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Creative Writing Classes NYC

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Unleash your creativity and master the art of storytelling with creative writing classes in NYC. Learn to craft compelling narratives, develop memorable characters, and ignite your imagination.

7 classes in-person in NYC have spots left, and 11 classes live online are available.

How to Write an Award-Winning Screenplay (Private 2-Hour Session)

New York International Screenplay Awards @ David Rubenstein Atrium, New York, NY

Learn the secrets to creating an award-winning screenplay in this workshop led by Emine Dursun, an experienced festival director, jury member, and screenwriter. Discover the crucial elements of storytelling and master the technical aspects of formatting. Gain insider knowledge on the criteria used by top competitions like Nicholls Fellowship, Blue Cat, and NYISA.

(2) All levels 12 and older

Efficient Moving Dialogue Writing (Private 2-Hour Session)

New York International Screenplay Awards @ David Rubenstein Atrium, New York, NY

Learn to create powerful dialogue in this advanced screenwriting workshop at the prestigious New York International Screenplay Awards. Discover the principles of effective dialogue, character development, consistency, subtext, and content transformation in this compact and informative course. Unlock your screenwriting potential and receive a certificate and free feedback for your screenplays.

(2) All levels 12 and older

Building A Strong Structure (Private 2-Hour Session)

New York International Screenplay Awards @ David Rubenstein Atrium, New York, NY

Master the art of screenwriting with New York International Screenplay Awards' Advanced Screenwriting Development Programs. Learn the principles and steps to create a strong structure for your screenplay in this compact workshop. Get expert guidance and valuable feedback on your work.

(2) All levels 12 and older
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Character Creation (Private 2-Hour Session)

New York International Screenplay Awards @ David Rubenstein Atrium, New York, NY

Unlock the secrets to creating captivating characters at the New York International Screenplay Awards' Advanced Screenwriting Development Programs. Dive deep into the principles of characterization, engagement with plots, consistency, connections with others and the audience, and the effects of dialogue. Don't miss out on this immersive workshop for aspiring screenwriters.

(2) All levels 12 and older

Fiction Writing Intensive

Gotham Writers Workshop @ 555 8th Ave, New York, NY

Unlock the secrets of crafting captivating fiction with the Fiction Writing Intensive at Gotham Writers Workshop. Learn the art of storytelling, delving into the time-tested elements of fiction craft and gaining insight into the human experience. Whether you dream of writing short stories or novels, this course will guide you in spinning your thoughts into believable and spellbinding tales.

(745) All levels 18 and older

How to Get Your Comic Books Published for Adults

Creatively Wild Art Studio Dumbo @ 98 Water St, Brooklyn, NY

Discover the secrets to becoming a freelance storyteller and getting your comic books published in this intensive course at Creatively Wild Art Studio Dumbo. Dive into visual storytelling techniques, create a professional pitch packet, and gain insight into the realities of working as part of a team. Unleash your creativity and bring your comic book dreams to life!

(179) All levels 18 and older

Reading to Write with Myla Goldberg

92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY

What makes a good story tick? In this in-person class, Myla Goldberg will take you under the hood of contemporary realist and fabulist fiction to discuss stories from the perspective of craft. You'll plumb the mysteries of scene, point of view, character development and narrative arc, with each discussion culminating with an in-class guided writing exercise inspired by the story. This is not a workshop: rather than share writing, this class creates...

(1062) All levels 18 and older
$185

4 sessions

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Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

The Writing Studio @ Live Online via Zoom

Unleash your creativity and find your unique voice through the power of writing. Join a supportive community of writers as you explore the art of storytelling and unlock your hidden potential. Whether you're a seasoned writer or new to the craft, this class will guide you on an inspiring journey of self-expression and literary discovery.

(55) All levels 17 and older
$200

4 sessions

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Creative Writing Workshop - All Genre

Los Angeles Writers Group

Unleash your creativity and explore new genres in an online writing workshop. Unlock your potential with surprising prompts, craft discussions, and positive reinforcement from fellow writers. Join us from anywhere and start crafting pages you never thought possible.

(43) All levels 18 and older

Saturday Creative Writing Workshop

The Writing Studio @ Live Online via Zoom

Unleash your creative potential and embark on a transformative writing journey in the peaceful atmosphere of The Writing Studio's inspiring workshop. Through meditation and constructive feedback, this Zoom-based class invites both experienced and beginning writers to explore the realms of memoir and fiction, while surprising themselves with the extraordinary material they produce.

(55) All levels 17 and older

Character Development Level 1 (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Discover the secrets of creating unforgettable characters in this cross-genre course at Gotham Writers Workshop. From Sherlock to Katniss, learn how to bring your characters to life with vivid dimensions and captivating traits. Unlock the magic of character development and leave a lasting impression on your readers or audience.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$200

2 sessions

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Finish that Novel!

Santa Monica College

Unlock your inner author and bring your unfinished manuscript or story idea to life in a supportive and professional environment. Get expert feedback, personal critiques, and a winning strategy for completing your novel to your satisfaction at Santa Monica College. Don't miss your chance to make your writing dreams a reality.

(513) All levels 18 and older
$108

6 sessions

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Memoir 101: Memoir Essentials with Erika Schickel

Writing Pad

Explore the art of transforming personal experiences into captivating narratives with memoirist Erika Schickel. Gain insights into crafting compelling emotional journeys, mastering vivid storytelling, and delving deep into your own narrative. Whether you're a seasoned writer or new to memoirs, uncover the secrets to bringing your story to life.

(60) All levels 16 and older

Plot 1: Mechanics 3-Week Intensive (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Craft an engaging plot that will captivate your readers in this intensive writing course. Discover key elements, such as desire, structure, and character development, that will bring your story to life and keep your audience hooked. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned writer, this cross-genre course will provide valuable insights into creating compelling plots for any type of storytelling.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$200

2 sessions

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Nonfiction Book Proposal (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Master the art of selling your nonfiction book with the guidance of industry insiders at Gotham Writers Workshop. Learn how to create a compelling book proposal that will catch the attention of agents and editors, and discover the secrets to crafting enticing catalogue copy that captures the essence of your book. Don't miss this opportunity to take your nonfiction writing career to the next level.

(745) All levels 18 and older
$210

2 sessions

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Hit Send: Publishing Short Nonfiction Level I - 4 Week (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Learn the art of baiting the hook properly to get your short nonfiction pieces published and paid for in this four-week course. Discover how to generate saleable ideas, craft winning pitches, and connect with the right editors and publications. Get expert guidance from a successful freelance writer and increase your chances of success in the competitive world of nonfiction publishing.

(745) All levels 18 and older
$210

2 sessions

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Transitioning from Fan Fiction to Original Fiction

Los Angeles Writers Group

Calling all fan fiction writers! Take your writing skills to the next level at the Los Angeles Writers Group's monthly workshop. Improve your craft, generate new stories, and connect with other writers in a positive and inspiring environment. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your fan-fiction writing.

(43) All levels 18 and older

Novel 101

Writing Pad

Are you ready to embark on your journey to become a successful novelist? Join celebrated author Jennifer Brody in a one-day online intensive at Writing Pad, where she will teach you the fundamentals of long-form fiction and the art of creating captivating characters, dialogue, and conflict. Don't miss this opportunity to gain the tools you need to bring your story to life!

(60) Beginner 18 and older
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Reviews for Creative Writing Classes in NYC

Creative Writing Classes in NYC are rated 4.4 stars based on 2,658 verified reviews from actual CourseHorse.com purchasers.

  • Creative Writing Workshop - All Genre

    Reviewed by Colinda G. on 3/6/2023
    It was my first time ever trying to write. The exercises given where nice and fun to do even though English isn’t my first language. The host created a very positive and safe space to explore your own writing. I learned a lot and feel like exploring writing further.
  • How to Write an Award-Winning Screenplay (Private 2-Hour Session)

    Reviewed by damien l. on 2/7/2023
    Emine Durson is magic. She is so on point and detail oriented and talented. I am extremely grateful for the 2 hours she made her gifts available to me.
  • Creative Writing Workshop - All Genre

    Reviewed by Stacey C. on 1/9/2022
    Very enjoyable, inspiring, and helpful class with a wonderful instructor and great people!
  • Creative Writing Workshop - All Genre

    Reviewed by Jane W. on 10/31/2021
    This class was so much fun. Nicole is an insightful and encouraging coach. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone commencing a fiction project.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Reviewed by RICK CHERTOFF on 9/23/2021
    Beyond learning skills I needed somebody who "gets" what I write, what I'm interested in, and Then gives the kind of feedback that "feeds" my desire to write. I have a life of my own stories I want to tell and Elana at the Writing Studio consistently, actually without fail, is ready to help me birth those stories.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Reviewed by Sina on 9/16/2021
    I have been taking creative writing class with Elana for the past two years, both in person and on Zoom. I especially like that the class is on Zoom, because I can still benefit from receiving invaluable writing instructions and writing experiences that Elana provides, in the comfort of my own home. I highly recommend this class for those who are looking for a small class setting with personalized instruction and feedback, and looking to transform stories into works of art.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Reviewed by Heather Sioux on 9/13/2021
    I came to Elana's class through a gift certificate my cousin had given me for my Birthday and I must say this is the most serendipitous birthday gift yet! I initially attended a one day workshop where I was able to begin cultivating my ability and discover my voice, and I enjoyed it so much I've continued with weekly sessions. It's been ten months now! Elana leads the classes with intention, kindness and mutual respect, throughout the course of our time tougher so far I feel I've been able to further hone my creativity and expression. I attend class via zoom from the east coast and although I have never met Elana or any of my writing cohort in person they have all become an important community to me during this pandemic. I'm so grateful to have met Elana and for my experiences in our weekly sessions! Elana thank you so much for your wisdom, commitment and light. I truly hope we can meet in person one day.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Reviewed by Rochelle Caplan on 9/10/2021
    I have been taking creative writing lessons with Elana Golden from January 2020. Prior to the COVID epidemic I attended in-person classes and since the onset of the epidemic I have participated in weekly classes via Zoom. Irrespective of the venue, whether in-person or virtual, Elana's classes are excellent. The feedback she provides on my writing samples and on those of other students has helped me to begin to understand the nuts and bolts and do's and don'ts of writing a novel. Elana is devoted to her students' work and often comes up with additional thoughts and insights about their writing during the week after class and before the next lesson. I highly recommend these classes to anyone who wants to learn creative writing.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Reviewed by Deborah Myers on 9/10/2021
    I have been participating in Elana’s classes, at first in person, now on zoom, for over a year and a half. To say I enjoy them is an understatement. She creates an environment that allows and encourages you to write deeply from your heart. The three hours each week I spend with Elana and the others in the group are a time of exploration and self-knowing I would not experience were I writing on my own. She teaches technique organically, and gives you the insight to see your writing more deeply as it and you evolve. Classes with Elana have become a priority activity in my week that I cherish.
  • Creative Writing Weekly via Zoom

    Anonymous review on 9/10/2021
    I have been attending Elana's class now for two years. I started in her cozy living room and since the pandemic have been attending via Zoom. Elana is a great instructor. She is nurturing yet knows how to gently push her students to put their best work on paper. The weekly sessions are both relaxing and rejuvenating. Elana addresses each student with helpful constructive feedback and encourages positivity from the rest of the group. I've stuck around as long as I have because Elana makes my work feel worth it.

Discover the Best Creative Writing Classes in NYC

Creative writing is the fascinating process by which someone makes up a story with plot, characters, and settings and then puts it into language. And not just any language. While there is a worldwide and venerable tradition of oral literature that is as old as language itself, creative writing calls for the storyteller to have command of written language. Unlike an oral story, which evaporates into nothingness as soon as it is told, a written story can be reread again and again and always comes out the same way. Accordingly, written language calls for precision and polished effects and a mastery of craft that includes, but is not limited to, proper grammar, controlled syntax, and exact diction. The City has millions of stories; a creative writing class will enable you to be able to relate some of them.

Why You Should Learn Creative Writing in NYC

Living in New York City, you have before you so much teeming humanity that you probably can fill a small collection of short stories with just the characters who are waiting with you for the 104 bus at the corner of 66th and Broadway. All you need is to know how to write them down and you’ll have an exciting and amusing hobby to keep you busy on those lonely nights that are an inevitable part of life in the greatest of the world’s metropolises. Creative writing is a healthy and amusing outlet, a far more fun way to process reality than merely keeping a journal with its repeated first-person pronouns, and a means of retaining your sanity in the face of the manifold stressors that are also part of life in the Big City.

Although you may not be able to eke out a living for yourself as an author of fiction, your creative writing hobby can nevertheless help you in other ways, too. Although no one will confuse creative writing with business writing, writing is still writing, and practice makes perfect. You’ll discover that if you’re writing in your spare time, your writing for work will improve. So will your social media posts. Even your text messages will get better, too, and rely less on emojis and more on the power of pure language. Working on a novel after work (or, if your supervisor isn’t looking, perhaps at work as well) will, without question, make you into a better writer. That’s no guarantee that you’ll get promoted as a result, but putting your best writerly foot forward can be the beginning of any number of positive outcomes. 

In-Person Creative Writing Classes & Schools in NYC

An interesting place to begin your study of creative writing in New York City is the Writer’s Studio in the West Village (take the 1 to Christopher Street, and you’re practically there.) Poet Philip Schultz (Luxury, The God of Loneliness) outlined his theory of Persona Writing in his book Comforts of the Abyss: the Art of Persona Writing. The idea behind Persona Writing is that you can learn to write by assuming the personas of celebrated authors and trying on their styles, not so much for size so you can imitate them, but so that you can learn from them. In the process, you’ll gradually shed your literary inhibitions and discover your own voice.

Meeting for two hours and 15 minutes per week for eight weeks, the Writers Studio’s Workshop in Fiction and Poetry (Level 1) teaches students the rudiments of the Persona Writing method. Short pieces of published texts are used as the bases of classroom exercises and take-home assignments that allow students to experiment with different authors’ voices. The class also allows for positive feedback from your fellow participants.

Uptown and on the East Side, the 92nd Street Y, famous for its arts classes and concert series alike, offers aspiring writers Reading to Write with Myla Goldberg. This course isn’t a workshop in which students share and critique each others’ work. Instead, novelist Goldberg (Bee Season, Feast Your Eyes) uses the class time to reverse engineer other authors’ works in order to show students how they operate and how students may construct their own literary efforts. Each of the four class sessions includes a guided exercise to help students assimilate the week’s lesson.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn (Greenwood), Alaa Al Aswani Creative Writing Workshop offers an Intensive Creative Writing Weekend. Split across both Saturday and Sunday, this class allows students an opportunity to study the craft of storytelling in depth. Classes are taught by novelist Alaa Al Aswani (The Yacoubian Building, The Automobile Club of Egypt), who has been giving writing workshops in Brooklyn since 2018. An Arabic version of the workshop is available as well.

Aspiring screenwriters will be interested in the 1-on-1 workshops offered by the New York International Screenplay Awards. These come in a variety of flavors covering key aspects of screenwriting technique and are taught by established professionals who have experience teaching as well as writing. Students meet with their instructors on Saturdays or Sundays at a mutually convenient time and at a mutually convenient (public) location; the default here is the David Rubenstein Atrium at Broadway and 62nd. Among the subjects available are Building a Strong Structure, Character Creation, and Efficient Moving Dialogue Writing. Sessions last two hours and include a critique of your screenplay by the teacher as well as a certificate.

Virtual Creative Writing Classes & Schools

Your choices for a creative writing class actually extend beyond what’s available on the ground in the Five Boroughs: the Internet makes it possible for you to take online creative writing classes that can originate from just about anywhere. Online learning, which has been around for a generation already, came into its own during the pandemic years when people grasped at Zoom as a means of remaining in contact with other humans. Schools were forced to go online, and while the model didn’t produce optimal results where children were concerned, quite the reverse turned out to be the case with adults, who discovered a whole new world of convenience when it came to remote working or remote learning.

Getting around the City is difficult. It is all the more difficult during rush hours, which is very likely when you’d find yourself trying to commute from work to a creative writing school. That can be unpleasant at the least and a nightmare at the worst, and you’re unlikely to arrive at class primed to absorb new information. To take an online class, you still have to get home, but that’s a commute you’re making anyway, and once you’re home, you can settle into a comfortable chair, relax, and not have to worry about the person next to you shaking his leg or cracking her gum while you’re trying to concentrate on what the teacher has to say. Since you’re taking creative writing for fun, you might just as well be at your ease while you’re learning.

Of course, some people fare better being face-to-face with a teacher, and, for these people, an online class might not be recommendable. If you do go for an online course, you won’t have to equip yourself with any special materials for your online creative writing class: all you need is yourself, your computer, and, if you really want to go the deluxe route, some paper and a couple sharpened pencils.

Santa Monica College (in Southern California) offers, through its Community Education division, a course for aspiring novelists aptly entitled How to Write a Novel. The class meets eight times and teaches all the basics of novel writing: compelling plotting, appealing characters, and absorbing conflict. Care is taken to ensure that workshop-style critiques are kept supportive and encouraging. By the time the class is over, students will have completed the final draft of an outline and perhaps even the first chapter of their novels. 

One of the challenges of novel writing is sticking with it until you’re done. Proust, Flaubert, and Dickens all died before they could complete their last works; they might have benefitted from another Santa Monica College online class, Finish that Novel! This class meets seven times, refreshes students’ knowledge of the fundamentals of any good novel, and provides plenty of encouragement to see you through to finishing what you started. Work in progress can be submitted for critique, and students have the option to remain 30 additional minutes after class (no, not to write “I will complete my novel” 100 times on the whiteboard) for additional review of their efforts.

Not everyone wants to write that elusive Great American Novel. Plenty of people these days would rather put their creative writing efforts into the penning of an award-winning screenplay. If that’s more your cup of tea, you can sign up for Jacob Krueger Studio’s Write Your Screenplay class. The Jacob Krueger method for screenwriting is nearly the polar opposite of the approach of most classes, which set down rules into which you’re expected to squeeze your ideas. Instead, the Krueger approach seeks to develop story and characters from the inside out, which allows both to develop organically. In-class exercises play an important part in the curriculum. Feedback from other class participants is also included, along with concrete advice on how to avoid the perils of procrastination and make writing part of your regular routine. The class meets on weekday evenings for four sessions of three hours each.

If you’re just starting out with creative writing, are daunted by the idea of penning an entire novel, and don’t particularly want to win an Academy Award, perhaps what you need is Short Story 1: Short Story Writing Workshop offered by Writing Pad in Los Angeles. Although you won’t get rich writing short stories, each one can be a brief adventure for the writer, one reason why even seasoned novelists continue to dabble in the form. In the course’s five three-hour class meetings, writing exercises alternate with talks about everything from technique to how to get a short story published. You’ll have a ready-for-publication short story by the end of the class. 

Private Group Creative Writing Classes in NYC

If your organization is in need of a team-building event, consider a creative writing workshop as a way for your employees to have a little fun, explore their creative sides, and come together around a common activity. Private group creative writing classes in New York City to suit your exact specifications can be easily arranged by CourseHorse for any number of participants. Simply take advantage of the contact form on the CourseHorse website, and an event fulfillment team member will be in touch with you before the sun sets on the next day.

A different spin on the notion of creative writing can be had as a group team-building event would be Jade Scarlett Art’s Modern Calligraphy class. Held in the Flatiron Building, this two-hour workshop shows students how to write a whole lower-case calligraphic alphabet and then gives them a chance to put their knowledge to use by making a greeting card. Students will have acquired a fun new skill that can add a touch of oomph to their handwriting, and the group will have shared some fun helping each other learn the nine strokes with which all calligraphic letters are formed.

Booking a group class with CourseHorse comes with many advantages. There are no booking fees, and you aren’t required to submit a final headcount at the time of booking (you have up to 72 hours before the event to finalize your number of participants.) CourseHorse also allows you to cancel up to two weeks before the event at no charge. They can even arrange, under most circumstances, for the event to be brought to your office premises.

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