Insight into Creative Writing
Skills programme for Oxford University students from any degree background who are interested in creative writing.
Insight into Creative Writing is a three-session programme open to Oxford University students. It provides an introduction to creative writing careers, explores the writing process, and offers tips on how to get published, as well as inspiration from guest speakers.
Applications for the the next Insight into Creative Writing programme open in Trinity term 2027.
Below is an example of what the programme looked like last year:
Session details
Session 1: The Writing Process - Top Tips and Tricks
Where: In person at the Oxford University Careers building, 56 Banbury Road
Session lead: Barney Norris, Writer, theatre maker and Creative Writing Lecturer at Oxford University. His novels include Five Rivers Met on A Wooded Plain and Undercurrent. His plays include Visitors, Eventide, Nightfall, The Wellspring and adaptations of Lorca’s Blood Wedding and Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford. Barney focuses on the top tips and tricks to remember when you are writing, providing invaluable advice on everything from brainstorming ideas and developing characters to plotting and staying disciplined.
To wrap things up, we have a fun free writing exercise, giving students a chance to let your creativity flow.
Session 2: Pitching Your Work and Getting Published
Where: In person at the Oxford University Careers building, 56 Banbury Road
In the session, we tackle the all-important question of how to get work published. We look at the different publishing options available, including traditional publishing, self-publishing, and digital platforms. In a practical group exercise, you get to practise pitching your work.
Session 3: Q&A with a Publishing Agent and Author
Where: In person at the Oxford University Careers building, 56 Banbury Road
The final session brings together a literary agent and an author who will share their journeys into the industry and what they look for in submissions. This is a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from those who know the business inside out. This is your chance to ask questions, exchange ideas, and make valuable connections that could help you on your writing journey.
Who is eligible to apply?
Current, matriculated University of Oxford students (undergraduate or postgraduate).
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