creative writing university of amsterdam

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University of Amsterdam Masters Degrees in Creative Writing

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Develop yourself to become a creative writer

Creative Writing Dutch

Literature and society.

A study in Literature and creative writing: the first Dutch bachelor's degree in creative writing, which gives you a scientific basis plus practical writing skills: creative writing. 

Creative Writing Dutch is a track of the Bachelor's programme Literature and Society. Check out the studyprogramme in Dutch.

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Join the World’s Most Respected

Content writing course by iim skills, table of contents, top 6 creative writing courses in amsterdam.

• Joanna Fernandes
• June 6, 2024
• No Comments

To polish and upskill oneself on the journey of becoming a creative writer, one may require updating himself with creative writing courses that tackle the various aspects of writing. English has become a necessary universal requirement in the workforce in recent times. Studying from the top creative writing courses in Amsterdam with a bustling English-speaking community is a choice you should not miss out on, especially if you plan to study in the Netherlands.

Creative writing is the art of expressing oneself and one’s ideas through writing creatively, manifested in its various branches. Creative writing is a lucrative field with increasing demand and job placements. On the path to becoming a skilled professional writer, dabbling in creative writing one may face blocks in expressing oneself through the perfect set of words.  Let us first begin by understanding what creative writing means.

What is Creative Writing ?

Creative writing is the discipline and art form of using one’s creative voice and translating it into a verbal written form for an audience to decipher. One can be born with a talent for creative writing and also cultivate it through consistent effort. Creative writing is manifested across various types and in different branches.

We as a society are constantly consuming numerous forms of creative writing every other day. When a new movie is screened, a new book hits the market every week, and also when we sing along with our favorite song lyrics. The consumption of the manifestations of creative writing has enormously multiplied since the last decade, thanks to the boom of social media.

Thanks to social media we can now watch the wonders of creative writing at the tips of our fingers.  Let us now discuss and get into our curated list of the top six creative writing courses in Amsterdam.  

Here is a List of the Top 6 Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam:

1. creative writing courses in amsterdam by iim skills:.

IIM SKILLS, the leader in professional courses offers a content writing master course that not only teaches participants creative writing, but also other varied technicalities involved in the field of writing.  The course can be taken by those completely new to the world of content creation or even those looking for a new chapter in their career as writers.

Extensive research and diligent efforts have been made by the team of experts here at IIM SKILLS in building this coursework. Students after applying to this course receive an unending support system available to them to clear any queries around the clock.

This course is sure to leave you well-versed in the nitty-gritty of creative content creation upon its completion in these contemporary automated times. It urges its participants to think creatively and become assured of their writing skills. Students gain hands-on experience by taking part in live training assignments that prepare them for future job or freelancing opportunities.

Content Writing Course Module:

Students applying for the content writing course at IIM SKILLS are guaranteed lifetime access to the coursework. Participants of the course learn from varied course modules built in mind keeping industry standards. Students not only learn creative writing but other various technicalities and their applications regarding writing. The coursework focuses on the following sixteen modules:

• Introduction: Content writing skills.
• WordPress: Web set-up and development.
• Digital content writing focusing on blogs, articles, and webpages.
• Copywriting
• Marketing: Publish a press release, write content and design brochure, infographic, and flyers and write product descriptions.
• Email Writing : Learn how to craft the perfect email for campaigns.
• Social Media: Content creation for social media and writing scripts for videos
• Creative Writing: Learn to write engaging creative work in fiction and non-fiction 
• Statement of purpose and business listing 
• Legal Writing : Learn the know-how of writing legal documents
• Technical Writing: Work on dealing with research papers and white papers 
• Search Engine Optimization: Learn how to rank content on various search engines, focusing on both on-page and off-page Seo
• Content Marketing: Learn content writing in regulation with industry standards
• Affiliate Marketing and AdSense 
• Content Writing (freelance): How to market yourself as a freelancer and gain opportunities in the industry
• Resume Writing: Learn to build and design one’s portfolio and resume

Course period:

The Content Writing Course at IIM SKILLS is for four weeks with live interactive training lectures combined with three months of a guaranteed internship program for participants. Students are also offered lifetime access to the course module even after completion.

Eligibility Criteria:

This Content Writing Course by IIM SKILLS is open to all from various walks of life with no prior pre-determined eligibility criteria. This course is accessible to those who consider writing their calling, fresher graduated students who are willing to dabble in the field of writing, working professionals, entrepreneurs learning to market themselves through content creation even those looking for a possible career change, and many more.     

Course Costs/Fees:

Students looking forward to applying to this content writing masters course by IIM SKILLS will have to pay 182.29 euros plus additional axes at checkout as course fees.

For Further Queries About the Course at IIM SKILLS, Reach Out to:

Email Address: [email protected]

Phone Contact Details: +91 9580 740 740

Also Read: Online Creative Writing Courses

2. Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam by the University of Amsterdam

Second, on our list of creative writing courses in Amsterdam is the University of Amsterdam which offers an honors program in creative writing. The University of Amsterdam aims for the course to be more of a fun-loving approach where students collaborate their creativity in both theory and practical aspects.

Students learn to marry their thinking and creative expressionism and engage actively with the syllabus. Participants are encouraged to express their innovative ideas and express themselves through various works of writings like poems, essays, and many more. Students participate in group projects to gain distinct opinions and perspectives.

Participants eager to enroll in this course by the University of Amsterdam are welcomed from all walks of life. People from various disciplines are eligible to apply for this course. Aspirants from a nuanced academic background in literature, history, and language studies are sure to find the coursework beneficial too.

For Further Queries About Courses at the University of Amsterdam, Reach Out to:

Email address : [email protected]

Phone contact details: +31 20 5255190

3. Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam, by Amsterdam Writing Workshop:

Amsterdam Writing Workshop offers three engaging workshops for those keen on cultivating their creative writing juices. The creative writing workshops are as follows:

• Simply Writing:

In this workshop, participants learn to do just as the workshop’s name suggests ‘simply write’. Students learn to overcome various difficulties they may face while starting a new writing project: delay in the start or end of a project, how to consistently enjoy writing etc. Students are taught this relevant know-how on how to make writing a more fun, enjoyable and productive endeavor in this workshop.

Course Period: This workshop experience is divided into a period of two days conducted through live online classes.

Eligibility Criteria: People from all levels and areas of life are open to applying for this course by Amsterdam Writing Workshop.

Course Costs/Fees: The cost of this workshop course is a cumulative cost of 150 euros .

• Writing Non-fiction:

Writing creative non-fiction is not an easy feat to achieve. This course helps aspirants by acknowledging the diverse worries that may arise when thinking of writing creative non-fiction and overcoming those hindrances.

Course period: The course workshop is for two days and is conducted in an online mode of learning.

Eligibility criteria: People from all levels, and qualifications are open to apply for this course.

Course costs/fees: The course fee is 150 euros upon registration for aspirants. 

• The Short Story

In this course workshop, students learn the detailed intricacies related to the creation of short stories. This piece of creative fiction and the expertise that surrounds it like the formation of a relevant structure, plot, characters, and narration techniques are discussed. Students are guided to write, make a note of their writing efficacy and receive subsequent feedback for their writing.

Course Period: The short story workshop by Amsterdam writing is for two days, carried out in an online learning mode.

Eligibility Criteria: People from all levels are open to applying for this course.  

Course Costs/Fees: Those keen to apply for this course workshop have to pay 150 euros as course fees.

For further queries about the course at Amsterdam Writing Workshop, reach out to: 

Phone contact details : +31 (0) 62 502 0817

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• Creative Writing Courses in Canada
• Creative Writing Courses in Europe
• Creative Writing Courses in Singapore

4. Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam by the International Writers Collective:

Fourth on our list of creative writing courses in Amsterdam is the international writers’ collective. The international writers’ collective community offers a course structure on interdependent levels where students participate in the pre-requisite course levels where they continue to elevate their skills and knowledge gained from the prior levels. The coursework is divided into the following four levels: 

This course level focus on the beginner fundamentals related to creative writing. Level I encourage students to brace up with the world of writing by exposing them to introductory topics. It helps students set a routine and a writing system that works for them as they transition from a rookie to a professional and gain mastery over their craft. This course level mainly teaches applicants of the course about the technicalities of writing prose, fiction, and poetry.

The course program in level 2 depends on the prior knowledge of level 1 and helps students sharpen their understanding from the previous level. Students at this level will learn to apply technical knowledge regarding fiction and poetry working on real-time projects. They also learn to conduct an in-depth analysis of their creative works every week. 

Level III: 

The students who opt for this level apply the combined knowledge mainly acquired from levels I and II. This level majorly focuses on writers developing their inner confidence in their respective creative writing pieces. Students interact with their fellow peers while engaging in assignments and discourses that help them to seek insights and see things through different perspectives and lenses that can be a great help in widening their creative thinking.

The level IV course is designed to be an ongoing support network for students who have completed the previous level III course program. Here, students gain guidance and also receive detailed critiques for their work and projects and how they can further work on improving and honing their craft even more deeply.

Level IV is completed upon the final creation of a book-sized project including options like a novel, poetry chapter books, and story collections. Students can opt to stay in this course level classes forever if they like.  Participants are encouraged to mostly consider applying for all four-course levels to gain an all-around knowledgeable experience and benefit from all the features.

Course Period: 

Level I This course level is for eight weeks and six weeks during a summer term.

Level II The Level II course works functions for a time- period of eight weeks operating both offline and online.

Level III This course level runs for eight weeks.

Level IV The Level IV courses are for ten weeks and are divided into autumn, spring, and winter terms.

Eligibility Criteria: The coursework is accessible to everyone from diverse experience levels, and backgrounds and mainly focuses on adult participants above the age of 18.

Course Costs/Fees: International Writers Collective offers a varied price range for the courses depending on the course level and the instructor in charge of teaching. Reach out to the institute’s help desk for further information.

Email address: [email protected]

Phone contact details: +31 6 22 49 48 13

5. Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam, by Amsterdam Writers:

Amsterdam writers offer two-course workshop options from which aspiring students can choose. The following workshops offered by Amsterdam writers are:

• Writers’ Stretch and Tone:

Looking forward to pursuing creative writing courses in Amsterdam? Carefully designed creative writing workshops and seminars by Amsterdam writers is the one to look out for. Amsterdam writers deeply believe in the principle of practice makes perfect. Here, applicants become proficient writers through repeated practice.

Students are allowed to review their fellow peers’ pieces of work, which also helps them to gain constructive insights. On completion of the course, participants will have developed a new proficiency for writing and will be able to face challenges head-on.

Course Period:

This creative writing course by Amsterdam writers is for six weeks in which all relevant workshops are conducted through a live online experience with the aid of zoom.

Eligibility Criteria: Amsterdam writers allow participants willing to seek out their workshops to participate across different boards: background, age qualifications, and professional expertise. 

Course Costs/Fees: Those keen on participating in the course by Amsterdam writers will have to pay 280 euros as course fees including 21% VAT.

• Storytelling for Academics:

Amsterdam writers offer another course where participants working in the field of non-fiction writing learn how to use various aspects of fiction in their works. They learn how to deal with the formal tone of academic writing and push beyond its constraints. However, this workshop is not limited to academic papers but will also delve into screenplays, poetry, essays, and other creative branches of non-fiction.

Eligibility Criteria: T he storytelling for academic’s workshops has no rigid eligibility criteria and is open for all to enroll in.

Course Period: This course workshop is available for ten weeks.

For further queries about the course at Amsterdam, writers reach out to:

Phone contact detail s: +31 6 1429 7462

6. Creative Writing Courses in Amsterdam by CREA:

CREA is a multicultural learning platform for students from home and abroad that offers a creative writing online course. Those eager to learn creative writing can learn with participants from across the globe and gain different universal perspectives. The course helps in shining a light on one’s voice in creative expressionism and how to assertively express that voice in a written form.

Course Period: The course by CREA lasts for eight weeks and is conducted through online classes.

Eligibility Criteria: The workshop is accessible to everyone with no pre-requisite eligibility criteria.

The course workshops hold varied price criteria’s depending on the subsequent price and discounts assigned to designated roles by the institute. Fresh students are required to pay 98 euros as course fees. While the young and old alumni as well as the staff are required to pay 147 euros as course fees. The others who do not pass the afore-mentioned categories’ have to pay 196 euros as the course fees upon registration of the workshop.

For Further Queries About Your Course at CREA Reach Out to:

Email address:   [email protected]

Phone contact details: 020 525 1414

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. what are the skills required in creative writing.

One can become a nuanced creative writer by polishing their pre-existing or focusing on building these particular skillsets:

• Grasp of grammar 
• A broad vocabulary 
• Out-of-the-box imaginative skills
• Proofreading and editing  
• Narration techniques
• Innovative thinking 
• Voracious reading 
• Articulate writing ability
• Illusive presentation of ideas in written format 
• Time management 
• Ability to work well by oneself as well as in a team
• Networking skills 
• High comprehension 
• Communication skills
• Being authentic and original

 A combination of the above-mentioned skillset is essential for those considering stepping foot into the world of creative writing and becoming a professional writer.

Q2. What is the scope of creative writing?

If one is planning on studying creative writing courses in Amsterdam, he may have access to a diverse list of opportunities in Amsterdam due to its bustling English-speaking community. Creative writers are hired by various industries and fields including publishing houses, educational institutes like schools, colleges and universities, libraries, theatre houses working on musicals and Broadway shows, advertising agencies, social media, and public relations firms, broadcasting media stations, entrainment media houses, and many more.

Those Who Have Studied Creative Writing Can Manifest Their Skillset in the Following Roles:

•  Song lyricists
• Screenplay writer
• Content Creator
• Copywriter working in media, social networking, and advertising
•  Ghost-writer
• A columnist
•  Social media manager
• Creative director
•  Content marketer
• Poet and author   

Thus, opting for creative writing courses in Amsterdam is sure to provide writers with a varied range of opportunities if one is diligent enough to chase them. Along with the engagement of creative content consumption increasing day by day so does the scope of creative writers and their skills increasing. 

Q3. What qualifications are required to become a creative writer? 

A degree in a related discipline of English literature is traditionally considered for those seeking to pursue a career in creative writing. However, if creative writing is your forte, you may start polishing your craft by signing up for content writing courses that will aid you on your journey to becoming a professional. One may get in touch with the heterogenous industry trends and skills required across varied job postings.  

Amongst our curated list of creative writing courses, one may choose from the above-given list of options or delve into further research on selecting the right creative writing courses in Amsterdam, tailored just for you. Affordability, duration, placement options, and course module are some of the important priorities one may keep in mind while selecting coursework. It is also fundamental to select coursework that aligns with your goals. These excellent crafted course programs working with industry-grade experts are sure to give aspirants stepping into the field of creative writing to have confidence in their steps. 

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Best Universities for Creative Writing in Europe

Updated: February 29, 2024

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• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 1.17M citations received by 136K academic papers made by 486 universities in Europe was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Oxford

For Creative Writing

2. University College London

3. University of Cambridge

4. King's College London

5. University of Manchester

6. University of Edinburgh

7. University of Exeter

8. University of Sheffield

9. University of Birmingham

10. University of Nottingham

11. University of Leeds

12. University of Bristol

13. Lancaster University

14. Durham University

15. University of York

16. University of Warwick

17. University of Glasgow

18. University of Amsterdam

19. Cardiff University

20. University of Sussex

21. University of London

22. London School of Economics and Political Science

23. Catholic University of Leuven

24. Aarhus University

25. University of Southampton

26. Queen Mary University of London

27. University of Oslo

28. University of St Andrews

29. Lund University

30. Royal Holloway, University of London

31. University of Liverpool

32. University of Helsinki

33. Newcastle University

34. University of Copenhagen

35. Umea University

36. Loughborough University

37. University of Leicester

38. Radboud University

39. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

40. University College Dublin

41. University of East Anglia

42. University of Kent

43. Stockholm University

44. Utrecht University

45. University of Reading

46. University of Gothenburg

47. Goldsmiths, University of London

48. Birkbeck, University of London

49. Leiden University

50. Queen's University Belfast

51. Complutense University of Madrid

52. Free University of Berlin

53. Keele University

54. University of Strathclyde

55. Manchester Metropolitan University

56. Free University Amsterdam

57. University of Tampere

58. University of Aberdeen

59. Ulster University

60. Aalborg University

61. University of Bergen

62. University of Warsaw

63. University of Bath

64. University of Groningen

65. Sapienza University of Rome

66. University of Liege

67. Northumbria University

68. University of Southern Denmark

69. University of Lisbon

70. University of Jyvaskyla

71. Autonomous University of Barcelona

72. University of Portsmouth

73. University of Surrey

74. University of Vienna

75. University of Stirling

76. University of Padua

77. Brunel University London

78. Linkoping University

79. University of Granada

80. University of Turin

81. University of Hull

82. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

83. Adam Mickiewicz University

84. Nottingham Trent University

85. Teesside University

86. Ghent University

87. University of Minho

88. Maastricht University

89. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

90. University of Florence

91. University of Milan

92. De Montfort University

93. SOAS, University of London

94. Uppsala University

95. Bournemouth University

96. Oxford Brookes University

97. University of Bologna

98. University of the West of England

99. University of Plymouth

100. University of Essex

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English Creative Writing

• Course schedule and prices
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• Complaints procedure
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Course information

Do you enjoy writing and would you like to be able to write freely and creatively in English? Would you like to develop your creative writing style, or are you suffering from writer's block? Then English Creative Writing is the right course for you. During this course you will learn more about the creative writing process and how to engage in it, using various examples and assignments.

During the course each student writes a short story and a series of poems.

Skills you will have developed by the end of this course include being able to write poems and short stories, plus you will have found your own voice and will be able to use different writing styles.

Who is it for?

The English Creative Writing course is suitable for students with an advanced knowledge of English who are looking to develop their own writing style. Would you like to write travel stories or tales from your family? Or do you work as a content creator, blogger, marketing specialist or in another creative career that involves writing? Then this course is for you!

What will you learn?

How do I write a good story? During this course we will introduce an effective writing strategy to you and give you tips and tricks that lead to a successful creative text. You will learn how to write gripping articles and what makes a readable text. Aspects of this include sentence length and cohesion: the relationship between ideas within a sentence and between different sentences. For writing poetry and verse, the focus is on imagery, atmosphere, originality and rhyme. Use of vocabulary and its effect on the reader are also covered.

Who am I as a writer? Various general aspects are addressed, such as starting to write and finding your voice as a writer. Where do I find inspiration? What inspires you? How do you look at everyday objects or events? How do I incorporate personal experiences in my story?

Who is the narrator? How can I connect ideas in order to develop characters and build a story line? You will discuss the effect of direct and indirect speech and how to get your characters to express their thoughts.

What appeals to the reader? You will also be given advice on how to captivate the reader, how to catch and keep their attention. And just who is the reader anyway?

You will be given practical tips, like keeping a diary, and how to gather material. You will also be asked to keep a reading list. And, last but not least, issues such as editing, correction and proofreading will be covered.

Course materials

Schedule and registration.

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Unleash Your Creativity: over 30 English-Taught Courses and Workshops in Amsterdam

Posted on Apr 23, 2019 by Dana Marin

« Previous: A Love for Painting: Vanja Popek | Next: King’s Day Afterparty 2019 »

This pages includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra costs to you.

Article updated in 2024.

We are so often caught up in the daily routine that we forget to think about developing our playful, creative side. We remember about that only when life hits us with a burnout or quarter/middle age crisis and only then (maybe) we do something about it. But it shouldn’t be that way.

I believe that experimenting with our creativity should be something we do regularly, because it has so many benefits!

It can be something you always wanted to try but life stood in your way, or you might discover that the only way to relax is by doing something creative. Unleashing your creativity can help when you feel stuck in any area of your life, by giving your brain a break from the repetitive thoughts and helping it find new solutions.

Amsterdam is a place that brings out the creative side in people; I’ve seen it many times in myself and others around me. But what do you if you don’t speak Dutch yet, or not enough? Fear not, because Amsterdam, being the shiny expat bubble that it is, has the solution: a good selection of courses taught in English .

NOTE: this article was updated in February 2023

CREATIVE WRITING

• International Writers’ Collective : four levels of creative writing (8 weeks per module), personal coaching and various workshops organised throughout the year. They also organise periodical write-together meetings (open for everyone, student or not) and meetings with writers. This is the place where I re-discovered my taste for writing fiction; I did three modules and I hope one day I’ll be able to go back and continue. The method they use is the right one for me and I enjoy very much the community created around this school. There is also a workshop in the Hague and an online class which can be followed from anywhere.
• Amsterdam Writing Workshops : as the name says, they have a few creative writing workshops from September to June. They also try to create a community to support writers in their endeavours and a safe place for receiving writing feedback.
• Amsterdam Writers : an 8 weeks workshop cycle for both advanced and beginners. They claim that their workshops and seminars “keep writers fit, healthy and strong through invigorating and stimulating exercises”.
• CREA : offers two levels for creative writing, memoir writing and more. There’s a tricky thing about CREA — you have to wait until their students enrol and only then you know if there are any spaces left and if you can apply. 
• The Story Loung e – bite-size workshops or 8 weeks writing courses. A great way to meet friendly creatives in an inspiring setting.

• Atelier Molenpad : Intuitive Painting Center for adults, all levels welcome. The intuitive painting classes aim to help you tap into your subconscious mind with art, and help you when you’re stuck, generating new ideas and feelings. The programme can be bought in one package, each session has a theme, and the content has a progressive flow. Atelier Molenpad also organises art retreats.
• Vondelpark Atelier : a small international art school. The courses start every two months and there are also workshops organised upon request. You can choose from painting, drawing and photography courses, as well as workshops for collage, illustration, watercolours.
• MK24 : offers a variety of courses, from painting and sculpting to ceramics and multimedia. The language is mainly Dutch but some classes accept English speaking students as well (you’ll have to check with them). You pay by module or the whole year. This is where I took a Model Painting class this year, and I loved the experience!
• Impression Studio : this is a small studio run by Charissa van de Kerkhoff who teaches all the classes. All levels, English and Dutch.
• CREA  Amsterdam has a wide variety of classes, some of them being offered in English as well.
• Vincent van Oss : two courses and a few workshops. Private lessons are a possibility too, and the particularity of this studio is the Male Nude course, every Thursday.
• Station West INT : they have a couple of drawing workshops taught in English, that look very cool. I particularly love the Visual Journalling one.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND AUDIOVISUAL

• SAE Institute : OK, this is more than “feeding a hobby” kind of thing. If you want to go very serious about it, you can enrol to one of the study programmes at SAE, which offers a comprehensive course portfolio in creative media fields (audio, film, animation, games development, music business, and web). They organise open-days from time to time, when you can get a taste of what the institute has to offer.
• The FOTOfactory : this International Institute of Photography is the most prestigious private educational Institute in the Netherlands, with students from all over the world. They have a three years programme but also summer courses and workshops.
• Vondelpark Atelier : crash course, basic and advanced photography courses plus a few workshops like street photography, photoshop. There’s also an animation course and film making workshops.
• Amsterdam Photo Club : there’s a big community created around this club, and, apart from the usual courses and workshops, you can register for photowalks and other events such as portfolio reviews.
• Megan Alter : basic and advanced courses, workshops on street or natural light photography and even private photo lessons.
• Photography Courses Amsterdam : basic, intermediate and advanced courses, also private lessons.
• Foam : the Photography Museum periodically organises workshops and some of them are in English.

ACTING AND IMPROV

• The Mulholland Acting and Film Academy : offers short and long-term classes, combining European and American techniques (Strasberg and Meisner, Scene study etc). Beginner and advanced acting programs are available.
• Boom Chicago Academy – the training branch of the well known Boom Chicago venue offers long-form improvisation classes (six levels), pitch trainings, presentation courses, and InterActing, a program for young people with autism. For business groups they offer creativity worksops and team building activities.
• Easy Laugh : this international improvised comedy group offers improvisation and stand-up comedy classes, as well as occasional various workshops.
• Act Attack – a new English speaking theatre group providing acting classes for everyone interested. You will be part of a happy and dynamic multicultural club, developing your skills and having fun. You won’t receive a professional acting diploma at the end, but you’ll get to perform in their shows.
• Art Ceramics Studio: all levels ceramics courses, Raku and mold making, as well as workshops like “Pottery painting”. A nice feature is that you can join the course at any time, as long as there are still places available.
• Studio Pansa : is an open access clay and ceramics workspace, providing all the necessary facilities for their members to work freely. If you already know your ceramics, you can get a membership, but if you’re a beginner, try one of their courses first.
• Patty Schilder : sculptural ceramic classes for all levels. The course can be joined at any time. Patty also offers a few interesting workshops, like “Raku firing”, “Ceramics and wine tasting” or “Totem team building”.
• Pansy : ceramic painting workshops in their cosy shop. You can choose from from a selection of cups, vases, trinket boxes and plates and you’ll be guided on how to transform the object into a pretty one.
• Mud Magic – 8 weeks ceramic courses. Monthly featuring the work of one of the artists in the window display.
• Studio Keramiek – a small studio where you can learn how to make pottery under personal guidance.

OTHER 

• Blog coaching with yours truly. You can  book one-on-one coaching sessions   with me, and I’ll guide you through the process. I can help you gain clarity, create a strategy for success (whatever that success means to you), give you tips and tricks I learned in 12+ years of blogging. This is something either for new bloggers , who are trying to figure out their approach and strategy, for solopreneurs who want to develop their online presence or for those blogging for a while , but feel lost in their blogging journey. Price: 50 Euro/session.
• Oh Pretty Paper : if you’d like to learn how to make pretty letters using a pointed pen and ink, join one of the modern calligraphy workshops.
• De Steek : learn how to make your own clothes with sewing lessons (for all levels). Apart from the regular courses, the list of workshops is quite appealing: “Natural Dyeing”, “Lingerie Workshop”, “Upcycled Dress” — to name a few. They also have activities for kids.
• Studio Patina – Jewellery workshops.
• Very Good Studio – candle making workshops. Candles are made with plant wax and use essential oils.
• De Openbare Werkplaats – blacksmithing, woodworking, furniture making and glass workshops and more! You have to check if the course you want is in English or Dutch, some are mixed language.
• Alexander Gershberg’s vegan Sundays : for those interested in learning how to cook easy and healthy vegan meals.
• Natural DIY skin care workshop.
• Mediamatic has different workshops all the time, from creating fragrance to making soap and growing your own funghi. 

There are various other pop-up workshops in Amsterdam, make sure to keep an eye on the Meetup website of FB events. I hope this list will inspire some of you to get out of the day-to-day routine and try something new this year 😉

Stay tuned for more and follow Amsterdamian on Instagram and Facebook for daily stories about life in the Netherlands. Please share this post if you liked it!

Check out my photo book: Amsterdam Through the Seasons !

For prints and other cute objects, visit our store on Society6 .

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10 Comments

Thank you for putting this together.

You’re welcome!

I was just looking for some creative workshops in Amsterdam, and was super lucky to stumble upon your great article. Thank you!

You’re welcome! I hope you found some ideas that you like 🙂

Thanks for this list, just what I was looking for! PS: the paper brush studio link is no longer working. I did a quick search on google and seems like they changed their name and web to https://www.bloomarthouse.com/

I’m glad you find the list useful! And thanks for noticing that, I’ll change the link 🙂

Thank you for including my Photography Courses and Workshops on this list 🙏

Hi Amsterdamian,

Found your page with English spoken creative workshops. Could you list us too? We have a special page for English spoken workshops: https://station-west.amsterdam/int/

Thanks! Reinoud

Sure, thanks for the suggestion!

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• Sunny weekend | Amsterdamian - […] city, taking pictures, visiting museums (this time, the Hermitage). And the cherry on top was the creative writing workshop…
• Freelancer Life and Embracing Rejection | Amsterdamian - Amsterdam Blog - […] rejected, sometimes not even politely, is tiring. I wonder if it feels more personal because I do creative stuff,…
• Eight Places in Amsterdam to Nourish Your Creativity | Amsterdamian - Amsterdam Blog - […] I hope this is useful and maybe I’ll see you at one of the events! You can also check…
• The Best Non-Mainstream Things to Do in Amsterdam | Amsterdamian - Amsterdam Blog - […] is an art centre dedicated to new developments in the arts and technology. They organise lectures, workshops and art…

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“You don’t develop a style. You work and develop yourself; your style is an emanation of your own being.” – Katherine Anne Porter

Meet our Contributors

Founding Director & Instructor

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“I grew up in and around Manhattan—a wonderful island for gathering material and starting to write. In New York, there are so many places to study writing; I received my education from Columbia University, Poets and Writers, New Dramatists, as well as countless writing workshops.

“By working in book publishing—as a manuscript reader, editor, and ‘book doctor’—I learned more about the trade. The problem was, my sympathies were with the invisible senders of manuscripts. Writing rejection letters to would-be authors felt almost impossible. Read more...

Guest Speaker

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Cora Frazier is a writer of fiction and humor. Her flash fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and Vol. 1 Brooklyn . She also writes fiction podcasts, the first season of which is forthcoming. Her humor has appeared in The New Yorker , The New York Times , McSweeney’s Internet Tendency , n+1 and Saturday Night Live , and she is the co-author of The Harvard Lampoon’s best selling parody, Nightlight . She has taught first-year writing at the City University of New York and creative writing at Rutgers University.

For the Amsterdam Writing Workshops, Cora will appear as guest speaker at How to Write Funny .

Guest Instructor

Harry Segal earned a PhD in English Literature from Yale University and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan. He is a Senior Lecturer at Cornell University and a Stephen H. Weiss Provost’s Teaching Fellow. Harry is also a Senior Lecturer at Weill Cornell Medical College’s Department of Psychiatry.

Andrew Porter is the author of the story collections The Disappeared (forthcoming from Knopf in April 2023)  and The Theory of Light and Matter ( Vintage/Penguin Random House) and the novel In Between Days (Knopf). A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, he has received a Pushcart Prize, a James Michener/Copernicus Fellowship, and the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. His work has appeared in One Story , The Threepenny Review , Ploughshares , Narrative , The Southern Review , The Missour i Review , and on Public Radio’s Selected Shorts . Currently, he teaches fiction writing and directs the creative writing program at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

“My master’s degree in English and Creative Writing is from New York University, where Sharon Olds was my mentor; Allen Ginsberg and Galway Kinnell were other valued teachers. My poetry and reviews have been published in the Columbia Review and Prospice , and Library Journal , among others. Writing is one of the subjects I’ve taught at many colleges and universities, including New York University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and China’s Ningbo University. In New York, I regularly teach writing workshops. And, when the stars line up, I teach for the Amsterdam Writing Workshops." Read more...

Marissa Higgins is a journalist living in the United States. She is a D.C. Arts & Humanities fellow, a Tin House scholar in nonfiction, and a Provincetown Fine Arts Center Workshop summer fellow in memoir. Her nonfiction has appeared in the Best American Food Writing 2018 (originally in Captault), Glamour, Salon, NPR, the Washington Post, the Rumpus, and elsewhere. Her fiction appears, or is forthcoming, in The Florida Review, LEON, Lost Balloon, and elsewhere. She is working on a novel.

Rishi Dastidar’s second collection of poetry, Saffron Jack , is published in the UK by Nine Arches Press. He is also editor of The Craft: A Guide to Making Poetry Happen in the 21st Century ( Nine Arches Press), and co-editor of Too Young, Too Loud, Too Different: Poems from Malika’s Poetry Kitchen (Corsair).

Alumnus & Guest Speaker

Pete Jordan’s work has appeared on the American Public Radio program This American Life as well as in the New York Times . Pete wrote the memoirs Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States (Harper Perennial, 2007) and In the City of Bikes: The Story of the Amsterdam Cyclist (Harper Perennial, 2013), which was translated into Dutch as De Fietsrepubliek (Podium, 2013).

Alumna & Bestselling Author

Jean Kwok holds a BA in English and American Literature from Harvard University and an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University. She taught at the University of Leiden and is an alumna of the Amsterdam Writing Workshops. Jean’s debut novel, Girl in Translation , was published in 2010 by Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The novel became a New York Times and international bestseller; Read more...

Social Media & Photography

Elena graduated with a degree in Language and Literature from Transilvania University (Romania). She has studied photography, design, digital marketing—and now works for organizations and retail brands in the Netherlands.

Assistant Director

Ron has been in the book business since the late 1980s. He graduated with a degree in Bookselling and Publishing from the Frederik Muller Academy (now part of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam—a college for media studies). For 16 years he worked as a bookseller and book buyer for Waterstone’s Booksellers. Read more...

1. What’s a good starting point for the workshops?

Many people prefer to start with Simply Writing—because it’s all about being able to get the words out of your head and onto the page. To discuss whether this class is right for you, please call or send us an e-mail.

2. How do I register?

Fill in the registration form or contact us by phone or e-mail

3. Are the workshops sequential?

Each workshop is self-contained.

4. I'm just a beginning writer, is that okay?

Absolutely—we welcome people at all levels

5. English is not my mother tongue; will I be able to follow what’s said?

Many non-native English speakers attend the workshops regularly. These are the native languages of those who have been to the workshops to date: Afrikaans, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Flemish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Malay,Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Surinam, Tagalog, Tamil, Turkish, Zeeuws

6. How do I prepare for the workshop?

All you need is a short phone conversation with the instructor. Please call the Workshop Line— 062 502 0817

7. Will my writing be criticized?

Absolutely not. We provide instruction, direction, and encouragement—not criticism per se.

Helping writers write for more than 15 years

Get in touch to find out more

Study abroad in Amsterdam, Netherlands : Most popular universities for Creative Writing .

Are you thinking of studying Creative Writing, abroad? Below you can find the most popular universities and programmes to study Creative Writing in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This list is based on visitors on the Studyportals websites, listing more than 150,000 English-taught Bachelor's and Master's programmes world-wide.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Most popular creative writing programmes for international students in amsterdam.

These are the most popular programmes among international students who are looking for a Creative Writing degree in Amsterdam.

Perspectives on Subjectivity

Doing research with discourse analysis: a discourse perspective on making sense of social change, study abroad in english.

To apply at one of these universities, you may need a proof of English proficiency. There are several standardised English tests that you can take to proof your English level, such as the PTE (Pearson Test of English), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), CAE (Cambridge Advanced English) and IELTS (International English Language Testing System), offered by British Council and IDP. IELTS is the most popular of these tests, with British Council offering more than 1000 test locations and being accepted by more than 9,000 organisations world-wide.

About Creative Writing

Creative Writing degrees teach ways of building stories by expressing thoughts, feelings, and emotions using the written medium, as opposed to simply presenting written facts. Future creative writers learn to use elements of fiction, character creation, and plot development. Upon graduation, you’ll have the opportunity to work as a play writer, screenwriter, journalist, or fiction writer.

Related disciplines

• Language Studies
• Philosophy & Ethics
• Religious Studies & Theology
• Ancient History
• Christian Studies
• Creative Writing
• General Studies & Classics
• Islamic Studies
• Liberal Arts
• Modern History
• Linguistics

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Do you also know that we have a special reduction of 20% on IELTS preparation courses from Impact Learning? Take the best possible IELTS preparation course and achieve a high score for your admittance to your university.

National Novel Writing Month celebrated with a Creative Writing Workshop

21 December 2020

The Literary and Language Committee of Etcetera (the BA English student society) was extremely excited to celebrate National Novel Writing Month in November 2020 with a workshop led by Dr Rose van der Zwaard. Dr van der Zwaard provided illuminating insights into what creative writing entails and encouraged participants to write by using inspiring creative prompts. Attendees were also given an overview of the creative writing courses available at the Universiteit van Amsterdam, and learned about the seven basic plots commonly used in narrative writing. Dr van der Zwaard further sparked participants’ imagination with a ‘Showing vs. Telling’ exercise. The workshop proved very enjoyable and generated an inspiring and motivating atmosphere where people felt comfortable sharing their own writing. A huge thank you to Dr. van der Zwaard for collaborating with LLACE and Studievereniging Etcetera for this event!

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Creative Writing for ASH staff members

Registration for this event has closed.

Time to find joy in your writing practice! Come and experience the power of creative writing as a tool in academic writing, explore new possibilities, and join the conversation.

The choices we make when we write have profound effects on the reality that we observe. Giving an account of our observations requires a multitude of styles of writing for achieving the greatest accuracy. Finding the most accurate style of writing for a particular purpose sometimes implies letting go of a seemingly neutral style of writing, instead embracing a plurality of voices, such as staging a dialogue or exploring a more poetic style.

In these interactive workshops Creative Writing for Academics, Marie Beauchamps will lead you through a series of hands-on exercises to make you experience creative writing within your academic practice. The aim is to explore what happens when we loosen up the frame of our habitual academic writing practice, inviting multi-layered stories to bubble up and become part of the conversation unfolding on the page. 

Course dates

15 February, 29 February and 7 March from 10:00 - 13:30. The workshop will be on campus.

session 1: BG1, 0.04

session 2 and 3: University Library, Potgieterzaal C0.01

Room Potgieterzaal C0.01 Singel 425 1012 WP Amsterdam

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The UvA uses cookies to measure, optimise, and ensure the proper functioning of the website. Cookies are also placed in order to display third-party content and for marketing purposes. Click 'Accept' to agree to the placement of all cookies; if you only want to accept functional and analytical cookies, select ‘Decline’. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking on 'Cookie settings' at the bottom of each page. Also read the UvA Privacy statement .