Creative Writing

Whether you are penning your own poetry, finding your way with fiction, shaping scripts, exploring creative non-fiction or experimental writing, our Creative Writing Programme enables you to develop work in a variety of forms and genres.

It’s an exciting time to join us. You’ll become part of the York Centre for Writing, a hub for innovative new work with strong links to the wider literary community and to the publishing industry. Our participation in the annual York Literature Festival will give you the chance to study and learn directly from many popular and internationally-acclaimed writers. We also have regular visits from industry professionals and innovators, including agents, publishers and literary activists.

Good writing comes through good reading, so our course emphasises the importance of engaging with the wider world of literature in order to develop your own style. You’ll study brilliant writing from the past, as well as learning from contemporary creative practitioners. You’ll learn to read and analyse texts to develop a deeper understanding and you’ll have the chance to get involved in events, performances and publications.

We place a strong emphasis on giving you transferable skills so that whether you pursue a career in writing, the arts or another profession, you’ll have the empathy, insight, independent thinking and experiences to help you succeed. You will develop both intellectual skills and the practical skills necessary for employability, as well as gaining a wealth of experience relevant to the publishing industry and beyond.