Your first creative writing workshop: find ideas, start writing and use feedback
Want to try creative writing but unsure how to begin? Find a suitable workshop and prepare for your first session.
A creative writing workshop gives you a reason to try stories, scenes or poems of your own and meet other writers. For a first visit, the main task is finding an approach that suits you. Would you like playful prompts or help developing an existing piece? This guide helps you choose workshops in Germany and ask useful questions about preparation and feedback. The linked offers illustrate different formats; their inclusion does not confirm an eVants listing or currently available places.
1. Search with a writing goal in mind
Combine “Schreibwerkstatt für Anfänger” or “kreatives Schreiben” with your town. Then read the description: does the class focus on short prompts, a particular genre or a longer project? A workshop on autobiographical writing may use a different approach from a crime-fiction group. Before choosing, write down one aim: “I want to write a short scene” is a manageable beginning.
The linked VHS Erlangen class explicitly welcomes people starting out or returning to writing. It uses creative exercises and idea development. Specific details like these are more useful than an appealing title alone. Also check the teaching language, age group and whether you are expected to bring a text of your own.
2. Choose between a single workshop and a regular group
A single workshop can suit you if you want to try writing with others. A series gives you more opportunity to continue between meetings and bring questions back. Compare the number and length of sessions, work expected in between and any material charges alongside the total fee. Also check whether registration commits you to the whole series.
The linked half-year VHS Freiburg workshop consists of six meetings and includes developing a story between sessions. It illustrates how an ongoing format can differ from an introductory session. If a series has already started, ask whether joining is possible rather than assuming that a visible course page means you can attend.
3. Ask about reading aloud before registering
Sharing your writing can feel unfamiliar. Ask directly: “Is reading aloud optional? How is feedback organised? Can I initially just take part in the exercises?” A clear answer helps you choose a suitable group. If confidentiality matters to you, also discuss how unpublished writing and personal stories are handled.
Shared Writing at Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln describes a format requiring no previous experience, with writing prompts and constructive group responses. Participants decide what they share, and reading aloud is optional. This arrangement belongs to that particular offer. Do not assume every writing group uses the same approach; another workshop may explicitly operate differently.
4. Pack lightly and prepare one small idea
Read the actual equipment list. VHS Erlangen lists paper and a pen; the current Freiburg description asks for ideas or texts and digital or analogue writing tools. Ask separately whether you may or should use a laptop. If you must submit a text beforehand, check its length, file format and deadline. For your first session, it is also useful to ask about the room, seating and accessibility.
As optional preparation, note three everyday observations: an unusual object, a fragment of conversation and a place. Choose one and write for five minutes without correcting it. This short exercise is an editorial suggestion, rather than an entry requirement. Bring an unfinished draft only if sharing existing work fits the advertised format.
5. Turn feedback into one next step
When receiving feedback, first note which passage caught people’s attention and where questions arose. If someone offers a broad assessment, ask for a specific example. Afterwards, you can decide which suggestion to try. When responding to others, focus on the writing: “I could picture the room clearly here” is more useful than judging the person who wrote it.
After the meeting, plan a small continuation, such as rewriting the same scene from a different perspective. A clear next step is easier to act on than immediately setting out to write a whole book. For more creative leisure ideas, “Discover events” takes you to the eVants event catalogue. Compare any interesting listing’s date, participation conditions and venue with the original source.
Research and image
Research checked on 5 November 2026. Three original pages were checked afresh and support the features attributed to each offer. They do not promise universal course conditions or available places. The preparation and feedback tips are editorial recommendations. The hero image is an AI-generated illustration of a fictional writing workshop.