The Writing Workshop – Authorship and Creative Writing
Do you want to become an author, or explore your writing voice?
The Writing Workshop is the place for those who want to develop their writing voice and see tangible results from the writing process. Here you get to follow your own texts from idea to publication! You will experience your text performed by students from the revue and theater program, and in collaboration with students from the animation program, your text will gain a visual life.
Program Content
- Creative Writing
- Writing Technique
- Writing Community
- Genre Studies
- Creative Collaboration
- Writing Mentoring
- Book Publications and Editorial Work
Instruction
The school year is divided into different genre periods, all of which involve varied instruction, exercises, excursions, writing time with guidance, and thorough feedback rounds. We aim to cultivate genre diversity and literary awareness, language sensibility, and the joy of writing, to bring forth unique writing voices. During the year, you will debut as an author with the school’s own publishing house, where the class publishes two books.
Periodically, we receive visits from other authors and guest lecturers, and we take advantage of Bergen’s vibrant literary scene with more festivals and events than we can attend. If you wish, there may be a place for you on some of these stages. For example, the student association Immaturus at UiB has in recent years invited us to perform on stages at poetry evenings and Mikrofestival. Reading aloud is part of everyday life at The Writing Workshop, and especially in preparation for release parties for our publications, we also practice performance and voice usage.
The Writing Workshop collaborates closely with the other creative programs at the school. Among other things, we write stage texts for the students in the revue and theater program, and get to experience our texts performed on stage. We also collaborate with the animation program, where we magically get to experience our short scripts visualized on screen.
Guest Instructors and Excursions
- Visits from exciting guest lecturers, including author and journalist Rolf Enger. He has published several short story collections and inspires with his unique writing style.
- We visit Bergen Public Library and our local library in Åsane district. Both are atmospheric, beautiful spaces full of inspiration. They also offer many events throughout the year. The Main Library — Bergen Public Library
- We visit the student theater Immaturus at Det Akademiske Kvarter in Bergen, which organizes Poetry Evening and Open Stage. Here we often meet former students from The Writing Workshop.
- The Bergen International Literary Festival is held at Litteraturhuset in Bergen from February 4-8, and we participate in the experiences. Here we meet authors from all over the world and from Norway. Read more about the festival here: Bergen International Literary Festival
- In April, there is a Literary Festival in Galway, and we get to experience the atmosphere. Read more here: Cúirt International Festival of Literature 2026 in Galway
Genre Periods
The genre periods usually last 3-5 weeks. We adapt to the interests of the students each year, but always try to work with a broad spectrum.
Sensory Exploration
The first period at The Writing Workshop is about observing and utilizing all senses in the writing process – to write sensually: See, smell, listen, feel. At the same time, the first weeks are about getting to know each other and coming together as a group. Among other things, we go on our own little program trip to a remote, bare island.
Stage Texts
Short Texts
Prose
Essay
Editorial Team
Latest Book Publications
Ut
(2024) Anthology
Ni badeender
(2024) Anthology
Kort applaus
(2023) Anthology
Under
(2023) Anthology
Du au
(2022) Anthology
Over
(2022) Poetry Collection
Mot
(2021) Anthology
Under ombygging
(2020) Anthology
Til
(2020) Poetry Collection
Det koker
(2019) Anthology
Fiks faks ferdig
(2019) Children's Book
Han må leve
(2018) Anthology
Bli barnebok
(2018) Children's Book
Så...
(2017) Anthology
Du er søt når du synker
(2017) Stage Texts
Kule noian
(2016) Anthology
Study Trip: Ireland
In the spring semester, we go on a study trip to Ireland – the country with the most Nobel laureates in literature relative to its population and a highly vibrant storytelling tradition. Dublin was founded by Vikings 1200 years ago, and today it is a perfect starting point for exploring the country’s proud literary traditions. We spend the first half of the trip on literary tours, museums, and pubs in Ireland’s fascinating capital.
After our days in Dublin, we embark on an exploration of this charming, unique country. The itinerary is influenced by the students’ choices. Perhaps we’ll spend a couple of days in a monastery, at the beautiful Mt. Melleray Abbey in the south? Or perhaps we’ll head north to Belfast, where street art and political divisions characterize the cityscape? In any case, we end up in the west: Galway is often called Ireland’s cultural capital, but it also offers magnificent nature on a boat trip to the exotic Aran Islands and the iconic Cliffs of Moher.
Ireland is both an exciting and safe country to travel in. In various contexts, we encounter authors such as Oscar Wilde, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Bram Stoker, and many more.
Along the way, time is set aside for writing and independent exploration. Don’t be surprised if you encounter fairies and leprechauns too.
Teacher Finn I. Birkeland
Finn is one of the teachers at The Writing Workshop. He is a warm, socially engaged, travel-loving, and writing person. He is the school’s philosopher with a master’s degree in philosophy, and has a great commitment to guiding others’ writing processes and reflecting on texts together with the students. Finn also teaches the elective subjects Philosophy, Debate Club, and Boating License. You will also meet him in the common subjects Bubble Burst and Common Focus.
Guest Lecturers
The year will offer instruction from skilled teachers and inspiring guest instructors.
Rolf Enger, author and writing teacher. Born 1960 and residing in Bergen. He has written ten books in various genres. Latest book: The Short Story Code (2024), an essay and textbook on the art of the short story. He has been active in the literary field for a lifetime and has taught for many years at, among others, the Writing Academy in Bergen and Åsane Folk High School.
Magnus is a guest lecturer at The Writing Workshop. He has a Master’s in Anthropology from the University of Copenhagen and graduated from the author program in Bø. Magnus works as a literary mediator, teaches creative writing, and facilitates reading circles. He himself writes poetry, prose, and drama. He has a great commitment to meeting others through literature and supporting students in exploring the possibilities of writing.
What the students say:
At Åsane Folk High School, you get a rich year where you can challenge yourself within a safe environment. You meet lots of different people and make friends for life. In the Writing Workshop, you meet an engaged and skilled teacher who helps you bring out the best in your own writing. In this program, you learn about different genres and get to explore your own voice as a writer.
I always look forward to our classes because that’s where I meet my classmates and our amazing teacher Finn. We laugh and have a great time, and most importantly, we write a lot and learn about different genres. We also practice giving and receiving feedback – making our own and others’ texts better. It can be scary to share an unfinished text with others, but it’s incredibly educational. You get to hear if others understand what you’re trying to convey, and if not, they can help you express it in the best possible way. We help each other become better writers. The Writing Workshop was so great for me that I chose to stay for two years, and I’ll never regret it.
On our study trip to Ireland, we gained insight into a rich history, exciting adventures, and lots of great literature! At the same time, we lived close together and saw each other almost all day, every day. It could easily have become exhausting, but it didn’t. As classmates, we bonded well together and just had a wonderful time. It’s hard not to have a great time with such fantastic fellow students. You can just look forward to your year at the Writing Workshop!
The Writing Workshop at Åsane Folk High School is for anyone who loves writing. Whether you’ve never written before or have written a lot, you’ll become part of a positive environment where everyone works toward the same goal. During the year, you get to try out all kinds of genres, and you’ll learn how to read others’ texts, proofread, and give feedback. You receive valuable feedback from both fellow students and teachers. You also enter an environment that values you as a person and your unique writing style, encouraging you to find your voice in your work. This creates a great class atmosphere and lays a strong foundation for friendships. And the coolest part? You even get the chance to debut as an author on the school’s own publishing imprint, where you and your class publish two books during the year — with complete creative freedom — which is a truly unique opportunity!
I was unsure if taking a writing course at a folk high school was the right choice. I was nervous that it would be a somewhat lonely course where you mostly just worked on your own texts and were hardly social. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This is very much a social course where you really get to know each other quickly. The classes are full of laughter and joy. We do so much more than just write! We had a class where we played with fruits and vegetables, we traveled to a deserted island, and we saw a play together. In addition, it is set up so that you get to be creative, and you really develop as a writer and a person. Also, the teacher is one of the coolest and most interesting people I have met, and he helps to make writing much more fun! This is a fantastic course with a fantastic teacher, and I am extremely happy that I chose this course.
Apply for a school place now
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and processed in the order they are received. It is always wise to apply early.
The Writing Workshop - Fees
Board and Lodging
kr. 96 000,-Shared Expenses
kr. 12 000,-Group Trip
kr. 5 500,-Program Price incl. Study Trip
kr. 30 000,-
Total:
kr. 143 000,-