Online Writing Courses Online Writing Courses Online Writing Courses

Online Writing Courses

Our online creative writing workshops are open to students from all over the world, from beginners to advanced writers. We offer a range of courses in fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and use a bespoke online classroom to offer the expert tuition and writerly camaraderie that have made our London courses so successful.

Our online writing courses: an overview

We’ve been running online courses since 2012, using pedagogical experts to bring the Faber Academy experience into a virtual format. Since our online courses began, a number of our online alumni have gone on to be published, including Joanna Cannon, the author of the bestselling The Trouble with Goats and Sheep, and Julie Ma, winner of Richard and Judy’s Search for a Bestseller with her novel, Happy Days.

Many of our online courses are designed to fit around your other commitments, with flexible writing hours and no regular set time you’ll need to be online (perfect for those in other timezones!). For those looking for something that replicates the London classroom more closely, we also offer online courses with live Zoom meetings – some one-day masterclasses, others much longer courses with weekly or monthly meetings.

Some of our online courses are selective, meaning you’ll need to apply, while others you can book a place on right away.

Who are these courses for?

Writers who can't attend in person

Join one of our online courses from anywhere in the world – all you need is an internet connection.

Writers looking for something flexible

Want a course that will fit in around an irregular work schedule, or an evening class that you can join while the kids are in bed without having to arrange childcare? There's a range of online classes that might suit you, from entirely self-paced to those with regular Zoom contact with your tutor and group.

Writers who prefer an online format

There are lots of reasons why some of us find an online course a safer space to share our creative endeavours, whether it's conducted via Zoom or using forums. The pandemic has proven to us all that it's possible to connect and engage with others virtually - if that works best for you, you're not alone.

Online Writing Courses (26)

Female novelist writing on her laptop
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Writing a Novel (Online)

A serious but flexible course for committed writers, with access to leading industry experts and round-the-clock support from our team.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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6 month +

Tutors

Sarah May

By Application

Start Date

Monday 29 Jan 2024

1 more start date available

Application Deadline

Monday 15 Jan 2024

£2750
Apply

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Details
Image of a laptop left on a picnic table on a sunny terrace with blue railings
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Start to Write

A no-excuses, let’s-get-going, beginners' creative writing course to kickstart your writing life.

Level

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Starting out

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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1-5 days

Tutors

Marcel Theroux

Start Date

Saturday 16 Dec 2023

£100
Book Now

Sold Out

Details
Image of a woman at large kitchen table, writing notes on a pad of paper with her laptop open in front of her.
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Masterclass: Synopses

One of a series of ten intensive, impactful masterclasses from Faber Academy's Director of Fiction.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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1-5 days

Tutors

Richard Skinner

Start Date

Monday 18 Dec 2023

1 more start date available

£75
Book Now

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Details
Close-up of someone writing in a notebook in a sunny park
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Kickstart Your Novel

Take your writing to the next level, and develop both the technical skill and the narrative momentum to really get stuck into your novel.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

i
12 weeks

Tutors

Katherine Stansfield

Start Date

Monday 08 Jan 2024

1 more start date available

£595
Book Now

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Details
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Getting Started: Beginners' Fiction

Everything you need to call yourself a writer – discipline, craft skills and a great group of people to work with – in one online writing course experience.

Level

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Starting out

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

i
12 weeks

Tutors

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Start Date

Monday 08 Jan 2024

£395
Book Now

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Details
flying n page of old book with flowers on wooden background
Non-fiction

Memoir and Life Writing

How to write a life – let alone your own? Spend three months in expert company, asking and answering the questions that a memoirist needs to answer.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

i
12 weeks

Tutors

Miranda Doyle

Start Date

Thursday 11 Jan 2024

£850
Book Now

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Details
Close up from behind of a man writing in a notebook in a park
Fiction Development, Short Story

Short Stories II: Developing Your Craft

You’ve got to grips with the basics – now it’s time to make your short stories shine.

Level

i
Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

i
Online

Length

i
12 weeks

Tutors

Lucy Caldwell

Start Date

Thursday 11 Jan 2024

£850
Book Now

Sold Out

Details
Fiction Development, Non-fiction, Novel Writing, Short Story

Writing Women

Join Katherine Angel for five days of group discussion and individual exercises to help you build technical confidence and skill, as you explore how writing can effectively capture the textures and quandaries of women’s lives.

Level

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Improving

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

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1-5 days

Tutors

Katherine Angel, Sharlene Teo

Start Date

Monday 15 Jan 2024

£550
Book Now

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Details
Open notebook on table with pen, mug and plant
Fiction Development, Novel Writing

Edit and Submit Your Novel

Expert industry insight and all the technical tools you'll need to take your manuscript from first to final draft.

Level

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Advanced

What do these levels mean?

Location

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Online

Length

i
12 weeks

Tutors

Rose Tomaszewska, Nelle Andrew

By Application

Start Date

Tuesday 23 Jan 2024

Application Deadline

Monday 08 Jan 2024

£1250
Apply

15 spaces left

Details

Online Course Tutors

Our online writing course tutors are all published writers and seasoned teachers with plenty of experience teaching online.

Marcel Theroux

Marcel Theroux is the award winning author of six novels: A Blow to the Heart, A Stranger in the Earth, The Paperchase (winner...

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Marcel Theroux
richard-skinner-tutor

Richard Skinner

Richard Skinner is a novelist, poet and critic. His most recent book, The Mirror, was described as ‘beautifully written...

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Richard Skinner
Untitled design (1)

Katherine Stansfield

Katherine Stansfield is a multi-genre novelist and poet. Her historical crime series Cornish Mysteries has won the...

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Katherine Stansfield
Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Ashley Hickson-Lovence is a novelist and Creative Writing lecturer based in Norwich. While working as a secondary school English teacher...

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Ashley Hickson-Lovence
miranda-doyle-tutor-crop

Miranda Doyle

Miranda Doyle's family come from the tiny island of Coney in Sligo Bay. She grew up in Edinburgh alongside three brothers and...

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Miranda Doyle
lucy-caldwell-tutor

Lucy Caldwell

Born in Belfast in 1981, Lucy Caldwell is the multi–award winning author of three novels, several stage plays and radio dramas...

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Lucy Caldwell
katherine-angel-tutor

Katherine Angel

Katherine Angel is the author of Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again (Verso, 2021), Daddy Issues (Peninsula Press, 2019), and...

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Katherine Angel
Rose Tomaszewska headshot

Rose Tomaszewska

Rose Tomaszewska has worked in publishing for over ten years, helped to set up riverrun, the literary imprint of Quercus, and is...

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Rose Tomaszewska
Nelle Andrew – Edited

Nelle Andrew

Nelle Andrew joined RML in 2020. She previously worked as an agent at Peters Fraser and Dunlop for eleven years, and prior to that at...

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Nelle Andrew
Sharlene Teo – Tutor Page

Guest Tutor

Sharlene Teo

Sharlene Teo is a Singaporean novelist and lecturer based in London. Her debut novel Ponti won the Deborah Rogers Writers' Award, was shortlisted for the Hearst Big Book Award and Edward Stanford Award...

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Sharlene Teo

Absolutely brilliant writing course! I loved it. Intelligent, rich, well structured, elegantly crafted, catalytic and enjoyable.

Absolutely brilliant writing course! I loved it. Intelligent, rich, well structured, elegantly crafted, catalytic and enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I improve my writing skills online?

Writing exercises and prompts are always a great way to try out new prose styles and techniques and explore and expand on your ideas. There are lots of these available for free online – we’ve got a bank of them here. Short courses are also a good way to test out your writing before committing to something longer.

Are online courses worth it? What's the difference between your online and in-person courses?

The short answer is: yes! Committing to your writing over the duration of a course, as well as learning from your tutor and your classmates, is always going to be valuable – whether that course takes place online or in-person doesn’t detract from that. Our online novel writing courses, for instance, particularly Writing a Novel, are closely modelled on their in-person counterparts, but with key differences that better suit the online format. What is important is figuring out which type of course is going to suit you best (if your circumstances mean that either online or in-person is an option). Some people will work well with the more flexible format an online course can allow, while others find they concentrate best when they’re physically in the room with their group. We’re always on hand to discuss the options available for your particular needs – get in touch if you’d like to have a chat.

Do you offer online poetry courses?

Yes, absolutely – our suite of poetry courses has recently been expanded and we’re really proud of it. We now offer a range of classes from those suitable for a total beginner up to advanced level workshops for those looking to start publishing their poems.

Can't find the right course?

Manuscript Assessment

Get comprehensive editorial feedback on your manuscript from our experienced readers – whether it’s still a work-in-progress or you’re preparing to submit to literary agents.

Find out more

Mentoring

We offer a range of mentoring options if you’d prefer to work one-on-one with an established writer to help you shape your project and realise your writing ambitions.

Find out more

Browse the Reading Room

From author interviews and writing tips to creative writing exercises and reading lists, we've got everything you need to get started – and to keep going.