Experience Creative Writing Academy
(for ages 15 to 18)
You’ll have the chance to experience all of this while studying on the campus of the beautiful Oxford University. Oxford has long inspired many of the greatest writers – from C.S. Lewis to J. R. R. Tolkien. Spend your summer with us and give yourself the chance to let Oxford’s magic work its way into your own writing skills too.
Key Facts
Location: University of Oxford campus
Ages: 15–18
Class size: Maximum 15 students
Fees: £5,995 £5,495 if booked by 31st Dec
Length: 2 weeks
Dates: 2nd-15th July, 16th-29th July, 30th July-12th August 2023
Receive: Graduation Certificate & Letter of Recommendation
Learn
Our courses combine Oxford-style teaching with practical challenges and debates. Small class sizes and expert tutors help you dive deep into your chosen subject area.
By taking our Experience Creative Writing course, you’ll get to:
- Master key concepts such as how to write effective dialogue, create fictional worlds and develop a book series – all under the guidance of one of our expert tutors from leading universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
- Have the chance to quiz a successful young writer about how they built a flourishing career from writing, gaining key insights into the future study and career options should you wish to pursue writing beyond school.
- Put your creativity and knowledge to the test in our Book Series Challenge, in which you will come up with ideas for an outline of a book series, including characters and storylines.
- Develop skills in high demand by universities and employers, such as public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork, via our Masterclasses.
- Build your global professional network by meeting students from all over the world and joining our alumni community.
- Attend our Graduation Ceremony at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, and get a Graduation Certificate and personalised Letter of Recommendation from your tutor.
See
What better way to learn about a career than to talk to someone who’s living it? Our Heroes programme invites you to meet a successful young writer and:
- Learn more about what a day in their life looks like
- Understand more about the cutting edge aspects of the sector that they work in, and hear their top career tips
- Ask them your burning questions about their university and career path
Do
Challenges are one of the most exciting parts of our programme! Halfway through our Experience Creative Writing course, you’ll be given the chance to put your writing skills to the test during our Book Series Challenge. It’s certainly not the only practical activity you’ll do on your course – the course is full of opportunities to apply your skills – but for many of our students, it’s their highlight! You’ll get to:
- Puzzle through the challenges that writers face when writing a book series.
- Work collaboratively with your peers in a “writer’s room” to come up with elements for an ongoing book series.
- Feel the buzz of working to a strict editorial deadline as you enhance your ability to cooperate in a team with different responsibilities. Can you create what could be the next Harry Potter, Maze Runner, or His Dark Materials?
Course programme
Course Outline
On our Experience Creative Writing Academy programme, you’ll cover a range of challenging topics across nine classroom sessions.
Class 1: The Nature of Creative Writing
Explore the key characteristics of creative writing and how to escape the dreaded “writer’s block”.
Class 2: Storytelling
What are the ingredients that make a story work? Test out these techniques with a piece of your own writing.
Class 3: Explore Stories and Novels
Find out more about Christopher Booker’s thesis of seven basic plots in literature.
Class 4: Character Development
How do you develop a character your readers will believe in? We’ll examine different texts and you can have a go with a character of your own creation.
Class 5: Discover Genres
Explore different types of genre and what gives each one a distinctive feature.
Class 6: World Building
How do you build a fictional world? Explore the techniques used by writers to “build a world” in their work, and in their readers’ minds.
Class 7: Constructing Dialogue
Review classic examples of dialogue from famous novels, plays and films to see common themes.
Class 8: That’s a Wrap
Learn how to ensure writing becomes part of your fabric and daily routine, and discover techniques to help you start and finish a story.
Class X
Your final class is based on your tutor’s personal expertise in the field, focusing on cutting-edge research that they’re passionate about.
Please note this course outline may be subject to change.
More information
Want to know more about attending our Experience Creative Writing Academy? Learn about what your schedule will look like, where you’ll stay, our entry requirements and some of the fun activities that will round out your academic experience.
Reserve Your Spot
Ready for a life-changing educational experience? Apply in minutes and reserve a spot for Oxford’s #1 rated summer school and online programmes.