Top 7 Creative Writing Courses in Bangalore (Updated)
Looking for creative writing courses in Bangalore? Cannot decide on one course? Compare different creative courses on this article and decide the one for you
Bangalore is often dubbed as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. It is the largest IT hub in India and one of the largest in the world. Most of the population in Bangalore is directly or indirectly involved in the tech industry. But there is a sizeable population interested in the creative arts.
Creative writing courses in Bangalore are not new. But in recent times, as Bangalore grows, there has been a surge in people’s interest in creative writing.
Creative writing is a widely practiced activity that many people are passionate about. Not just writing, people today are more aware of the benefits of having a creative outlet in their personal and professional lives.
More and more people are investing greater time in their creative hobbies. These activities include writing, drawing, painting, dance, music, and others. They are even taking out time from their professional life.
Importance of creative activities
The benefits of this are manifold. For adults, creative hobbies are allowing them to escape from their busy schedules. Even if it’s just for half an hour a day. This helps them relax and then they can work more efficiently.
For kids, creative hobbies are essential for brain development. Children can benefit from learning to see things from a different perspective. This will develop their analytical skills and broaden then minds.
Writing is an act that helps more than other activities. Writing is the use of language after all. Everyone uses language as we talk and communicate. Creative writing will only help us become better at expressing our thoughts in words ie. articulation. However, it also stimulates the imagination.
The benefits of writing as a hobby can be seen across an individual’s professional life as well. Professionals are able to get their ideas and thoughts across more skillfully. This can lead to better communication at the workplace and lead to more success.
Communication is considered the single most important skill in professionals. This is because people do not work alone; they work in teams. And coordination amongst the team members is directly related to their professional achievement and mental satisfaction.
It also helps us regain our consciousness by letting us focus on something that relaxes us. Studies have shown that indulging in a creative hobby for even as low as 15 minutes a day has positive effects on concentration, anxiety, and other psychological conditions.
History of creative writing
Stories have been an inherent part of our existence since prehistoric times. Stories have been used in ancient times to make people understand complex subjects that helped them coexist as a society.
Even today, mythology and folklore form a big part of Indian literature. They have even entered into popular culture in the form of TV shows. Many of these stories have been passed down from generations before they were formally written.
Needless to say, story writing is one of the oldest professions practiced by the human race. And it still continues to dominate arts, in the form of language.
Language is the central part of many other forms of art too. Take for example music. The songs have to be written in some language and it is accompanied by musical instruments to create a rhythm or melody.
Advertising is a vocation that is at least 4 centuries old. But it was practiced in different ways since the dawn of civilization. Human civilizations have always been doing trade with each other. Advertising and communication helped them get the word across.
And language has always been the central part of advertising. Today, all forms of advertising include a copy, a jingle, a catchphrase, a tagline, all in the form of words.
Creative writing is practiced in many forms. Some of them include novels, short stories, feature articles, advertisements, blog content, film scripts, play scripts, songs, and of course poetry.
Different forms have few differences in conventions and customs. There are rules for each of them. But the practitioners of these forms follow similar paths.
Most people who are serious about creative writing need to practice a lot. The craft of writing takes months and years to develop.
To be good at writing, the person also needs to read a lot. Reading enlightens the brain to various ways of using language to communicate the same things. It also helps us understand the details of what makes a good story.
The books you read have a lot of contributions to the way you will write. So pick your books wisely.
Most people who are serious about writing also need a mentor. A mentor is any person who has something to teach you. Their purpose is to guide you on your journey.
If you are new to creative writing and do not know where to start, you can join a creative writing course in Bangalore.
You can learn various skills related to writing. You will also learn about various forms of writing and writers. This can help students decide where they want to be as a professional writer.
A writer can work as a novelist, magazine writer, copywriter, content writer, corporate communications professional, public relations, poet, songwriter, scriptwriter in films and TV, radio scriptwriter, and so on.
Most skills are the same but some skills are different in every profession of creative writing. Some great creative writing courses in Bangalore can help students gain some insight into the field.
Creative writing courses in Bangalore
IIM SKILLS
IIM SKILLS is primarily a digital marketing institute with courses on content writing with a special emphasis on creative writing. This course helps candidates learn various principles of storytelling so they can incorporate them into the content for increased user engagement.
IIM SKILLS has trained more than 5000 professionals in over 35 countries. Their content writing course is included in the list of the best creative writing courses in Bangalore.
Duration of the course and Modules:
The course is 4-week long. It is taught by expert professionals who have more than a decade of experience. It is a practical-based course where students learn by implementing the theory learned in class immediately.
The course is divided into 12 modules. All students are required to start their own blog so they can practice under the guidance of experts. It is also important to showcase the work publicly.
The first module introduces candidates to the domain, hosting, and using content management systems. Students are taught how to start their websites. In the second module, they are taught various UI and UX theories. This helps them design a website that looks good and is easily usable.
The third module enlightens students about various forms of writing. These include content for blogs, ad copy, press releases, promotional content, product description, corporate communication, email, social media, and others.
In this module, students also learn about the elements of storytelling. They also learn how it can be used to create better brand communication to create engaging blog content and social media presence.
In the next module, students learn the technical side of content marketing. This includes SEO and content marketing. Here students learn how to get a webpage ranked high up in the search engine results. It is extremely important for a brand to capitalize on this traffic since this is organic and hence, costs less per lead acquisition.
The fifth and sixth modules teach students how to use social media and email to promote the content. Various social media platforms have different cultures. It is important to identify and understand that culture so it can be used to post content that gets more engagement and is shared more.
The next module teaches how to use various tools and analytics to make better content. An SEO site audit is a process where professionals analyze the performance of the website and find out loopholes and identify room for improvement.
Towards the end of the course, students learn how to get employed as professional content writers. If a candidate is willing to work as a freelance content writer, he is taught how to look for clients, do client pitching and prospecting.
Tools
All students get an internship opportunity and placement assistance at one of their partner organizations. Students get access to free tools worth Rs. 35k.
All batches are currently online so students from anywhere in Bangalore can register without worrying about the distance.
Watch this video for a better understanding of the content writing course by IIM SKILLS
This course is ideal for someone who is looking to incorporate elements of creative storytelling into content for businesses. As we know, more and more businesses are building their online presence. The competition in the online sphere is increasing by the day.
If today’s brands want to stand out in the myriad of brands offering similar products, they need to alter their marketing communication. Brands today require professionals who can connect to the audience in a creative way that provides value to the audience.
People do not like to be sold anymore. An average person comes across hundreds, if not thousands, of advertisements and marketing messages in one day. In order to break the clutter and reach the audience, today’s marketing communication needs to be innovative.
Incorporating the elements of storytelling in marketing communication is a way to break this clutter and provide value to the audience. When a person sees something that interests them, they engage with the message. This could be anything from a TV ad, social media post, a blog, a Youtube video, and so on.
This gets the message across. Marketers today need to be creative. Boring informative messages don’t cut it anymore.
ANITA’S ATTIC
This is a writing workshop where participants get mentored by the acclaimed novelist Anita Nair. Anita Nair is credited for authoring books like Lessons in forgetting and Ladies Coupe. This one-of-a-kind creative writing course is organized in collaboration with Penguin Random House India.
Participants get a great opportunity to sit and discuss with and learn from a recognized author. They can learn about various forms of writing including the novel, short story, screenplay, children’s stories, poetry, content writing, and so on.
Students can learn in detail and decide which form of writing suits them. The writer will hold 1:1 sessions with the student in order to identify and nurture their talent. They also learn how to use social media for content promotion or to build a following.
Students can also learn about the operation of the publishing industry in India. They can find out how to get published and learn about the business side of creative writing.
Each session has only 12 participants. Only writers who are serious and have samples to show are selected out of many applications. The samples are examined by Anita Nair herself.
The course continues for 11 weeks with 5 hours of sessions per week. All participants’ story entries get a place in the anthology – Attic books.
The workshop may be a little expensive for some but there is great value. Students will also meet with literary agents who can ease their path to getting published.
The venue is Kothanur, Bangalore. Interested people can visit the website to know more about the schedule for the next batch and admission requirements.
Bangalore’s World-Famous Semi-Deluxe Writing Program
A rather lengthy and unusual name for a course. But it signifies the effort to be creative and different. This is one of the more popular creative writing courses in Bangalore.
This course was started by an ensemble of writers with the art studio Shoonya. The writers include Anjum Hasan, Eshwar Sundaresan, Jayapriya Vasudevan, Radhika Chadha, Rohini Mohan, Somak Ghoshal, Vanamala Viswanatha, and Zac O’Yeah.
Each subject that is a part of the course is taken by one faculty. The subjects include reading, poetry, short stories, enhancers of writing, the commerce of writing, writing for children, writing for the media, reviewing writing, translation, thriller writing, and travel writing.
The course aims to teach, among other skills, discipline to write regularly, techniques of writing masters to gain confidence, the ability to think creatively, and to look at your work objectively and edit.
The 3-course directors have accomplished authors themselves. Anjum Hasan is the author of The Cosmopolitans, Neti, and Neti & Lunatic in My Head. She has been a Visiting faculty of Creative Writing at Ashoka University and a Charles Wallace Writer-in-Residence at the University of Canterbury.
Eshwar Sundaresan wrote the book ‘Behind the Silicon mask” and others. He started his professional life as an IT professional. He quit in 2011 to work as a freelance journalist.
Zac O’Yeah is a Swedish novelist writing travel diaries and detective stories and has authored the “Majestic Trilogy”. His biography on Mahatma Gandhi won the Swedish best non-fiction book award in 2008.
This is an 8-week long creative writing workshop in Bangalore. The venue is the Shoonya center for the arts. Classes are in the form of lectures, discussions, assignments, and lots of writing.
All classes are on weekends so people from all walks of life can join without time constraints. There are 15 classes in total. The classes are held between 10:30 am and 1:30 am. There are also other courses that are conducted on weekends. These courses are related to art.
The total number of individuals in each batch is limited to 30. This helps encourage active discussions among participants as well as mentors.
Candidates are selected on the basis of their writing submission. It could be anything from a poem, prose, or a vignette describing the person himself.
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Bangalore’s writing workshop
This is also one of the great creative writing courses in the form of a workshop. The workshop was co-founded in 2011 by Rhea Mukherjee and Bhumika Anand. The course director is now Bhumika Anand.
This bunch of courses consists of a few creative writing courses in Bangalore that are designed especially for tech professionals who harbor a dream of publishing a book in their life. The courses are recommended to stay-at-home parents, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals.
The list of courses includes fiction writing, general writing, the voice in fiction, poetry, business communication, non-fiction, freelance journalism, and a writing course for kids and young adults. There is also a course that specifically deals with the creative process for professionals.
Each course goes on for 8 weeks and a total of 24 hours. Anyone who is above 18 is eligible except for the kids’ courses. A part of the course fee goes to sustaining FORHD (Foundation for Restoring Human Dignity), a foundation that supports the children of prisoners.
Each batch consists of 3-10 people. In order to get admission, applicants need to submit an excerpt on a specific subject. The sample is graded on creativity and technique.
B.F.A. in Fine arts at Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology
If you are looking for a full-time creative writing program, this is a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts course which is one of the finest creative writing courses in Bangalore.
The course duration is 4 years. In these 4 years, students are taught all the fundamentals of creative writing as well as all creative arts. The program is divided into 8 semesters.
The first semester introduces students to the foundation of various creative arts, design, and movements. In the second semester, students learn their core disciplinary methods.
The third semester is to learn general studies. General studies include subjects of Humanities, social science, development science, and politics. In the fourth semester, students learn about various art movements and emerging areas in art and design.
The program includes one semester of training and apprenticeship where students learn skills hand-on. The program also includes a project and a thesis for the candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Candidates are assisted in designing a portfolio that is also assessed by the institute.
The institute encourages the participation of writers at various levels resulting in confluence and generation of ideas. Various environments like studios, workshops, and seminars are organized to develop the skills of the writer.
Interdisciplinary communication is promoted so that students do not stay limited in their domain. Art festivals and conferences are organized so that students can engage with a wider audience.
This is a great approach for school students who have decided that they want to build a career in writing. Those who are interested in writing, publishing, editorial responsibilities, scriptwriting for movies and shows, content writing, and teaching arts can opt for this course.
Scribble Pad
Scribble Pad is a creative writing course for kids. It is also one of the most recommended creative writing courses in Bangalore for kids.
This course is a good option to teach kids the significance of creativity before they embark on a serious career in writing. The course also developed skills in public speaking and besides focusing on expression through writing.
In this course, kids learn the basics of writing, using adjectives, creating fun characters, and writing dialogues.
The course is meant for kids between 7 and 10 years of age. The course instructor is Anu Krishna who is a certified writer by the Writers’ Bureau in the UK, and Impact coach, and a personal branding expert. She believes that the seeds of great communication skills are sown during childhood.
The learning center is in J P Nagar, Bangalore.
Timbuktoo Young Authors Publishing
Timbuktoo is an initiative to publish stories or any work completed by children. This is another one of the unique creative writing courses in Bangalore meant for kids. Timbuktoo was founded by Aparna Raman, who has been an advertising professional.
Aparna is the alumnus of the prestigious British Design and Art program in London. She has also studied screenwriting in California.
She hosts weekend workshops and summer workshops for kids in Bangalore and also in other parts of the country in collaboration with different institutions.
The workshops are for kids above the age of 5. It aims to develop a repertoire of words for relevant usage to create fun and interesting stories.
The workshop is conducted at Benson Cross Road in Bangalore.
FAQs
Q. Are there any good content writing courses in Bangalore?
Ans- There are many institutes in Bangalore that offer some of the finest content writing courses, the reason being Bangalore is the home to IT companies and is often considered as the startup hub of India which is why there’s a good demand for skilled content writing professionals.
Q. What skills a content writer is supposed to have?
Ans- A content writer is required to have a good grip over the writing language, mainly english. Other than that, the writers must have a strong vocabulary with a basic understanding of how content works online, factors that make a good copy, and operating online tools.
Q. What tools are most used in content writing?
Ans- Content writing warrants the use of many tools but some of the most used tools are Grammarly, UBERSuggest, Copyscape.
SUMMARY
Bangalore may be a tech and IT hub. But there are many people who have a strong interest in creative writing and arts. Many schoolchildren also dream of becoming artists and writers.
But for this dream to realize, they need to start thinking like an artist early on in life. These creative writing courses in Bangalore are of different types and you can find something for yourself.
Compare these creative writing courses in Bangalore and decide the one that is best for you.
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