This Level I creative writing course meets for 8 weeks from 23 May – 11 July 2023. The course meets Tuesdays from 19:00 – 21:00 at Boekhandel van Rossum, Beethovenstraat 32, 1077 JH Amsterdam (map). Class size is 6-9 people.

Please see our page on the measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 that we are putting into place and associated requirements for participation in this course. If you are unvaccinated or you or any members of your household are in a higher risk category, we recommend one of our online courses instead.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

A Level I course is a great place to start whether you’re just getting going or you’ve been writing for a while and would like more formal instruction. The focus is on giving you mastery over techniques fundamental to both fiction and poetry, supporting you in establishing a writing routine, and encouraging you to try new things and stretch your imagination.

During the 8 weeks you’ll learn how to:

• Read like a writer, so you can see how your favourite authors and poets work their magic—it’s a skill that will serve you well throughout your writing life.
• Construct a compelling narrator to tell your story.
• Use elements of craft such as tone, mood, description and action to reveal your characters and pull readers in and make them want more.
• Give your fellow writers useful feedback.
• Revise your own work—as any professional writer will tell you, writing well is all about revising well.

Plus you can look forward to a weekly dose of inspiration and to meeting great people.

HOW IT WORKS

Each week we’ll unpack the foundational techniques in an example from a story, novel or poem. It’s your choice whether you would like to focus on prose or poetry. You’ll be given an exercise based on the example designed to help you master the techniques and tap into your imagination. You’ll need to upload your work to our online platform the day before the next class, in which it will be discussed.

You will need access to a printer or device (phone, tablet, laptop) that will allow you to read your fellow student’s work during class. There are no special textbooks required.

The Level I curriculum is designed to give you a toolkit of techniques foundational to good writing over the course of two to four terms, depending on your goals, focus and experience. We currently teach four core levels of courses—each level (usually completed over multiple consecutive terms) builds on the skills and techniques taught in the level before, and at the end of every term your instructor will help you decide on the best path forward.

HERE’S WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

“The workshops really encouraged me to write – something I’ve been talking about for years but never had the time or confidence to pursue. I’ve absolutely loved it and plan to continue with it, I really think if I am going to make a go of writing these workshops will be what helps me to do that.” – Jo Matthews

“If you like reading you should absolutely take a workshop. They are insightful into the craft of writing and hugely stimulating. It changed my life in so many good ways…” – Claudia Calori

“I have been writing since I was seven years old. In a very real way it is my oldest companion, yet though I have tried at different periods of my life, I’ve never managed to give it a steady and credible role in my daily life and for the last decade or more I simply did not write. The workshops have changed all that. I am writing all the time now, and am more and more at ease in feeding my daily experience through the internal wordmill and into my notebook for later.” – John Carnegie

“Being part of a community of writers has enriched my life beyond the actual workshops — I’ve made some great friends.” – Mirja Post

You can view more student feedback here.

OUR REFUND POLICY

No matter how early you register, if something changes and you can’t join the course, you can let us know at least 72 hours before the first class (so we can offer your spot to someone else) and we’ll give you a complete refund. You can find the full details of our generous refund policy in our terms.