Raw Writing, founded by author and teacher Carla Jenkins, is a growing community of over 500 members. With face-to-face and online courses, author masterclasses, live events and gatherings that celebrate creative writing at every stage, Raw Writing is about more than just writing — it’s about finding your voice, building confidence, and being part of a warm, creative community.
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GROUP CLASSES
Small group (max. 8) Memoir and Novel courses take place throughout the year at The Phoenix Arts Centre in Exeter. With the limited class sizes, everyone gets a good amount of attention.
For a full list of courses available, please visit our courses page
Write your Self Life Truth
Reviews
The below are reviews from past attendees of Raw Writing courses and classes.
If you would like to leave a review, please do so here.
Posted on Google Tasmiya Chowdhury Made one of the best decisions ever by joining a writing course at Raw Writing. Taught me so much not only about how to write, but the art of writing. Already signed up for another course!!!Posted on Google Chris Shadrick I am on my third raw writing course over the last 12 months and cannot recommend them and Carla enough. I’ve learnt so much, become a significantly better write and more confident in sharing my writing with others for feedback. It’s a truly brilliant resource for the local community and the future of writing.Posted on Google sam slabrat Great for meeting other writers and getting out of a creative rutPosted on Google Deborah Sugden Carla is an amazing teacher. I attended the “Start Writing Your Novel Course,” where Carla a published author herself, incorporated her vast amount of knowledge and experience as a writer in an easy to digest format. I learned a phenomenal amount on how to make a novel readable. If like me, you have spent years scribbling away with imagination but no structure this course is for you. Without doubt it was money well spent and thoroughly enjoyable.Posted on Google Louis Victory My experiences with RAW Writing courses on poetry and Shakespeare have been brilliant: well organised, run by a highly expert professional tutor, hugely informative and stimulating. Enjoyable would be an understatement!Posted on Google Sheila Sloan Memoir was my second writing course with Cara…the first being the short story which was truly inspiring thanks to Carla’s teaching skills…Both courses excel because of the structure Cara builds into the course providing the building materials for the narrative… i was thrilled to bits with my story and the Memoir. Thank you CaraPosted on Google Felicity Boucher I signed up to the 8-week start your novel writing course this spring, and I cannot recommend it enough. Before Raw Writing I was writing my novel in secret and was embarrassed to tell anyone I was trying to write one. I’d signed up to online courses from other providers but it never unlocked what I needed to feel confident to write. I found Raw Writing and before I committed to a course I went to a few of their social gatherings and silent writing hours. There is a real social community attached to this course. I’ve now signed up to the 6-month novel writing sessions and cannot wait. Thanks to Carla and Adam, you’ve helped me find joy in writing but also thanks to Raw writing where I’ve met amazing people who are also passionate about reading, writing and talking and learning about reading and writing. If the team will have me, I can see me signing up to more events and get togethers in the future.Posted on Google Lewis Budd I can’t thank Adam enough, not just for his relentless optimism but for his fantastic insight into my writing. RAW Writing’s course has honed my ability to analyse and improve my own work tenfold. To anyone unsure about signing up to one of RAW Writing’s courses, this is your sign to DO IT. You’ll learn loads! Thank you.Posted on Google Claire Morris I thoroughly enjoyed Adam Shackleton's introductory novel writing course. Adam instantly created a welcoming and encouraging environment where everyone felt comfortable sharing their work, regardless of experience. His feedback was insightful, constructive and always delivered with kindness, helping me see both the strengths in my writing and the areas where I could improve. The course struck a great balance between practical techniques and creative inspiration. I came away with a better understanding of storytelling, stronger confidence in my own writing, and plenty of ideas to keep working on my novel. Listening to the work of other writers and discussing it as a group was equally valuable. I'd highly recommend this course to anyone considering writing a novel, whether you're just starting out or looking to strengthen your craft. Thank you, Adam, for such an inspiring and enjoyable experience.Posted on Google Tony Priest The course administration was straightforward and smooth. The location of the venue was very convenient for me, near the city centre train station. Carla, our tutor, really was excellent. Her subject knowledge is broad and deep and her passion for developing writers obvious. Carla had a most engaging, interested manner with students, was generous with her time and full of positivity. The course provided very good value for money and I would recommend it wholeheartedly without reservation. Tony PGoogle rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 93 reviews