Join a second-year group

We often have one or two places available on our second year groups on the Creative Writing Programme and Life Writing Programme. You would join a group of writers who have already spent a year learning the fundamentals of creative writing and are well on their way to starting a draft of a novel or short story collection.

If you have experience of working in writing groups or short courses at university level, or part of a degree, joining these courses will help you focus and develop your work in progress.

Overview

In the second year of the Creative Writing Programme you will learn about characterisation, dialogue and the ‘world of the story’, plot and story structure and you will explore the complex and dynamic relationship between your characters, your story and your reader. Throughout the year you will explore further aspects of narrative construction, including managing and researching longer narratives, ways of heightening tension and conflict and story resolution. You will be encouraged to read as a writer and will be shown ways in which you can develop and hone your critical and editing skills. In the writing workshops you will share, discuss and evaluate your work with the other writers in your writing group.

 

By the end the year you will have significantly increased your understanding of how to write good fiction, have developed a substantial body of work and have either finished your writing project or be in a position to bring it to completion.

 What this course will do for you

This course will develop your confidence and ability as a writer. Through discussion and experimentation, in practical work guided by your tutor, you will learn how to improve the quality of your writing; develop your creative and critical skills; organise and manage your work and develop a strong individual style.

These are ideal courses for writers who are working on a novel or a collection of short stories and are looking for structure, encouragement and feedback to help them achieve this.

"The Creative Writing Programme is a first-rate experience, run by outstanding tutors. The quality of the teaching is excellent. You don't need to have published - or, indeed, have written much fiction - before starting the course. I never dared to dream when I first started that I'd one day get published. CWP made that happen."

John Herbert

The course is delivered through weekly seminars in which you will develop your writing technique through practical exercises, readings, discussion of published work and group discussions led by your tutor on different aspects of the writing process. The courses are supported by an online student forum where you will have access to notes and summaries of seminars and exercises where you can post your work, read the work of other writers in your group, share information about events and contact your tutor.

 

The second year of the Creative Writing Programme can either be taken as an in-person or online course.

Key Information

Programme Length: One year

Maximum group size 15

Seminar times:

CWP: Mondays 10-12.30pm, Brighton

CWP: Mondays 6.30-9pm online

CWP: Wednesdays 6.30-9pm, Brighton

Life Writing Programme 6.30-9pm, Brighton

 

Term dates:

Autumn term: Monday 6th October – Friday 19th December (Half term 27th October to 31st October)

Spring term: Monday 5th January – Friday 20th March (Half term 16th-20th February)

Summer term: Monday 20th April – Friday 22nd May

 

Entry requirements:

No formal qualifications required but you will need substantial experience of working in writing groups or short courses at university level, or part of a degree, joining these courses will help you focus and develop your work in progress.

Enrolment

Fee:

£1,499 including VAT

 

The fees include:

  • One-year programme. 25 weeks of taught classes per year. Pitched at graduate degree level

  • One one-to-one sessions with an experienced tutor over the year

  • Two one-day weekend masterclasses over the year

  • Publishing Day and meeting with an agent at the end of the course for students with a finished first draft

  • Five student and alumni readings/ social events across the year (small fee applies for refreshments for the in-person events)

 

Students can also pay in instalments: £949.49 (half the course fees plus the second year deposit plus £50 admin fee) at the start of the autumn term and then £749.50 at the start of the spring term. 

 

Enrolment: to enrol, email Cathy Hayward