Starting to Write Fiction
Start Date
Starting to Write Fiction
Start writing fiction on our eight-week course for beginners – with inspiring Zoom lessons and feedback from tutor Joanna Glen.
Tutor
Joanna GlenLength
8 weeksLocation
Online,ZoomWriting Goal
Start writingFire up your imagination and learn essential fiction writing skills – this lively Zoom course is the perfect way to kickstart your writing journey!
Thank you for putting on such an enjoyable course! I loved it and hope to try out some more in the future after I’ve made a start with the tools I’ve learnt from this course.
If you’ve always wanted to write but don’t know where to begin or you need help to generate ideas for a new story or novel, this is the course for you. We’ll equip you with the tools needed to start writing your own unique stories with confidence.
Develop your craft in a friendly, supportive group of budding writers. Each week, you’ll join 15 fellow writers for lively 90-minute Zoom teaching sessions led by your tutor, acclaimed author Joanna Glen. You’ll explore the essentials of fiction writing – from coming up with ideas and creating three-dimensional characters to plotting and crafting compelling stories that hook readers from the outset.
Joanna will provide examples to read and discuss and set practical writing exercises designed to help you find your voice and explore your creative potential. You’ll also get feedback from Joanna on two of your written tasks.
This course is suitable for complete beginners starting out on their writing journey as well as those looking for a burst of inspiration and to refresh their skills. It’s the ideal first foray into writing novels and short stories or a great next step for those who have taken our four-week Creative Writing for Beginners course or our 30-Day Writing Bootcamps.
Tutor
Joanna Glen
Joanna Glen is a novelist who lives in Brighton. Her first novel, The Other Half of Augusta Hope, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award and the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award in 2019, and this was followed by All My Mothers in 2021, both books set partially in the hot south of Spain. Joanna is a passionate hispanophile who read Spanish at the University of London, with a stint at the Faculty of Arts in Córdoba. During her career in education, Joanna taught Spanish and English to all ages, was a School Principal in London, a visiting lecturer and education adviser. Alongside her writing, she continues to coach on a range of topics and to mentor. Her third novel comes out in Spring 2024.
WHAT DOES THIS COURSE GIVE YOU?
- Live teaching sessions on Zoom: On Monday evenings, Joanna will welcome the group for a 90-minute Zoom class, covering topics that will be of interest to beginners such as how to create engaging characters, gripping dialogue and a strong sense of place. You’ll read examples of great fiction writing and discuss these as a group.
- A community of writers: Join a friendly and supportive group of 15 aspiring writers for weekly Zoom classes and share your work with your peers on our bespoke learning platform. You’ll be encouraged to read and give feedback on each other’s work and to discuss the week’s teaching topic in a warm, supportive space.
- Writing tasks: Weekly writing tasks, prompts and practical exercises will help you explore the teaching topics and develop your skills as you put pen to paper.
- Feedback on your writing: Each week, your tutor will give brief feedback to five students on their work, so that each student in the group receives individual comment on their work twice during the course.
- Guest author session: Join a special live Zoom session with guest author Lucie Whitehouse. Lucie will talk about how she got started writing fiction and give tips on setting goals, making time to write and progressing with a project. There will be an opportunity for students to ask questions.
Guest author
Join special live Zoom session with Lucie Whitehouse, author of seven acclaimed crime and thriller novels.
Course schedule
Joanna will lead weekly Zoom sessions on Monday evenings from 7.00pm to 8.30pm (UK time) unless otherwise stated. Please note that precise dates of sessions and details of course speakers are subject to change.
WEEK 1 – BEGINNINGS
Mon 24 Feb, 7–8.30pmWEEK 2 – CHARACTER
Mon 3 Mar, 7–8.30pmWEEK 3 – PLOT
Mon 10 Mar, 7–8.30pmWEEK 4 – SETTING
Mon 17 Mar, 7–8.30pmWEEK 5 – GUEST AUTHOR SESSION
Mon 24 Mar, 7–8.30pmWEEK 6 – POINT OF VIEW
Mon 31 Mar, 7–8.30pmWEEK 7 – DIALOGUE
Mon 7 Apr, 7–8.30pmWEEK 8 – ENDINGS
Mon 14 Apr, 7–8.30pm
ENROLMENT PROCESS
The 15 places on this course are allocated on a first come, first served basis. To secure your place on this course, click ‘enrol now’ and complete our payment process.
On receipt of payment, we will send you a link to our short registration form.
If you encounter any problems during the enrolment process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
COURSE FEES
The course fee of £495 (inc VAT) per student is payable in full before the masterclass.
ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK
Students will be given the option to purchase feedback on their work from a CBC editor at the end of the course.
- CBC report: For an additional fee of £155, you can obtain a detailed 500-word report on your work (of up to 3,000 words) from one of our editors.
- CBC report + tutorial: For an additional fee of £260, you can obtain a 500-word report from one of our editors and have a 30-minute video or telephone tutorial with them to discuss your work.