The Breakthrough Story So Far
Read all about the opportunities that have already taken place and meet the talented under-represented writers we’ve been working with through our free courses, scholarships and mentoring.
We were proud to support 20 under-represented writers with our Breakthrough Writers' Programme in 2023. Click the button below to hear about what Breakthrough means to them and for details of their works-in-progress.
In January 2021, CBC launched a major, rolling programme of free opportunities for talented under-represented writers, funded by Curtis Brown Group, its agents and valued partners.
Below are the free opportunities for writers that have taken place since we launched the programme.
2021
- An intensive five-day online novel-writing course for 15 Black writers.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 Black writers, which began in March 2021.
- 4 sponsored scholarships, providing fully funded places on our selective-entry writing courses.
- An intensive five-day online novel-writing course for 15 writers with low income.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 writers with low income, which began in May 2021.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 talented disabled writers which began October 2021.
2022
- An intensive two-week online novel-writing course for 8 writers of colour.
- 9 sponsored scholarships, providing fully funded places on our selective-entry writing courses. This includes brand new scholarships for places on our Crime & Thriller, Memoir and TV Drama courses.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 writers of low income, which began February 2022 .
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 writers who identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, which began in July 2022.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 5 talented disabled writers which began November 2022.
2023
- 11 sponsored scholarships, providing fully funded places on our selective-entry writing courses. These scholarships include places on our Writing YA & Children's fiction and TV Drama courses.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 4 talented Black women writers, in partnership with Black Ballad, which began May 2023.
- A nine-month mentoring package in partnership with Creative Future, which began September 2023.
- A nine-month mentoring programme for 4 talented disabled writers, which began November 2023.
Breakthrough Class of 2023
We proudly supported 21 under-represented writers with our Breakthrough Writers' Programme in 2023. Find out more about their works-in-progress and what Breakthrough means to them.
Studying with CBC made me a better writer.
Author of The Revels
Breakthrough in numbers
In its first 3 years, the programme provided substantial mentoring, courses and scholarships to 185 writers.
- Over 85 talented students in total have been selected for scholarships, mentoring or intensive Breakthrough courses – with a further 45+ students offered free short course places.
- 38 places on 3 intensive Zoom/online novel-writing courses jam-packed with workshops, tutorials and advice from industry professionals).
- 26 scholarships providing fully funded places on our selective-entry writing courses.
- 46 grants providing fully funded places on our short online creative writing courses.
- 35 mentoring places for under-represented writers who receive targeted one-to-one feedback from a published author and support to progress their long-form writing project.
Our Current Breakthrough Opportunities
Find out how to apply for the courses, mentoring and scholarships currently on offer to under-represented writers.
Stories of disability and trauma are so often rendered invisible in our media and literary landscapes. But being mentored to develop my memoir was incredibly supportive and encouraging. Getting a place on this scheme has been transformative, both for my life and my book.
Former Breakthrough Mentee