About Us

We founded the Berlin Writers' Workshop in 2017 to build an open international writing community in the capital of Germany. We believe great writers come from everywhere, and that literature doesn't begin or end in the university or private school.

Our instructors are working writers and translators. We've published books, taught university classes and seminars, and written for magazines and literary journals throughout the English-speaking world. We started the Berlin Writers’ Workshop to bring world-class English-language creative writing instruction to Europe.

The heart of our community is the writing workshop, where students read and critique one another's work under the guidance of a professional writer. We also offer seminars, readings, and one-on-one mentoring. Follow the links to read more about our instructors, classes, mentoring and manuscript services, and events. Read what our students have to say about us here.

Q: Which class should I take?

A: If you're not sure, Creative Writing I is the place to start: it's designed so that both novice and experienced writers can get plenty out of it, especially if you're new to the workshop model. If you're stuck on your novel (we've been there) and have some workshop experience you should check out Fiction Writing I. A full list of our course offerings is available here. We're always adding courses to our calendar, so keep checking back or subscribe to our newsletter to the right.

Q: Do you offer manuscript consultations, one-on-one tutoring, or special classes for schools and businesses?

A: Yes, we occasionally can arrange special services for interested individuals and organizations including manuscript consultations, private mentorship, and group classes. We’ve run workshops for companies and organizations of all sizes, and we can work with you to develop a specific project, build professional writing skills, or just help give your team a fun and creative development day. For more information, please write us at contact@berlinwritersworkshop.com, or use the contact form on this website.

Q: What if I want to sit in on a class?

A: Our workshops are limited to enrolled students for reasons of privacy. We offer regular free readings and events where you can meet and mingle with our students and faculty and find out more. Find student testimonials here.

Q: Where are the classes held?

A: We offer both online classes and in-person classes in Berlin, which take place in co-working spaces or in private apartments, mostly in Neukölln, Alt-Treptow, Templehof and Friedrichshain. In these cases the exact address is shared with students when they enroll.

Q: How much do classes cost?

A: Our classes are priced according to the number of class hours. Our eight-week workshops costs 300€, and intensive workshops cost 150€. We pride ourselves in keeping low running costs, which means the vast majority of tuition goes directly to our instructors. Value-added tax (VAT) is generally not collected, as our freelancers tend to be individual small businesses in accordance with §19 (1) UStG. If a payment requires VAT, we will let you know.

Q: When do I pay?

A: Full payment is required by the first class, but the earlier you pay, the more likely you'll be to secure a seat. Once a class is full, you can no longer pay to enroll. Payment is accepted through IBAN transfer or direct deposit. Contact us for details.

Q: What if I can't afford the tuition?

A: We value making writing workshops accessible to all, and offer a limited number of full and partial scholarships for students who demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to students with backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in the in the writing world, including writers of color and working class, disabled, LGBTQ and immigrant writers, but anyone can apply.

To apply for a scholarship, sign up for the class and send a cover letter explaining your financial situation and your reason for enrolling to contact@berlinwritersworkshop.com with "scholarship" in the subject line. This letter functions as your application, so please include any materials that might help us understand your situation, including evidence of financial hardship and a short writing sample.

Scholarships are announced no later than one week prior to the start of class. Please note that scholarships are intended for writers who would not otherwise be able to afford our classes. If you are not selected for a scholarship, you may only enroll if there are still open seats in the class.

Q: What if I decide to drop a course?

A: Should you choose to withdraw from an 8-week workshop, tuition minus a non-refundable 70€ enrollment fee will be issued until two days after the first class. (For example, for a workshop that meets on Tuesdays, you may drop a class as late as the Thursday after the first meeting.) After this period, no refunds are possible.

For intensives and other short classes, you may request a refund, minus a 25% enrollment fee, until one week before the start of class. For further information, please contact the instructor.

Q: What if my class is cancelled?

A: We normally will not run workshops with fewer than seven students. If your class doesn't fill up by the start date, you'll receive a full refund, including all enrollment fees. Cancellations are extremely rare.

Q: How old do I have to be to take a class?

A: All of our classes are 18+.

Q: I want you to read my novel/find me a publisher/work with me one-on-one/answer a question about your editing and mentoring services.

A: We're happy to talk about our personalized and business services. Please fill out the form here.

Q: How can I teach a class at the Berlin Writers’ Workshop?

A: We’re always looking for talented writers with teaching experience based in Berlin. In general, we look for faculty who have a distinguished record of publication, have experience teaching at the university level or commensurate, are based in Berlin and hold a work permit in Germany. Unfortunately, as a small organization, we’re not able to support candidates from out of the country in their visa or work permit applications. If you’re interested and meet our qualifications, you are free to send us a CV, letter of interest, and teaching evaluations to contact@berlinwritersworkshop.org.

Impressum / Privacy Policy

When you sign up for our newsletter, we collect your email address (and in some places your first and last name) for the newsletter, managed by MailChimp and published approximately four times per year. This information is used only to send you our newsletter and is never used for any other purpose. You are free to cancel your subscription at any time through the MailChimp link or by writing to us at contact@berlinwritersworkshop.com. We will completely delete your data. Please visit MailChimp for information about their privacy policies.

When you sign up for a class, we collect your name, email address, and survey questions about your class request and how you heard about us. This information is used to communicate with you concerning the class and to help us better understand where our students come from. We may use your survey answers to plan future advertisement programs. We collect no other personal information and do not use your personal information to target ads to you. When you pay your tuition by IBAN transfer, this information is not collected or saved by us. (It is saved only by the instructor's bank account where the transfer is made.) We never use your data for any purpose other than the class you signed up for. If you pay tuition and attend the class, you will receive emails from the instructor and other students. We value privacy over expediency. You may have to give your information to us several times if you take multiple classes because we do not save or transfer your information. This is to protect your privacy. You are free to withdraw your interest at any time by writing to us at contact@berlinwritersworkshop.com. We will completely delete your data.

IMPRESSUM

The Berlin Writers' Workshop is a hub for freelance writers and writing instructors. Our mailing address is:

The Berlin Writers' Workshop - Ben Mauk
c/o Datenstrudel
Karl Marx Straße 107
12043 Berlin
(Note: Please refer to individual class and event listings for locations.)