LEVEL I Writing Courses

Our core courses give you the skills and techniques to write fiction or poetry and provide you with a writing community to support you every step of the way.

Whether you join us in-person or online, you can look forward to a weekly dose of inspiration and to meeting great people. Many of our students view our programme as a more affordable and flexible alternative to an MFA because the education offered in form and craft is very similar.

Our writing courses are conducted in English. You'll find our current Level I offering on this page. If you already have a degree in creative writing or have taken multiple technique-focused courses, contact us and we’ll help you find the right level and path to meet your needs. We're happy to answer your questions. Drop us a line or give us a call.

A Level I course is a good 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. You can choose whether you want to work on fiction or poetry or try a little of both.

Courses meet once a week for 8 weeks, except during the summer when we offer a special 6-week term.

WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY

"I can't believe how much I've learned about writing and reading during this course. The material and exercises were challenging (in a good way) and incredibly inspiring."

"The class was a lot of fun, and helped me find motivation to write again. I have so many ideas and so much inspiration now to take back into my own writing! I have also for the first time really started thinking about different elements of craft and how and when to use them and to what effect, instead of 'just' sitting down and writing whatever is coming out."

"The quality of the materials and structure of the course within IWC is always high, in my opinion. So far I've only had [two] instructors, both were absolutely wonderful...IWC is far more organized and thoughtful in choice of materials, objectives, delivery and higher standards of assessment compared to other courses I've taken in the last 3 years."

"IWC has a great formula for learning: you make it safe, enjoyable, instructive and very satisfying. I would not have believed that I could express myself in this way so well before taking your courses. The experience will help me in my personal development and my professional work."

"I liked the materials and exercises. I learned a lot. The atmosphere was also great, very open and encouraging. We learned how to give good feedback and the feedback of the teacher was also on point."

Read more student feedback.

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. If you decide to drop out after the first class, let us know within 24 hours, and you only pay for the first class—we'll refund the rest. You can find the full details of our generous refund policy in our terms.

 Level II