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Creative Writing Classes Los Angeles

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Unlock your creativity and hone your writing skills with a wide variety of creative writing classes in Los Angeles. From fiction to poetry, learn from industry experts and gain the tools and inspiration to bring your stories to life.

Unfortunately, no classes in-person in Los Angeles have spots left, but 20 classes live online are available.

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

Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Unleash your creativity and explore the world of creative writing with confidence in this immersive course. Dive into the power of observation, imagination, and language as you learn to craft compelling fiction and nonfiction narratives. Discover your unique voice and embark on a journey that will ignite your passion for storytelling.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$364

6 sessions

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Creative Writing 101: 6 Weeks (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Unleash your creativity and explore the world of creative writing with confidence in this immersive course. Dive into the power of observation, imagination, and language as you learn to craft compelling fiction and nonfiction narratives. Discover your unique voice and embark on a journey that will ignite your passion for storytelling.

(745) All levels 18 and older
$364

2 sessions

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Songwriting Level 1: 10 Week Workshop (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Unleash the power of your music with Gotham Writers Workshop's Songwriting Level 1. Learn the time-tested elements of songwriting craft and how to market your work. Whether you love pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, or country, this workshop will show you how to write unique, personal songs.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

10 sessions

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Creative Nonfiction 101 Level 1 (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Discover the endless possibilities of nonfiction writing in this immersive course. From memoir to travel writing, you'll explore diverse styles and topics, honing your skills through writing exercises and assignments. Join us for a guided tour into the exciting world of creative nonfiction.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$364

2 sessions

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Creative Nonfiction 101 Level 1: 6 Weeks (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Discover the endless possibilities of nonfiction writing in this immersive course. From memoir to travel writing, you'll explore diverse styles and topics, honing your skills through writing exercises and assignments. Join us for a guided tour into the exciting world of creative nonfiction.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$364

6 sessions

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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.

(59) All levels 16 and older

Mystery Writing Level 1: 10-Week Workshop (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Unleash your inner detective and learn the art of crafting captivating mysteries. Join us at Gotham Writers Workshop and uncover the secrets behind creating suspenseful plots, intriguing characters, and thrilling twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Develop your skills in the mystery genre and master the techniques needed to captivate any audience.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

2 sessions

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Fiction Writing Level 1 (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Unlock your imagination and learn the art of crafting captivating fiction stories in this immersive workshop. Discover the secrets of effective storytelling and gain valuable insights into the human experience. Join us and embark on a journey to bring your stories to life.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

10 sessions

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Digital Picture Book Private (Ages 8-11)

Young Gates @ Interactive Live Online

Unleash your creativity and embark on an imaginative journey as you learn the art of designing and creating your interactive picture book. Young Gates presents a captivating workshop where you will master the process of concept designing, digital illustrations, book layouts, and more. Join us now and let your imagination run wild!

Beginner 8 - 11 years old
$250

5 sessions

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Fiction Writing Level 1 (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Unlock your imagination and learn the art of crafting captivating fiction stories in this immersive workshop. Discover the secrets of effective storytelling and gain valuable insights into the human experience. Join us and embark on a journey to bring your stories to life.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

2 sessions

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Novel II: Intermediate Novel Writing Workshop

Writing Pad

Take your novel to the next level with Gretchen McNeil, bestselling author of 13 Novels and Get Even (Netflix), in this exclusive online workshop. Get personalized feedback and custom exercises while being part of a tight-knit writing group. Make a significant dent in your novel and bring in your work for expert feedback.

(59) Intermediate 18 and older
$425

5 sessions

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Children’s Book Writing Level 1: 10-Week Workshop (Online)

Gotham Writers Workshop @ Zoom Conference

Embark on a magical journey through the world of children's books in this immersive workshop. Learn the secrets of captivating young readers and balancing imagination with professionalism. From picture books to YA novels, discover how to write stories that will enchant and inspire.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

10 sessions

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Poetry Writing Level 1: 10-Week Workshop (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Unleash the power of poetry as you learn to pack a maximum punch with a minimum of words. Discover specialized techniques, demands, and forms of poetry, and master the art of writing exquisite verses that captivate the soul. Whether you write for publication or simply for yourself, this workshop will guide you toward creating poetry that resonates and inspires.

(745) Beginner 18 and older
$464

2 sessions

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Online Level 1 Intro to Fiction and Poetry

The Writers Studio @ Google Meet

Unlock your most intimate and private stories through personal writing in this online workshop. Develop narrative and lyric voices to turn even the most difficult subject matter into inspiration for your fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Broaden your sense of what is possible in your own work and receive constructive critiques from teachers and fellow students.

(7) Beginner 18 and older
$435

8 sessions

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Reading Fiction: 6 Weeks (Self-Paced)

Gotham Writers Workshop

Unleash your inner writer by dissecting the secrets of great fiction with the best in the business. Dive into the minds of renowned authors as you analyze their masterpieces from various angles. Elevate your fiction writing skills and let the experts show you the way at Gotham Writers Workshop.

(745) All levels 18 and older
$364

2 sessions

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Reviews for Creative Writing Classes in Los Angeles

Creative Writing Classes in Los Angeles are rated 4.4 stars based on 1,422 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.
  • Fiction Writing Level 1 (Online)

    Reviewed by Katie on 9/21/2022
    I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in writing a short story or novel. In my class there were about 15-20 students with varying interest areas and writing experience. The major highlights were the teacher and the critiques. Our teacher, Varud, had a thoughtful perspective and response to nearly every question someone from the class threw at him. Beyond his knowledge and experience, he was incredibly attentive, kind, patient and encouraging. The second big benefit of the class was the critique process, called the "Booth" submissions. Twice throughout the class, you'll submit your work to be critiqued by the rest of the class. Each week, you'll read your classmates works and provide a critique. Both parts of that process are incredibly valuable. If I had to nitpick about things that could've been better - cut the exercises you do with classmates throughout the class and shave about 30-60 minutes off class time. While I got a lot from my classmates when reading their work or listening to their opinions on my writing, the mini exercises peppered throughout class didn't add much for me. Overall, I highly recommend this class to anyone interested in writing fiction!
  • 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 Los Angeles

You probably spend more time than you want writing, although, for most people, that involves writing emails and reports for your job. Yet there are people who write willingly, even some who go home from the office and write into the wee hours of the morning. More often than not, they’re indulging in creative writing, in which you write about not sales projections but anything that might pop up in your imagination.

Creative writing is generally divisible into penning narratives, poems, dramatic works (plays or screenplays), or something called creative non-fiction, which amounts to telling a true story using literary techniques, as opposed to, say, journalism, which stresses the facts more than the way in which they are expressed. All four genres call for exercise of the imagination and creativity, which aren’t things that many day jobs require. The chance to put your creative faculties to use is the principal attraction for indulging in a spot of creative writing every now and then.

Why You Should Learn Creative Writing in Los Angeles

Using your imagination to escape from drab reality into a land of make-believe can be an enormously refreshing undertaking. Creative writing gives you the chance to make stuff up or, if you’ve already made stuff up, to put it into a medium that can be shared with other people. Contemporary life, with its computers, cell phones, and soul-sucking conformity, doesn’t exactly nurture the craft of the storyteller. There are, however, more creative people out there than you might think; only their innate creativity has been stunted by the pressures of modern life and bad instruction in school. Learning to write creatively will allow you the chance to give your imagination free play. You’ll find that to be liberating and beneficial to your mental health.

Gertrude Stein once postulated that you write for yourself and strangers. Writing just for yourself can be very satisfying: you needn’t get published by a major firm to be validated as a writer. Letting your imagination run away with itself can be pleasurable enough. Hoping to make it big as an author, on the other hand, often amounts to so much chasing rainbows, so don’t sign up for a creative writing class expecting to become the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. You should be in it for self-expression and the pleasure of the thing. If you get your work published, so much the better—and don’t forget that you can self-publish with remarkable facility these days if you want to see your efforts in the form of a bound book.

There is actually another upside to learning to write creatively: you’ll become a better all-around writer for it. That’s not to say that you should pepper your work emails with interesting characters and a breathlessly developing plot, but creative writing will make you more adept at putting thoughts into words, You become a better writer by writing, and you may be able to improve your business writing through a creative writing class as much as through a dry-as-dust business writing one.

In-Person Creative Writing Classes in Los Angeles

One place you can begin your odyssey toward becoming a creative writer is Santa Monica College. The school teaches Mastering the Art of Short Fiction at its Bundy Campus (if you know where the Santa Monica Airport is, you know where SMC’s Bundy Campus is located.) The class goes into successful examples of short fiction and shows students how they may tell their own stories based on the examples. The class also touches on how to sell your work.

Santa Monica College also offers a six-session Creative Writing Workshop that meets for six weekly sessions. Designed for authors with works in progress, the workshop shows students how to revise and polish their drafts. As with most workshops, peer critiques form part of the experience. The workshop is suitable for writers working on fiction and creative non-fiction projects.

If Santa Monica is a little westerly for convenience, you can consider classes at Los Angeles City College on Vermont Avenue between Hollywood and Downtown. The school offers a Creative Writing for Adults course that meets weekly for five weeks. It begins with an overview of what might be styled fictional best practices before setting students to work telling what stories they wish to tell. Work in all genres is welcome, as are writers at all levels of experience.

Also on offer from Los Angeles City College is a six-session class in Sketch Comedy Writing. This course teaches students the basics of penning comedy sketches and will leave them with a grasp on such concepts as story structure, comic characters, dialogue, and, of course, punch lines. Both these classes are offered by LACC’s not-for-credit Community Services program, which teaches courses in everything from beginning salsa dancing to Tai Chi for seniors.

Since 2003, the Los Angeles Writers Group has offered a variety of classes, workshops, and retreats, some of them online and some of them in person in various locations around the Southland. In its Thursday Creative Writing Workshop, participants are encouraged to push the bounds of their own creativity by answering stimulating writing prompts. Students can also offer their works in progress for group feedback.

Virtual Creative Writing Classes 

Many of the above classes meet after work on weekday evenings. That’s exactly when you least want to be out on Los Angeles’ impossibly congested freeways. At that hour, the metaphoric walls of Santa Monica are way more impenetrable than the real ones of Troy were. The thought of having to get anywhere but home after work may be keeping you from taking a creative writing class, but it needn’t. Avoiding traffic is just one of a number of very good reasons for choosing a live online class over a live in-person one.

The selection of live online creative writing classes is, in fact, more varied than what’s available locally since you have literally a world of providers at your disposal. You can follow these classes from any comfortable, quiet space you choose, provided that a stable internet connection is present. You’ll probably be using Zoom, which you’ve probably already encountered at your job, so there’s no learning curve about which to worry. All you need to do is get home, slip into something more comfortable, turn on your computer, and sit down in a comfortable chair to attend your class. You’ll still have a live teacher, and your fellow participants will be present in real-time as well, so the class unfolds just like one in a brick-and-mortar school. You don’t even need to worry about having any special equipment on hand to follow a creative writing class: you obviously already have a computer, so all you’ll need is some paper and a writing implement so you can take notes.

You can even take advantage of Santa Monica College’s Community Education division without having to cross the 405. How to Write a Novel is its class for budding novelists. In eight meetings, it shows students the highways and byways of longer narrative fiction. That includes plot, characters, and conflict to keep the story’s wheels turning. Feedback on what you’ve written is part of the class; an effort is made to ensure that critiques are positive and encouraging. By the course’s conclusion, students will have finished an outline (and possibly a first chapter) of their novels-to-be.

After a few months of procrastination, you may wish to sign up for SMCC’s Finish that Novel! There are seven meetings to the program, which begins by refreshing students’ knowledge of the basics of novel writing, and then nudges them along on the path to their magnum opus’ completion. You can submit what you’re working on for feedback; an extra 30 minutes after the end of the class are scheduled to allow for deeper evaluation of students’ efforts.

Something of a very different sort is to be had from New York’s 92nd Street Y. Their online division offers a class in Comics and the Graphic Novel. It meets for six sessions and delves into creating a storyline, developing characters, and putting them into an effective combination of words and images. The class covers drawing as well as writing, for which the purchase of some art supplies is necessary. Various comic book styles will be explored in the course of the class in an effort to help you find a combination of text and drawings that suits you and the story you want to tell. No previous experience in either writing or drawing is required.

Private Group Creative Writing Classes in Los Angeles

People overseeing large teams are frequently looking to find a novel (no pun intended) team-building activity that their employees will actually enjoy rather than tolerate because it gets them out of working for a couple of hours. Private group creative writing classes for Los Angeles businesses could be just what you’re looking for, as they enable your team members actually to use a part of their brains that their work activities generally neglect and invite them to create something far more personal and more enjoyable than a terrarium or a macramé terrarium hanger. You can’t write a whole novel in a brief workshop, but some well-chosen writing exercises can be an excellent means of relieving stress while bringing your team together. For further details, simply use the contact form on the CourseHorse website and a representative of the events fulfillment team will be in touch with you by end of business the next day.

If you’d rather, CourseHorse can also offer a course in a different variety of creative writing: a Virtual Calligraphy Workshop. Pens, paper and worksheets are mailed to all participants by the events fulfillment team two weeks prior to the event, which means you don’t have to worry about supplies. During the two-hour class, your team will be introduced to the nine basic strokes of calligraphy, and learn how to join letters, create bouncing effects and draw flourishes. Students will be able to apply their newfound skills to all manner of artistic DIY projects, so they’ll have learned something practical from the exercise.

CourseHorse’s event fulfillment team will contact you within 24 hours of booking, and then work with you to make the event the best such activity you’ve ever scheduled. They will take care of all the details: all you need to do is finalize your headcount within two weeks of the event, relax and show up the day of the event to make sure everything is in working order. Further advantages to booking with CourseHorse are no booking fees, a full refund if you cancel prior to two weeks before the scheduled event, and your choice of online platforms. For a modest fee, you can also have the event customized to suit any particular need or desire you might have.

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