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Creative Writing Classes NYC

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.

11 classes have spots left

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

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
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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

Fiction Writing Level 1

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

Unlock your imagination and learn the art of crafting captivating fictional tales in this immersive workshop. Discover the secrets of character development, plot creation, dialogue, setting, and other storytelling techniques, while gaining valuable insights into the world of publishing. Ignite your storytelling potential and bring your words to life at Gotham Writers Workshop.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$490

10 sessions

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Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

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

Unleash your creativity and explore the world of writing with confidence. Dive into the art of storytelling, learn how to show rather than tell, and discover your unique voice. Whether you're a beginner or need a refresher, this course will guide you on a six-week journey of self-expression and literary discovery.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$380

6 sessions

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Creative Nonfiction 101 Level 1: 6 Weeks

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

Unleash your storytelling prowess and hone your craft in the world of nonfiction writing. Join a community of aspiring writers at Gotham Writers Workshop to explore the art of crafting compelling true stories that resonate with readers. Embrace creativity while mastering the techniques of nonfiction writing in this transformative course.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$380

6 sessions

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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

Level 1 Intro to Fiction and Poetry

The Writers Studio @ Instructor-led Online Learning, New York, NY

Explore the transformative power of persona writing in this introspective workshop at The Writers Studio. Discover how borrowing the voices of accomplished writers can unlock your most intimate stories and turn difficult subject matter into inspiration for fiction and poetry. Broaden your literary style and approach as you deepen your understanding of technique.

(7) Beginner 18 and older
$435

8 sessions

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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...

(1060) All levels 18 and older
$185

4 sessions

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The Art of Storytelling

New York Writers Intensive @ 16 W 22nd Street, New York, NY

Do you want to write but need a nudge getting started? Have stories you want to tell but need help getting them down? Want to use storytelling to take your writing to the next level, give better presentations, and have better conversations? Then sign up for The Art of Storytelling, our writing/storytelling class at New York Writers’ Intensive, taught by award-winning journalist and storyteller Jay Dixit. The Art of Storytelling is a class about...

(15) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$399

6 sessions

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Reading Chaucer with Noam Scheindlin

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

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales takes us back to a time when the sun still revolved around the Earth, and the Earth was at the center of the Divine Plan. How heavily that cosmic order weighs upon the average person! Chaucer, through his collective portrait of a group of pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, takes us into the backwaters of this cosmic order, and helps us to understand what it is like to live life amidst the hierarchies of both...

(1060) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$420

4 sessions

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Creative Writing

Irish Arts Center @ 244 W 54th St, New York, NY

They say everyone has a story and this new writing class with Irish novelist Yvonne Cassidy will help you tell yours. Over the course of eight weeks, Yvonne will work with you to develop your story while you discover the fundamental tools of the craft of creative writing. Whether you want to write fiction, memoir, or about the lives of your Irish ancestors, this class will provide a fun and supportive environment to get pen to paper and write that...

(51) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$190

6 sessions

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Creative Writing 101 Intensive

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

Dive into the world of creative writing and explore both fiction and nonfiction prose in this comprehensive course. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned writer looking to reignite your passion, join us as we guide you on a journey of self-expression and experimentation. Unleash your creativity and see the world through a writer's eyes.

(745) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$200
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The Heart of the Matter

West Side YMCA - Community Arts @ 5 W 63rd St, New York, NY

Making the reader feel is one of the most important goals of creative writing.  But there aren’t cheap shortcuts and creating emotion on the page is an artful enterprise.   This seminar will discuss the importance of risking sentimentality to get at sentiment.  Some methods we’ll look at include surprise, restraint, opposing forces, and the use of concrete, resonate detail.  The seminar will include a talk, discussion,...

(30) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$125
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Novel-Writing with Sandra Newman

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

In this workshop, students will be able to submit three excerpts from a novel in progress for close reading and group discussion. We'll discuss general issues of writing fiction, but focus on the specific problems of writing a novel: developing a narrative voice that doesn't run out of steam after two chapters; writing characters who change and are gradually revealed; and how to structure a plot over 200+ pages. We'll be reading a selection of...

(1060) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$500

8 sessions

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Fiction Bootcamp

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

Are you an aspiring writer who is just getting started? A practicing writer who wants to recharge your creative battery? Focus on brainstorming and new writing. Each class is split between guided writing exercises, discussions of published stories from the perspective of craft and creative problem-solving discussions. Get a handle on voice, character, pacing and how to generate ideas when you’re feeling stumped. Writers of all levels are welcome....

(1060) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$250

5 sessions

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Storytelling for Business

New York Writers Intensive @ 1412 Broadway, New York, NY

Whether you're pitching investors, marketing your product, or going for the sale, there's one guaranteed way to captivate your audience and move them to take action. Tell a great story. The human brain is wired for story. When you take your audience on a journey, they can't help but listen, remember, and share your message with others. Incorporate storytelling into your presentations, pitch decks, and marketing materials and...

(15) All levels 18 and older
No upcoming schedules
$399
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Write That Fu*king Pilot

Q.E.D. @ 27-16 23rd Ave, Astoria, NY

In this no-nonsense, no-excuses one-off, we'll lay the foundation for that half hour comedy pilot you've been dragging your heels on. The course will tackle loglines, title, concept and theme, and then work on A,B and C stories and structure. This straightforward formula will make the actual writing part far less intimidating, you'll have everything you need for your first draft in just three hours.  Please Note: Outside food and drinks are...

(252) All levels 18 and older
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Reviews for Creative Writing Classes in NYC

Creative Writing Classes in NYC are rated 4.5 stars based on 2,341 verified reviews from actual CourseHorse.com purchasers.

  • 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 101: 6 Weeks

    Reviewed by Vierka V. on 8/19/2020
    The instructor, Carter, was knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. I enjoyed the chats and discussions as well as the material we read. Great class for beginners likes me!
  • Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

    Reviewed by Icesis G. on 8/17/2020
    I love that we were guided within the full 6 weeks on everything from Getting Started/Getting back to Writing Again to How to Publish/Get Yourself Out There and in between we learned great tips and ways to strengthen our writing. The Instructor Divya was also great, very patient, clear and encouraging. A great session for first time writers or for those who always used to write and are trying to find their way back!
  • Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

    Anonymous review on 5/13/2020
    This class was really fun and educational. I recommend for anyone who is interested in writing!
  • Fiction Writing Level 1

    Reviewed by Ezequiel M. on 9/11/2019
    Shamar Hill is an excellent teacher. Period. End paragraph. He was attentive to each of his students’ individual skill level and goal; not an easy thing to do. He was inspiring and encourage. What more can you ask for in a teacher.
  • Fiction Writing Intensive

    Reviewed by Michael H. on 8/11/2019
    Wonderful course that covered a breadth of topics, ranging from true storytelling techniques to an overview of the "business". Seth is an open, encouraging instructor that engaged the room in discussion, applied no unnecessary pressure, and came with many examples, both familiar and new. Great way to spend a day and kick your writing into gear.
  • Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks

    Reviewed by Daniel W. on 6/17/2019
    I’m a new writer and really enjoyed this class. My instructor was Divya. Pros * Good syllabus structure. Divya focused on one element at a time — eg specificity, sensory detail, dialogue, etc: First a short lecture structure on the topic (w/ time for questions), then an example text, and finally in class practice with the option to share * Good progression of material. Toward the end of class we started combining the elements and tools into more complex assignments * Fun, engaging discussions where everyone participated. Divya did a good job inviting ideas and questions from everyone * Good homework. Not too much pressure but still some encouragement to try what you learn * Supportive interesting classmates. * Divya responded to our interests: we wanted to cover structure, dialogue and the business of writing and so she made time to cover these Cons * Only 6 weeks! I’ll probably take the 10 week one too. * Honestly I searched my brain for bad things... uh, it rained every class? It’s hard to find fault with it! It was a good value!
  • Write That Fu*king Pilot

    Reviewed by Rich K. on 4/17/2019
    She was thorough and supportive, patient, accessible Real Got me inspired Its a great way to jumpstart and get going Hope she runs more courses in NYC
  • Fiction Writing Level 1

    Anonymous review on 3/21/2019
    I learned a lot from this class! I recommend it to anyone who is starting out, but does not know where to begin. Our Instructor, Joe, was very informative and encouraging through out the whole process. He helped create a safe environment were we could share ideas, try new things, and grow from our mistakes.
  • Creative Writing

    Anonymous review on 3/13/2019
    Yvonne is great, and really helped me stay motivated with my writing!

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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