Writing Poems
A playful, supportive three-month poetry course for beginners and aspiring poets, with two of the best practitioners and teachers in the country – at Faber, the home of British poetry.
Level
What do these levels mean?
Location
Length
- Start Date
- Time
- Thursdays, 19.00–21.00
Places available
£795
£795
£200 / month for 2 months and a £395.00 deposit
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Discover the craft of poetry
Over the course of three months, join poets Rachel Long and Richard Scott for weekly classes as you share your work with like-minded fellow writers, learn new techniques and develop your reading and appreciation of poetry.
Together, our experienced tutors have put together a course aimed at inspiring writers so that they create new poems, learn to make more discerning judgements about their own work, and are inspired afresh by poetry. The course aims to be positive, supportive and fun, so that by the end of the twelve weeks, each poet will come away invigorated by a desire to write the best work they can, and in possession of new poems to set them on their way. We'll end the course with an evening designed to help you navigate the next steps too.
Is this the right course for me?
This course is suitable for writers who are just starting out, and for those who wish to continue developing their work. You may have been writing poetry for years – squirreling away fragments or working by yourself; or perhaps you’ve always wondered about how to turn your ideas into poems but don’t know where to begin. Either way, you want to take your craft to the next level – and this course is the place to do it.
The Faber Academy Scholarship Programme
There are scholarship places available on this course for writers who otherwise could not afford to attend. We particularly welcome applications from writers of colour, disabled writers and LGBTQ+ writers.
To apply, please submit three poems, along with your covering letter (both as Word docs or PDFs) to academy@faber.co.uk, with the subject line ‘Scholarship Application: Writing Poems – April 2025’. The full terms and conditions and more information about our scholarship programme can be found below.
The deadline for application is Sunday 6 April at 23:59.
This course takes place on Thursday evenings at Faber's offices in central London, running from 19.00 until 21.00.
Course Programme
Session 1
Thursday 24 April, 19.00–21.00
An Introduction to the Course with...
Session 2
1 May, 19.00–21.00
Introduction to the Lyric (and Ant...
Session 3
8 May, 19.00–21.00
Voice and Tone with Rachel...
Tutors
Richard Scott
Richard Scott was born in London in 1981. His pamphlet Wound (Rialto) won the Michael Marks Poetry Award 2016 and his poem...
More About This TutorRachel Long
Rachel Long’s debut collection, My Darling from the Lions was published by Picador in the UK, in 2020, and by Tin House, in the US, in 2021. It was shortlisted for...
More About This TutorGenerally excellent. Very supportive and positive. Full of wisdom and insights.
Location
The Bindery
51 Hatton Garden
London EC1N 8HN
How to get here
Faber’s office, The Bindery, is well connected by public transport, with Farringdon Station just five minutes’ walk away, and stops for several bus routes in the area too. If you’re coming from outside of London, the office is a short bus or taxi journey from Kings Cross, Euston and St Pancras stations.
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.
Recommendations from Faber
Founded in 1929 in London, Faber is one of the world's great publishing houses. Our list of authors includes thirteen Nobel Laureates and six Booker Prize-winners.
Visit Faber