Creative writing revolves around being creative with words to express your imagination as well as your emotions to connect with others. There are several excellent creative writing courses in the UK available to those interested in exploring their creative writing skills. This article will explore the range of courses on offer, from short courses to more comprehensive degree programs.
It will provide insight into the different courses available at institutions and higher education in the United Kingdom. It will also guide you through the best way to find the right creative writing courses in the UK for you.
Introduction
Creative writing is a type of writing that is used to express creativity and imagination. Creative writing usually uses an individual’s thoughts, feelings, or experiences as the subject. Creative writing can be a form of fiction or non-fiction.
Many people find it difficult to develop their creative writing abilities. However, there are creative writing courses in the UK that can help you hone your abilities. You can learn to write essays, poetry, and stories by taking creative writing classes.
There are several creative writing courses in the UK if you’re seeking for a means to start writing creatively and learn how to produce fiction or non-fiction. These programs are ideal for those with no prior experience in creative writing as well as for those who do.
What Subjects Do Creative Writing Classes Cover?
- You will be exploring a wide range of subjects in this course, from fiction and poetry to non-fiction and memoirs, all within the broad genre of creative writing.
- You will get the chance to discover and perfect your creative writing skills through in-depth lectures, readings, and writing activities.
- You will discuss the aspects of craft that bring great literature to life in addition to creating the works for the course.
- You will discover your distinctive voice as you progress through this course and learn important details about the creative process of writing.
- Creative writing courses typically cover topics such as story development, character creation, plot structure, point of view, dialogue, setting, genre conventions, and description.
- Other common topics are grammar, punctuation, poetic devices, narrative structure, and literary analysis.
- Creative writing courses also often include workshops and assignments designed to help students develop their writing style.
The Following Are Some Examples of Common Topics Addressed in Creative Writing Courses:
- Modes of Creative Writing: Fiction, Poetry, Drama
- Writing for the Media
- Creative Writing
- The Art and Craft of Writing
- Preparing for Publication
- Poetry
- Drama
- Fiction Writing
- Non-Fiction Writing
What Are the Benefits of Taking Creative Writing Courses in the UK?
There are many benefits to taking a creative writing course. Firstly, you’ll improve your writing skills. Secondly, you’ll learn how to structure a story, and thirdly, you’ll learn how to create vivid characters. Creative Writing Courses in the UK or any other country will also give you a new perspective on your work.
You’ll learn to look at your work from a different angle, and you’ll start to see the world differently. This is invaluable in any creative field. Creative writing courses also offer a great opportunity to meet other writers and share your work with others. This is a great way to improve your writing skills and build a network of fellow writers.
- Developing Creative Self-Expression
- Boost your confidence.
- Strengthen your potential for observation.
- Clarification of Thoughts
- Improved Understanding of Reading and Writing Mechanics
- Communication and Empathy Skills
- Improved Mental, Sentimental, and Physical Well-Being
What Types of Writing Fall Under the Creative Writing Umbrella?
Writing can generally be divided into four categories. These four writing genres all have diverse goals and demands for various writing skills. These are:
Expository Writing:
Facts are exposed or outlined in expository writing. A topic is introduced and presented in a logical order in an expository piece without any mention of the author’s personal beliefs. It appears in textbooks, journalism (except opinion and editorial articles), business and technical writing, essays, and instructions.
Descriptive Writing:
The aim of descriptive creative writing is to make readers better imagine a character, an event, a location, or all of these things at once when descriptive writing is used. In comparison to expository writing, descriptive writing gives the author much more creative flexibility. It appears in literature, poetry, journals, creative writing, and advertising.
Narrative Writing:
The aim of narrative writing is to convey a story, whether it is real or fantasized. Fiction, poetry, biographies, human interest stories, and anecdotes all contain narrative writing. Characters will appear in narrative-style pieces, and the reader will learn what happens to them through the narrative.
Persuasive Writing:
The purpose of persuasive writing is to influence the reader to agree with the author’s perspective. It is frequently used in advertisements and appears in editorials, reviews, and job applications. To persuade the reader to adopt a specific point of view is the goal of persuasive writing.
Furthermore, creative writing can be broadly divided into two distinct categories.
| Fiction | Non-fiction |
| Novels | Autobiographies |
| Novellas | Memoirs |
| Short-stories | Personal Essays |
| Plays | Literary Journalism |
| Screenplays | Lyrical Essays |
| Tv scripts | Humor Writing |
| Poetry | Academic textbooks |
What Are Some Career Opportunities for Creative Writers?
Author (book writer)
- A professional creative writer who has published their work—either through publishers or self-publishing—is known as an author.
- Although writers generally specialize in one genre, they may also produce a variety of fiction books, anthologies of short stories or essays, nonfiction books like histories and biographies, or academic writings.
- A narrative or an interesting subject can be told to become an author. Depending on the tale you intend to convey and the target audience, it may fall within the fiction or non-fiction category.
Copywriters
- A professional writer known as a “copywriter” creates information that is both clear and persuasive in order to compel readers to act—for example, to make a purchase, use a service, or attend an event.
- For a magazine, newspaper, or digital media outlet in almost any business, they might be a part of a marketing, advertising, or communications team.
- A copywriter’s responsibility is to provide content that effectively and persuasively conveys to the reader the virtues of a certain product or service.
- These individuals are in charge of writing brochures, press releases, product catalogs, circulars, etc.
Scriptwriters
- Those who enjoy crafting dialogue-heavy scripts can pursue this career.
- They conduct extensive studies and put in a lot of effort to develop a plot and a storyline for a particular theme or issue.
- It might be a challenging task for scriptwriters to create sincere, original, and well-crafted dialogue.
Article Writers
- Article writers have the opportunity to write for different newspapers, magazines, websites, etc. as well as have the freedom to choose a variety of topics, including fashion, food, travel, health, trade, entertainment, sports, education, and politics.
- They are assigned to create unique, excellent content for a website or blog. They could be an employee of a writing team or hired as a freelance writer.
- They might create blog posts for a company or organization, advertisements, social media material, technical publications, newsletters, or emails, depending on their clients and writing specializations.
Other best courses in the UK
Where Can You Find the Top Creative Writing Courses in the UK?
Creative writing is a highly sought-after skill with a variety of career paths. There are many creative writing programs available but picking one might be a daunting task. Making your decision based on your objectives rather than the course’s level is the key to selecting one of the finest Creative Writing Courses in the UK.
Students who take creative writing courses can learn how to develop their own voice, explore different forms of writing, and improve their skills in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Here, you will find a list of Creative Writing Courses in the UK that can help you to have a productive and rewarding career.
1. Content Writing Master Course – IIM SKILLS
- IIM SKILLS, a top institution with its headquarters in New Delhi, was founded following the launch of a popular educational blog that had attracted 1 million readers.
- The institution’s goal is to offer live online and self-paced learning programs that deliver world-class education at reasonable costs.
- In order to help professionals upskill professionally in a few months, they are constantly working hard to uncover different skill development courses that are in demand.
- A highly interactive and interesting learning experience is provided by the virtual course style.
- Case studies, tasks, and group brainstorming are additional components that contribute to an interesting learning environment. As well as offering greater time and place flexibility, the online option is more educational than traditional classroom settings.
Key Advantages of Content Writing Course:
- Discover how to unleash your creativity and write more effectively.
- Applying the appropriate best practices while progressively understanding different material categories.
- Learn to differentiate between traditional writing and web writing.
- You will be able to cultivate the habit of writing every day.
- Understand headlines’ importance and learn how to write them well
- Web development; designing a website and building your own blog platform.
- Discover the value of research and how to do any topic study.
- Utilize various article writing tools to grasp all about keyword research.
- Portfolio Creation for Freelance/Work
- Your first blog should be written for websites like the Times of India.
- Make Your First Press Release Available on an Online News Portal.
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Course Duration:
- 1 Month Course
- 3 Months Internship (Optional)
Fees: 147.42 Pounds sterling
Contact Details:
2. English and Creative Writing BA (Hons)- Coventry University
- Coventry University has a long history of providing education in England, with roots that can be traced back to the Coventry College of Design
- Coventry University is committed to innovative learning, the institution incorporates games and playful thinking into its core offerings.
- Its participative, open, and creative content includes online workshops geared toward students in schools and digitally streamed performances.
- They take pleasure in giving pupils a strong foundation of academic and welfare assistance to make learning enjoyable for them.
- This course incorporates literary, stylistic, and linguistic theory with creative writing exercises to help you better grasp the principles of writing, identify your writing voice and style, and broaden your knowledge of how language is utilized in society. It also includes a career component.
- You are free to experiment with new genres like game narratives and graphic storytelling because the course blends the humanities with creative flexibility.
Key Advantages of this Course:
- The skill to create and develop unique creative work.
- A high level of editorial proficiency.
- Advanced comprehension and critical knowledge of literary genres and works from a few time periods.
- The capacity to analyze works of literature critically, including both fiction and nonfiction, and to question, assess, and develop one’s own critical theories and arguments.
- The capacity to use digital tools and technology for unique subject-based research and to show that one can participate actively and willingly in the age of online communication.
- Recent course alumni have gone on to work in publishing or teaching for organizations like Granta Magazine.
- Many former students have started careers as financial specialists, HR managers, or press officers at organizations like Air Products, Tesco, and Deutsche Bank since the course also develops other skills, such as thinking critically and analytically, researching, compiling, and organizing data.
Course Duration:
3 years full-time
Flexible part-time
Fees:
- UK students £9,250 per year
- International students £16,800 per year
Contact Detail:
- International Student Enquiries/Applications: +44 (0)24 7765 2152
UK Student Enquiries/Applications: +44 (0)24 7765 2222
3. MA Creative Writing- The University of Manchester
- The University of Manchester is a renowned organization with a rich history that has become renowned for its innovative findings and top-notch research that has had a significant global influence.
- This Russell Group university, which can trace its roots back to 1824, offers a vibrant metropolitan campus setting and some of the best-funded student amenities in the UK.
- The highly regarded university is well-liked by foreign students for its high standard of instruction, opportunities for employment, and student experience.
- It also has one of the biggest and most diversified student populations in the nation, with students from 160 different countries. If you are looking for a higher degree in this field, you may consider it one of the best Creative Writing Courses in the UK.
- The prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities places the University of Manchester at number 33 globally and number six in the UK.
- 25 Nobel Prize winners have held positions at the University of Manchester in the past or present, and 91% of recent graduates from Manchester enter the workforce or pursue further education.
Key Advantages of this Course:
- Explore issues with authors, editors, and agents.
- Join a network of prestigious alumni.
- Learn from a renowned group of authors, including novelists Jeanette Winterson CBE, Ian McGuire, Kamila Shamsie, Beth Underdown, Honor Gavin, and Luke Brown; poets John McAuliffe, Frances Leviston, Vona Groarke, and Michael Schmidt; and non-fiction writers Ellah Wakatama and Horatio Clare.
- Through Literature Live, Manchester Literature Festival, The Manchester Review, the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, and Manchester-based publishers, you may learn more about the vibrant literary community of Manchester, a UNESCO City of Literature.
- Manchester received a prestigious award from the Times Higher Education Awards 2010 for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts.
- Manchester University Press is the third-largest university press in England, after Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press, and publishes scholarly monographs, textbooks, and journals, the majority of which are written by academics who are based elsewhere in the international academic community.
Course Duration:
- 1 Year
Fees:
MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £11,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £23,500.
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £5,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): £11,750.
Contact Details:
- +44 (0)161 275 3098
Email:
- MASALC@manchester.ac.uk
Also Check:
- Creative Writing Courses in New Zealand
- Creative Writing Courses in Canada
- Creative Writing Courses in Galway
4. Start Writing Fiction–FutureLearn
- The Open University founded FutureLearn in December 2012, and The Open University and The SEEK Group now mutually own the renowned social learning platform.
- Ten million individuals have registered with FutureLearn globally.
- FutureLearn leverages partnerships, design, and technology to produce undergraduate and graduate degrees that enhance working life as well as engaging, reliable, and adaptable online courses.
- Enrol in one of the top creative writing courses in the UK to experience the power of social learning and be inspired by a global community of learners.
- To make it easier for you to keep track of your learning, the course “Start Writing Fiction” is distributed into weeks, activities, and steps.
- The course offers lessons through a blend of brief videos, lengthy and concise essays, audio, and hands-on exercises.
- You are free to discuss any topic with your classmates and the course instructors during every lesson of the online course.
Key Advantages of this Course:
- Utilize this guidance to get better at inventing characters for your fiction writing as well as generating storylines.
- Examine ideas about writing based on your study and personal experience.
- Recognize and appreciate the value of other writers’ works to improve your reading abilities as a writer.
- Expand your knowledge of editing and your vocabulary of style and presentation.
- Recognize and appreciate the value of sharing your writing and receiving feedback from other authors.
- Create a writing routine that incorporates invention, investigation, observation, and editing.
- Approach to peer reviewing, workshops, and the significance of feedback during every stage of the course.
- A digital certificate will be provided after completing 90% of the course steps and all of the assessments.
Course Duration:
- 8 weeks
- 3 hours per week
Fees:
- ₹1,564/one-off payment
Contact Details:
Right-tap the “support” button at the bottom right of any course page if you need assistance using FutureLearn.
Email: media.enquiries@futurelearn.com
5. Writing (MA)- University of Warwick
- One of the finest universities for Creative Writing Courses in the UK, the University of Warwick has a well-known reputation for quality in research and teaching as well as for innovation and connections to business and industry.
- With more than 22,000 students and a spot securely in the top 10 of all UK universities, Warwick was founded in 1965 with an initial intake of 450 undergraduates.
- According to The Guardian University Guide 2022, Warwick is ranked sixth among UK universities. In addition to actively encouraging students to pursue interests outside of their major, Warwick supports them in their chosen field of study.
- Your career path is unique to you, and the careers team offers individualized guidance to assist you in planning or developing your professional path, honing your abilities, and gaining experience. Throughout your stay at Warwick and after you graduate, you can get a range of support services from Student Opportunity.
- The institution was identified as the 6th most targeted university nationally by the UK’s top 100 graduate employers.
- The university is ranked in the top 60 globally for reputation with employers (QS World University Rankings 2023).
- Many of the top organizations are interested in hiring the graduates of Warwick.
- According to a poll of 2019–20 graduates by Graduate Outcomes that was conducted roughly 15 months after graduation, the median wage for all Warwick postgraduates whose primary job was full-time work in the UK was £32,000.
Key Advantages of this Course:
- Writing workshops, seminars, and one-on-one supervision will all be used to train you.
- You will increase your editing and criticism abilities of your own and other people’s work, build your expressive and technical writing skills for prose fiction,
- You will also obtain a critical awareness of literary craft and technique and learn how your work relates to those of classic and modern authors.
- You’ll research poetry, write poems, learn how to use appropriate approaches, and work on refining your poetic voice.
- Additionally, you will come to appreciate poetry’s place in contemporary human civilization as well as the joy of experiencing new artistic endeavors.
- The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 recognized the Warwick Writing Programme, which was established in 1996, as the best writing program in Europe.
- With the assistance of writing faculty and fellow students who share your goals, Warwick’s MA in Writing introduces you to the practical side of writing. It may be considered one of the top Creative Writing Courses in the UK that will also demonstrate to you how to succeed as a writer in society.
Course Duration:
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
Fees:
For UK Student
- Part-Time- £ 5,475
- Full Time- £ 10,950
For Overseas Students:
- Part-time- £ 12,315
- Full time- £ 24,630
Contact Details:
- University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
6. Advanced creative writing– The Open University
- The Open University, which was founded by the Royal Charter and is well-known around the world, has been a distance learning pioneer for more than 50 years, providing top-notch instruction and unmatched support to students all over the UK and the rest of the world.
- A single aspiration that year altered the course of history by enabling everyone wherever to learn.
- Every adult in the United Kingdom can access higher education through The Open University, a leader in higher education on a global scale makes this course one of the top Creative Writing Courses in the UK.
- The module builds on the kinds of writing that were taught in the Creative writing course—fiction, poetry, and life writing—and adds dramatic writing as well, teaching you how to write for the stage, radio, and screen.
- You’ll explore how these scriptwriting abilities could improve your prose style, writing in a variety of forms, and furthering the development of your own style and voice.
Key Advantages of this Course:
- Analyze the influence of genre, contrast, research, revision, and drama on writing style.
- Explore writing techniques for stage, film, and radio as well as media-specific elements such as sets and aural contrast.
- As in the Creative Writing Courses in the UK, the focus will be on developing and refining your writing voice and style independently.
- You’ll generate fewer projects, but these will be of more substantial length, and you will spend longer developing, editing, and redrafting your work.
- You can find portions from movies, plays for the stage, radio, and television, as well as interviews with novelists, poets, and screenwriters, on a DVD and audio CDs.
- Peer-group discussion of some of your work will be possible through online tutor-group forums. These actions will be required of you, along with providing objective, well-informed assessments of your own and other people’s work through constructive criticism.
- A tutor-marked project requires you to provide a critique of your peers’ work that has been uploaded on an internet forum.
Course Duration:
- 8 months
Fees:
- 3,690 EUR/full
Contact Details:
- +44 300 303 0266
- Simply tap the “chat” button or “email us” button in the lower corner of any course page if you need assistance from The Open University.
FAQS:
Q1. How beneficial is it to enroll in creative writing courses in the UK?
There is no prerequisite for having a diploma or degree in creative writing to enter this rewarding field, but many people are unaware that they can pursue careers in writing. Some people start off writing poetry, while others go on to compose novels or even films. Why not give creative writing courses a try? Students who take creative writing classes learn new ways to approach their work and how discover their own unique voices. You may learn how to connect with your reader and write a memorable story by taking Creative Writing Courses in the UK.
Q2. What are the possibilities and needs for writers of creative works?
For creative authors, there are ample job options available. The development and expansion of all kinds of inventive works, including fiction, memoirs, nonfiction, science fiction, romance, travelogues, and more, involves specialized creative authors. These can all be incorporated into the process of developing scripts for films and television programs.
Additionally, there are prospects for writing feature journalism, engaging in food blogging and reviewing, working for internet magazines, etc. Creative writers can also work as consultants to produce content for business websites and portfolios, among other freelance jobs.
Q3. Which is the best creative writing course?
IIM SKILLS is the best place to take up the course to enhance your writing skills.
Conclusion:
We hope you enjoyed this article on creative writing courses in the UK. Creative writing is a great hobby and skill that allows you to express your ideas and feelings. If you are interested in creative writing, you can keep visiting our website.