University
Free Resources
From author interviews, to free creative writing mini-lessons, to video-lectures, to our Creative Writing Toolkit for Schools, to recordings of professional writers revealing their secrets, to listings of opportunities for writers, we hope to provide you with what you need here.
[Actually, there’s no copyright on ‘ideas’, only on the particular written (or otherwise artistic) expression of those ideas. For example, Stephen King’s Under the Dome (2009) doesn’t infringe the copyright of The Simpsons Movie (2007) just because both involve characters living under a glass dome! Similarly, The Simpsons Movie doesn’t infringe the copyright of John Christopher’s The Tripods (1984), which also features people living under a dome!]
Author interviews
As a part of both our North London Literary Festival and Writers in Discussion (our regular online series), we bring you exclusive interviews with successful writers. Check out their inspiration, writing advice, tips and tricks!
Writer's Journey
The Writer's Journey features short pieces written by current and former MA Novel Writing students. Those journeys could be literal, physical, emotional or spiritual. It could be non-fictional, fictional, realistic or fantastical. All that's guaranteed is that they are all one-of-the-kind and inspirational stories.
Indeed, MA student Brian Hicks' contribution to the project last year, “Bittersweet”, was shortlisted (under his pen-name Trevor Stephenson) for the Miller Audio Award
run by the prestigious Missouri Review.
Video-lectures on aspects of creative writing
Not sure where to start?
Not sure right from wrong?
Check out these complimentary videos on specific aspects of creative writing…
Self-access creative writing mini-lessons
Want to master metaphor?
Wanna find out what sort of creative you are, then to decide on the right writing strategy for you? Not sure how to go about writing, fantasy, sci-fi, horror or romance?
Then why not take advantage of these 20 free creative writing lessons?
Recommended websites
The Royal Literary Fund provides learning resources (including the Writer's Aloud podcast series) for students, and financial grants for the support of writers!
Writers&Artists: provides a plethora of articles and top tips for writers looking for commercial success. The site is run by those who produce the annual Writers' & Artists' Yearbook, of course, the essential guide to all the agents and publishers in the English-speaking world! And they also host conferences for aspiring authors throughout the year, providing opportunities to meet genuine agents and publishers.
Leicester's Centre for New Writing: offers learning events with high-profile authors, along with podcasts of previous writing-related events.
Creative writing toolkit for schools
Middlesex University is looking to support secondary-schools by offering creative writing resources to complement their teaching of English literature for both GCSE and A-levels. If you represent a school and are interested in piloting the toolkit materials, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Dr Adam Dalton. Alternatively, if you represent a relatively local school and you would like to arrange a university 'taster' session for your students, please email Dr Adam Dalton for English Literature/Creative Writing and/or Dr Ariel Kahn for Creative Writing/Journalism.