08 April 2021

© Sophie Davidson 2020

My path to publication | Christina Sweeney-Baird

by Christina Sweeney-Baird Author Interviews, Writing Tips

Christina Sweeney-Baird is an author and freelance journalist. She is represented by Curtis Brown literary agent Felicity Blunt. Her highly anticipated debut novel The End of Men is to be published by Borough Press 29 April 2021. The End of Men is a compelling dystopian novel, when a mysterious illness sweeps through a hospital at […]

06 April 2021

Damhnait Monaghan: ‘Keep polishing until your prose sparkles’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Damhnait Monaghan studied on our six-month online Writing Your Novel course back in 2014. Her debut novel New Girl in Little Cove is out now in Canada (HarperCollins) and will be published in the UK and US next month. We caught up with Damhnait to talk about the writing community she met on our course, […]

01 April 2021

#WriteCBC tip and task from Anna Bailey

by Katie Smart Events, Writing Tips

Welcome to our April edition of #WriteCBC. I hope you’re looking forward to the long, sunny (fingers crossed) Easter holiday weekend. But first get ready to be inspired by our latest writing challenge! If you haven’t taken part in a #WriteCBC competition before, we’re delighted to have you join our writing community – and you […]

30 March 2021

Emilia Hart: ‘If it doesn’t convince you as the writer, it won’t convince the reader’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Emilia Hart was a student on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2020. After the course she gained representation from Curtis Brown’s Felicity Blunt. Felicity sold Emilia’s debut Weyward to Borough Press in an exciting 48-hour pre-empt deal, it will be published in spring 2023. We’re thrilled to say that Emilia is now our 125th former […]

25 March 2021

Siya Turabi: ‘Try to write something every day even if it’s just for fifteen minutes’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Siya Turabi was a student on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2018 – she was part of a hugely supportive group of students which included Bonnie Garmus, who has also gained a book deal for her novel Lessons in Chemistry. Siya’s debut novel The Last Beekeeper will be published by One More Chapter (HarperCollins) […]

24 March 2021

We’re hiring: Two job vacancies at Curtis Brown Creative

by Anna Davis Course News, Events

Two exciting opportunities have arisen at Curtis Brown Creative, the UK’s only agent-led creative writing school. 1. Senior Manager – Courses and Operations (Maternity cover – full-time, or four days per week subject to discussion) Reporting to and working closely with the Managing Director, you will be responsible for managing the delivery of our rolling […]

23 March 2021

Nicole Kennedy: ‘Delve into it and realise most writers share the same anxieties and frustrations’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Nicole Kennedy was a student on our Starting to Write Your Novel course back in 2017. Her debut novel Everything’s Perfect will be published by Head of Zeus this summer. We caught up with Nicole to find out about the inspiration behind her debut and her advice for aspiring authors… You took our Starting to Write Your […]

18 March 2021

Meet some of our talented Breakthrough mentees

by Katie Smart Events, From Our Students

The Breakthrough Writers’ Programme is an initiative offering free courses, mentoring and scholarships for under-represented writers, it is fully funded by CBC, Curtis Brown Literary Agency and partners. We caught up with some of the talented writers currently taking part in our nine-month Breakthrough Mentoring Programme to find out more about what they’re working on […]

18 March 2021

Jacquie Bloese: ‘I really believe that writers need other writers’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Jacquie Bloese studied on our six-month Writing Your Novel course back in 2013. Now she has a book deal with Hodder & Stoughton for her debut The French House, a love story set in occupied Guernsey during WW2. We asked Jacquie about her time on our course, the inspiration behind her debut historical novel and […]

11 March 2021

Sara Sarre: ‘Learn to read as a writer and remember that the publishing world is a business’

by Katie Smart Author Interviews, From Our Students, Writing Tips

Sara Sarre studied on one of our first-ever six-month Writing Your Novel courses back in 2014. Her debut novel Mothering Sunday is out now from Orion. We caught up with Sara to find out more about the inspiration behind her debut, how she met her writing group on our course and her advice for aspiring […]