning fortnightly course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, therefore you need only enrol on to one of them.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 18/01/2024 -
Thu 28/03/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00012327
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Creative Writing: Researching Biography - An introduction

Spend the day with Norwich writer and public speaker Phyllida Scrivens, as she shares inspirational stories of luck, fate and coincidence resulting from her biographical research journeys. The session will include illustrated examples from her exploration of online genealogy sites, original newspaper reports, local history publications, and from many in-depth personal interviews. Your tutor has had three books published: Escaping Hitler (2016), The Lady Lord Mayors of Norwich (2018) and The Great Thorpe Railway Disaster 1874 (2021)

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 19/01/2024 -
Fri 19/01/2024
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Charing Cross Centre
17-19 St John Maddermarket
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 1DN
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00013191
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £30.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
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  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
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Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

Creative Writing: Writing Your First Novel: Next Level

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘Everyone has a novel in them?’ This is your chance to get yours down on the page! Even if you don’t have an idea in mind at the moment, you can begin to develop your writing and experiment with different stories and genres until you find something you want to write. 'Writing your first Novel: Next Level' is all about continuing to develop the craft of creative writing—focusing on specific deeper elements of the subject that will make your work really stand out when you are making your first steps into the world of writing. Learn the elements you need to write your first novel.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 01/02/2024 -
Thu 04/04/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Tutor:
Craig Rickard
Course code:
Q00009232
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £66.60

Creative Writing: Structure & Point-of-View 

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 thinking about how point-of-view impacts on structure. 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. This course uses the same content as the Friday morning course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, and the Thursday morning fortnightly course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, therefore you need only enrol on to one of them.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 02/02/2024 -
Fri 15/03/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00012329
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
1 place remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Creative Writing: Writing a Successful Romance

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a writer in possession of an idea, must be in want of a writing course about the Romance genre. Fear not- this is where our half-day Romance writing session comes in handy. This course will support your efforts in a practical and friendly way. We will cover planning techniques, rooky errors, and how to write impactful prose. We won’t be looking at fifty shades of any colour! We will read and evaluate extracts from a range of romance writers and respond to a range of practical writing prompts and fun exercises. We will explore different entryways into publishing work. This half-day course will explore planning, dialogue, and character within the genre of Romance. It will be delivered by a tutor who has both published herself and has a track record of editing and guiding other writers to publication. This half-day is designed for aspiring Romance writers.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 14/02/2024 -
Wed 14/02/2024
Times:
9:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Vanwy Arif
Course code:
Q00011914
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £14.80

Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice

For those interested in creative writing as a tool for well being, developing writing skills with increased enjoyment in writing and particular emphasis on writing therapeutically - describing and utilising personal experience

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 17/02/2024 -
Sat 17/02/2024
Times:
10:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Stella Stocker
Course code:
Q00009815
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £18.50

Creative Writing: Writing Inspired by Movies & Music

Writing Inspired by Movies & Music a fun, friendly and structured approach to aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and get writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 20/02/2024 -
Tue 19/03/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00012642
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Creative Writing: Writing a Successful Fantasy

"Go back?” he thought. “No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!” If this is how you feel about your fantasy and adventure writing, then this half-day course is for you.Our workshop will help us hone our writing craft under the expert guidance of a tutor who is published herself, an experienced editor and has nurtured other writers through to publication.We will explore world-building, mythical plots, and conventions of the fantasy and adventure genre.This course is for any aspiring writer, demon, time traveller, fairy, or dragon who would like to begin, or who has already taken their tentative first steps, into the adventurous world of fantasy writing

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 21/02/2024 -
Wed 21/02/2024
Times:
9:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Tutor:
Vanwy Arif
Course code:
Q00011915
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £14.80