creative writing courses victoria bc

Creative Writing

Session Time-Out

Get inspired. Meet your writing goals. Feel creatively energized.

Writing workshops in victoria, bc, for creative writers with big hearts + diverse stories to share., struggling to write consistently + creatively , sign up and immediately get my free workbook, “a 3-step checklist to set up a sustainable writing schedule.”.

This quick workbook covers how to:

Dig deep and figure out your why for writing.

Set up a writing schedule that works for your life.

Commit to weekly writing with your own accountability contract.

You’ll also get my monthly Sunday Spark newsletter with tips + ideas on how to meet your writing goals and feel creatively energized in your life. ✨

Hey there, I’m Monika! 👋 It’s so lovely to ‘meet’ you.

I’m into joyful creativity, heartfelt storytelling, and freshly popped popcorn.

I’m also a full-time freelance writer who writes leveled + lovable books for schools and offers writing workshops in Victoria, BC, for fellow creative writers.

3 Penny Publishing

Books are Beautiful!

Writing events, workshops, courses and awards

Note: Most events have moved online.

Writers old and new sometimes need to take a break from the solo task of writing. While there is a tendency for writers to be introverts, for others there can be many benefits to being part of a bigger community of creatives. Those include the opportunity to learn and to network with readers and other writers.

To find local Victoria and BC events for writers, see the listings below. In addition, there are more resources about writing groups in the  Writers’ Organizations section.

Writing Events in BC

Below is a list of BC literary events. Also c heck library websites, schools, bookstores, coffeeshops, and municipal event listings for writing event notices. This is especially true if you live in a small community. However, some small towns in BC are overflowing with writers and bookworms . Over the years, there have been many, many writers who have called BC their home. Check out the Wiki  master list of BC writers. 

BC Writing Event Listings

• BC Writers’ Literary Calendar
• BC BookLook News & Events
• Eventbrite – Book/Writing Events Victoria
• Google Events – Victoria Author Readings
• ReadLocal BC – Festivals & Events
• Canadian Authors’ Calendar
• Writers’ Union of Canada
• Victoria Writers’ Society Calendar
• MagsBC online events
• Chinatown Storytelling Centre
• Vancouver Island Romance Writers
• BC Science Fiction Association
• BC Sherlock Holmes Society

BC Writing Events

• Word Vancouver Festival
• Vancouver International Writers’ Festival
• Vancouver Art Book Fair
• Surrey International Writers’ Conference
• Festival of Authors (Victoria)
• Sidney Literary Festival
• Galiano Literary Festival
• Denman Island Festival
• Literary Festival – Nelson
• BC Book Prize 
• Victoria Book Prize Society
• Malahat Review (events & awards)

Also, see Bookstores in Victoria BC and check bookstore events.

WRITING EVENTS (outside of BC)

• Canada Indie Bookstore Day
• World Indie Bookstore Day
• BookNet Canada
• LitQuake  (US)
• Hay Festival  (UK)
• BookExpo America
• Left Coast Crime (convention)
• Crime Writers of Canada

Writing and Publishing Courses

• Diaspora Dialogues (online writing courses)
• UVIC Writing Courses  (Victoria, BC)
• SFU Publishing Courses  (Vancouver, BC)
• Victoria and Vancouver Public Library writing events

Writing awards for self-published authors

Writers’ Union List Self-Publishing Alliance Awards & Contests List

Writing for Children & Youth:

• StoryStudio.com  helps children write and publish their own stories.
• Creative Writing for Children  helps students to write, illustrate, and publish.
• Writers’ Exchange  hosts creative literacy activities for children.

(on hold) 3 Penny Publishing Workshops

• On Hold: Shawna Barker of Synergy Nutrition . How to use blogs, email lists, and events for promotion and marketing.
• On Hold: Getting started on Instagram with MeganMediaDesign.com .
• On Hold: Self-Publishing Writers’ Panel. Local self-published writers will share experiences, challenges and victories. Details TBA.

If you would like to be notified of a 3 Penny Publishing event,  send an email.

Past 3 Penny Publishing writing workshops

Updated January 2022

Creative Writing

Creative writing courses are an exploration of craft and imagination. By reading great works and discussing the techniques behind them, you will learn to hone your literary talents and expand your creative abilities. You can experiment with genres and discover your personal writing style.

Find your voice

Learn from fellow writers.

The small class sizes at Camosun will allow you to work closely with creative writing peers and instructors in a workshop-like environment. Not only does this provide a built-in community of writers, but it also allows you to learn from your audience.

Creative writing courses

Creative writing courses can be taken individually by University Transfer students, as part of a related program, or as an elective in many other Camosun programs. 

Related programs

Camosun offers flexible programs that give you the chance to explore your passion for writing including:

• Arts and Science Studies Diploma  
• Associate of Arts Degree in English  
• Associate of Arts Degree in General Arts
• Comics and Graphic Novels
• Digital Communication
• Digital Production, Writing and Design
• University Transfer  

Take the next step

Whether creative writing is a career goal or just a personal passion, you will be building useful skills. Not only are most CRWR courses transferable to institutions within BC, but creative writers are well positioned to work in publishing, journalism, advertising, marketing, or copywriting. Creative writing can also lead to professions in the entertainment or media industries.

Apply online

"It's none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way." — Ernest Hemingway

Creative writing faculty

The creative writing faculty is comprised of professional, experienced instructors who bring their own unique passions for literature and writing to the classroom.

Meet the Faculty

Contact information

School of Arts & Science

Office hours: 8am-4:30pm

Campus location

Location link

Lansdowne Campus

250-370-3298

[email protected]

Kristine Kerins  Creative Writing and English Chair

Contact  Admissions  for information about applying to Camosun.

Creative Writing

Raymond Chow Program Coordinator CS 604.323.5927 / [email protected]

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” - Louis L'Amour

There are as many reasons for writing as there are stories. And really, the reasons don’t matter. The writing matters. If you’ve got a story to tell, we have a course designed to help you tell it. And if you don’t have a story, we have instructors who will help you create one. From short stories, novels, and magazine pieces to comedy sketches and plays, we have courses for both aspiring and accomplished writers.

If you have a desire to write, we have a course and an instructor to help you develop your story.

Website Feedback

Victoria Creative Writing Group

• Discussions

What we’re about

(Click links below for more information) About us : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-About ) Code of Conduct : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-CodeOfConduct ) Subgroup Policy : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-SubgroupPolicy ) Critique Guidelines : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-CritiqueGuidelines ) Guidance Letter 1 : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-GuidanceLetter1 ) Guidance Letter 2 : ( https://tinyurl.com/VCWG-GuidanceLetter2 )

Upcoming events (4+)

This is a free-form, talk-about-anything evening to meet fellow Victoria BC writers. You can discuss anything writing-related, form critique groups with similar writers, or just discuss what shape your passion for words takes. It's a relaxing evening spent in the company of fellow wordsmiths!

To help offset Meetup's $300 annual hosting cost, you can make a donation to the VCWG here (Peter Ehm currently pays 100% of Meetup's fees). Currently 1/3 of the 2023 annual costs have been covered due to member's generosity:

https://ko-fi.com/peterehm

This will be an online-only event using Microsoft Teams. For ease of access, we recommend downloading MICROSOFT TEAMS APP for your device. Mobile, web-based or desktop versions will all work, get them here:

Mobile: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/download-app

Web Login: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/log-in

**IMPORTANT: PLEASE ENSURE YOUR SCREEN NAME MATCHES YOUR MEETUP NAME! OTHERWISE WE MAY DECLINE TO ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO PREVENT UNAUTHORIZED DISRUPTIONS BY NON-VCWG RANDOMS.

-- Latecomers: you MAY not be admitted if your MS Teams screen name doesn't match your Meetup name, again to prevent random disruptors. Please be ON TIME!---

You WILL need a microphone. You DO NOT need a camera (although we would love to see your happy faces!).

At the allotted time, click on the link to join the call through the app. You can be a guest, or use your Microsoft logon to join in!

NOTE: If you set an RSVP, please be SURE to ATTEND the meeting! VCWG Management keeps track of attendance. We reserve the right to cancel RSVP's of members who have two or more 'No Show' flags for previous events, to make room for waitlisted members without such flags. This is important to ensure a place for all who want to attend our events.

Please follow these basic meeting guidelines:

• People will be Muted by default when joining to cut down on accidental noise and feedback.
• If you want to speak, please use the 'Raise your hand' icon at the top of the MS Teams window, OR physically raise your hand in your video OR type a note in the chat window, which VCWG management will monitor.
• You will have to un-Mute yourself (admins do not have that ability)
• If you have a slow connection, consider turning off your own video
• If the number of video connections proves to be a problem for everyone, then we will again likely ask people to turn off their video to help stabilize the experience for the whole group

IF the Teams link FAILS, please check back on this Meetup website (or the VCWG Facebook group) for an updated link in the meeting Comments.

We hope these guidelines will allow everyone to have a say while encouraging the group to listen to each speaker in turn. As video chatting is still new to many people, we'll work on improving the experience as we go.

Check back here before the Meetup date for details as they become available! We hope to 'see' lots of writers looking for support and inspiration!

This is a monthly meetup for those wanting to develop as poets by sharing and receiving feedback. We come together with respect and in confidence. The goal is that everyone can read their poems, hear constructive comment, and engage with others' poems.

Please note that writings and discussion might include issues that some might find triggering, such as mental health, sexuality, violence, gender, religion, politics, etc.

How It Works

• Due to time constraints, maximum 10 readers per session, with preference to VCWG members who haven't read recently or are first timers.
• There's usually time for just one poem w/discussion per writer.
• Poetry of all types welcome.
• For better feedback on your poem, it needs to be followed on the page by participants as you read it out loud. Please bring printed copies to hand out.
• Writers can ask for specific feedback.
• Comments should be thoughtful and helpful. Focus first on what you like in others' poems.
• Discussion should stick to the poem under consideration, NOT veer off on tangential subjects.
• Time is 6:30 to 8:30pm, sometimes later.
• If your plans change and you cannot attend, PLEASE update your status.

Location: The Bent Mast, James Bay, upstairs, small room.

It's free, no fee, but this a pub and restaurant, so we ask that you purchase food or drink to show support and thanks for the free use of their room!

Happy Hour ends at 6 so get there earlier if you wish.

All ordering at bar only (no waitress upstairs).

Past events (821)

Group links

Find us also at, related topics.

• Book Writing
• Fiction Writing
• Fantasy Writing
• Novel Writing
• Science Fiction Writing
• Children's Fiction Writing
• Creative Writing
• Critique Group
• Writer's Block
• Short Stories
• Memoir Writing
• Non-Fiction Writing
• Short Story Writing

• Messages ({{ ::newMessages }})
• Transcripts and statements
• Shop cart ({{ cart.items.length }})
• Sign Out Sign in

Home / Arts / Courses / Creative Nonfiction: Writing from Everyday Life

Creative Nonfiction: Writing from Everyday Life

Course description

Creative nonfiction uses personal narrative to engage readers in real life stories. It seeks to reflect the rich and multilayered details of lived experience. There are five main types: memoir, biography, travel writing, reportage and personal essay. In this course, you will learn how to overcome common problems when using the narrative form, while exploring the research and writing techniques of various creative nonfiction writers.

Registration details

Select your offering:.

• {{ ::(section.startDate | customLongDate) }}

You have already registered for this course.

This item is already in your shop cart.

You're already on the waiting list for this item.

Sorry, this section is full.

• {{ ::fee.description }}

Item added to Shop Cart

This item was in your cart with a different fee. The item has now been updated with the fee you just selected.

Note: You will be asked to sign in or create an account to register and pay for this course.

Online registration temporarily unavailable

Sorry, this course is not available for registration at this time., this course is in progress. please contact us for more details., online registration is closed for this course. you may still be able to register by phone. call 250-472-4747 to find out..

This course is on your wish list. You will be notified when this course becomes available.

Want to receive notification when this course becomes available?

Info you should know:

Refund/withdrawal policy

Ask a question about creative nonfiction: writing from everyday life.

Contact {{ data.responsibleStaffName || 'Registration Desk' }} , {{ data.responsibleStaffPosition }}

Continuing Studies E-News!

Join and you'll receive:

• Upcoming/New course listings
• Calendar announcements

E-News sign up

JOIN more than 20,000 learners who get the latest news on UVic Continuing Studies courses and programs. You'll also get advance notice when our new course calendar is online.

RELATED TOPICS: Writing and Literature

You may also like...

• Join E-News
• Staff login
• Visit UVic.ca
• UVic My page

Visit Registration

Tel 250-472-4747 | Email [email protected]

2024 © Continuing Studies at UVic Legal Notices | Sitemap

H F T L YT I

Student Account

• SFU Continuing Studies
• The Writer's Studio: Creative Writing Certificate

Creative Writing Courses

The Writer’s Studio offers a wide selection of creative writing courses for writers of every genre, and at every stage of their writing journey. Our courses take place in Vancouver and online, and provide an ideal way to connect with our writing community, gain fresh perspectives and receive support to reach your writing goals.

Our courses are scheduled throughout the year and you’re welcome to register at any time. 

To explore our part-time creative writing program, workshops, open houses and other events, visit us at The Writer’s Studio . 

Sign up for email updates

To stay informed about creative writing courses and events, please fill out the form below.

Yes, sign me up for the creative writing email list.

About our Collection of Personal Information policy.

Upcoming courses

• Registering for a course
• Applying to a program
• Costs and Payments
• Student Supports
• Request Your Transcript
• Online Learning Technical Support
• Apply to Graduate
• Community Events
• Info Sessions
• Lunch Poems
• Reading Series
• Course Registration
• Taxes and Funding
• Cancellation and Refunds
• Transfer Credits
• International Students

On This Page

• Skip to main content

• Social Studies and Media /
• Creative Writing

12 Universities in British Columbia offering Creative Writing degrees and courses

More Information

Are you looking for Creative Writing courses? Here you can find course providers offering full-time, part-time, online or distance learning options.

You've reached your limit of 10 Favourites

Simon Fraser University

THE World Ranking: 251

Capilano University

Langara college.

University of Victoria - Kaplan

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Selkirk College

University of Victoria

THE World Ranking: 351

Camosun College

Vancouver Island University

Trinity Western University

Douglas College

The University of British Columbia

THE World Ranking: 41

• British Columbia
• Study level:
• All study levels
• Postgraduate
• Undergraduate
• Career based/Vocational
• Study mode:
• Online/Distance

Filter your results

Tell us about you.

• Nationality Select country Select country
• My current qualification is from Select country Yes No Select country Select country
• Current qualification {0} is not applicable for the study level you selected below. Qualification Qualification
• Grade type (only one grade type for your qualification) Grade type Grade type
• My score (current or expected) Please select Please select Please select Please select Please select Please select

Tell us your preferences

• Subject Creative Writing

Qualification

• Destination British Columbia
• Study options
• Annual tuition fees

Subject areas

Destination.

Get in touch

• English - Global

Oak Bay High School

Course offerings, departments, english-creative writing 11.

Creative Writing 11 is an academic writing course.  Students will expect to produce between 7,000 and 20,000 written words in the year, substantially more output than a regular English class where more time must be taken with literary analysis and reading texts. The course is meant for those who love to write, to daydream and to think and can then spin those thoughts into original material at regular intervals to deadline, people who are dedicated to the craft. If you have never had the impulse to write creatively or struggle with writing output, it may not be the course for you. While exemplars of good writing are taught by the teacher, it is expected students will read a novel on their own time. Some class time is dedicated to the production of the required first, or rough draft, the required peer edits, and the required second drafts. Third and fourth drafts are optional, but many students who take this course opt for doing the extra work in the pursuit of that unicorn, the perfect write. Students can expect to acquire a deeper understanding of the structure of language at the level of the sentence, the paragraph, and the finished piece. Poetry makes up approximately 20% of the output, although there is a great deal of flexibility on the choice of topics or prompts which might inspire. In short, if you love to write, this course is a joy.  If you are not a writer, this course is a bore and a chore. ​

Next General Meeting

Wednesday, Sept 4 at 7pm at

Russell Books

The 2024 VWS Contest Winners have been notified!

They will be announced and celebrated at the general meeting on September 4 at Russell Books (747 Fort Street, Victoria, 7pm)

Join us to hear the 2024 Writing Contest Winners read from their works!

Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Everyone welcome to our General Meetings , held at Russell Books .

Meet our new VWS President

Dana reinhardt.

Dana was the chef and owner of successful restaurants in Whistler, Sumac Ridge Winery in the Okanagan and finally the CRU Restaurant in Vancouver. After many trips to Italy and France, Dana realized a life-long dream of hosting cooking classes and culinary adventures in Tuscany, Sicily, Paris, and the Loire valley.

Dana is currently writing her memoir, I Remember Every Bite. It is an honest, sometimes brutally honest, look at one woman’s journey into the world of becoming a professional chef and restaurateur. Dana takes us on her sojourn to express her love and creativity through food and arms-wide-open hospitality.

Told with passion, grit, humour, and a smattering of great recipes, Dana stumbles her way forward traveling to Italy, London, France and Saskatchewan to reclaim her true self and tell her own narrative through food.

Welcome, Dana!

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Go to programs search

Creative Writers are at the heart of our cultural industries. Poets, novelists, screenwriters, playwrights, graphic novelists, magazine writers: they entertain, inform and inspire. For more than 50 years, UBC’s Creative Writing program has been producing writers who’ve shaped Canadian and international culture. A studio program with the writing workshop at its heart, the MFA focuses on the work created by students as the primary text. Through intensive peer critique and craft discussion, faculty and students work together with the same goal: literary excellence. 

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

UBC’s Creative Writing program was the first writing program in Canada, and is the largest and most comprehensive in the country. It is highly ranked internationally, and draws students from around the world for its multi-genre approach to writing instruction. Students are required to work in multiple genres during the course of the degree. As a fine arts program rather than an English program, students focus on the practice of writing rather than the study of literature.

Small, intensive workshops characterize the program, as does our breadth of offerings: with 12 genres of writing available for study there are more opportunities for learning than at any other writing program in the world.

Faculty are distinguished, working writers. We have 12 professors, an additional 9 permanent instructors and regularly bring in a wide variety of writers in residence and adjunct instructors from the writing community.

The School of Creative Writing’s quality of professors was the biggest draw for me. I also want the teaching experience TA’ing for undergraduate students can bring me. I want to ultimately teach creative writing at a post-secondary level and learning how to do so at UBC will be rigorous and rewarding.

Brandi Bird

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, program instructions.

The residency MFA program only has a September intake.

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 90

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Options

Graduates of the MFA program have found success in varied fields related to writing and communication. The MFA qualifies graduates for teaching at the university level and many graduates have gone on to teach at colleges and universities in Canada, the United States and overseas as well as holding writing residencies. Many publish books and win literary awards. Others go on to work in publishing, and graduates have become book and magazine editors.

Although the MFA is a terminal degree, some graduates go on to further study in PhD programs in the US, UK and Australia. 

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Belcourt, Billy-Ray (Fiction; Nonfiction; Poetry)
• French, Whitney (memory, loss, technology, and nature)
• Hopkinson, Nalo (Creative writing, n.e.c.; Humanities and the arts; Creative Writing: Speculative Ficton, Fantasy, Science Fiction, especially Other Voices)
• Irani, Anosh
• Koncan, Frances
• Leavitt, Sarah (Autobiographical comics; Formal experimentation in comics; Comics pedagogy)
• Lee, Nancy (Fiction; Creative Writing)
• Lyon, Annabel (Novels, stories and news)
• Maillard, Keith (Fiction, poetry)
• Marzano-Lesnevich, Alex (Nonfiction)
• McGowan, Sharon (Planning of film productions from concept to completion)
• Medved, Maureen (Fiction, writing for screen)
• Nicholson, Cecily (Languages and literature; Poetry)
• Ohlin, Alix (Fiction; Screenwriting; Environmental writing)
• Pohl-Weary, Emily (Fiction; Writing for Youth)
• Svendsen, Linda (Script development; Novels, stories and news; Writing for Television; Fiction)
• Taylor, Timothy (fiction and nonfiction)
• Vigna, John (Novels, stories and news; Fiction, Literary Non-Fiction, Creative Writing)

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Distance Education (MFA)

Same Academic Unit

• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Theatre (MFA)
• Master of Fine Arts in Film Production and Creative Writing (MFA)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Creative Writing combines the best of traditional workshop and leading-edge pedagogy. Literary cross-training offers opportunities in a broad range of genres including fiction, poetry, screenplay, podcasting, video game writing and graphic novel.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Vivian (Xiao Wen) Li

I really liked what the program would be offering, and I love the mountains as well as nature—I find a lot of peace and inspiration from water, wind, and clouds. While I was at an Explore Program for a month at the University of Victoria (I wanted to explore the West Coast), I managed to visit UBC...

Fiona Revill

I have studied abroad in Australia, and at several local post-secondary institutions, but UBC has always felt like my academic home. The Creative Writing program is one of the best programs in the country, and I was really honoured to be accepted, as the competition is rigorous.

The city and the sea

Take a break from studying with opportunities at your fingertips. Whether you want to settle down in a café or take your research outdoors, we have a place for you.

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Application & Admission
• Info Sessions
• Research Projects
• Indigenous Students
• International Students
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Living
• Newly Admitted
• Student Status & Classification
• Student Responsibilities
• Managing your Program
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Professional Development
• Dissertation & Thesis Preparation
• Final Doctoral Exam
• Final Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Life in Vancouver
• Vancouver Campus
• Graduate Student Spaces
• Graduate Life Centre
• Life as a Grad Student
• Graduate Student Ambassadors
• Meet our Students
• Award Opportunities
• Award Guidelines
• Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students
• Killam Awards & Fellowships
• Dean's Message
• Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• Vision & Mission
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Initiatives, Plans & Reports
• Graduate Education Analysis & Research
• Media Enquiries
• Newsletters
• Giving to Graduate Studies

Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
• Improving Student Funding
• Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs
• Enhancing Graduate Supervision
• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
• Supporting Student Development and Success
• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes

• Skip to global menu .
• Skip to primary navigation .
• Skip to secondary navigation .
• Skip to page content .
• Return to global menu .

• Search Writing
• Search UVic
• Search for people
• Search for departments
• Search for experts
• Search for news
• Search for resources
• undergraduate
• writing major

Writing major

After  WRIT 100  in first year, core writing department courses follow the workshop method. These workshops are limited in size to 15 students or fewer, and serve as a critical forum wherein your writing is subjected to editorial and intellectual review.

Workshops are complemented by certain lectures and seminars which introduce you to professional literary models in poetry, short and long narrative fiction, drama for stage and film, and creative nonfiction.

While the writing program strives to develop a balance between writing skills and a sense of literary history, if you are interested in a stronger literary background, consider a double-major program. Information on interfaculty double-majors can be found in the  UVic Calendar .

Writing Courses

The following information is provided as general information for prospective Writing students and is subject to change. Current students should refer to the UVic Calendar for program requirements.

A writing major has 15.0 units of writing courses at the 300 and 400 levels but, as there are prerequisites to all senior writing courses, you will most likely have to take at least 9 units of first and second-year writing. Exceptions to this would be for those who enter the program with  advanced standing .

Students in the writing Major Program are required to take:

• WRIT 100  with a grade of B or better
• 1.5 units of  AHVS 120 , AHVS 121 , ART 150 , ART 151 , FA 101 , FA 245 , MUS 116 , MUS 207 , THEA 102 , THEA 111
• 6 units of 200-level writing workshops
• 15 units of 300/400-level writing courses, including 4.5 units of workshops in a single genre. Only 1.5 units of 320 or 325 can be used towards the workshop requirement. 

WRIT 215 may not be counted as part of a writing major. WRIT 306 , 307 , 308 , 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 , 313 ,  314 , 315 , 316 , 320 , 321 , 322 , 324 , 326 , 329 , 330 , 331 ,  335 , 336 , 340 , 350 , 353 , 400 , 405 , 406 ,  410 , 412 , 416 , 420 and 440 may count toward either the Major Program or the Professional Writing Minor in Journalism and Publishing, but not both. You are advised to work toward a double major, since enrolment in workshops is limited, and spaces are not guaranteed. Without a concentration of courses in a separate discipline, you may find yourself delayed in graduating.

If at least 9 units of electives are chosen from courses offered by other departments within the Faculty of Fine Arts, the degree awarded may be either the BFA or the BA of the Faculty of Fine Arts. If fewer than 9 units of electives from the Faculty of Fine Arts are chosen, the degree awarded will be the BA of the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Click on the links below for full details on each Major Program, or click here to see a complete program planning worksheet .

• Playwriting
• Screenwriting
• Creative nonfiction

For more information on our program requirements, please refer to the  UVic Calendar .

• Return to primary navigation .
• Return to secondary navigation .
• Return to page content .

• Creative Writing Programs
• Opportunities
• Prospective Students
• MFA Program Options
• Optional Summer Residency
• How to Write a Novel
• Writing for Video Games
• Communications Support
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Indigenous Engagement

• Prize for Best New Fiction
• Job Opportunities

We warmly welcome applications from Indigenous students to our BFA and MFA programs.

Undergraduate Programs

Imagine. Create. Find your voice. Hone the fundamentals of craft in a variety of genres in our BFA and Minor Programs.

Graduate Programs

Wherever you’re writing from, our renowned MFA program offers a world-class educational experience either on-campus or online.

Continuing Education

Learn from leading professors and authors without the commitment of a degree program.

Study with our faculty of internationally renowned, award-winning authors in a student-focused program that blends the best of traditional workshop and leading edge pedagogy.

MFA Program

Land Acknowledgement

Featured event, ubc creative writing faculty reading & reception, featured news, read our latest collection of comics from creative writing students, 2024 summer residency film showcase: list of films, ubc professor emeritus george mcwhirter receives largest international award for poetry, faculty highlights, see recent publications and productions from our faculty..